Chapter 5 - Lost

Author's Note: Writing with Omega constantly living in the past of when her brothers were all tiny and cute is so adorable. 💖 I'll put a major heartbreak warning with no specifications though. 😈

~ Rivana Rita


Omega's lost track of time, but they must've been looking for the creature for a while before Crosshair finally stops near a rock structure. "Stay here," he says, moving forwards. Up ahead, she sees the part they're looking for atop another rock, its lights flashing a bit in the darkness.

Omega can't say why, but suddenly, she has the gnawing sensation that something is about to go wrong. Crosshair moves towards it, scanning the surroundings before reaching for it. And that's when there's a soft crunching of rocks, and they look up at once as the dragon climbs onto the rock right in front of Crosshair.

She lets out a startled squeak, stepping back, but it's her brother that's really in danger. He raises his rifle to fire at it on well-practiced instinct, but the creature is moving so fast. It throws him down, and jumps for the part, picking it up and taking off.

"It's getting away!" she cries, moving forwards, but there's nothing she can do. She can't stop it. And Crosshair's not moving. She looks back to him, that raw panic flaring again when she realizes the animal knocked off his mask. It's instinct alone that spur her on to run to him, to find his mask lying on the rocks and put it on, even if he's already unconscious.

It's been years. Years, but it feels like she's still caring for her brothers, still watching over them, still fearing that she might lose them again. Nala Se taught her to move past her fear, that letting herself be slowed down by it is selfish. Still, she lingers, hovering nearby just to make sure his breathing is normal for a few moments before shaking him. "Crosshair?" He's not answering though. Unmoving. "Wake up!"

It's useless though. He's unconscious, and that creature is getting away with the part, and if they don't get it back, they'll be stuck here.

"Echo, Wrecker, Tech, come in! We need help," she tries, calling into his comm, but there's no response. She's not even sure if it's working.

If Crosshair's down, then – then Omega has to finish this. That's why she came.

Omega looks up to see the moon dragon crawl down a tunnel into what must be some sort of underground cavern. It's taking the part down there now. They'll have to go down there. She'll have to go down there. "Okay, Omega," she mutters aloud, more to convince herself to do it than anything. "You can do this."

It doesn't feel like she can – she has no idea what she's doing – but it's what she always wanted. To get to put her life on Kamino behind her, to... to find her brothers and live the same life they do. If she's going to be one of them, she has to do the same things they do.

Omega picks up the dropped flashlight, and Crosshair's blaster, forcing away the fear still gnawing at her through sheer willpower. It's not like she's a stranger to being alone, or taking risks, though this is still the first time she's been alone in... a life-threatening situation. But her brothers are all the time, right? The longer they wait, the more likely it is the part will be damaged or destroyed. She can't wait.

Besides, it didn't actually... hurt Crosshair. At least she doesn't think it meant to. And Tech had said they only feed on raw energy, not living creatures.

She climbs inside the cavern, slowly crawling down it. There are all kinds of... what look like odds and ends in here, what was once mechanical parts. If the capacitor was damaged this badly...

But a few turns later, she sees it, sitting in a slightly larger part of the cavern, and undamaged. She approaches it cautiously, just to make sure, but the dragon isn't inside, so she hurries over to it and sets down the blaster. "Guess I got lucky," Omega mutters, picking up the capacitor.

That's when a sudden snarling sounds from behind her. Omega freezes instinctively and turns around. The dragon is right behind her. She scrambles backwards, snatching the blaster and raising it towards it. She's never used a blaster before, but she's seen her brothers do it all the time.

The thing snarls at her, and Omega ducks away automatically, shielding her face with the hand holding the flashlight, half expecting it to jump at her. It... doesn't, though, and after a few moments of terrifying silence, she slowly pulls her eyes open again and refocuses the flashlight in it. It turns its head away from the light, then snarls at her again.

She flinches away again, but the light – does it hurt its eyes? This is a dark planet. And Crosshair used to be like that when he was little. He couldn't handle bright things. Hesitating a moment, she flicks off the flashlight, plunging them into darkness. And speaking of Crosshair, she hears his voice distantly. He must be up, and she needs to get out there soon.

Now that the cavern is dark, the dragon turns away altogether, nosing at something on the ground. It's not trying to be aggressive, she realizes. It's just hungry. Perpetually hungry, the same way little Wrecker used to be. If she gives it food, it'll be distracted long enough to get the capacitor out.

She flicks the flashlight on again, moving it back and forth this time to avoid focusing on the creature and spooking it again. She tosses the flashlight in front of it, and the dragon immediately bites into the middle of it. The flashlight sparks as its circuitry is destroyed, but the power is diverted into the creature, green pulses of energy running through its body, lighting the way for her.

Omega picks up the capacitor in her other hand and makes for the exit.

Crosshair's voice echoes in the background, more defined now.

"I'm coming!" she yells back. She climbs out the opening of the tunnel again. The capacitor is a bit heavier and bigger than the flashlight and climbing down is a bit harder than going up.

"You took my blaster again?" he asks a bit incredulously.

"Don't worry, I didn't have to use it," she assures, admittedly feeling slightly hyped over this, no matter how small a win it might have been. And she's glad she didn't have to use it, either, because hurting that creature wouldn't have sat well with her.

His expression doesn't change much, but she thinks the look in his eyes is something like fond exasperation, and the mere thought of someone looking at her like that, the thought of someone... caring about her, warms her heart in a way that... hasn't happened in years. It's different now though, because now they're older, and they're taking care of her as much as she does them.

Crosshair takes his blaster and slips it back into its holster, and then takes the capacitor, freeing her hands so she can climb down easier.

"You alright?" he asks.

She looks up at him, feeling strangely... happy for the first time. "Yeah. We should go before it gets hungry again."

They take off together, breaking into a slight sprint, even if Omega has to move twice as fast to keep up with him.

She's been outside before, but only on Kamino, and it was always raining. Here, she feels free, feeling the wind blowing across her, through her hair that still feels too short – for the first time not accompanied by rain. It's freeing. This is what it feels like to come home.

**w**

Going back to their room feels so, so wrong. He shouldn't be here if his... brothers aren't. But they're not his brothers anymore. (Yes, they are.) They betrayed the Empire. (No, they didn't.) They were his squad (his brothers), but they – they left. (He made them leave.)

He'd gone to Onderon to finish what they started, to make up for what his (brothers) former squad hadn't done. The traitors were dealt with, but not all of them.

But these people – he doesn't know them. Hunter's strength has never been in his own skill. It was always in understanding his – his brothers, and now that they're gone, now that they betrayed him, he doesn't have that advantage anymore. (It doesn't help that he doesn't want to. He could never have what he has with his brothers with anyone else. Their bond was forged through years of living together, of growing and training together. Even if Hunter could form that with someone, he would never choose to try.)

And yet, despite everything, there's a part of him that clings to the hope that he might still find a way to get them back. (He hopes they stay away, far away and never look back, go someplace where they'll be safe from him, from the Empire, from everything. That they can continue doing what they were always meant to do.)

The board Wrecker made for their missions is still on the wall. It hurts to see it more than he thought it would. All that, and they just left. All those years he spent looking out for them, and they betrayed everything he and they worked for. (Do they think he meant to do it? That Hunter had hurt them willingly? Had turned on them by choice? That he'd – that he'd hurt Crosshair, and meant to do it? That he could ever hurt any of his brothers? To him – to all of them – they were... everything.)

Sleep doesn't come, even if he tries. He doesn't know these people. He doesn't... feel safe with them. To find rest would mean lying to himself, and he has no reason to trust them. (Or maybe it's just who he wants near him right now. You were a part of me. How could I forget that? When every time I slept, it was always to hear you breathing, and all I could feel was your hearts beat in mine?)

(Do you think I'm angry at you? That I wouldn't have had you leave if you could? That I would have wanted you to stay with this? To believe in this? To be drowning in this same bloodthirsty need to hurt that I am? You made the right choice, and for once, without me there to tell you what to do.)

(So, go. And even if it is wrong, I could never stop loving you. Every time I see the sky, I'll wonder where you are. But as far as you are, I will love you forever. Even if I'm out here alone. Even if I never see you again.)

**w**

"Hey, kid," Wrecker says cheerfully, crouching next to her chair, "Come with me. Cover your eyes."

She looks at him curiously, but complies, and jumps off the chair. He leads her to the back before she hears him walk farther off. She stands there, flooded with anticipation, as there's some quiet shuffling in the background.

"Okay. Open 'em," Wrecker tells her cheerfully, and Omega lowers her hand. In front of her, over what was once the gunner's mount, there's a gold curtain draped over it. There's the soft glow of lights from the other side. The ceiling is covered with lights, and the walls are decorated to match the curtain, shades of bright gold and orange. "It's your own room," he tells her as she looks around, "Well, what do you think? I thought this place could feel more like a home."

Omega turns around to see Crosshair hovering in the background, arms crossed, but her focus is still on Wrecker. That someone would do something like this for her, take the time to make it – that matters more than what it looks like, but it was done so well, she has to wonder, anyway, how much he remembers of when they were little. "It's perfect," she tells him, "Thank you, Wrecker."

He looks away, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, uh, it was nothin'."

Omega looks down at where Lula is lying on the floor, and she sits down, holding the tooka doll against her chest. It's so soft. It reminds her of when her brothers were little enough to hold. "I've never had my own room before."

Actually, Omega has never had much of anything before. She has her clothes, but that was always it. Yes, she had her own little spot in the corner of Nala Se's lab where she slept, but otherwise... she never had anything of her own. She's not entirely sure what it means, but it's – it's thrilling.

"You are part of the squad now," Echo replies. He's standing by Tech now, all four gathered near the entrance. These, she thinks with a flare of overwhelming fondness, are her family. Her home. She could never want anything else. (Except that Hunter's not here, and his absence is so glaringly obvious in the way they keep pausing to look at each other, as if expecting orders, and no one knows what to do.)

"Where are we gonna go now?" Omega asks.

And sure enough, they all pause. Crosshair looks at Echo, who looks at Tech, and Wrecker is looking at both of them.

"I was thinking about finding Rex," Echo answers, "He would know what to do, though I don't know where to look."

"Imperial files have him listed as killed in action," Tech replies, "It appears he has gone into hiding."

"Rex wouldn't hide," Echo retorts, "He would stay and fight. But by now, he could be anywhere."

"Well," Tech answers, "We don't have enough fuel, and we are also entirely out of rations. Without the Republic to provide us supplies, we'll have to acquire these necessities on our own."

Omega looks between them, uncertainly – she doesn't understand what this means, or what they'll do from here. A small part of her can't help wondering if this was somehow partly her fault for dragging them into this, but they couldn't stay on Kamino. That officer was... scary.

"Then we need credits," Echo deduces, "With our skillset, we could find something that pays anywhere."

"The Empire will find us," Crosshair says finally, arms crossed.

Echo moves to one of the computer tables in the room and starts working on a datapad. The ship quiets, and they spread out a bit. Omega holds Lula close, letting herself drift off. It's not exactly a restful sleep, and neither does it last very long before she hears her brothers conversing again.

"We got a bigger problem," Echo is saying, and she perks up, setting down Lula and climbing from the gunner's mount to join them. This sounds important. "Comm chatter has our ship's signature on a wanted list."

"So, we scramble it," Tech replies with a shrug.

"You can do that?" Wrecker asks.

"Of course, I can do it. But I need to land in order to perform those modifications. By my calculations, the closest planet is... Pantora."

"What are we gonna do after that?" Omega asks, climbing into the chair next to Tech.

"Well," Tech replies, "We will have to restock our fuel and ration supply."

"We'll take it one step at a time," Echo answers. "We'll see if we can find word of Rex."

She glances between them again. Right now is a glaring example of how, no matter how she once knew them, they don't really know each other anymore. "Um," she asks finally, ignoring how awkward the question makes her feel, "Who's Rex?"

"He's the Captain I used to serve under," Echo answers, "Before I came here."

She knew, logically, that Echo had a life outside of Clone Force 99, one that originated without them. He fought in the Clone Wars long before they ever did. Of course, he knows people and was once close with them. It's still strange to hear about, though.

No one mentions Hunter. Omega doesn't, either, even if she wants to ask what they'll do about him, if it's safe to try finding him. They can't do anything if they're out of fuel, though, so she just... waits. And waits.

**w**

They're not going to stay laying low. It goes unspoken. Crosshair and Echo are going to the cities to get the supplies they need. Omega wanted to come, but it's too risky to take her. For one, they could easily be recognized – Crosshair can't blend in well. (If Hunter was here, he wouldn't have had that problem.) He doesn't look like a civilian, and he couldn't pass as one. Echo is wearing the droid-costume they got him a while back for when they had to infiltrate a Separatist base once.

Tech could blend in easily, but they need him to fix the ship, and Wrecker is staying behind to help. Omega isn't happy about it, but they don't have a choice. If Crosshair had a child with him, that would definitely draw too much unwanted attention. And sending Echo alone with Omega is out of the question.

"You can't sell that explosive. It's our last one," Wrecker protests.

"I thought you were hungry," Crosshair reminds him flatly.

"Why do Tech and I have to do all the repairs while you get to go sightseeing?" Wrecker complains.

"Sightseeing?" Omega echoes, looking up. She's practically pouting now. He hates how that makes him feel bad for leaving her behind.

"It's a supply run," Echo corrects, "And Tech needs Wrecker here to help with the ship."

Wrecker grumbles loudly but turns away. "Hey! Bring back something good to eat," he yells after as they leave.

Stealth missions. Crosshair is good at that. But this isn't about destroying droids or taking out targets; it's a supply mission, and they have to focus on not being seen. If Hunter was here, he'd already be chewing them out for suggesting something so outlandish. And suddenly, he finds himself wondering what it would be like if – if Hunter was here, not as if it matters.

But if he was, it would be... easier. They would know what they're doing. They'd have a focus, a mission. They've followed orders on some level or other their entire lives, and it's not so easy to just... stop, no matter how rogue they've always been.

But thinking about Hunter won't change what happened. Even if... the inhibitor chip or whatever exactly it is, caused him to act the way it did... that doesn't change that he's with the Empire, and that they have no way to get him back. He's not coming back, and Crosshair doesn't want to hope that he wasn't doing it of his own accord, only to find that he... did.

Crosshair can't help looking to Echo for orders – Wrecker's doing it, too. So is Tech, to a point. They all respect Echo. He was an ARC trooper, and one of the best before he joined them. He has more experience. He knows what he's doing in a way they don't, though Echo joined them last. It's that he joined them at all, really, that makes it slightly tricky, but they've all adapted well.

There are some regs around, and they avoid those streets as best they can. It's unlikely that anyone who would spot them would recognize them, but they won't take chances.

Finally, he has to ask the question that's been bothering him most, and has been ever since Saleucami. Not that Echo will have the answer, either, but they need to figure it out, and fast. "What will we do with the kid?"

"She's one of us," Echo replies. It's an answer enough – he has no idea.

She wasn't trained to be a soldier, and the training facilities on Kamino are... unavailable. They'll have to make do. "She deserves more than the life we can give her." It's blunt, but true. They can't give Omega what Cut and Suu can give Shaeeah and Jek. They can't give up their lives as soldiers. Even if they tried, the Empire would find them, just like they did those civilians on Onderon.

"Nowhere is safe," Echo points out, scanning the streets, "If we're going to protect her, we'll have to train her to protect herself."

That doesn't sound like something Echo would say. It sounds like he's repeating words of another, of something from his past, and even if his voice sounds different through the droid mask he's wearing, Crosshair can still pick up enough on the emotions there. He doesn't need to ask what he's thinking about. Echo is always partly in the past, with his brothers that fell during the war, with Fives, with Rex, and... with his General.

"It won't be an easy life for her," Echo continues, "But we can't let Omega stop us from doing the right thing."

"Going up against the Empire?" Crosshair asks, pausing. "There are five of us." And that's what he's worried about most. The Empire is too big for them to do anything about. Fighting will get themselves killed, and – and it will lead them back to Hunter.

That isn't something Crosshair is ready for, or ever will be.

"Who will fight, if not us?" Echo objects. And he has a point. Echo has always been like that – passionate. Enough to burn the galaxy to the ground if he thought it was right. For a fleeting moment, for all that it hurts, Crosshair is just grateful that if what Omega said about Hunter was true, that it didn't happen to Echo instead. He's been through enough already. Hunter is... stoic. Calm. Level-headed. Reasonable. Echo has always been ruled by emotion. And Echo has lost his mind once already.

And that, too, is much like something Echo learned from... elsewhere. It reminds Crosshair of a certain Jedi they knew, and he has to wonder how much of what is driving Echo is from his General. How much of it comes from that fierce, blind loyalty their eldest brother has always had, from his desire to do what... what he knows his General would have done.

But that's not something they talk about, either.

**w**

They told her not to wander. Omega's not exactly wandering, but still, she wants to see more. She's staying close by, anyway, but there's so much to see here. Machines are interesting, but not...

She wishes she could've gone with Echo and Crosshair.

She's pacing just outside the doorway of the hangar – neither of the others noticed she was gone yet, though they'll probably start calling her the moment they realize it – when she quite nearly walks right into something. Actually, someone. "Sorry," she squeaks, scrambling back.

"You alright, kid?" the woman asks, stepping back. She's human, similar in age to Omega's brothers. "You look upset."

Honestly? She's just glad to have someone to talk to now. Tech is busy with the ship, and so's Wrecker. "Well," Omega answers, "My... some of my friends went out into the city, and I was supposed to stay here."

"I can show you around," the woman offers.

She's tempted to agree. "I – I can't leave my friends," Omega protests.

She seems nice, but somehow, Omega thinks something is wrong. She's not sure why, but something...

"Are you sure?"

Why is she... being pushy about this? Omega hesitates, wanting to go, but she knows it could be dangerous. "N-no, it's fine," she says, backing away a bit.

"Omega?" Wrecker's voice calls distantly.

"Coming!" she yells back, "I hafta go." She starts turning, but the sudden click of a weapon makes Omega pause, looking back. She doesn't have time to do anything more then let out a shriek before the woman fires and everything blacks out.

**w**

He just sold his brother. At a grocery store. (Who wouldn't?) But it had to be done, because they have no other way of obtaining credits and if they don't get supplies, they'll be stuck.

And that's when Wrecker's voice comes over Crosshair's comm. "Somebody ran off with the kid –"

"What?" Crosshair snaps.

"Well," Tech replies, "We were removing the signature key when we heard someone stun Omega."

Of all the things they could be dealing with, why this? That's why they left Omega at the hangar. Focus. It feels like they're stumbling blind without Hunter to give them orders though. "Who is it?" he asks.

"She's fast," Wrecker answers followed by an irritated growl.

"I'll tap into the central security network. There should be enough cameras in this city to find her," Tech says, which is really the best they can ask for right now.

For now, the most Crosshair can do is start looking, He, well, borrows a nearby speeder and takes off with it. Authorities will probably be all over them in a few minutes, which means they'll have to get out of here fast, but they need to find Omega now. She's just a kid. Why would someone be after her?

"We better get the ship prepped," Echo says, "We'll be causing a scene."

"Well, it's not technically a ship at the moment. And unless you have a team of maintenance droids, it's going to be a while," Tech replies.

"I can help with that," Echo volunteers.

That's one step in the right direction, but Crosshair will just focus on Omega.

"Where am I heading?" he asks, scanning the streets. Likely, they're not nearly this far out, though he sees no signs of Omega.

"I am searching for the precise coordinates," Tech responds.

"That's helpful –"

"Ah. Wrecker appears to be down."

Oh, that's not even surprising. Normally, he doesn't feel nearly this inclined to talk – there's not much reason to – but with... with Hunter gone, with Omega's life on the line, he can't help the urge to lash out at everyone around him.

"Alive?" Echo asks tiredly, just to double check no doubt.

"There are no external injuries," Tech replies, "So, yes."

It takes far longer than he's comfortable with, but eventually, Tech points him in the right direction. It's not hard to locate Omega from there. The woman kidnapping her stole a speeder somewhere along the way, and Crosshair shoots out the engine.

The speeder starts spiraling towards the ground, and he pulls his own in closer and reaches down, catching Omega who is just starting to regain consciousness and pulling her onto the speeder with him. "You okay, kid?" he asks, bringing his own speeder to a stop, cutting off the woman's escape route before she can try running. They need answers just as much as they need to get Omega to safety. If there's more to this than a simple, random kidnapping attempt, they need to know.

"Can we get out of here?" she asks shakily.

"Stay behind me," he says as an answer – there's no time to explain to Omega the details. (Hunter – would have.)

The woman rolls to her feet, raising her blaster. Crosshair shoots it out of her hands and levels his rifle at her. "Who are you?" he demands sharply.

The helmeted head inclines slightly. She's waiting to make her next move, trying to work a way past him, refusing to stop fighting, even without her weapon.

She ducks away unexpectedly, rolling away and bolting. Crosshair fires at her instantly, hitting one of her legs – he's not trying to kill her, even if he easily could. What they need is answers.

That's when Wrecker finally shows up, blocking her escape from the other side.

"What do you want with the kid?" he growls, using his size to tower over her. Of all of them, Wrecker is definitely the best at intimidation, though that may well not entirely work under these circumstances.

"There's a bounty on her," comes the reply.

"A bounty?" Omega squeaks, "What's a bounty?" If Crosshair were willing to lower his rifle at all, he'd automatically reach out to pull her closer.

"Who put it on her?" Crosshair asks.

"You don't know very much about bounty hunting, do you, kid?" she asks.

His eyes narrow. Wrecker growls wordlessly at her.

"We don't ask questions," she continues, "A job is a job."

He can't see enough of her face to tell if she's lying. She might be, but either way, she's planning something.

Her right arm is moving slightly, and his hand tenses. She throws a small knife at him, and Crosshair fires at it instantly to send it the opposite direction. Except it, obviously, was just a distraction, and he didn't notice until a moment too late.

It all happens so fast. He turns to fire at her, but she tackles him, shoving his rifle aside and throwing him to the ground. He starts lashing out, though he's thrown off-balance, but she's already moved past him, scrambling onto the speeder, and firing up the engine.

When he stands again, Wrecker is hovering nearby, holding Omega, but the bounty hunter is gone.

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