TBB - Echo knows best (Echo/Rex)
By GunRoswell
Preface
Echo is always right, even when he is wrong
Sometimes, Rex knows best (well, often times)
Preface
Set somewhere in Star Wars the Bad Batch and the Clone Wars galaxy of things (A Multiverse of Star Wars Fan Fiction by Yours Truly)
Echo sometimes overdoes things.
With gusto.
Enter Rex to soothe things for the Arc Trooper.
Part of Echo/Rex series
Echo is always right, even when he is wrong
'In my book, experience outranks everything.' Captain Rex
After Skako Minor Echo had pressed on. Wanting to do the more even if that hadn't exactly been the goal for his squad, the Bad Batch. Especially after the war had ended.
Joining Rex's cause, things had changed. For the better or worse was undecided. Echo was risking his own life for the sake of others while taking on missions so dangerous they might just be wrong. As he truly felt there was a lot he owed, to the universe, to his kin.
Some might say this had not always the case. Echo not always being this way, the one for sacrifice for the sake of others. But Rex knew better. Echo was always the one to put others lives ahead of his. Even as a shiny when the two had first met a long time ago. On Rishi Moon.
Some time ago, in the past
"Echo, we need to leave. Now!" Rex urged the Arc Trooper still trying to save the mission.
The mission having gone badly from get go. The intel having been totally bad and their squad pinned to their current position not able to move forward. Their options getting slimmer each passing moment.
"You take the others and go. I will wait a while longer." Echo half snapped at his Captain.
Echo wanted to give their compromised contact a fighting chance. Getting them out from enemy territory while they still could. But them being a no show was putting the rest of the extraction team at risk and Rex was feeling antsy, wanting to save his squad.
"Echo. They could be dead for all we know." Rex tried again.
Not wanting to risk his team, his friends to get one person out even if their contact had done a great service to them all already. Still, being a double agent always had its risks. Rex knew and so did the agent as well. But Echo was a hard one to convince otherwise.
"You go. I'll stay." Echo was adamant and when he got like this there really was no changing his mind.
Rex sighed and then made the hand sign for the others to move out and get back to the ship while there still was time before the enemy would box them in completely.
"Alright. Then we wait. Together." They could not move forward to look for their missing agent either, the only option remaining to wait for them where they were. Hoping the agent would be able to find them in time.
Echo gave Rex a sideway glance. "You don't have to. There is really no need for both of us to risk our lives."
"Of course I do. I would never leave you behind." Rex had made his mind up and Echo knew there was no trying to convince the Captain otherwise.
Echo only nodded. The silence between them descending quickly. The blaster fire in the distance the only noise heard. The enemy yet to have pinpointed where the two were hiding. Always a good thing.
"What made you think they would still be on their way?" Rex just had to ask.
"Gut feeling." It was a simple answer. But Echo had always had a sixth sense about these things. And Rex had learnt to trust them early on.
"And we don't leave our people behind." Echo reminded Rex of the mantra the clones went by.
It was Rex's turn to nod. Even if the very same sentiment would come to bite him in the shebs at a later point in life. To haunt the Captain until such time a rescue mission was deployed to get back his Arc Trooper. Echo.
The two waited for the longest of whiles. Suddenly they heard the shuffle of feet nearby. Someone with an unsteady beat to them walking their way.
Echo scanned the area with his binocs. He could see someone limping, heading their way. It was their contact!
"It's them." Echo was up and running towards the agent before Rex could even react.
"We're here to help you." Echo told them and immediately gave the agent his support.
Rex was there in a quick dash. Helping Echo with the injured agent. Supporting their contact on either side while making their way slowly towards the ship, to safety. Reaching the vessel with the aid of their squad giving them the needed cover fire as the enemy had noticed the trio by the time they were out in the open.
Once inside, the ship taking off Rex turned to speak to Echo. "Guess you were right. For us to wait for them."
"Would have been bad for them if I hadn't." Echo wasn't taking any credit for his actions, but he knew he would have regretted it if he had not stayed for a little while longer.
"You're a good soldier. A good person, Echo." Rex sometimes worried Echo trusted people and things a little too blindly, but once again proving to Rex that Echo was usually right about these things.
"Like I said, it was a gut feeling." Echo smiled at Rex. "Thanks for trusting me."
"Always, Echo. Always."
Present day
"Give me a few more minutes. We need this data." Echo sounded commanding and adamant, perhaps a little frustrated too, the mission having not exactly gone as planned. "Go and make sure the prisoners get to safety."
"But you will have no cover. The imps will start boarding soon enough. They're really close already." Fireball tried to warn Echo as he did not like leaving Echo behind. All alone. Without backup.
"I'll be fine. Just. Go." Echo knew they needed the data buried deep inside the ship's databanks and he wasn't about to leave without it. Or then die trying. Not a great option, but he needed to try at least. This was too important.
Fireball stood there for a moment, unmoving.
"Go! That's an order!" Echo barked not wanting to put anyone else in danger. Their mission was to rescue clones, not to loose them.
Fireball saluted Echo and left. There was precious time to get all the prisoners off of the ship, the imperials too close for comfort.
Echo glared at the screen, the data pouring into the data rod. The download hanging at ninety-nine percent adamantly not budging. An omen perhaps? Something else? Echo had left the Batch to join Rex's cause after all. Because he needed to. Simple as that. Saving the clones was his priority now. Guess it always had been. And so, omens be damned!
There were shots fired nearby. His communicator crackled to life.
"We're all clear. Waiting for you." Gregor's voice came over the comms. "The imps are already on board!"
"Roger that! One more minute!" Echo half whispered.
"Echo!" Gregor shouted.
But Echo cut off the communicator.
Echo glared at the computer. As if willing it to go faster. One karking percent pending! He could already hear the footfalls in the corridor leading to the bridge. But he wasn't budging. They were getting closer though. And just then, the download indicator hit a hundred, blinking green.
Echo detached the rod and glanced at the corridor. The imperial troopers were closing in on his position. Making a split second decision, Echo commed Gregor.
"I will take an alternate route out. You need to pick me up as quickly as possible." Echo warned him.
"What alternate route?" Gregor sounded baffled.
Echo quickly closed the door leading to the bridge, shooting the keypad he bought a few moments of time. He then proceeded towards the viewport. Placing a small explosive there.
"Gregor. You have a minute before I run out of air."
Just then, Echo pushed the detonator. The viewport screen imploded, sucking out all air from the bridge sending Echo flying out from the transport ship.
"Karking Arcs!" Gregor cursed as he manoeuvred their ship in the path of the floating Arc Trooper, managing to grapple Echo just in the nick of time, the hook's cord reeling him inside the ship.
Fireball and Howzer were already waiting by the airlock. Grabbing a hold of Echo dragging him inside the last few metres.
"We got him Gregs! Go go go!"
Gregor took the transport vessel to hyperspace, leaving the imperials behind in their wake.
"You okay Echs?" Howzer asked the Arc glancing at him with a worried look trying to see whether he was still breathing.
Echo removed his helmet, the soft hissing sound indicating it had been pressurised. Taking a few shaky breaths a soft smirk emerged on Echo's face.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
"That, was one helluva ride you just took!" Fireball quipped smacking Echo on the back.
"Sure was." Was all Echo managed, still catching his breath. "It sure was."
And it had been all worth it in Echo's book. They had the clones and the data. All and all a very successful mission!
Sometimes, Rex knows best (well, often times)
'Thanks, for coming after me.' Echo to Rex on Skako Minor.
"Relax Echo. I've got you darling." Rex was in the process of massaging the cyborg. A full body massage as per doctor's orders! Well, the Captain's orders in this case. The knots and bolts having tightened more and more from the constant missions, hardly getting any sleep and eating ration bars on the run. Echo had really driven himself, pushing forth relentlessly worrying Rex to no end with his actions. Sure Rex appreciated everything Echo did for him, for their cause, all of it. But sometimes Echo simply did not know when to stop. And so, having to have made it an order Echo was now officially on a three day leave. Against his will for sure, but orders were orders even now.
Rex knew he should have seen the signs earlier. Of course he should have. The two of them were very close. Sharing everything.
But, Echo had always been great at hiding his own discomfort. And so, finally getting to the truth of how bad things were when Echo had fallen asleep face flat on his plate of food. It was then when Rex had made his decision. Echo was to be off duty with Rex taking care of him. There were plenty of vod'e on the base who could easily handle things especially now that Gregor, Wolffe and Howzer together with Commander Mayday and Captain Wilco were on board. The two clones rescued after a surprise contact made by someone on the inside. The former Batch member. Crosshair. Having decided to turn a new leaf in his own book after apparently meeting up with a certain Commander on a mission and soon after becoming their inside man in the Empire much to everyone's surprise.
So, Rex had taken the time off as well dedicating it for taking care of his partner. Echo.
"I'm sure this is not… (growl) necessary." Echo tried to object even if he was totally enjoying the treatment. Being the one taken care of for once.
"Come on sweetie. You need this. You have been running on empty for far too long." Rex cooed the man. "I know you think you are invincible…" Rex chuckled realising his little faux-pas. "And you might just be that too. But, everyone needs some maintenance sometimes."
"Hm… fine." Echo yielded without too much objection, being a tad gone already in the sensations under Rex's ministrations.
Even if Echo had agreed to the whole taking time of thing rather reluctantly and not without trying to give Rex every excuse in the book while doing so. But it was nice. Being taken care of by one's partner. So so very nice. Rex was doing a great job. Having familiarised himself with Echo's body over the years knowing what made the Arc tick. In more ways than one.
Echo let Rex take care of him. His whole body being knotted out, the kinks being smoothed, the stiffness and pressure slowly put surely leaving all other parts except the one where it seemed to be concentrating the more sensual and softer Rex's touches got. The massage part of taking care of Echo soon becoming to an end. After all, Rex had a mixed bag of ideas on how to get his partner to relax.
And Echo, was relaxed at the moment. Well, part from the pressure between his legs growing each passing moment. The friction of the mattress below not helping at all while lying on his stomach.
"Turn over hon." Rex ordered suddenly having sensed it was time for a more intimate part of the massage to begin.
Echo was nothing if not good in following Rex's orders. Most of the time. And this was one of those times he would follow each given order of Rex's for sure!
As he turned to his back, Rex got an eye full of his own handiwork. A smirk crawling up his lips, Rex moved from his spot, his body settling on top of Echo's. Skin on skin feeling good and familiar as their bodies touched fully. After all, for any good massage session, clothing needed to be disposed of.
"This is nice." Echo managed between the attentive kisses of his lover. "I am glad you ordered me to take the time off."
"Yeah?" Rex took a moment staring into Echo's eyes. Loving the soft look he found there. "Better hold that thought!"
Rex continued his gentle assault, his mouth, his tongue running down familiar paths down Echo's body. And soon the word 'off' would be the key for this very special evening.