Ninety Eight
"You good to go?"
Echo ignored the comment. The last time he was in the pilots seat saw him crash land on the very planet they were about to leave.
"Echo, you good to - ?"
"I heard you the first time," Echo answered sharply. It was obvious to Stoyan that the former trooper was feeling a little toey.
The floor manager required two new hyperspace anti-grav units picked up for the frigates from the Corellian Engineering Corporation. One had been blown during routine testing and he decided to order a spare, just in case.
It was too good to be true.
The universe was tapping the former ARC on the shoulder, making the decision for him.
Stoyan had diligently stepped forward and put his hand up to collect the spare parts for the order they were about to finish on Scillal. The company would have given the two anything, especially Echo, who had proven himself invaluable at increasing factory floor productivity.
"Come on, let's go," Stoyan said as he sat heavily in the co-pilots chair.
He knew how important this was to his friend, brother, son; it didn't bare thinking.
He watched as Echo pressed buttons and switched on lights, readying the small YT-1220 for takeoff. It was a sweet ride, whichever way they looked at it.
Echo was nervous.
He had spent most of the night going over the manual, committing every part of the instrumentation to memory. Even though he knew he was anxious about heading to Corellia, he was secretly thrilled to be back behind the consul.
This is what I was bred for.
Echo knew he also had to block out the possibility of seeing Freya again.
And meeting my child.
He had something to offer them both now.
The Shipyards had made them both rich.
They had won another contract for a Star Destroyer. Echo knew full well it was being commissioned by the Separatists; but he no longer cared who was buying, as long as someone was paying.
"I'm done worrying about the fekking Republic," he yelled at Stoyan one night after a long session at the local bar. Echo's anger rising with his frustration.
This trip was perfect timing.
To keep him occupied during his down time, Stoyan got him working on their small cabin. Now the ramshackle cottage was a house large enough to accommodate Echo's family.
If they decided to join him.
They hadn't even factored that into the build.
The only threat to the plan was the risk of being discovered.
Corellia however, had sited Contenplanys Hermi, an obscure clause in the Constitution of the Galactic Republic which allowed them to remain separate from the war while still remaining a member of the Core Worlds.
The shipyards were far enough from the centre of the main town for them to land, pick up the required equipment before heading off to find Freya.
"Setting coordinates for Corellia."
"Check."
"Initiating take off sequence."
"Check."
"Retracting landing gear and deploying main thrusters."
"Check."
The pair wouldn't talk again for another seven standard hours.
.
Kix stood in the gym and watched as the doors opened and shut after his captain.
He couldn't move; but he knew he had too, and quick.
"What the fek was that all about?"
He swung around and was surprised to see Chopper, sitting on a bench, methodically lifting his left arm up and down. It was out of context, bicep curls.
Kix was mesmerised at the fluidity of each rep.
He then noticed the sweat running down the dark skin, and became aware of the multitude of scars that littered Choppers arms and torso.
Aren't I just as scarred as Chopper?
The only difference was that Chopper had learned to live with his and the infamy that came along with them. Other men would revere the scarred trooper, his scars some sick badge of honour.
Are my scars any less real?
"Nothing."
"Didn't sound like nothing to me."
"Leave it would ya Chopper? It's good."
Kix kept his voice level, acting as though there was nothing to the altercation with his captain.
Just how much had he heard?
Kix was growing paranoid and he knew that he had to get out of the gym and find a place to take the last half hypo remaining in his gym bag.
Three days, fek!
He couldn't think straight, he required the clarity that only came with the sanctity of his addiction.
Pulling a sweat shirt back on and went to exit, but not before his wrist comm beeped and he read the incoming message.
"All 501st medics report to quarantine area L6."
"Fek!"
The timing couldn't be worse.
He now no longer had any to get somewhere private. He felt as though he was being pulled in half.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered as he headed towards the elevators.
See, he doesn't know what he's talking about! My priority IS my unit.
He alighted on Level 6 then made his way through the labyrinth of corridors that made up the quarantine facility of barracks. The last time it was used was for the Blue Shadow Virus outbreak on Naboo.
He stopped and stood outside the door, as if a transparent window had materialised in front of him; Kix was unable to move forward.
"I can't go in there," he said aloud, gripping the handle of his gym bag tight.
Then the voice from behind.
"Yes you can. Here, let me help you with that."
It was Whisk.
It was as if someone else was handing over his gym bag to the young medic, and along with it, his life.
.
It couldn't have been easier.
Finding Freya.
She left a trail as long as a Jax tail on Corellia.
Echo's old job as an ARC was to find, and often kill, anyone the Republic ordered him to. This was too easy by comparison, and with a few taps on a keyboard in the cockpit of their transport he found out everything from where she lived to her banking details. He raised an eyebrow at her account balance. She had been doing well for herself working as a contractor. It was sporadic; he could tell from the deposits that the credits came in fits and bursts. He then put two and two together and came up with his child.
"There she is."
"Who?"
Echo turned slowly and with an incredulous look on his face questioned sarcastically, "who? Really?"
"Sorry Echo, which one is she."
"The one on the left."
"The left of what?"
"You sure you passed Jedi training?"
"The one with the green tunic on?"
"No, the one next to the kid." Echo stood and put the macro's away and went to leave.
"Is that all you going to do?" Stoyan was ignored. "Echo?"
Echo kept walking, his back hunched in disappointment. Stoyan had to think fast. He has seen it also, the woman with the man standing next to her, his arm around her waist.
"CT dash 41 dash 0408. Stand fast." He thought it was worth a try.
Over his shoulder Echo laughed and continued as he replied, "Ha, you're as much a Jedi general as I am an ARC."
"I still outrank you soldier."
"That soldier died thirteen months ago on the Citadel."
Then Echo felt it.
He had seen General Kenobi use a Force pull before, but had never been a recipient of one.
Until now.
"Fek you Stoyan!" He was so angry; angry and disappointed about what he had just seen.
Freya standing with another man holding her. The little blue leather boots kicking in delight at the people looking at him.
A son, I have a son.
It cut him to the core, but being a true ARC he pushed it aside, just another mission gone wrong, he reverted back to his training on Kamino to hide the pain of rejection.
It was his fault anyway, he had waited too long to reclaim her.
But thankfully Stoyan, wasn't having any part of it.
"Damn you Echo. You're not getting this close to just walk away." He let him go and the ARC stumbled forward. That's when he saw it, the hot tears streak his face.
"Echo - "
"I'm too late," he blurted out, "you saw it, I'm just too fekking late."
Stoyan regarded him and softened, "nothing is ever so lost, that it can't be found."
"That's just Jedi osik"
"No Echo, please. Go to her. At least meet your child?"
Echo shook his head, regaining some clarity.
"Go to hell," he said as he stormed off.
Stoyan watched as he left, "stubborn di'kut," he said under his breath as he too turned, but in the other direction, determined to get answers.
.
Kix walked into the room with Whisk at his side. He tried to act as calm as he could, his heart on the other hand was beating furiously.
That's when he saw him.
Jesse was standing in front of a tank, just behind him was the captain talking to someone sitting on a table. It all became abundantly clear. There was no medical emergency, this was about him.
"Jess, so you did this?"
Kix instantly became desperate, lashing out at the one person he knew could take it.
Jesse looked at him, his eyes pleading.
"No! No Kix, It wasn't me."
Rex swung around to face the tattooed trooper, "so you knew about this?"
Jesse looked down and they could all see that the captains head was about to blow.
"I'll deal with you later," he warned.
Jesse would never rat out a brother, he was just too loyal. Kix should have known better.
Hardcase would have.
Kix felt his ire rising, trapped like an animal he looked at them and the tank glowing ominously as it was about to be activated.
"I'm sorry Kix," Jesse said, his anguish just as apparent as the medics.
So I go in the tank? So what?
His last stand of defiance.
He then saw the seated person behind the captain rise off the table.
It was Fives, clad only in his black trunks.
"Come on Kix," he said loudly, attempting to lighten the mood, "I've put a pretty blonde on hold for you. Let's get this over and done with."
"What?" Kix was unsure what was going on. Rex could feel his friends confusion, but it was Whisk who spoke next.
"Kix, we have to put you in the tank. Two days should do it and Fives has decided to go in for the first shift."
"What are you talking about."
"We can't sedate you," he said, looking down embarrassed, "for obvious reasons."
He was beaten, defeated. They had taken control over him for once.
"Kix, you've put us all together more times than I care to remember. It's now our turn, to look after you. Jesse, will do the second shift, Whisk the third and I will do the last," Rex had said all he had to say, it was now up to the medic to agree to treatment, or go on report.
One chance.
Kix raised a hand to his mouth to staunch the sound of relief before he folded down on his haunches, no longer able to keep up the pretense, finally admitting to the pain he could no longer hide.
They were here to help, just as he had done without question, over and over again.
They watched as Kix was lowered into the large vat, collectively they had seen it a hundred times before, but this time it was more urgent.
This time the bacta had to do more than save a life, it had to repair a soul.
The ARC placed himself in the harness and waited to go in.
"So cap, can this count as a mission?" he asked Rex cheekily.
"If it were up to me Fives, this would count as two."
Yes, someone else was keeping a mental tally as well.
He scoffed back a laugh and put the breathing apparatus on before he swung his legs over the top of the tank. He then submerged himself next to the 501st medic, rolling his neck and giving the thumbs up as he maintained the position for the next 10 standard hours.
Rex looked around at the men in the sterile treatment room. Each one of them was mentally scarred by the war, each one of them was owed something more, and right then, he felt guilty that he had partially succeeded.
.
"Excuse me Ma'am," the voice was vaguely familiar and Freya looked at the face before making a startled sound.
"E – Echo?"
It was him, but it wasn't.
He was just too old.
He was the same height, had the same voice, same eye colour, but she knew deep down, it wasn't.
But somehow she knew they were connected.
"How do you know my name?" She stood tall, guarding the child in the stroller chair behind her.
Stoyan immediately knew why Echo had chosen her, he felt it. This was a courageous and determined woman, the very one Echo had finally decided to confide in him about; recalling their meeting through to their last night together before he was assigned to bring home a captured Jedi. "My son told me all about you," he said slowly.
"I don't understand," she was rightly confused at the comment. She knew all about the clones and that they were bred in vats on Kamino.
Stoyan looked around, "is there somewhere we can talk more privately," he said, projecting a Force signature of trustworthiness, and she obliged, showing him into the nearest cafe.
.
Echo had gone straight back to the ship and was checking the hyper drive when he heard Stoyan reboard.
"Come on, you're late," he grizzled as he placed the hydro spanner back into the ships toolbox.
"I could say the same about you," she replied.
.