Rex glanced behind himself just in time to see one of the stormtroopers launched across the cabin by the Wookie.
"Go! Go!" he yelled, shoving Echo and Emerie ahead of him.
With the chaos of the economy cabin behind them, they ran back out through the lobby they'd just come through.
"Slow down," Rex said, panting. He tugged the other two into a throng of passengers gathered by an information droid.
"Ideas?" Rex muttered, keeping one eye on the door.
"Escape pods are at the rear of the ship," Echo said.
Emerie readjusted her goggles. "If we use the escape pods, even if we survive the sudden drop out of hyperspace, we'll be stranded and helpless in the middle of nowhere."
"She's right," Rex said.
Just then, the two of the stormtroopers entered the lobby. One of them split off down one of the larger hallways, while the other scanned the lobby. Rex could make out the shape of another stormtrooper coming up behind to join his allies.
Rex turned away from the troopers and began to sidle his way in the opposite direction. He steered them down a side corridor, heart thumping, waiting to hear the stormtroopers shout at any moment. Droids bustled in and out of a nearby laundry carrying teetering piles of towels and linens. Then he had an idea.
"What if we just made it look like we got in an escape pod, but we stay on the ship?" he said, poking his head into one of the luxury staterooms. He grinned at Echo. "You did say you wanted to fly first class."
He tapped the nameplate next to the stateroom's number.
'VACANT - NO SHOW'
"We'll just slip in here–"
But Echo wasn't listening. Instead, he was looking around with mounting worry. "Where's Emerie?"
Rex's heart stopped.
"What?" He spun. Emerie was gone. "She was just here–"
Rex and Echo both turned and saw Emerie still standing in the lobby, waylaid by a sketchy-looking Corellian man whose hands were all over the clone woman. As they watched, the man grabbed Emerie by the wrist. She tried to twist away, but the Corellian was a large, stocky man. Irritation flooded the clone captain.
"You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered. To Echo, he said, "Stay here."
A moment later, Rex grabbed the man by the shoulder and spun the bigger man around.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rex growled.
"Stay out of this," the Corellian said. "This is just between me and the lady."
"Not today, it isn't," Rex said before planting his fist in the middle of the man's face. The Corellian staggered backwards, then fell to the floor with a thud that rattled the deck.
"Think they saw that?" Rex asked as he pulled Emerie back down the hall.
"Target located! In pursuit!" one of the stormtroopers yelled.
"Yes, I think they did," Emerie said.
By the time they reached Echo, the cyborg had the stateroom door opened. Rex and Emerie slipped in and shut the door behind them. Echo sprinted around the room until he found a jack to plug into.
CX-2 was hot on Ferrus's heels.
"They went this way," Ferrus said, dashing down a side hall.
CX-2 followed her, shoving service droids aside. But when they came to an intersection, the trio of rogue clones had vanished.
"We lost them," Ferrus said.
CX-2 turned back the way they'd come. "They must have gone into one of these staterooms," he said.
"Guess we're knocking on doors," Ferrus said. Into her comlink, she said, "Sir, we think they're in one of these staterooms down this hall. We're going to investigate each one."
"Dahl and I will be there to assist momentarily."
To CX-2, Ferrus said, "I'll talk, you toss. Think you can handle that, Reboot?"
Before CX-2 could inform her that he disliked her nickname for him, Ferrus had already moved to the first door and knocked. At the other end of the hall, CX-2 saw the other two stormtroopers appear. One of them knocked on a door.
The door Ferrus had knocked on slid open to reveal an angry Pyke. "What is the meaning of this?"
CX-2 shouldered his way into the room despite the Pyke's protests.
Ferrus caught his attention. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. This will only take a moment. Have you seen three humans–"
"One human male, one human female, and a droid," CX-2 corrected as he stuck his helmeted head into the refresher.
"Yes." To Ferrus's credit, she kept her voice neutral. "Have you seen anyone matching that description?"
"Of course not!" the Pyke spat. "I demand you leave immediately!"
"All clear," CX-2 said.
Without another word, CX-2 and Ferrus left.
"This is going to take forever," Ferrus muttered as she moved to the next door.
"Lieutenant Andominus Herx," CX-2 read off the nameplate on the door. "Imperial Navy."
Ferrus groaned. "Some days, I just want a skip button, you know?"
In the stateroom several doors down, Emerie turned to Rex. "Thank you for that."
"What else was I supposed to do?" Rex asked, brushing off her words.
"Still, thank you."
Rex turned to Echo. "How's it going?"
"Just give me a minute," Echo said.
Rex pressed his ear up to the door. "I can hear them out there. Are we secure or not?"
A few seconds later, Rex heard the clank of locks sliding into place.
Echo unplugged and leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. "Door is locked, code encrypted, and the nameplate now reads: 'Mr. and Mrs. Xer Eireme (and droid). DO NOT DISTURB.'"
"Good work," Rex said. "Did you fire off the escape pods?"
Echo nodded.
Emerie arched an eyebrow over one brown eye. "Xer Eireme?"
Echo shrugged apologetically. "I was short on time. I doubt any of those stormtroopers out there are smart enough to figure it out."
Rex looked from one clone to the other. "Figure what out?"
Emerie sighed. "It's just your name and my name spelled backwards."
Rex rolled his eyes. "That stormtrooper out there recognized you weren't a droid and figured out that I was a clone. Change the nameplate, Echo."
Grumbling, Echo plugged back into the computer. Rex pressed his ear back up to the door and listened to the stormtroopers working their way down the hallway.
They needed a backup plan. Rex looked around the room, searching for a weapon. He'd had to relinquish his blaster before boarding, but surely there was something that would do in a pinch.
He moved over to the dinette and pulled a knife out of a drawer. It was a small but sharp vibroblade. If he needed to, he could shove this between a stormtrooper's helmet and chestpiece.
Satisfied, Rex returned to the door.
The stormtroopers worked their way down the hallway, CX-2 inspecting the staterooms and Ferrus speaking with the occupants. One refused to open the door, so CX-2 hotwired it open.
"Not bad," Ferrus said as the door whooshed open.
Inside was a group of entangled Quarren. CX-2 hurriedly checked the room, trying to ignore their dismayed shouts. Ferrus didn't bother to ask her usual questions.
"What were they doing?" CX-2 asked her once they were out in the hall once again.
Ferrus's expression was unreadable behind her helmet. "Not harboring Captain Rex."
"Hm."
There were only a few rooms to go between them and Kirgard and Dahl when a small pilot droid trundled up to the stormtrooper captain.
"Sir, the escape pods have been ejected," the droid said to Kirgard.
"We had him," Kirgard growled. The stormtrooper captain let his blaster hang down by his side in exasperation.
"We knew Rex was going to be a tough target," Ferrus said. "And he had help."
Kirgard nodded. "I know. Notify the nearest Imperial garrison to pick up those pods."
"Uh, sir," the droid said, "no life forms were detected on any of the escape pods."
Kirgard perked up. "That means he's still onboard."
Ferrus waved her blaster at the rows of doors. "Checking room by room isn't working; they were probably never here if they were able to set off those escape pods."
"We could set up a checkpoint to verify the identity of each passenger before they are allowed to disembark," Dahl said.
Kirgard nodded. "I want the three of you stationed at key points around the ship where you can observe the greatest number of passengers. Notify me if you see them, but do not engage."
Rex had his ear pressed up against the door. "They're leaving. They weren't fooled by the escape pods, though. They know we're still on board."
He lowered the small vibroblade and relaxed.
Echo shrugged. "At least they don't know where we are."
Rex planted his hands on his hips. "And that gives us a minute to think. What did you think about that other stormtrooper? He seemed different. More observant than the others."
Echo nodded. "He noticed something about us that identified us as clones. That's what made him suspicious of you, Rex."
Emerie was sitting on a pouf, hands clasped anxiously before her. "We don't exactly look alike, do we? Echo especially."
"Mhmm." Rex caught sight of a large mirror in the refresher, which gave him an idea. "Come here," he said.
They all stood in front of the mirror, side by side, staring at each others' faces. As one, they realized what the stormtrooper had seen.
"We all have the same eyes," Emerie said in wonder.
"Fascinating," Echo said. "How did he notice that?"
Rex shrugged as he left the refresher. "No idea. But if we use disguises again, we'll have to take that into account."
Echo sank onto a chair, still thinking. "He recognized that I wasn't a droid and told me to remove my mask. Then he must have noticed our eyes and suspected that Rex might be a clone too."
Rex shook his head. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's a clone himself, and an extremely intelligent one at that."
"I thought I recognized his voice," Echo said, his head dropping into his hands, "but in the heat of the moment, I didn't make the connection. Rex, it's Tech."
Echo and Rex exchanged a meaningful look.
"You saw him die," Rex said quietly.
Echo shrugged. "You saw me die, too. And yet here I am."
"What happened to you has only happened once, ever, thankfully." Rex shook his head. "No, this is just a stormtrooper. He's sharp, but he's no Tech. Besides, Tech would have recognized us. If not me, then definitely you."
Echo slumped. After a moment, he said, slowly, "It might be better if we stay here for the rest of the trip. It's not a long ride, and we could order food to be brought to the room," he added hopefully with a half-hearted grin. Few things could keep Echo down for long.
Echo plugged his hand-scomp into the wall. "Did you know that this room can be serviced completely by droids? No life form interaction required."
"How much does it cost for all that?"
Echo grinned. "I guess the guests next door will find out when they get our bill."
Emerie looked uncomfortable at the suggestion. "We aren't thieves."
Echo's grin widened. "I like to think of it more as a redistribution of stolen wealth." At her skeptical look, he added, "Our neighbor is a Hutt."
"Works for me." Rex scratched at the beard. He might not mind the beard so much if it were shorter and more manageable. "The most logical time for them to continue the search in earnest is when we get to Coruscant. They'll go through each passenger as we disembark."
Emerie tapped at her datapad, bringing up a schematic of the ship's layout.
Echo examined the image. "What if we stowed away in the garbage?"
Rex groaned. "No, no, no."
"You know it's a good idea," Echo said with a grin.
"Your plans usually are. Doesn't mean I have to like them, though." Rex rubbed his temples. "'Good' being a relative term, of course." He sighed.
CX-2's comlink beeped.
"All quiet here," Dahl said from his perch on one of the balconies overlooking the main lobby of the ship.
"Same here," Ferrus said. She was stationed just inside the dining hall.
"Nothing to report," CX-2 replied. He stood near the exit of the economy-class cabin, watching over scores of restless, uncomfortable sleeping passengers crammed into too-tight seats. He'd already had several irritated passengers come up to him to request his assistance in silencing a snoring neighbor. Tempting though it had been, CX-2 had managed not to shoot anyone yet.
His finger tapped impatiently on the trigger guard of his blaster. He stifled a yawn. He'd been awake for thirty-seven hours now, and if the trip continued smoothly without interruptions, he wouldn't see a bed or cot for some time yet.
He glanced at his chrono. Five hours until they arrived in Coruscant space.
A tap on his elbow made him spin, ready to snap at the offensive passenger. Instead, he came faceplate to faceplate with Kirgard. CX-2 saluted.
Kirgard settled in beside the clone. After a moment, he said, "I've been thinking. Rex won't wait around to be caught. He'll have some way around the checkpoint."
CX-2 nodded slowly. "I had come to a similar conclusion."
Kirgard turned to CX-2. "You're a clone. You know how they think. What's Rex's next move? How would you get through our checkpoint when we get to Coruscant?"
CX-2 thought for a moment. He didn't remember anything before Tantiss Base and Hemlock's reconditioning. Could he actually think like a clone? Or had Hemlock erased that part of him too?
But Kirgard was waiting for an answer, and CX-2 felt that urge to please his captain, even if the captain's assumption of similar thought processes between a war veteran and a damaged assassin was fundamentally flawed.
"I wouldn't," CX-2 said. "There are ample alternative options of egress off of any given starship. I would simply make use of one of those."
The stormtrooper captain looked at the clone blankly.
"Explain," Kirgard said.
"Any transport of this type must cycle out many tons of food, waste, linens, and other supplies every time it docks. I would secrete myself away in a crate designated for removal."
Kirgard stared at the clone. "Huh. I would never have thought of that."
After a moment, the stormtrooper captain said, "We don't have the manpower to set up a checkpoint and investigate every crate that leaves this ship. I'll need to contact Coruscant and ask for more troopers."
Kirgard stepped away to make the call.
CX-2 chewed his lip. All this waiting, combined with the lack of sleep, was making him feel like he was being tugged in a dozen different directions, with his brain wanting to go to all of them. He could still feel that obsessive pull of the mission, that need to find Rex. But he also was having difficulty standing still, and he'd already turned down the volume on his helmet speakers as every little noise was grating on his nerves.
"We'll have the backup when we get to Coruscant," Kirgard said as he returned. "The other stormtroopers will take care of the checkpoint while we chase down your lead."
CX-2 nodded, satisfied. At least he wouldn't be required to man the checkpoint.
"Alright. Go get some shuteye." Kirgard pointed to the lift. "Room 212. It's not much more than a broom cupboard, but there's a bed. Meet me here in four hours."
"What?"
"I'm relieving you."
"But sir, I–"
"Dahl and Ferrus already had their turn. Go get some rest. I want everyone to be fresh."
CX-2 realized that over the past eight hours, Kirgard had indeed taken the other two troopers' places whenever they'd reported in. The fact that he hadn't noticed that fact until now indicated that he should take advantage of Kirgard's offer.
"You should sleep too, sir," CX-2 said instead.
"I'll live. Go. That's an order."
Reluctantly, CX-2 left his post and made his way up to Room 212.
When the door slid open, CX-2 was mildly surprised that Kirgard hadn't been exaggerating about the size of the room. It was barely deep enough for CX-2 to step into without running into the bed, and stopped millimeters from either ends of the mattress. The walls were bare and the ceiling low enough for the clone to reach up and touch without stretching.
He flopped down onto the narrow mattress without even removing his armor.
CX-2 slipped easily into sleep for once. But the next four hours were filled with restless dreams of freezing cold, searing heat, and Hemlock's measured voice whispering in his ear.
When he woke, CX-2 hurried back down to his post, where Kirgard was waiting.
"Alright people," the captain said over his comlink, "let's look alive. Time to catch this sleemo."
Finally, CX-2 thought, adrenaline shooting through his veins once more.
Time to hunt.