A/N: I do not own Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Chapter 13: A Distant Echo

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

Conspiracy!

After repeated setbacks on the planet Anaxes, an elite clone squad is deployed to investigate the Separatists' tactical advantage. This special unit, called the Bad Batch, infiltrates Admiral Trench's Cyber Center to steal a strategic algorithm capable of predicting the Republic's every move.

What our heroes found was a live signal from the ARC trooper known as Echo, a clone long believed to be dead…


Republic Outpost on Anaxes. 19 BBY.

It was tense within the Republic outpost on Anaxes. Leia was shocked of what the clones told her. When they raided the Separatist cyber-center, they discovered a live signal that was giving Admiral Trench algorithms to beat the Republic forces. Leia was even more shocked when Rex and Fives told her that it was no other than CT-1409, ARC trooper Echo, their lost comrade. Now, she was following her master, Anakin Skywalker, and clone troopers Rex and Fives, discussing the news.

"Word is the general staff isn't completely behind this mission." Rex said.

"I admit that the idea that Echo is still alive is a long shot." Anakin told him, folding his arms.

"I'm sure the Council will approve the mission. Just remember; our primary goal is to learn how the Separatists are predicting our strategy, whether it's Echo behind it or not."

Just then, the other clone spoke up. When Leia met him for the first time, she was surprised. The clone, Hunter, did not look like an ordinary clone. His hair was longer, he wore a red bandana, while half of his face was tattooed. From his Phase II armour, Leia immediately guessed that he was a commando. From what the girl learned, Hunter led a squad known as Clone Force 99, or the "Bad Batch".

"If you want my opinion, general." Hunter spoke to Anakin. "It sounds like a trap, but me and my boys will tag along anyway, if only to say, "I told you so."

"Just make sure you're ready if we get the go-ahead from General Kenobi." Rex told him. Anakin then spoke to both him and Leia.

"First, we have a "thing" to do."

"Uh, what thing?" Rex asked in confusion.

"You know." Leia whispered to him. Hunter gave the three a baffled look.

"Well, I'll just let you two sort this out." he told them. "I'll be waiting on the ship with the rest of the team."

Once he left, the three arrived to one of the barracks, but it was only Anakin and Leia who came in. Rex stood outside on guard. It was dark inside, and so the Jedi Knight turned on his com-device, revealing the hologram of Padmé Amidala.

"You're both late again." she told them, but she wasn't angry. Anakin sighed.

"Padmé, I'm sorry. We didn't anticipate the Outer Rim sieges would last this long." he explained.

"That would be why they call it a siege, Anakin."

Anakin nodded. "I know, I just thought that I…"

"You thought you could bring a swift end to the conflict single-handedly." Padmé finished for him. "What you and Lena are doing is important. The Republic needs you both on the front lines just as they need my voice in the Senate."

"We know." Leia agreed with her. Suddenly, they heard a loud knock. It was the signal from Rex.

"What is it?" Padmé asked as she saw their alerted faces.

"Obi-Wan is coming." Leia answered.

"No, Lena, I was asking Anakin." Padmé explained. "There's something else."

Anakin sighed in defeat. It was very hard to hide secrets from his wife. "It's Rex." he told her. "I'm worried he's letting his personal feelings drive him too much on this mission."

"I wonder where he learned that." Padmé spoke in a thoughtful voice, causing Leia to slightly giggle. Padmé smiled at her before she continued. "You've known Rex a long time. When you throw caution to the wind and take chances, where is he?"

"Right beside me."

"Then maybe that's where you and Lena should be for him, Ani." Padmé advised. "Trust his instincts like he trusts yours."

"I'm just trying to look out for him." Anakin explained.

"I know you are." the young woman nodded. "I love you, Ani."

"I love you too."

"Take care of him." Padmé then told Leia before ending the call. As they opened the door, they found Obi-Wan questioning Rex, trying to get inside.

"Here you go, Rex. And try not to break it again." Skywalker gave the clone captain his helmet.

"Anakin." Kenobi spoke. "About this mission, the Council thinks..."

"That it's a good idea?" the Jedi knight cut him off. "I agree. Let's get moving, Rex."

"No, wait. That's not..."

"No time." Anakin cut him off again as he, Leia and Rex went off to the landing bay. Just then, Obi-Wan said that caught off-guard the three.

"I hope you at least told Padmé I said hello."

This caused both Anakin Skywalker and Leia Organa to share a concerned look. The two really feared of the Jedi High Council learning of Anakin's marriage to Padmé. Thinking about discovering that her idol was her mother all this time, Leia found it at first surprising, then she felt pride. During their mission on Mon Cala, Leia discovered Padmé Amidala to be a kind, caring, wise and honest woman, and would have been a great mother both to Leia and Luke. As for her marriage with Anakin, Leia had to admit that they both make a sweet couple.


Both Anakin and Leia were surprised of the clone squad that joined them on this mission. She even questioned if they were really clones. As if, created from the same donor. For if Hunter somewhat resembled the regular clone troops and their donor, Jango Fett, then the others were as if created from the DNA of different people.

Onboard the Marauder, the shuttle of Clone Force 99, the two Jedi got to meet the other members of the Bad Batch, as they called themselves. Hunter had the ability of tracking down. The second-in-command was Tech, a clone with glasses. The brain of the team, and if you can say, a nerdy person. He is usually seen walking around with a datapad.

Next was Crosshair, the team's sniper. Of all clones of the Bad Batch, Leia found him less pleasant due to his grim attitude and dislike of regular clones, or Regs, as the Bad Batch called them. Leia didn't get a chance to talk with him, for his also not a talkative person. Right now, Anakin was observing Crosshair's sniper rifle.

Finally, there was Wrecker, the muscles of the team. He was the largest clone Leia had ever seen. He had one eye blind and was completely bald. At the same time, he wasn't the most brightest of the clones, but was full of life and jolly.

"So, how many missions has your team been on, Sergeant?" Anakin asked as he handed over the rifle back to Crosshair.

"Honestly, sir, I've lost count." Hunter answered, turning around to face them. "All the action sort of blurs together."

"I know you work with Cody sometimes, but who do you guys report to?" Fives then asked him.

Hunter hummed in response only. "Hmm... good question. Can't say I've got an answer."

"We are approaching Skako Minor." Tech then told everyone. "It looks to be a difficult landing."

The whole ship began to shake as they entered the atmosphere of Skako Minor. After some struggling with passing the storm, the Marauder landed. Anakin, meanwhile, addressed his most-trusted clone captain. "Rex, what do we know about this place?"

Putting on his helmet, Rex answered after some time. "On this part of Skako, there's a race of local, the Poletecs. All we know is they're primitive."

"Primitive is being kind." Tech objected, adjusting his glasses. "My intel says the Poletecs worship flying reptiles."

In less than second, a large thud was heard from the rooftop of the shuttle. A large creature peaked through the glass and screeched.

"Oh! What the heck was that?!" Wrecker yelled in shock.

"It's one of those reptiles." Tech explained calmly.

"I want that thing off my ship." Hunter spoke next before putting on his helmet and taking out his DC-17 pistols. The rest of Clone Force 99 and Rex followed him, taking out their firearms. Anakin and Leia followed suite. They all saw a winged reptile sitting on the spacecraft. A humanoid rider sat on its back.

"Hey! Get off of there!" Wrecker yelled, threatening the creature with his DC-17 blaster.

Leia immediately ran up to the commando and lowered his weapon. "Hey, calm down. We need to talk to them."

"Lena is right." Anakin agreed with her. Suddenly, the creature launched towards them and grabbed Leia. The girl yelped, dropping her lightsaber as it flew off with her. Tech lowered his goggles.

"I have a thermal reading." he told Skywalker. "Point-two-five east, elevation 175."

Crosshair pulled out his rifle and fired a grappling hook that wrapped around the reptile's leg. He then unclipped it from his rifle and handed it to Anakin. The Jedi knight flew off into the sky after Leia.

"Hone in on my signal" he ordered the clones who did so and followed him onboard the Marauder. It didn't take long to catch up with him as he stood at a cliff. From there, a village was located below. Leia herself was pinned to the ground by the creature that brought her. The humanoid jumped off his ride and approached her, immediately speaking in his native language.

"Okay, I think we're gonna have a slight communication problem here." Leia mumbled, obviously not understanding a word what the native was saying. C-3PO could have been a help here. Suddenly, a commotion was heard. Leia tried to see what was going on, but the creature was holding her tight against the ground and she couldn't see, only to see Anakin and the clones appear.

The natives panicked as Anakin held his lightsaber at the chieftain's throat, while the clones pointed their blasters at the rest. While Leia managed to free herself, the chieftain desperately spoke to Anakin.

"Tech, translate what he said." Hunter ordered. Leia's eyes widened when she heard that. She then saw the mentioned clone press something on controls of his forearm before putting on his glasses.

"He says he does not our war on his planet." he began translating. "That is why he took one of our leaders."

Leia looked at the Poletec chieftain with sympathy. During her time as the princess of Alderaan, Imperial senator and Rebel leader, she has encountered many planets and nations that did not support the Galactic Civil War, but ended up in the middle of the conflict between the Rebels and Imperials.

"We didn't bring the war here." Anakin spoke to the chieftain, extinguishing his lightsaber. "It was Wat Tambor and the Separatists."

Tech immediately translated Skywalker's words to the Poletecs.

Rex then added. "Tell him we apologize for what's happened. But tell him the enemy is holding one of our men prisoner in Purkoll. We'll leave this planet for good as soon as we rescue him."

As Tech translated again, Leia giggled in amusement as the chieftain, deducing that the clone translated via his goggles, leaned on to observe them.

Hearing this, the Poletec chieftain spoke to Tech. "I'll provide you with scouts. They'll take you to Tambor. But after that, you're on your own. This is your war, not ours."

"Any help is better than no help." replied a satisfied Anakin, and Leia could not disagree.

Purkoll City, Skako Minor.

While Anakin and Leia, and their team were dealing with the native Poletecs, on the Purkoll City high above the surface, three Skakoans were working in a laboratory.

Among them was a Skakoan with green skin, known as Wat Tambor, one of the leading members of the Techno Union and member of the Separatist Ruling Council. They were working at a stasis chamber when one of the technicians spoke.

"We are receiving a transmission from Admiral Trench on Anaxes."

"Put him through." Tambor ordered and the screen revealed Admiral Trench before him.

"Pardon the intrusion, Minister Tambor... but I have disturbing news." he spoke.

"You may proceed, Admiral."

"An infiltration team of clones has traced the algorithm signal to Skako. I believe your operation there is in jeopardy." Trench spoke, while petting his tusk.

Tambor only scoffed in arrogance. "The Republic would not dare attack us. The Techno Union has corporate neutrality."

"From what I have seen, that would not matter to these Republic operatives." the Harch warned him.

"Then we shall be ready for them."


Just as the chieftain promised, the natives led the team as far as they could before leaving. They were on a peak of a mountain path and the city was before them.

"Hope nobody's scared of heights." Anakin spoke. The clones from the Bad Batch immediately looked at Wrecker, who looked down.

"When I'm not scared of nothing. I'm just…" he hesitated. "When I'm up real high, I got a problem with gravity."

Leia rolled her eyes. So, Wrecker was indeed scared of heights.

"Speaking of problems," Tech spoke, glancing at his datapad. "I am no longer picking up Echo's signal."

Rex was the one most confused. "I don't understand. You said it was coming from this city."

"I can only speculate." Tech answered, shrugging. "But it is possible there's a latency issue with the frequency caused by all these atmospheric disturbances."

"Or maybe they sent the signal to lure us into a trap." Hunter suggested before addressing Rex. "And maybe your friend's actually dead."

Leia glared at him. She suddenly felt the same after Bespin. When Han Solo was taken away by Boba Fett to be brought to Jabba while she, Threepio and Lando barely escaped the Empire, many within the Rebel Alliance believed that Han was already dead.

The clone captain was not giving up. "Look, every mission could be a trap."

'The mission on Endor was definitely a trap,' Leia thought, while Rex continued.

"This one is no different. I'm telling you that signal is being sent by Echo himself! He is alive!"

It was Crosshair who spoke next.

"I think you're letting your personal feelings get in the way because you left him for dead at the Citadel."

Leia mentally gulped as she first glared at the sniper before glancing at Rex with concern. She couldn't see his face due to the helmet, but she could sense his anger building up.

"I had no choice. You hear me?"

Crosshair turned his back on him. "Oh, I don't blame you. I would've left him for dead too. Besides, he's just another reg."

This finally snapped Rex as before Crosshair could react, the clone captain punched him hard, knocking him to the ground. Wrecker decided to grab Rex.

"Hey! Why don't you pick on someone not your size… woah!" Wrecker yelled as he suddenly rose from the ground and began levitating. Everyone saw Leia using the Force on Wrecker until Skywalker finally interfered.

"Enough!" he barked. He then addressed Hunter. "Sergeant, take your men and scout the area for a tower entrance. I want to talk to my captain. You too, Lena."

Clone Force 99 obeyed and left Anakin with Leia and Rex. Leia reluctantly followed them. Once they were alone, Anakin spoke to his captain.

"Rex," he began, stroking his hair with his prosthetic hand. " I hate to say it, but… you have to prepare yourself for the possibility that Echo is dead, and this is all a Separatist trick."

Rex sighed. "Sir, I have watched so many of my brothers fall during this war, and I try not to hang on to any one of them. But that changed when I heard that Separatist transmission. It was no algorithm. That was Echo's voice. I know it."

"I hope you're right" Anakin answered grimly. "But if, for some reason, you're wrong..."

"Then I'll deal with it. We're in business, General." Rex assured him. Nodding, Anakin gestured for Rex to rejoin the others.


Travelling through a dust storm, the team has finally reached the tower leading to the Purkoll City high above the surface. Leia could here the thunder from each side while Tech was working on the control panel. Soon, the door opened.

"Crosshair, check it out." Hunter ordered. The sniper raised his rifle and walked inside. He observed the surroundings quickly.

"It's a lift." he confirmed.

"Well, we already knew that." Tech replied annoyed as he and others joined him. Wrecker, however, hesitated.

"Wait, wait. A lift?" he asked as he looked up in fear. "How far up are we going?"

"Don't worry, Wrecker. I'll hold your hand." Hunter teased him, while Leia giggled. Groaning, Wrecker finally entered the lift.

"Remember, this is a stealth mission. No blasting. No blowing things up. Nobody knows we're here." Anakin reminded them just before the shafts opened, revealing a courtyard full of D1 aerial droids. Before Anakin or Leia could stop them, the Bad Batch charged at the droids.

"Why?!" some of them cried as Wrecker threw them off the side.

"So much for stealth." Rex grumbled while Anakin shook his head. There weren't many droids in the courtyard and so the fight was easy. Wrecker was yelling in excitement before he saw the looks of others.

"Uh… sorry. I just got excited." He mumbled, embarrassed.

"I've still got Echo's signal." Tech then said as he took out his datapad.

"Then lead the way." Leia pleaded. The team arrived to a corridor, which was patrolled by droids. After taking down some of the droids, Tech spoke to everyone again.

"Strange. I just lost the signal."

"How can this happen?" Leia asked. "There's no atmospheric disturbances up here?"

"Well, I have a new theory that I haven't considered it earlier, much to my surprise." Tech answered. "The signal is only traceable during data transmissions. So until Echo dispenses more intel, I cannot pick up the signal."

Anakin sighed before deciding next. "Okay, we're splitting up. Search every door. If someone finds Echo, contact the others. We go in together just in case there's trouble."

While Skywalker went off with Crosshair, Leia joined the rest of the clones. They began to search the rooms behind every door. Tech was about to open another one until he heard a noise coming from his datapad.

"Aha! It appears the signal is back. It's from up ahead."

The others joined him and reached a door. It was clear that Echo or whatever it was, was behind it. Tech was about to break the locks of the door when a circular screen with Wat Tambor on it.

"Your clones are so predictable" he gloated.

"Wat Tambor." Rex gritted his teeth.

"Your algorithm predicted nearly every move you made to infiltrate Purkoll" the Emir mocked them.

"There is no algorithm. We know you're holding a prisoner of war here."

"Prisoner?" Wat Tambor spoke in a shocked tone, though Leia could sense that this weasel was lying. "I don't know what you mean, Captain."

"Don't play innocent, we know you're lying." Leia snapped at him. "We are leaving here with our friend."

"Your friend is dead. His mind is ours." Tambor continued gloating.

"Liar!" Rex snapped when a battalion of aerial droids appeared behind them, surrounding Leia and the clones.

"Execute them." Tambor ordered before ending the call. Before the droids could fire, someone Force pushed some of them, and both Anakin and Crosshair revealed themselves. Leia and the others joined the fight.

"Tech, open that door for Rex!" Leia ordered as she blocked a few shots.

Hunter then spoke to Rex. "I hope what you're looking for, captain."

Leia and the two clones entered the room, which appeared to be a laboratory. Right before them was a chamber with a small porthole.

"I'm definitely picking up a life-form in there." Tech pointed at the chamber. "It seems to be a stasis chamber. I think I can get it open."

"He's right. I can sense a living presence inside it." Leia agreed. Tech ran towards the control and began working. Soon enough the chamber opened up and a figure appeared. It almost fell, only for the wires and tubes holding him. Leia gasped in shock at the sight. She has seen many atrocities and so much cruelty committed by the Empire, but never something like this.

"Echo…" was all Rex managed to say as he gasped.

Leia turned to the other clone. "Tech, we got to get him out of here. Figure out how to unplug him from... from this mess."

"What have they done to you?" Rex asked his friend in horror.

The clone, Echo, suddenly began muttering. Apparently, he was in a trance. "We... We have to get to the shuttle to escape the Citadel. No! I'll go first."

"Echo." Rex tried to call out to him.

"No! No! No!"

"Echo, it's Rex. I'm here." the clone captain called out to him again, and this time, it worked, as Echo looked up and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Rex?" he asked. "You, you came back for me."

"Yes. Yes, I did." Rex nodded.

"What? What happened? Where am I?" Echo asked as he observed the surroundings.

"It's okay, Echo. You're safe now." Rex assured him. "Just sit tight, trooper. You're going home."

'And I'll help you,' Leia thought as felt pity for the clone prisoner.