Chapter Thirty-Eight
Rex was gone before Ella even had the chance to say goodbye the following morning. She tried not to feel upset by this small slight, and buried herself in work. She had boys to heal, right? And they were all depending on her being there.
So she headed into the medbay and didn't leave until that night when she was practically dragged out by her annoyed best friend.
"Allee, why the—"
"Look," Galene sighed, whirling around and grabbing her by the shoulders. "I get it. You're worried about him. Your mind is running in circles about whatever it is he's hiding. I'd be anxious too. But you need to come and get a good meal and a restful night's sleep. Got it?"
Ella sighed and nodded, "Yes. Okay. I just… it's so weird. He always tells me everything. I don't mean to sound bratty or entitled or anything like that. I just…"
"You're worried."
She nodded, "Yeah. You're right though. Let's go eat."
"Then you're going to sleep. And I mean sleep."
"Okay! I get it!" Ella squealed, chasing her friend to the mess.
Kix's head immediately shot up the moment his wife entered the room, and he turned around quickly, smiling as he stood from his seat to wrap his arms around her and place a lingering kiss on her lips. "How's the most gorgeous woman in the whole galaxy doing today?"
She blushed, "I'm just fine." Then she sobered. "I have more intel for our project. I'll tell you later, but you were right."
His eyes widened. "You're sure?"
Galene nodded, "Absolutely positive."
"Okay. We'll review it tonight. How's Ella doing?" he asked, noticing their friend.
"She needs food and rest," Galene insisted. "And good distraction."
"Still worked up about Rex?" he asked. "Don't even worry about it. You'll find out eventually. Maybe it's something good?"
"Do you know what he suspects?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. And I'm sorry, but even if I did, I wouldn't tell you without his go ahead."
"It's okay, Kix. I understand," she huffed, munching on a piece of bread and some soup.
She was about to ask about whether or not he'd heard from them, but when she looked up, she was met with the sight of her two friends locked in a passionate embrace.
Fortunately, the mess was nearly empty, so no one really noticed the couple's behavior. Normally, Ella wouldn't mind. But for some reason, a pang of stinging envy struck her heart.
They looked so in love - so completely happy together. She knew they had their ups and downs, just like every couple did. But they were together. They had each other.
You remember what it felt like to be kissed like that, don't you? a conniving voice hissed. How it felt like fireworks every time you touched, how safe and special he made you feel.
Stop it! she cried, wanting nothing to do with these malicious… truths.
She wanted nothing more than for the empty space to her right to suddenly be filled by the man she loved. For him to wrap his arms around her and roll his eyes at their friends' teenage-worthy spectacle, and tell them to get a room. Then for him to press one of those beautiful, soul-tasting, gentle kisses to her lips and say, 'wanna leave these two animals?'
In that moment, all the pain and heartache came rushing back, slapping her in the face as if she'd been doused in ice water.
No one was going to hold her like that. No one was going to whisper how beautiful she was in the morning, when her hair was messy and she hadn't put her makeup on yet. No one was going to pull her closer and whisper, 'just five more minutes, please?' after an hour had gone by with those same words repeatedly winning her over.
I need to get out of here.
Finishing it as quickly as she could, she stood and sighed. "I'm tired. I'll see y'all tomorrow."
Kix and Galene just smiled between kisses and whispers, and bid her a distracted goodnight.
She couldn't get to her room fast enough. Later, she would wonder if she'd ignored someone or bowled one or twelve of the men over in her desperate flight. But that didn't occur to her now. Everything was tunneling, highlighting her empty arms and unkissed lips, and the hands that shook at her sides that should've been clenched around larger ones with calluses from handling blasters all his life.
It took three tries to unlock the door, and even then she fumbled with the handle before throwing it open and hurling it shut, slamming the locking mechanism into place. She didn't want anyone to witness her breaking.
The bed tempted her but she bypassed it to go stand in front of the sink. Maybe washing her face would fix this. Feeling clean usually made it better, right?
She scrubbed at her face so hard that it shone bright pink in the mirror. The girl staring back at her looked like a completely different person than the one she'd faced this morning. The one she'd reminded again and again to be strong when she inevitably ended up here again.
If she'd had the will to shatter the mirror, it would've been in a billion jagged pieces on the floor. But her hands seemed to be frozen at her sides, paralyzed.
Move. You need to move.
Stumbling to her chest of drawers, she imaged through it kindly until she found a familiar black shirt. It was too big for her, swallowing her whole. But she needed that shirt like she needed air to breathe. He'd worn it. He'd worn it every other day of his life when the one that had burned to ashes and melted with his sweet, selfless soul had been in the laundry.
She gently lay the shirt on the sink countertop and turned the shower on. Steam filled the air, rising like the smoke Fives had described that had curled and wisped from her husband's helmet. She tried to push away those thoughts, but it was no use, so she stepped under the scalding water and hugged herself, wishing, hoping, imagining her arms to be stronger, more muscular, and pulling her to rest her ear over a beating heart. Like the last day of their honeymoon when he'd whispered over and over that he loved her, how precious she was to him, and how he'd never leave her, never stop fighting to be by her side.
If only he could've had the opportunity to keep his promises, she thought bitterly.
A choked noise clawed at her throat, and she covered her mouth with her hand. As if she could really hold back that pain.
It didn't matter.
Tears joined the water running down her face, and broken sobs cracked and tore at her tiny frame, jerking her back and forth as misery and composure struggled to own her.
Her knees gave out from under her, and Ella curled into a ball, huddling into the corner of the shower that received the most spray, and just let go.
No one heard her as she cried out for something she didn't believe she'd ever be able to get back; the one person who had ever loved her the way she'd been created to be loved.
•~§~•
'Who is she? Who is Ella?'
No! No I won't tell you. I won't! Leave her alone!
Fire. Fire cold and hot at the same time racing through every cell in his body.
'Who is Ella?'
They were winning. He was losing ground. Tears that wouldn't - couldn't - fall traced phantom rivers down his cheeks.
He knew he couldn't win. He knew that soon they would take away the one good thing that had ever happened to him.
His memories would unfold like flimsi and he'd be laid bare.
Every precious moment he'd had with her began to flitter across his eyes. Every kiss and touch and night they'd shared in unison. Every promise uttered.
The way her hair tickled him when she slept next to him; how she was practically glowing - a body of white light as she glided down the aisle and pledged her body, heart, and soul to him forever.
No! NO!
"I love you. I'm never going to leave you. Never."
Please!
They couldn't take her. They couldn't take her away from him.
They'd taken so much. So much that he'd loved and cherished and kept tucked away in a safe corner.
It should've been safe. It should've been.
But now it was being taken away from him. She was being taken away and he was terrified that they'd find her and kill her.
Or worse, bring her here to be a partner in his living hell.
NO! YOU WON'T TAKE HER! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE THE WOMAN I LOVE!
It was the most painful thing he'd ever done, the hardest battle he'd ever fought. And he fought dirty. He'd use every trick he had to keep her safe.
Even if she'd moved on.
Even if she forgot all about him he'd give his all for her.
"I love you! Be safe! Come back!"
Suddenly, it felt less cold. Light was pressing against his frozen eyelids.
He fell forward, hanging in midair.
Then someone pulled him out of the icy womb he'd been trapped in. He wondered if this was how children felt when they were birthed. He hoped that no kid remembered that experience for it would likely scar them for the rest of their life.
He was leaned back against a hard surface. His body felt like it was made of lead, his limbs too heavy to lift. He'd felt like this before.
The Citadel.
We have to get out of here. If we don't act now, we might lose the shuttle. Fives, let me get it. You always go first. You're always running headlong into danger. Let me be the reckless one this time, vod.
Fire, burning down his body. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't even scream.
Darkness.
Don't take my legs! Please! No stop! Stop you're hurting me! Ella? Fives? Ella where are you? No don't! I need to go home! Ella! I'm sorry! Let me go! Let me go I need to go back to Ella!
Let me out of here! You don't understand, she needs me! I promised! No! NO!
"No!"
"Echo! It's Rex! I'm here!"
Rex?
And his eyes were suddenly open. He could see again after an eternity of blackness.
It was his brother. He'd never seen such a wonderful sight in his life.
"What?" His voice was barely there, a mere whisper of what it used to be, and a bit more gravelly. "Rex? You came back for me?"
Echo reached out a shaking hand and clawed at his shoulder pad, desperate to know if he was hallucinating, if this was just some cruel trick by the seps.
But he felt the armor. He'd recognize the feeling of plastoid anywhere.
"Yes," the captain said. "I did."
Echo glanced around wildly. This wasn't a Republic ship. It wasn't the Resolute. It was dark and foreboding, like a skittering chill racing down the spine and causing a soupy slick of fear to cling to the stomach.
"What happened?" he pleaded. "Where am I?"
Rex took his hand which had started to slip from his shoulder, holding it in his reassuringly. "It's okay Echo," he promised.
Okay? Could he be okay again? How was this okay? What was okay? He had so many questions. Was that okay? Was he saying it would be okay?
"You're safe now."
Oh safe. He wanted to be. He'd forgotten what safe felt like. Somehow, it started creeping back in now that his brother was near, warmth spreading throughout his shivering body and thawing him out, leaving him limp and bare.
"Just sit tight, trooper," Rex ordered gently. Then he locked eyes with him. "You're going home."
Home.
Home wasn't a place.
Troopers didn't have a place to call home.
Kamino wasn't home. Star destroyers weren't home. Coruscant wasn't home.
No.
Home was people. Friends who became family.
And sometimes more.
Ella.
She was home to Echo.
So many questions raced through his head at the thought of his bride. Was she safe? Was she alive? How had Fives died? He was obviously gone since he wasn't here. Nothing short of death would've kept him away, and he knew it. What about the others? But Ella. Ella first. How was Ella? Where was his wife? She wasn't here either. No. Was she alive? Please, please let her be alive. He needed her.
"Whoa! Slow down, vod'ika," Rex soothed.
He hadn't realized he'd been talking almost nonstop.
Oops.
"Ella is okay. She's back at the base right now. She's safe," he said.
Echo felt himself go limp. He didn't know he had stiffened. He didn't know he could. But now he was exhausted. He knew what he needed to know and his body said enough. Let yourself rest. You can't fight tooth and nail if you can't chomp or raise a finger.
"Shhh... just breathe, Echo," a new voice said.
He gasped and shrank back.
No. Don't touch me.
"No, Echo, it's alright," Rex said. "It's Tech. He's a brother too. He's just checking to make sure you're okay."
Tech nodded, "I'm going to start trying to get you disconnected."
Echo slumped forward, leaning on Rex's armored shoulder. "Ella... I want Ella."
Rex chuckled, "Soon, Echo. Very soon."
Echo shuddered, his teeth chattering. He was so cold! It gnawed at his bones and joints no as if he were being eaten by a feral animal. He didn't mean to whine, but he couldn't help it.
"I'm s-so c-c-cold." he breathed.
"It's alright vod'ika." Rex pulled him against him, rubbing his arms to try to bring circulation back.
Tech said something to Rex, who looked at something behind him, "You lost your legs up to your thighs, and half your right arm. Your lungs were severely damaged. That's why the chest stuff. Your skull...? Did they not think to use bacta?"
Echo shook his head and shrugged, "Didn't really care to try. Lots of stuff... didn't lose in the explosion."
"They took it from you?" Rex asked.
He nodded. "Offered bacta. I said no."
"What?" Tech asked. "Why didn't you take it?"
Echo sighed, "I said no... wouldn't tell them... didn't say anything. They took."
Rex grimaced sympathetically.
"The lung issue... it's their fault. Broke ribs. Lots. Lungs cut up."
"Did he lose anything else?" his friend asked.
"Besides his hair and half his body weight? No," Tech replied. "I'm looking at the documents someone left. I'll download it. There. Now I have it. According to Tambor, the cerebral interface was added to interrogate him when they figured out that basic or even intense torture wouldn't work. He was down to one arm then. So they transferred him here, put him through a surgery to install the brain investigator, then froze him and let it do the work instead."
"How... how long?" Echo asked.
"I don't know. Several months, I think. It doesn't say."
"No," he tried again. "Since the Citadel?"
"It's been a year, Echo," Rex said. "In a week it'll be a year since the Lola Sayu mission."
"Do you remember getting here?"
"Don't know," Echo breathed. "Nothing makes sense. Just dark. Pain."
Rex's face twisted in sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Echo. I'm sorry you went through that."
He shuddered. "Don't like it here. Go now?"
"Have to get you unplugged first," Tech replied. "You can't be moved until I get rid of the ties from the system. Right now they're controlling your ability to breathe, and probably your ability to move as well. Once you're disconnected, it should be easier."
"Can you move at all? Maybe stand?" Rex asked.
Echo tried to get his legs to stand beneath him. He really tried. His body shook harder and he weakly gripped at the edge of the console in an effort to pull himself up.
What do I weigh now? 75 pounds? 7.5 pounds?
And even that was still too much for him to manage, as he continued his fervent struggle, panting, ducking his head in shame.
I'm an ARC trooper, one of the most elite of the Republic. And I can't even stand up. I can't even stand up.
Suddenly he wasn't with brothers who cared about him.
'Stand up, Republic scum!'
It was too hot. His head felt so light. Food. What did that taste like? He missed Ella's muffins, but he'd feast on the tasteless republic rations if they were offered now. Beggars couldn't be choosers.
He couldn't stand. He tried. How could you stand with one leg?
'You idiot. Weakling. Take him away and teach him a lesson. When I say stand, he obeys or loses the ability!'
Terror rushed through him, and he tried to fight the droids that came forward to take him away for more questioning. He couldn't go there again. He couldn't!
When he returned, he was carried, the cauterized stump of his ankle wrapped in a bandage.
"It's alright, brother. Breathe. You're safe. Just breathe. You're alright."
Rex! Don't let them take me again, please!
"It's okay, brother. No one is going to hurt you. I swear."
"The situation's almost under control out there. How's it going in here?" a familiar voice said.
General Skywalker?
"I'm still trying to decrypt Echo's cerebral interface. Until I do, we cannot disconnect him from this computer system," the other brother with goggles... Tech? informed.
"He's too weak to walk. Very disoriented. Doesn't even remember how he got here. He remembers being at the Citadel, but that's about it."
"Any word on the extraction squad?"
"We called it in. But no word back."
A ruckus ahead of him near what looked like a doorway made him flinch back.
"... knew when we got into this that we'd be on our own."
A swarm of figures in dark armor entered through the doorway, closing it. Someone smashed the control panel, sending blue sparks flashing for a few seconds.
"... difficult to get out... squads... droids closing in!" one of them warned.
He sounded like a brother.
The doors were pried open and a droid stuck his head through.
Echo's heart raced.
They're gonna put me back in there! They're gonna take me again!
But someone ripped the droid's head off and slammed the doors back together. A bright, whitish-reddish-blue light indicating that someone was welding the doors shut was followed by the distinct tang of melting steel.
Echo gulped in a deep breath. It was okay. For now at least.
Someone said something.
"How long do you think you can hold them off? Tech! How much longer?" the General asked, a little tensely.
"Not yet. I need more time," came the focused reply.
Then a terrible thought came to Echo.
If they overwhelm us, everyone here will get captured and end up just like me.
And all the people we love.
"R-Rex!" he rasped, weakly pawing for his hand. "You have to go. You can't get... you can't let them get you!"
"We're going to as soon as—"
"—no you don't understand! You... you know too much! The General knows too much! You can't let them find out anything and these things... this machine... you have to go!"
Rex's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"
Echo shuddered. He didn't want to, but what if it kept those he cared for safe?
"Leave me and go."
Rex grabbed his scrawny biceps gently but firmly, "None of that, trooper. I won't leave you. Not again. We came to get you and bring you home. You think I'm leaving here empty handed?"
The emaciated man trembled, tears forming in his thawing eyes. "But you can't end up like me! You... I can't let you... please, Rex..."
Rex pulled him closer, hugging him. "Vod'ika, listen. That's not going to happen. You've seen what the General can do. You haven't seen what these boys here are capable of yet. Between them and Skywalker, we could hold them off. I'm almost positive. And besides the fact that you also have an algorithm which is causing the Republic a little trouble. We can't leave you. We have to get you out of here in order to protect the Republic."
Echo swallowed, "That's not the only way."
Rex narrowed his eyes, "Absolutely not."
"But—"
"No!" he barked sharply. "I am not killing you! You are going to stay alive! Your wife misses you. You have to go home to her. You hear me! I miss you! I need to know you're alive. If you can't do it for yourself, do it for her and me!"
Echo shuddered and nodded. "I'm sorry."
Rex took a breath and sighed. "It's okay, Echo. You've been through absolute hell. I can't say I blame you. But you're not pulling a Hevy on me. Not today. Not ever. That's an order, trooper."
"Yes sir," he replied, blinking hard.
Well, he'd tried.
Just then, the console clicked happily. Tech spun around.
"Ah! I've got it. You can unplug him now," he said.
Rex helped his brother stand and turn so that he could remove the lines.
The first plug didn't really hurt that much. In fact, the right side of his chest wasn't as weighed down. Breathing became easier.
The second did. He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the one that shocked his entire nervous system when he put up a fight. His whole body cramped for a painful ten seconds, as if the system was lashing out at him with its final retaliation.
Then was the last. The constant buzzing in his head stopped. It was finally quiet again.
His thoughts and memories were safe now.
The Republic was safe.
His brothers were safe.
Ella was safe.
And then came the migraine.
I wonder if anyone here has a painkiller I can take? It's a bit distracting.
He coughed, clearing his thawing airway. "Rex?"
"What is it?" he asked, concern all over his face.
"I've got a big headache," he sighed, laughing nervously.
Rex smiled warmly, "Better to feel something than nothing, old buddy."
"It's a touching reunion guys, but we need to get out of here. Now!" the General reminded sharply.
Echo coughed again. Really, it was getting annoying and he was a little worried about whether or not his practically skewered lungs would hold up without the machine.
If I have to die, at least I'll die free.
He pointed towards the ceiling. "There's an exhaust vent that leads into the cooling systems. Right there."
"How do we get it open?" Crosshair asked.
"I don't know if I can crack it in time," Tech worried.
Echo suddenly remembered the cybernetic socket attached to the elbow stump of his right arm.
"I might be able to," he said, and reached for Rex. "Help me to the control socket, will you?"
He nodded and helped him to his feet. Echo bit his lip against the rush of tingling pain that traveled down his spine and legs. He'd never used these. He'd only remembered the horrific surgery where they were installed before he was frozen.
Tentatively, he tried to put weight on them and gasped.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
"Easy, Echo. Don't push yourself too hard," Rex whispered when he locked up.
Echo sighed as the pain faded a little, "I think I'm okay. Just have to get used to them."
He inserted his socket into the droid access panel. He stiffened, expecting something horrible.
Nothing.
He could see exactly what he needed, and ordered that door to open.
"That should get it open," he sighed in relief as it did as ordered.
"Great. Now how do we get up there?" one snarked.
"Oh I can help with that!" another who could only be described as giant declared, grabbing the third.
"Wrecker!" he gaped anxiously. "What are you doING!" And he was launched towards the opening. "A heads up would've been nice!"
But Wrecker just laughed, "What's the fun in that, Hunter?" and threw the snarky one up there with him, who crossed his arms the entire time, only sticking his legs out to catch him.
"I don't know if you should throw Echo up like that, Wrecker," Tech cautioned. "From the reports I'm reading, the damage done to his ribs and lungs have made them almost brittle. He needs a nice long dip in bacta before they'll be really safe again."
Echo ducked his head. In other words he was fragile. A single mistake or touch that proved to be a little too harsh could do him in.
I'm so weak.
"I can help him get up there," the General said confidently. "Send Tech up first. He'll catch him. Then Rex behind him."
"When you get there, grab my shoulders," Tech said. "Come on, Wrecker. Do your worst."
Wrecker laughed and cast him up to where Crosshair steadied him.
Echo felt the familiar eerie weightlessness of the force lifting him. He smiled bashfully at the jedi and nodded. As soon as he arrived, he wrapped his arms over Tech's shoulders.
"Tell me if I'm cutting off your air," he pleaded.
"You're fine. I altered my suit so that a grab from behind wouldn't choke me easily," he informed.
"Woah!" Rex shouted as he was tossed. He grabbed at the bars and started climbing, grumbling under his breath. "Stupid tossing. I hate being tossed. Shab'la di'kut."
Echo laughed softly, "Still getting thrown, sir?"
Rex growled, "More than you know. It's getting out of hand. I am not a Hakki sack!"
Echo laughed again, "The jedi seem to think he's extra throwable," he explained to Tech.
"I think to them, we're all throwable," he responded, a tinge of amusement in his voice.
They quit their conversation when said jedi joined them, lifting Wrecker, who was squirming and carrying on, into the vent.
"Well, Echo, where to next?" Rex asked as they all climbed into the freezing pipes. He moved to support him, effortlessly half-carrying him. Echo wondered again just how much he weighed.
He shivered, "Uh... I think we go that way."
They nodded and walked down the tunnels.
"Huh," Tech muttered interestedly, then explained, "This ventilation corridor acts as a cooling system for all the computers in this facility."
"How did you know it was up here, Echo?" the General asked.
Echo shrugged, "Well they got access to my memory, and I got access to the Techno Union database. All their plans, inventory, building schematics. Everything." He chuckled at this. They'd spent such a long time exploiting his vulnerability. Now he could give them a taste of their own medicine.
"You mean you can find us a safe way outta here?" Rex asked, helping him try to walk on his own.
Echo chuckled, "Well, there is a way. But you're not gonna like it."
He led them to a maintenance door that the droids used to access the pipeline that stretched between this tower and the next. The drop was stomach-churning. A fall from this height was in no way survivable.
But this was their route across. If the others would accept it.
"I don't know about this!" Wrecker worried.
Fear of heights? Echo wondered.
"I'm telling you! There's a landing pad on that other building!" Echo yelled over the howling wind.
"So you think there's a ship there we can steal?" Hunter asked just behind him.
"Well I hope there's a ship we can steal!" Echo retorted, following Skywalker out onto the pipeline.
"Let's hope this trip isn't for nothing!" Hunter grumbled.
Who peed in your cereal? Echo thought amusedly.
"Oh boy. I can't even look!" Wrecker rambled. "Just keep walking, Tech!"
"That's fine," the genius replied calmly. "But if you fall, don't take me with you."
"Uh oh. I looked!" the large man squeaked. "I think I'm gonna be sick!"
"Hang on, Wrecker! We're almost there!" Hunter called back to his teammate, who was anxiously mumbling that he was gonna be okay over and over.
Echo had to wonder what had happened to make him so affected by their altitude.
Suddenly, the jedi in front of him whipped out his lightsaber, crying out in alarm, "Turn around! Go back!"
Echo caught a glimpse over his shoulder of a line of droids. They were coming in their direction, blocking their path to safety.
His heart began to beat faster and he spun around so quickly he almost lost his footing.
But on the other side, another line of droids was bearing down on them.
They were trapped.
Echo felt his knees tremble and knew he would fall to his death if he didn't sit down. He knelt between Rex and Anakin, his hands coming up to shield his face from sight. His body shook with fear and cold.
I should've known that they'd never let me escape! I should've known I'd never get out of here! Now I've dragged the General and Rex and those boys into this as well! This is all my fault!
"Echo, come on, brother. It's okay!" Rex's voice attempted to comfort him.
He felt tears freezing on his face when the wind glossed over them. "Rex! I'm so sorry! I- this is- this is all my fault! You should've just gotten rid of me and escaped when we had the chance! I'm sorry!"
"Echo! Enough of that!" the captain barked, kneeling down to pull him close.
The hug was wonderful - too wonderful. He didn't deserve this. He'd doomed them all.
"We aren't going to die here. None of us. We're getting out of here and it's all gonna be okay. They will never take us, or you, ever again. I swear it. You've done nothing wrong," his brother murmured. "Just breathe. It's gonna be okay."
"Whoa! Oh no!" Crosshair gasped before going over the edge.
Echo cried out in alarm, his eyes kept wide open with shocked horror. He was going to die and there was nothing he could do. He was too far away to do anything and too weak to be of any help.
You killed him. It's your fault he's here! You should've just died in the explosion and prevented all of this!
But Wrecker surprised them all by diving after him with no hesitation, easily wrapping his hand around the sharpshooter's ankle as he wrapped his legs around a metal protrusion.
Echo breathed a sigh of relief through gritted teeth. That was much too close, and now Wrecker was endangered too.
"Does anyone have a brilliant idea?" General Skywalker inquired.
"I do have a brilliant idea!" Tech exclaimed matter of factly.
"I'm hangin' here!" Wrecker reminded.
"When the locals attacked us, I recorded the creature's distress call," Tech explained.
"He records everything. It's a hobby!" Hunter remarked.
"Which allows us to call those flying creatures to us!" he concluded, a second before a deafening, unearthly shrieking filled the air.
Rex held him tighter and covered his ears, forgoing his own. Echo reached up and covered them for him, using the side of his head instead of the stump of his right hand.
Wrecker shot at one of the droids, screaming at his brother to silence the noise that was shattering everyone's eardrums.
"There is our ride out of here!" Tech declared, pointing to the distant horizon.
Echo hadn't ever seen creatures like this before. They almost looked like Toothless the dragon in the movie that he and Ella had watched together. They were quite fascinating and he stood up to get a closer look. Rex rose with him, following his astonished gaze.
"Now how do we get on them?" the Hero with No Fear inquired.
"How else? We jump!" Tech answered glibly.
Echo whipped his head around, staring at the crazy, insane, unreasonable brother.
We jump?! Are you kriffing kidding me?
"Alright," the General acquiesced resignedly. "I'll go first!" He sheathed his lightsaber and leapt out in one graceful movement, landing on the back of one of the creatures easily.
It doesn't look that hard, Echo thought before throwing himself after him.
He quickly realized just how hard it was when he was instantly clinging to the neck of one creature, his body dangling above the ground that would be responsible for crushing his bones a bajillion feet below them.
Hold on, hold on, oh please hold on! he begged his one good arm. Who's a shab'la di'kut? I am! Because I thought I could be a jedi! Me! A guy who's lost three-fourths of his limbs, is emancipated as heck, can't climb a ladder on his own, and could probably bench press two pounds at most! Oh, not to mention I am NOT FORCE SENSITIVE!
But Rex was there a split second later and grabbed his arms, hauling him in front of him in one swift movement. "You idiot! You could've been killed!"
Echo blushed furiously. "Yes sir. I'm a di'kut sandwich."
Rex laughed and cuffed him playfully. "Yes you kriffing are! Next time… no! There will not be a next time! Not ever!"
Echo nodded, smirking. "Yes sir. I heartily agree."
He was just turning back to tease him about his heroics when the droids sprouted wings.
Oh kriff.
"Easy, Echo. They aren't gonna get us. They're flimsy. These things could pulverize them easily!" Rex scoffed, turning and taking out his blasters.
"Yeah, but they got blasters!" he fretted.
"And can't shoot for osik!" Rex shot back. "I forbid you to look back at them again unless expressly told to do so. I want you to watch what's ahead of us. Got it?"
Echo nodded, and peeled his eyes from the firefight taking place. There wasn't much ahead. Just rocks and clouds and orange skies.
Ok, maybe think about something else. Think about… cinnamon muffins! Those things are so good I could eat them all day. All day and night. I'll eat so many when I get back that I get fat. That sounds great. And of course I gotta get my color back or everyone will think I'm a ghost haunting people. So tanning sessions. That'll be nice. I miss feeling the sunshine. And of course there's Ella! Sweet, beautiful, darling Ella. My angel. Gosh, I wonder if she's still with the 501st. Would she leave? I mean, she could've. She thinks I died. I wonder—
"How you holding up, Echo?" Rex asked.
He turned and looked at him and the empty skies behind them.
A smile creased his chapped lips.
"Never better sir!"
Rex laughed and sighed. "You know, she couldn't move on."
A lump lodged in Echo's throat.
"She's still there?"
"Yeah," his brother chuckled. "She never left. She tried to move on when people told her you wouldn't want her to be alone. But she couldn't. She didn't want to. She still loves you, Echo. Never stopped."
Tears blurred his vision. "I… I love her so much. And I miss her."
Rex patted his shoulder, "She misses you. I didn't tell her that I was sure you were alive. If you weren't, I couldn't bear to hurt her like that, raising her hopes just to have them dashed. Send her back into the loop she's been struggling through."
"She cried?"
Rex spluttered, "Cried? No, she cries. Hysterically. When I told her… when she ran out to meet you when we got back at midnight, she immediately noticed there was something wrong. I couldn't even get anything out. Then she asked where you were. I came up to her. She was shaking like a leaf, and I saw it in her eyes. She already knew but didn't want it to be true. Is just told her, 'I'm sorry,' and she just went down screaming." He shook his head. "She cried so hard I thought she'd break in pieces. Then she passed out and we all freaked out and thought she just gave up the ghost right then and there."
The thought of his wife in so much agony rent his soul.
You weren't there. You made her feel that way. You idiot. You should've listened to Fives.
"I… I promised her I'd never leave her. She must've felt so abandoned," he murmured, but somehow Rex heard it.
"She knew you would never leave her if you had any choice. It's not your fault, Echo," Rex chided. "Just think how happy she's going to be when we get back and she sees you!"
Yeah. Think how horrified she's going to be when she sees what you've become. You look like a monster.
"I hope so," he whispered. "I just want her to be happy."
They touched down at the native's village about fifteen minutes later. The Poletecs were a curious race. According to Rex, they were very primitive. But oh well. Every culture was a little different in some ways. And simplicity could be beautiful as well.
The chief garbled some gibberish and Tech translated.
"Their leader is impressed we tamed the Keeradaks, but he wants to know why we returned here," Tech explained to Skywalker.
"Tell him we had no choice. Tell him… we wore out our welcome at Purkoll."
No sooner had their talented friend relayed this than a hail of plaster fire rained down on them from above. Echo grabbed the pistol that Rex thrust in his direction and fired on the droids. He managed to down one, which set a smirk upon his sickly face and grim satisfaction in his heart.
Hey, I may look a sight but at least I've still got great aim!
But this small victory didn't hold its shine for long, as one of the three attackers escaped, heading back to inform Tambor of their location.
Echo felt sick to the stomach.
They'd been so achingly close!
"Not good," Anakin said in a strangely quiet tone. "If I know Tambor, he'll come after us. Us and the Poletecs with everything he's got!"
The chief spoke again in his garbled tongue. Echo couldn't understand what he'd said, but was able to get the message from the look on his face. He was clearly upset.
"What's he saying, Tech?"
"He says we have broken our word. We have brought the war to his village," he translated anxiously. This could get bad.
But Rex stepped forward determinedly. "Tell him he's right, Tech. Tell him we didn't mean to drag his people into war. But look what the Seperatist did to one of our people!" He pointed at Echo who stood just a little behind him.
Echo came forward, biting his lips against the sounds of disgust he heard throughout the gathering. Shame lanced him like a blaster bolt, and he wished he could hide behind them all and conceal his abused, mutilated flesh from their eyes.
If this is how these people react to me… how will Ella react to me? he wondered, his stomach leaping into his heart which made the jump to lightspeed and rocketed up to his throat. He felt the color (or what little even existed) drain from his withered cheeks at the thought of her repulsed expression at the sight of him.
He didn't think he could bear that. Not from her.
"They took away his freedom. His humanity. They tried to turn him into a machine!" Rex continued, doubtlessly unaware of the thoughts running through his brother's head and heart. He'd never do that purposefully.
Tech translated his words to the Poletecs, then the captain continued.
"The Techo Union claims its neutral, but they have chosen sides. Now, your people have to choose!"
"Couldn't have said it better, Rex," Anakin applauded. "Padmé would be proud."
Rex's cheeks pinked, and he ducked his head.
"Oh, let's just hope it works," Crosshair sighed. "Because I see forces coming… more than we can handle alone."
Echo met his brother's eyes with a flame of courage and perseverance. He hadn't come this far just to be dragged back now.
"Let them come."
•~§~•
Rex drummed his fingers against his knees, watching the lights of hyperspace fly by. A million thoughts were racing through his head.
Echo had been alive that entire time.
How was he going to tell him about Fives?
How would Ella react to his current state?
How would Echo react to his wife's reaction?
"Can I ask you a question, Cap?" Tech broke through his turmoil.
Rex nodded, bracing himself. "Fire away, Tech."
The genius smiled, "I was just wondering... we thought that you went before because you just wanted to get your friend back. But... I feel like there's a deeper reason."
Rex looked over to where his brother had passed out, exhausted from the rigorous activity he'd demanded of his barely-functioning body. He was fast asleep.
The captain sighed. "Let me tell you a story," he began.
The others leaned forward, even Anakin.
"Not long ago, or far away, a young woman got her dream job; to be a medic for one of the battalions of the GAR. The girl was over the moon with excitement. A few weeks after her arrival, she met a clone in the medbay, waiting for his brother to get out of surgery. They fell head over heels in love."
Tech smiled at this and Hunter's face softened.
"They took an absurdly long time to realize their own feelings and that they were reciprocated. Everyone could tell but them. Finally they got together. Where one went, the other was sure to follow or at least be nearby. It wasn't gooey, over the top infatuation. It was real. The soldier was promoted to ARC trooper at the end of the Third Battle of Kamino. He proposed to her that night, and she said yes."
"Yeah!" Wrecker cheered.
Rex nodded, "It was a beautiful wedding too. The whole battalion turned up. A Jedi officiated. The way they were together, how they looked at each other; every kiss was the purest form of love that anyone had seen before. The day and afternoon were spent in celebration of their new marriage, and they disappeared that night and for a few weeks for a quick honeymoon. After they returned, they were a unit. Everyone was so happy..."
Rex trailed off and shook his head.
"Then came the mission to Lola Sayu. He and his brother went to rescue Jedi Master Even Piell and his men from that dark dungeon. We were close to a shuttle, and commando droids were firing turrets at us from above to keep us cornered and away from the shuttle and freedom. He made it onto the ramp when the ship was shot and exploded. All we saw was the remains of his smoking helmet on the deck. When we finally returned to the Resolute, his wife came running to the airfield to greet us. She broke. I'll never forget her scream or her tears, when she collapsed, utterly heartbroken."
He glanced around. Even Crosshair's eyes were damp.
He gulped down the lump in his own throat and continued. "It wasn't until a few weeks later that I saw her, and she was crying, though I'll never really know if she was sad or happy. Likely a mix of both. She had just found out she was pregnant."
The Bad Batch gasped.
"It was...?" Hunter asked in a whisper.
Rex nodded. "After that, she started to eat again, for the baby's sake. A little more color was in her cheeks. It was a long time before she smiled again. I was the first besides her to feel the little girl move. Things were looking up again."
"No..." someone muttered, noticing his usage of was. "Please, no."
Rex took a deep breath and resumed. This was a difficult part for him as well. "We went to Umbara. Under orders from the Chancellor, General Pong Krell took over command of the 501st. He was a traitor. We captured him, and interrogated him. After serious discussion, we agreed that he must be executed to keep the Umbarans who were all converging on our location from getting intel. Jesse had just opened the cell and I'd told him to kneel..."
The captain blinked rapidly, remembering as though it were yesterday.
"She was standing between me and Jesse. Krell lifted her and she started screaming as if she were being burned alive. Dogma... he snagged a gun and pulled the trigger. When I went to check on her, she kept saying, 'The baby! He hurt my baby! Something's wrong with my baby!'"
"No!" Wrecker pleaded.
Rex nodded. "Krell sent her into early labor. And a difficult labor at that. The baby was finally born about two hours later. She was so tiny; so fragile and innocent. And so still. She didn't move. Didn't cry. She wasn't breathing. Kix tried everything to get her back, but it was no use. The baby was dead, there was nothing anyone could do about it."
"What happened?" Crosshair asked breathlessly.
"Krell crushed the baby's lungs right before he died, just out of spite," Anakin explained tautly, his hands fisting. "She felt her baby suffering, writhing inside her as he murdered her."
"No!" Hunter breathed. "How... how could he?"
"Oh, kriff! She probably knew that the baby wouldn't make it the entire time," Tech whispered, stricken.
Rex swallowed then continued. "She got to hold Ayah for a few minutes, and I stepped outside. I was only gone a few seconds when she started to hemorrhage. It happened so fast. We all heard the heart monitor flatline, and I think the hearts of the whole battalion stopped with hers. Then there was this horrible silence, and we were all about to lose it." He smiled. "Then she breathed again."
They all let out a sigh of relief.
"Over the next few months, she tried to recover. Some of us told her she should try to go out and see if she can find love again. Her husband wouldn't want her to be alone. She tried. She really did, but she couldn't. Some didn't understand, but I was kinda glad she couldn't move on so easily. I didn't want to believe their love had been the everyday kind."
He sighed.
"A few months later, Ahsoka left the Order after being wrongly accused of bombing the Temple. The kid had always been like a sister to everyone, especially to her. Then Tup and Fives both died within a single week. That was about three months ago. They would have celebrated their first anniversary about three months ago."
"It's Echo, isn't it?" Crosshair sniffed, trying to pretend he wasn't crying.
"Of course it is, you di'kut! That's why we rescued him!" Tech said.
Rex nodded. "Yes."
"Who's the girl?" Hunter asked.
Rex smiled sadly, "Do you remember the girl with the brown hair and eyes that said goodbye to us when we left the first time? She made us the bread and other food."
Tech gasped, "Ella? It's her?"
Rex nodded. "When I thought there was even a slim chance that her husband might be alive, you can bet I decided I'd do everything in my power to see if it was legitimate."
"Does she know?" Wrecker whispered.
Rex shook his head, "No. I couldn't bear to hurt her if he wasn't alive. It would be terribly cruel." Then he smiled at the young man in the corner. "Now I can give her back the man she loves."
"Do you think you'll find someone out there for you?" Tech asked.
Rex nodded, "I hope so. I'd be a fool not to want a love like the one they have." He glanced back at his resting brother and smiled.
It faded quickly into a grimace as he watched him.
Echo stirred, shivering, and tried to pull himself tighter, as if trying to protect himself from an invisible barrage.
"N-No... please. No."
Rex stood and went over to him, grabbing his hand. "K'uur, vod'ika. Haalur, gar olya morut'yc."
Echo pulled him closer, "R-Rex..?"
"That's right, vod'ika. I'm here. You're safe now."
He slowly relaxed, not opening his eyes. "Where?"
"The Havoc Marauder. We're going back to Anaxes now."
"How far?"
He looked to Tech.
"About an hour or two."
Rex nodded, "We'll be getting there as the sun rises."
He worried his lip, then hesitantly, "Rex?"
"Yeah?"
He shifted uneasily. "Can I… can I have a shirt or something?"
Rex nodded, "I packed some stuff, just in case. It's probably gonna be a bit big… we need to fatten you up on Ella's cooking and get some color back in those cheeks, brother." He joked. "Which… is why I also snagged these."
Echo gasped in delight when Rex held up a slightly smashed bag of muffins. Cinnamon muffins. His absolute favorites.
"C-Can I?" he breathed excitedly, tentatively reaching forward.
Rex's heart clenched so tightly in his chest that he thought it would implode. Those haunted, hungry eyes hurt to look at, and he wanted to give in immediately.
"Of course! I brought 'em just for you! Let's get you in those clothes first, though before you shiver to death. You got goosebumps from head to toe!" he joked lightheartedly.
Echo nodded and sat up, wincing a little.
Rex pulled the warm pajamas that Ella hadn't been able to part with from his knapsack. "You know, I spent half an hour tiptoeing through your wife's room to get these for you before we left. Was too scared I'd wake her up and have to explain to just walk in like a normal person and leave." He chuckled. "Vaughn - you remember him - saw me at the door and stared at me like I was about to strangle a kitten the whole time. Made me feel like a creep."
"Ella wouldn't have woken if you'd walked normal," Echo laughed. "She's a pretty heavy sleeper. Or… at least, she was."
"I guess that's why when I dropped a book she didn't even stir," Rex said quickly, hating the sorrow in his brother's voice. "Here. You get your arms in this first. We'll get those pants that should probably be burned off afterwards."
Echo chuckled, "Not even gonna buy me–"
"–don't even start with that nonsense you di'kut sandwich!" Rex shot back.
His brother just shook with poorly-concealed laughter and stuck his arms through the red sleeves. Rex helped him button it up, then took out the other two articles.
Echo gulped. "Uhhhh… do you guys have a bathroom–"
"–we won't look, Echo, if that's what's got your tiny whities in a twist," Crosshair teased.
"Thanks," he replied quietly.
Rex helped him to get into the boxers and pajama pants. They were big on him, but fortunately the pants had drawstrings.
Echo giggled. "I feel like a stick figure."
"Yeah… I think it's time for muffins," Rex said, popping one out and into his friend's hands.
Echo took a slow bite and whimpered at the delectable taste. Rex almost cried when he saw actual tears in his friend's eyes.
"They're just like I remember them," he whispered, near reverently. He turned to the others and smiled, "Ella and I almost kissed for the first time when we were making these muffins together. She taught me to dance, and we were just there in each other's arms, and she was wearing this lovely outfit - a dress with a white top and roses and a red skirt, and black high heels."
Rex's eyes widened, "That was right after she served Bane that dush'shebs knuckle-sandwich!"
"What?" Hunter exclaimed. "Echo, your wife smacked Cad Bane?"
"Oooh, she did way more than that!" he boasted proudly.
"She intimidated him and made our job easier," Anakin explained.
He launched into a detailed narrative of the entire Bane experience, dramatizing his heroism(of course. It was Skywalker, the man who would kill himself for the effect.) and succeeding in capturing his audience.
All but Crosshair.
He leaned back and muttered, "Hey reg."
Echo blinked, "Yeah?"
The sniper smirked, "Your wife is the coolest, most amazing woman I've ever heard of in my life."
The POW smiled, "She is. I'm really grateful she picked me."
Crosshair turned back to listen to the story (and internally snark about the overdramatization of Skywalker's heroics).
"I can't believe it," Echo breathed after taking another munch of the treat Rex had brought for him.
"Believe what?" Rex muttered, taking a seat beside him.
Echo looked up at him with glossy eyes. "I'm free."
Those two words were steeped with hope and such poignant joy that it nearly made him cry. Instead, Rex hugged him and placed a kiss to his poor, shorn head. "I missed you, vod'ika."
Echo shuddered, "I missed you too, ori'vod."
They shared a muffin or two before Rex noticed how droopy his friend's eyes were getting.
Taking the half-eaten treat from his hand, he set it aside and pulled him into his shoulder.
Echo stiffened, but didn't pull away, looking up questioningly.
Rex smiled, "You're tired. Get some rest."
His curled up a little, "But… but what if I have another–"
"–I'll be right here, brother. I'm not going anywhere. If you start having another bad dream, I'll wake you up and we'll have another muffin or two, then try to sleep again. Okay?" Rex assured.
The shadow on his shoulder nodded and slumped against him, eyes falling shut. "Armor's poky."
Rex scoffed in amazement. "You said that the last time we snuggled too."
The ARC Trooper had to crack a smile. "I remember. It was right before I told Ella I loved her. On Malastare. She looked so beautiful that night."
"Remember your wedding?"
A sleepy smile appeared. "Yeah I do. Couldn't ever forget it. Oh, Rex!" he whispered brokenly. "If you hadn't gotten there when you did… they'd have taken her away from me. I was fighting with everything I had but it just wasn't enough and they were taking her and–"
"Shhh… shhh. She's safe, Echo. Ella is safe. In just a few hours, she's gonna be hugging and kissing you and crying happy tears because her impossible dream came true."
He nodded shakily. "You gonna take the armor off, Poky?"
Rex groaned and let go of him, quickly ridding himself of the hard plastoid and laying down beside him. "There. Happy?"
Echo nodded and snuggled into his chest. "You're warm!" he breathed giddily.
"You are like a kitten."
"Cute and cuddly?"
"More like you melt people with a single look and you're attracted to warmth."
"Not a good insult, Poky."
"Shaddup and go to sleep, Echo!" Rex grumbled.
"Okay."
•~§~•
Ella kissed him deeply, tasting his buttery lips, reveling in his touch. Echo was here in her arms again and it was bliss; slow love like a burning flame, rising from ashes and fanning higher and higher until it licked at the floors of heaven, tasting the melting stars.
"Echo, my love…" she breathed against his collarbone.
"I'm here, vheh a'oatr. I'm right here. My darling girl… I've missed you so much."
His voice was golden light and rich honey, washing over her bones and calling out to her soul.
"Don't leave me! Please!" she begged, seeing the sun rise and turn his dark eyes to glimmering flax.
"I'm not leaving you. I never left you. Trust me. You'll see me sooner than you think," her husband murmured into her lips, kissing them like he knew she was suffocating and he had the air she craved.
"I love you!" she called as morning light took them and separated their worlds.
"I love you forever, my angel. Never forget that," he promised.
Ella woke up with tingling lips and every cell of her body prickling. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to recall the way his embrace felt, locking it away in the treasure chest hidden behind the curtains of her heart where only few people were permitted to peek, and even fewer were allowed to dwell.
It had been such a wonderful dream. Too bad it was just that.
What she wouldn't give to have him in her arms again, and taste his lips on hers, and hear his voice whispering sweet nothings that her heart suddenly realized it'd been missing all her life.
Oh, darling… I miss you so much.
She groaned and stood up, knowing that lying here would do nothing to help her sleep. She wouldn't be sleepy until just a little past lunchtime.
The chrono on the wall read 5:58.
She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she leant her head on the chest of drawers for just a moment, drawing strength from it.
Oh well. It is what it is. Best make the best of it.
Today felt like a sweater day, and she pulled out some clingy, sea green leggings to go with the soft, white knit sweater she threw over her head.
What about jewelry? she wondered.
Her E locket rested on the vanity and she quickly grabbed it and fastened it around her neck, admiring the wedding picture of her beloved husband before closing it and letting it drop to thud against her heart.
She felt like something exciting needed to be added to her outfit, so she shoved her feet into her white sunflower-splattered converses.
After putting on a little makeup, she tied her hair up into a messy bun and stared at herself in the mirror.
No. Her hair needed to be down today. She amended that with a quick pull at the hair tie which gave under the little tug and let the rolling curls bounce over her shoulders.
Just a little lipstick.
She opened her makeup bag again and paused when the little tube of cotton candy lip gloss stared up at her.
Fine. It's an Echo day. Why not.
Just as she was getting ready to head to the medbay, her comlink chirped.
"Ella! It's Rex! Are you up?"
She lifted her wrist and spoke into it, "Yep! I was just heading to the medbay. What's up? You okay?"
"More than! Can you meet us on the airfield as soon as possible? It's really important!"
Okay he sounded excited.
"Is it about your mission? Can I find out what it was that you weren't telling me now?" she queried.
"I don't think I'll even have to tell you if you get out here!" he sang. Sang!
What was in his coffee? Rex is never a morning person!
"Okay! I'm on my way now!" she called.
"Just a word of warning. Brace yourself for a bit of a shock. We're waiting by the Havoc Marauder in section B4."
"Okay! See you in a few!" Then she ended the call and walked towards the airfield, wondering what had gotten her friend so joyful. He hadn't sounded that happy in years!
It must be something big. Something important.
Her feet overruled her brain and sent her flying in his direction, an unspoken hope rising in her chest.
She felt it. The sun was rising.
Mando'a Translations
K'uur, vod'ika. Haalur, gar olya morut'yc - Hush, little brother. Breathe, you're safe.
Dush'shebs - Bada - -
Ey my peoples!
Who's excited!? I know I am!*squeals like a little toddler who's been given cookie dough* AHHH I'm so ecstatic!
Hope all y'all are well!
Love, Peace, and
LittleBitOfGrace.
