Star Wars: The Bad Batch

In Secret

by Gabrielle Lawson

Chapter Two

Echo changed his mind. He went to Eriadu first. The summit over, there were no Venators in orbit. Still, he took every precaution he could. He landed in a grove of trees with just enough clear space. It was well away from the gondola lines. He used macrobinoculars to find the wreckage of the ruined gondola. The debris was still there. He circled it before approaching, scanning for half a klick in every direction. No one was there. Still, he approached slowly and carefully.

He looked around and in the nearly unrecognizable pile of scrap metal that was the broken gondola. He found the loose cable that had held Tech, but it was released from the belt end. Still there was no armor, no blood, no body. No sign that a body had ever been there. No tracks of large equipment to lift the debris, for instance. There were footprints around it though.

He followed the flattened grass and muddy gravel that evidenced the movements of the Imperial troops no doubt ordered to search the debris. They eventually went south, and he saw the start of a rocky outcropping capped by very tall trees. So tall, in fact, that he couldn't even see their tops. But they looked strange to him. He used the macrobinoculars to get a better look. Some of the trees were nearly bare at the top, their branches broken. He scanned down the tree, seeing more broken branches, scratched trunks.

He climbed up to the base of the trees. If Tech hadn't fallen with the gondola, perhaps he had ended up in the trees. There right at the base of one tree that grew between two boulders he found many of the broken branches scattered about. And when he looked at the rocks, he found droplets of blood. Tech had fallen into the trees, and the trees had deposited him on the rocks.

He followed the blood droplets here and there, as they had fallen or been smeared onto the rocks. He was careful to set his feet securely so that he wouldn't slip and fall there. The blood evidence ended on a flattened section of gravel-strewn soil. There was a larger splatter of blood, as if Tech had spat or coughed it out. There were more footprints here. Hemlock had lied. They hadn't only found Tech's goggles. They'd found Tech's body.

But something about that theory nagged at Echo. The 501st had counted him dead at Lola Sayu when the shuttle exploded. No one had believed that he'd survived until Rex had noticed strategies employed by the droid armies were similar to strategies he'd worked out with Echo. He was the only one who believed until he and Tech released him from stasis. Tech had been the one to disconnect him from the computer, so Rex could safely disconnect the cables.

Echo made the decision then that he was going to be the one who believed Tech could be alive. The trees could have slowed his fall. They and the rocks had hurt him, but Hemlock had taken him from here. Why would he bother if Tech was dead?

He wouldn't tell the others just yet. Not until he had some kind of proof. If their hopes were raised only to be dashed if Echo was wrong, it would hurt them more. Besides, he still felt the grief, knowing that this was Tech's blood. If he was alive, Tech was very much not well, just as he had not been well after the explosion. Tech could be in a lot of pain; he could be frightened.

But if Hemlock had him, maybe Tech could be reunited with Omega and Crosshair. That was the only good thing about this he could find. He left the area and trekked back to his ship. He pulled up the nav system and pointed it to Coruscant.

Omega wasn't allowed to see Nala Se. Dr. Hemlock simply dismissed her in that creepy, calm way of his. "Your presence is all that is required. You need only concern yourself that she is cooperating. Your continued welfare depends upon it."

Omega hated him but decided not to show him any anger. "I was Nala Se's medical assistant on Kamino. I'd like to help Emerie in the infirmary."

"By all means, make yourself useful," he'd said. "More useful," he added as she turned to go.

"We have a long shift," Emerie told her. "Midday to midnight. I'd like you to help monitor the patients. Alert me if someone is struggling. I'll be spending quite a lot of my time in Critical Care."

Omega looked around for where Critical Care might be. She saw some doors far in the back. "How will I notify you?"

Emerie handed her a tablet. "You can contact me with this," she said. "It will also show you everything the machines are displaying." Then she took her on her rounds, telling her about each patient and the treatments she was using.

Omega tapped a few buttons. "Can I use this to learn about the different medications and what they do?"

"Certainly, learn enough and we can make you a nurse."

Emerie retreated to Critical Care and Omega watched where she went from the corner of her eye. She wondered who was in there and what had been done to them to make them critical. Crosshair was out here and he'd tried to escape.

Omega went to his bed and sat beneath it as she read about the treatment he'd been given. He'd been exposed to some kind of poisonous gas. It was very academically written. Tech could probably summarize it so it would be easier to understand. And that thought made her sad again. He had died to save them. Hunter said they shouldn't waste it. But that had happened anyway.

Now that she was alone, she let her tears come. Tech was her teacher. He'd even started to teach her to fly the Marauder. She remembered more, seeing him fall through the slats in the end of the gondola as it fell.

"Who's crying?"

Crosshair. She'd recognize his voice anywhere, even groggy. She sat the tablet down and stood up. She put her hand on his shoulder and stood on her toes so he could see her better. He was strapped so that he couldn't turn his head.

Crosshair sighed. "Plan 88. You were supposed to hide."

Omega sniffed. "We wanted to rescue you."

"Why the tears? You're not strapped down."

She rubbed at her eyes. "Crosshair, Tech…Tech's gone."

He stopped breathing and the machine started to beep. "How?" he whispered.

"Plan 99. He saved us. Only it didn't matter. Cid betrayed us. Hunter and Wrecker were captured. I tried to hold them off until AZI could get Echo. But they got behind me. I hope Echo got them out."

The beeping stopped as he started breathing again. A tear slid down the side of his face. "How?" he asked again. He couldn't move his arm, but he opened his hand and she put hers in it.

"We were very high up. He fell. If he hadn't, we all would've fallen. We wrecked though. I got hurt; we all did. We went back to Ord Mantell, but Cid.… We'd worked for her, saved her. I didn't think she'd betray us."

He squeezed her hand. "What will they do without him? Echo can do some of it, but only if he's scomped in."

"I don't know." She put her head down on his shoulder.

"Touching."

Omega stood upright. She'd recognize that voice anywhere, too, that smarmy, sarcastic tone.

"Hemlock," Crosshair hissed.

"Oh, I do hope you're well enough to walk, CT-9904." He had four guards behind him and that other woman who met them at the landing pad.

Omega reluctantly let go of Crosshair's hand and stepped back. The woman released Crosshair. Four guards. Crosshair must have put on quite a show when he tried to escape.

Crosshair stood but had to grab the bed to steady himself. But he straightened and glared down at Hemlock.

Hemlock didn't seem to care. He turned and started walking toward Critical Care. "You, too, Omega. It's time for a reunion."

Tech had a vague memory of the woman beside him. But he couldn't see her clearly, and he couldn't remember any details of their earlier interaction. He was honestly surprised at being still alive. Not that there was anything wrong with his second plan. It had only given him a chance of survival, and there had been only infinitesimal odds of him coming out uninjured.

However, there were factors that negated any relief he might have felt at having survived a three kilometer fall. One was the incredible amount of pain he felt in his arms and chest. Another was that he felt no pain in his legs. He felt nothing in his legs. And third, other than that vague memory, he'd never seen this woman before. And she was wearing an Imperial uniform. It was potential good news that he didn't see the others. They should've gotten away. As it was, though, he couldn't turn his neck to try and see further, and without his goggles, everything was rather blurry anyway.

Thus, he'd come to the conclusion that he was alive but very much injured. And captured by the enemy, to boot. He rather wished he hadn't woken up altogether.

A door opened to his right. A lot of people entered the room. Several, he could tell, were in white, and one was shorter than the others. One he could recognize even if he were blind. Crosshair. Another bit of bad news. He was captured by the same enemy who had Crosshair. So, he wasn't surprised that Doctor Hemlock, himself, approached him. "I'm impressed you found a way to survive such a fall. But, alas, not unscathed, which leaves you at our disposal. I've read your file. Your intelligence is, quite frankly, astounding, and I hope to put it to good use."

Tech wanted to tell him he'd never put his mind to Hemlock's uses, but he couldn't speak. He could feel the tubes in his mouth, nose, and throat. He did his best, then, to try and show defiance in his eyes.

Hemlock wasn't finished. "I've also read a lot about each of the members of your squad. I was most intrigued by CT-1904, Echo, as you call him."

Oh, no, no, no, Tech thought. He could hear the monitor beeping faster as his heart sped up in his chest.

"Now, now," Hemlock chided. "You mustn't stress yourself." He looked to the woman on the other side of the bed. Tech kept his eyes on Hemlock. "The Techno Union's methods were crude and needlessly bulky. I envision a much smaller and robust interface. Just a small port." He touched Tech's right temple. "Here."

"No! You can't!"

And it just kept getting worse. Omega was captured, too.

"Oh, I can," Hemlock argued, "and I assure you, I will. You, Tech, will assist myself and Nala Se in a project our Emperor holds dear. You'll do so willingly, or two people I believe you care about will suffer the consequences."

He stepped back. "I'll give you five minutes. All but Emerie, out."

Omega rushed to him. "You're alive!"

Crosshair touched her shoulders and she stepped back for him. He pulled a chair or stool over and slid closer. He leaned in and whispered quietly. "You were supposed to hide, not come after me. But remember this, brother: You are smarter than Echo. You are smarter than him. Use it." He closed his eyes and put his forehead to Tech's for a moment. Then he slid away for Omega.

She was crying. He didn't have to ask her what her problem was this time. She gently rubbed his forehead. "We should have gone back for you." She sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Cid turned us in. The others aren't here. I hope Echo got them away."

So, Echo was free, at least. Hunter and Wrecker were a question mark.

Tell me everything, he thought to her, but, of course, she wouldn't hear it.

But, apparently, she guessed. "Our gondola wouldn't slow down. We crashed at the end. We were hurt. AZI treated us, but Cid betrayed us. Hemlock had them. I disobeyed orders. I sent AZI to after Echo and tried to hold them off. But one got behind me. He stunned me."

"Don't fight your breather." The woman, Emerie, had stayed.

"What's wrong with him?" Omega asked her.

"Skull fracture, closed," Emerie reported. "A piece of wood had pierced his right lung and stomach. It was removed and the organs sutured. His left shoulder is dislocated and his spine is compressed. He has a number of factures in his limbs and ribs."

That explained the pain—and his numbness.

"You fixed his skull, his chest," Crosshair said. "Not the others."

"The doctor's orders. He doesn't need limbs for his…plans."

Omega was shocked, and angry. "You're a doctor. How can you allow this?"

"What more could I do?" Emerie responded. "I've set some of his bones in secret. I've stabilized his spine so maybe he won't end up paralyzed."

"He won't need to walk if he's hooked up to a computer," Crosshair snarled.

"Even if he were fully healed, none of you could get out of here," she stated. "Resisting is just going to lead to more pain. It's asking for punishment."

"Emerie, I think you care about your patients," Omega pleaded. "But what good is healing them here? What's Hemlock doing to them when your release them from your infirmary?"

The door opened. "Time's up. Take CT-9904 back to his cell."

Tech tried to suggest with his eyes that she should go with him.

"I want to go with him," Omega said. She turned back to Emerie. "Just for tonight."

"Fine," Hemlock stated. "Just for tonight. We'll all get down to business tomorrow."

Echo lowered his ship into the garage. Rex met him as he stepped out. Senator Chuchi was with him.

"Was your contact able to decrypt the files?"

Echo nodded. "He was. But we still don't know where the prisoners are being taken. Is there someplace we can talk privately?"

Senator Chuchi didn't seem upset by the request. She looked concerned.

"Yeah, the office," Rex replied. Echo followed him and waited for the door to close.

"There were only fragments left," Echo told him. "We do know who has them. Doctor Royce Hemlock. But the Batch also received a message from Crosshair. Plan 88. We believe Hemlock has him, too."

Rex sat on the desk and waved a hand to suggest Echo should sit. "Plan 88?"

Echo sat in the chair and continued. "Hide. But we didn't. We voted to save Crosshair. Hemlock was set to arrive at a summit on Eriadu with Governor Tarkin and others. We planned to set a beacon on his ship and then follow him back to where he's holding the prisoners.

"I'm guessing it didn't go to plan."

Echo sighed. "We planted the beacon. But Saw Gererra was there. He planted bombs, hoping to take out Tarkin and everyone at the summit. We had to fight our way out. There were gondola lines in and out of the tower. We got on one, fought troopers on the other side of it. We were traveling out when the bombs went off. The track lost power. Were stuck three kilometers off the ground with no way out. The bombs took out the landing bay—and our beacon. They didn't touch the top of the tower. Tarkin sent ships to shoot us down. Tech went out on the track to reach a terminal so he could get us moving." He believed, but this still hurt. "He was coming back when they shot our gondola and its connection to the track. One half was broken and hanging down, pulling our half off the track. Tech was hanging off the broken part."

Rex didn't say anything, but, by his expression, he'd guessed.

"Tech shot the hinge between the halves. He and the broken half fell."

"I'm sorry," Rex said. "He sacrificed himself to save the rest of you."

Echo nodded. "Our half sped out of there but I couldn't slow it down. We crashed. The others were hurt, especially Omega. We went back to Ord Mantell. I don't know how it went down, because I was still in the Marauder. But Cid Scaleback turned us in. Hemlock and the Empire showed up. I got Hunter and Wrecker out but Omega was captured. We tried to get to her but Hemlock's shuttle took off. We barely got out of there. But there was no way to track Hemlock's shuttle."

Rex nodded slowly. "So now he has Crosshair and the girl. At least we have a name. That's more than we had yesterday."

Echo's shoulders slumped. He shook his head. "Rex, there's something else. I went back to Eriadu. I looked for him."

"Tech?"

Echo nodded. "He wasn't with the wreckage. Hemlock had his goggles, said that was all they found of him. I think he lied."

Rex leaned back a bit and took a deep breath. "Three kilometers, Echo. No one survives that."

"He hit the trees, high, fell through them onto rocks, down the rocks. I found drops of blood, Rex. No pools. No body. There were footprints all around where he must have fallen. But only a little blood."

Rex leaned back further. "What would Hemlock want with Tech, alive or not?"

Echo shook his head. "But I have to believe he's still alive. Hemlock wouldn't need his body."

Rex sighed but shook his head. "Even hitting trees—and rocks—he'd be broken up. He could have bled out internally."

"Why take his body?" Echo repeated. "Everyone thought I was dead. The explosion destroyed most of my body. You were the only one to believe I was still out there." He choked back his tears. "I'm Tech's only one."

"I didn't," Rex admitted. "Not until I felt it was too much of a coincidence. That the droids were using tactics we dreamed up together."

"I've got the state of the trees, the blood on the rocks. He was meters away from the broken gondola."

Rex stood and came to him. He put his hands on both Echo's shoulders. "Okay. Then I'll believe with you. But we need to find them."

Echo felt like at least a little of the weight on his shoulders were lifted. But Rex was right. He couldn't help Tech—or Omega and Crosshair—until they could find him." He nodded and stood. "Maybe Senator Chuchi can look Hemlock up. If we have a full history, we might find some clue. I need to get back to Hunter and Wrecker. They had never lost anyone before, not in the whole war. They're taking it hard."

Rex nodded, too. He put his hand on Echo's back as they went to the door. "I'll see if any of my men on the inside can find any transmissions, requisitions. He's got all these prisoners; he has to be paying for the facilities to hold them somehow. It's not just your fight. They're still taking clones. We'll keep trying to intercept them—before they can erase their logs."

"Maybe stop one of the captains from killing themselves," Echo suggested as they stepped back into the larger garage.

Senator Chuchi was nearby, talking with a clone. She came to them.

"Have you ever heard of a Doctor Royce Hemlock?" Rex asked her.

"No, but I look into him. He's part of this?"

Echo answered, "He's the only clue we've got."

"Are you alright, Echo?" she asked.

Rex responded for him. "Clone Force 99 got the data for you from Rampart's Venator."

"I remember."

"They lost a man."

She put her hand on Echo's chest. "I'm so sorry. We'll do everything we can to find this Doctor Hemlock. Give Omega my condolences."

Echo couldn't bring himself to tell her. He just nodded and went back to his ship. But he heard Rex behind him, telling her that Hemlock now had Omega as well.