Chapter 10 - Captured
When Emerie comes to take Omega's samples that evening, she notices right off that something's wrong. Her expression is too tight and just – off.
"Did something happen?" Omega asks, eyeing her uncertainly.
Emerie hesitates a moment. "Your brothers were captured, Omega."
She freezes. "What?"
"Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair. They were brought here on the last science vessel." She isn't looking at her when she says it, though Emerie often doesn't hold gazes.
What?
They were captured. Her brothers were captured.
Echo wasn't there at least, but she has no idea where he is. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She wants to think this is part of their plan to get on Tantiss somehow, but that's too good to be true, and it's not a chance she can take.
But they were captured and brought here because of her. She thought she'd protect them by turning herself in but all she did was get all of them captured and she doesn't know what Hemlock's going to do to them. She has no idea how long they're going to last.
"I'm sorry," Emerie tells her quietly as she leaves.
Omega watches her go, heart pounding. She can't just sit here and do nothing. Her brothers need her and there's only one thing she can do. She can try to stage a breakout on her own. It could be a terrible idea but at least they'll have a chance. Right now, they don't have a chance at all.
She needs to get into the walls and see what she can find. There must be something out there she can use, and there's not time to wait anymore. She needs to tell the other children so she can hatch a plan before it's too late, though that still doesn't answer what to do about Hunter.
**w**
It is, admittedly, darker here than Tech had imagined. Not that Crosshair had ever spoken much of his time in these walls. Neither has Omega. But, even so, he could have used a warning of what was to come when he and his brothers are taken to what Hemlock calls the training room.
They're strapped onto tables in the room by Hunter and some other dark-armored figures that Tech assumes are the other CX's, some sort of machine positioned over their heads. Tech does not recognize the type, though he imagines it has some sort of relation to the conditioning that Hemlock does to the CX's.
"The last time we crossed paths, you had just lost a member of your squad," Hemlock says, moving to Tech's side. "And it appears history may repeat itself. CT-9904 resisted my conditioning in the past, but I've made alterations to my methods."
"I find that unlikely," Tech replies, glaring up at him. "Crosshair has always been severe and unyielding. It is his nature. You cannot change that." They will not lose Crosshair. His little brother was resistant before, and Tech knows he will hold out again – Echo is coming. They don't need to wait long.
"If you all survive, you will make fine operatives. And if not, well, there's no shortage of clones to test on next."
"In case you have not already figured out, we do not die easily," Tech throws back. "None of us have died, despite all we have been through." He gives a pointed look to Hunter, standing as a silent shadow behind Hemlock. His visor is fixed on Tech's face. Has been the entire time. "The chances of that changing are low."
"We'll see," Hemlock says, nodding to Hunter, who steps out of sight.
Tech hears the beeping of controls, and the machine over him whirrs on, electricity running through it and through him.
At least they are starting with him. He would rather not witness Wrecker or Crosshair being tortured.
The doctor leaves them alone after a while. Tech's head is pounding, and he groans softly, trying to shake his mind back to the present. Hunter is still here. He's right beside him, though focusing on him is difficult.
It is so hard to see Hunter again, knowing he is in this situation because of the choices and mistakes Tech himself made. He should not have done what he did, but he made a mistake and a choice that cost them their brother and leader. They have to live with the consequences. Hunter, especially.
It should have been Tech.
Omega was right about that.
"Hunter," Tech calls, in the probably vain hopes that his brother will at least react to him. He cannot be certain, but this is something he must try.
"Don't call me that." He's watching him, at least, and the electricity has presently shut off. It can't continue indefinitely, or it won't work. Hemlock is attempting to rewire his brain function. That is not something that could work easily on Tech.
"That is your name. You are our brother. Omega must have told you. I can find out what Hemlock did to you. There must be a way to rectify it."
"Stop," Hunter orders firmly, sighing. "There is no escape. The more you fight, the worse it will get. Compliance is the only answer."
Hemlock has damaged him, perhaps more than Tech had realized. He does not understand how much, though after being left for days of this, he imagines it would have broken his mind and altered his brain too much for him to continue fighting.
"He's making us into something else. Something better. We have a purpose now."
"Tell me I didn't sound like that," Crosshair mutters from across the room.
"Worse," Wrecker supplies.
Hunter glances over at them before his helmet refocuses on Tech.
Trying to look back at him is hard. Tech's head is pounding and he feels hazy. Remaining conscious is very difficult. Breathing evenly is very difficult.
"We have never been one to follow orders," Tech says, looking up at Hunter. "Especially not you. Your designation was CT-9901. Your rank was sergeant. You were the leader of a squad of five."
"It doesn't matter who I was."
"It does to us," Wrecker objects, "We miss ya."
"Our past interferes with the mission."
"What mission?" Tech demands, "Your only role has ever been to lead us."
"I'm not who you're looking for."
"Aren't you?" Tech asks.
The machine turns on again, and he gasps against it, his back slamming into the table again. His wrists are throbbing from where the restraints are digging into them. What happened to Hunter to make him willing to do this, Tech does not know, and he is not fully sure that he wants to.
They need to find a way to reach him, and he doesn't know what that might be.
**w**
Echo is kneeling in the lab – it looks exactly as Omega described it – trying to find her location when the door slides open and someone enters. He jerks his scomp out instantly, though it's far harder without his headpiece to properly coordinate his movements.
"Troopers are not allowed in here," the scientist says evenly, watching him.
Echo grabs his hand off the controls and shoves it back into place over his stolen vambrace. It worked well enough so far, but he's fairly confident he's about screwed here. "It's, uh, a special security patrol," he fumbles, moving for the door. "Uh, i-it's all clear."
"Echo." He freezes at the sound of his name. "That's your name, isn't it? Omega talked about you all. I'm Emerie."
He turns back to look at her, taking her in for the first time. Her hair is brown, combed in much the same way Omega's is now. When Omega mentioned her, Echo almost thought she'd be a little younger, but it figures. "Omega told us about you, too," he confesses.
"She said her squad would eventually come for her."
"Not just her," Echo retaliates, moving forwards, "We're here for all the prisoners you've been experimenting on."
"I – I was doing my job," she protests. She's not fighting, not the same fierce, wild way that Crosshair had, which he thinks counts, but it doesn't change how she was still hurting her brothers and sister.
"Yeah, I've heard that before," he retorts, "You're a clone. How can you be a part of this? Omega saw something in you. I want to believe that she was right. Tell me where she is."
"She's in the vault," Emerie answers, "But you won't get anywhere near there without my assistance. If we're gonna free those children, you're going to have to trust me."
"Wait, w-what children?" Echo asks a little panickily. The only one they're here for is Omega. She never mentioned any others, but she did talk about a vault. Things must've changed when she was away.
"Omega is not the only child confined inside this base," Emerie informs him.
That's a new one. "Keep watch," Echo tells her, pulling his hand off and replugging into the port. He might not be fully certain she's about to betray him, but he certainly doesn't trust her.
"I have never done that before," she protests.
"Yeah?" Echo snips back, "Well, get started."
He searches again, and maybe his lack of headpiece is slowing down his processing, but he's not finding anything, and Emerie is getting antsy. So is Echo – he's the only one here. Rex and the others aren't going to be reinforcing as they planned, and Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair are captives here. He could've taken the transport, but it was bound to get his cover blown some way or other. The most he could do was ride till the end.
"Why can't I find any record of the vault Omega's held in?" he asks finally.
"These databanks are heavily encrypted," she replies, "The Vault is several levels down. Hemlock keeps it under heavy guard but I can get you inside. Are you the only one here?"
"For now." He saw his brothers being brought onto the ship as prisoners and he knows he needs to free them soon, but he'll have to get Omega out first. "Why are you helping me?"
Emerie sighs, looking away. "Because I was wrong about this place. And... I'm trying to do with the right thing."
Well, that's reason enough.
They need to get moving.
**w**
Wrecker has never heard Tech scream before, and he feels sick. He's terrified, too.
They're gonna hurt Crosshair, and they already are hurting Tech. He doesn't understand what they're doing, but then Hemlock comes back in and has Hunter cycle over to Wrecker, leaving Tech temporarily still. He's groaning softly and probably hardly conscious anymore.
Hunter's never hurt him before. Wrecker has no idea how to deal with this.
He's so, so angry.
Did they do the same thing to Hunter? Is this how he ended up like this? Why is he so willing to hurt them? He was torturing Tech, and Wrecker has no idea where Echo is anymore.
He can rip his arms free if he tries, probably, but he can't do that when everyone's watching. He needs to wait until Hunter's distracted, but he doesn't want to see Crosshair get hurt, either.
Getting electrocuted is very, very painful. It's an awful burning deep inside his head, not unlike the migraines he used to get after getting blown up, but this is much sharper and worse and he gasps against it, struggling and squirming.
Crosshair's crying. Wrecker can hear it.
He is going to strangle Hemlock if he can. He hasn't wanted to strangle anybody since Bracca, because that was – bad.
Hunter's hurting him again. Wrecker knows it's not his fault, just like with Crosshair at first, but he still doesn't understand. Hunter was always supposed to be the one who took care of them. So, what – why – why's he hurting him?
Wrecker tried to help him. He tried to save him. He tried as hard as he could. He tried to get him back into the rail car but it was too fast and he tried but he wasn't strong enough the one time he needed to be.
Hunter is just standing beside him, watching like it means nothing, and it should, but it doesn't, and he doesn't understand. He knows it's not his fault, but it still hurts.
Wrecker hears voices. Muffled and distant but still here. Crosshair?
Something broken and strangled like a "stop you're hurting him."
"You will be cycled in the order I determine," Hemlock tells him, and Wrecker has never wanted to smash anybody in the face so badly before. "Not in how you want it."
Did Crosshair just ask them to hurt him first?
Wrecker's crying, too. He doesn't mean to, but it happens, and tears are burning his eyes and falling down his face even if he really, really shouldn't cry right now. Crosshair's being hurt and so is Tech and there's nothing he can do about it right now.
"Hunter." Crosshair's definitely still crying. "Don't do this."
"I'm afraid he won't be helping you," the doctor replies, "CT-9901 is no more."
"I don't believe you."
The electricity has shut off temporarily, but Wrecker is waiting for Hunter to turn it on again any moment. His heart is pounding, and his chest hurts from it. It's probably aftershocks or whatever it is Tech calls it again. But really, it feels awful. He wants to get outta here.
"Would you like a demonstration?"
Wrecker's gut flips violently. He almost thinks he'll throw up and choke himself to death right here.
"Crosshair, don't," Tech interrupts tiredly.
Someone comes in, reporting there's an incoming transmission from Governor Tarkin, and Hemlock leaves again.
Hunter turns the electricity back on. And then there's nothing but ow ow ow and Wrecker's screams.
**w**
Omega's made it up to the hangar that the Zillo went through after she released it with the other children when she finally runs into Echo and Emerie.
"The shuttles in bay four are still operational," her sister says, approaching through the fires licking everywhere.
"You're helping us, Dr/ Karr?" Eva asks, wide-eyed.
"I am," Emerie replies, "But we must hurry." Echo pulls his helmet on, and they take off again.
"Wait," Omega requests, looking around when they reach the shuttle, "You haven't found the others yet?"
Echo sighs. "Sorry, kid. Not yet. We came after you, first."
Of course, he did, but she's still worried.
Echo tells Emerie to take the children to Pabu, and they leave after bidding a few farewells and good lucks. Omega promises to reunite with them soon, and Emerie gives Omega her datapad. It's the most she can do when she knows nothing about the CX's, and they need to get the kids somewhere they're not in danger.
They go down to the prison level after that and Omega uses the datapad to open all the cell doors at once.
She doesn't think she's been this thrilled about anything in a long time. All that time away, and all she wanted to do was get back and get everyone else out so no one ever had to worry about this again.
She takes off down the hall of cells in search of Tech, Wrecker, or Crosshair but she's not seeing them anywhere. She runs into Nala Se instead.
"Omega, why did you come back to this place?" the Kaminoan asks. It's good to see that she's okay. Omega was worried when she heard Hemlock had her imprisoned.
"I had to, but it's okay. We're all getting out this time."
She runs past her, scanning the prison levels, checking each of the cells, but there's nothing. "Echo, I searched all the cells," she reports, "They're not here."
"Who?" one of the regs asks.
"The rest of our squad," Echo replies, "Do you know anywhere else they could be?"
"If they're not in the lab, they could be in the training room," someone answers, "It's where Hemlock conditions the clones he deems useful."
Omega's seen Crosshair come from there every day when she was here. She could never forget it. "I think I know where that is. Follow me." She snatches the datapad from the controls.
Rampart – wait, how did he get here? – steps in front of Echo, demanding that they leave right now while they have the chance. Everyone ignores him.
Echo steps past, turning to the others. "Listen, I know you've all been through enough. You deserve your freedom. But Omega and I can't do this alone. Is anyone willing to stand with us?"
The others exchange glances, but then one by one they all voice their agreement.
They scramble for their weapons. Nala Se crouches in front of Omega again and clasps her shoulder. "Omega, I must not allow my science to remain in the Empire's hands. The only way you will be free is if Hemlock is gone and the databanks are destroyed."
"Then let's get to the lab," she volunteers immediately.
"No," the Kaminoan objects firmly, "Your place is with them."
The words carry far more meaning than just telling her to stay here. Nala Se is the one who separated her from her brothers in the first place, who took the Batch away from her, even if it wasn't exactly Nala Se's choice specifically. That she's telling Omega something different now means... a lot.
Omega nods. "You'll need this," she replies, pacing her Emerie's datapad and sparing her one last glance before she runs to catch up with Echo.
She doesn't know why she can't shake a strange feeling of finality, but she doesn't linger to think about it. There's no time.
**w**
Crosshair has no idea how long it is when Hunter or the cycling itself decides to be done electrocuting Wrecker and he comes over to Crosshair.
This has been going on a while, and normally, it recycles several times in a day.
Crosshair thought this was over. That he'd never have to be here and go through this again.
He's still crying. Can't stop.
Hunter pauses beside him when he sees him, and Crosshair doesn't look. He can't. Not when his brother is about to hurt him, and he wants to get out of this nightmare. This is why he – he didn't ever want to come back here. He knew he'd inevitably end up in this room again, that it was bound to happen if they tried finding Tantiss.
That's why he stayed quiet, and they don't even know if they'll be able to get Omega out, or free Hunter. Both seem impossible.
They're counting on Echo, and he still hasn't showed up.
Hunter's hand touches his shoulder, and Crosshair twitches violently. He expects it to hurt, but it doesn't and that doesn't make any sense.
"What are you doing?" he asks, hisses, really, blinking stubbornly at the tears in his eyes. He's been crying for ages, and should really be done by now, but no. Never seems to stop, does he?
Hunter sighs again. "Trying to resist will only hurt you. The faster it is, the easier it'll be for you."
"I'm not serving the Empire again."
"There is no other way out of this," he replies.
Unless Echo gets here in time, he's not wrong and Crosshair doesn't want to think about it. He's not going to give in to this. He's not. But it's so much harder when Hunter's the one hurting him. "We're on different sides again." Crosshair's scrambling to find words, something to say and a way to get it out. "But I don't want to fight you again. We – we don't have to be enemies."
"I'm sorry," Hunter tells him with a sigh. "There's no other way this can be."
"That's not true. You can help us. You don't have to do what he asks."
"Crosshair."
"Yeah?"
"That's your name, isn't it?"
He nods, eyes closed. He's exhausted now, the certainty of their situation finally settling over him. There is no way out of this. Hunter's going to hurt them all.
"It's okay," he says finally, quietly, "We'll start over fresh."
"Mindless, you mean."
"Call it what you want."
Hunter turns away now, circling the edge of the table to the controls.
"You'll harm him," Tech interrupts, "You shot him. He has not fully recovered."
"Hemlock wouldn't risk permanently damaging any of you," Hunter replies, "He's been meaning to study you for a long time."
Lab rats again.
Great.
Crosshair does have a still-healing blaster hole in him, one from Hunter, and now he knows exactly how his brothers felt when they were fighting him. The desperation, the helpless hopelessness. Did Hunter feel like this when Crosshair captured him? Was he this afraid? This close to giving in because he knew there was nothing and no way out?
Echo should be here by now. Where is he?
"He took your mind," Tech points out, "And that is permanent."
"It doesn't matter," Hunter objects but he's not quite looking at him, "Not if we're still useful after."
That's not true, and Hunter must know that somewhere, but Crosshair doesn't know how to bring out the brother he knew. It's been so long. They've been apart for a lifetime.
There are so many things Crosshair wants to say to him. So many things he needs to apologize for, that he needs to find a way to make right, but he doesn't know how to anymore. It would be easier if they were alone, but Tech and Wrecker should – they grew up together, so it's not really like they don't...
"I'm sorry," Crosshair whispers, voice raw. "I left you here. I let you get captured – I didn't know. I didn't know what would happen, what I was doing – I thought..."
"It doesn't matter," Hunter tells him finally, "This is where we are, and this is the life we have to live with."
He turns the electricity on again, and Crosshair gasps at the pain flaring through his head. He deserves it and he knows that, but stars, it hurts so, so much and he just wants it to stop. He wants this all to be over, to stop hurting and never have to feel pain again – he wishes it was him who died, that he actually had and didn't have to try living this through to completion.
He thinks he hears blaster fire. Maybe. It's hard to say. A hand touches his shoulder again, and he knows he didn't imagine that.
There's something of Hunter still left, but Crosshair doesn't know if it's going to be enough.
**w**
Hunter's watching the fight. Omega hoped he would, and she doesn't know what she'd do if he wasn't. Crosshair is being electrocuted, and she wants to shut that off, but he'd sense and hear it, and he's standing right beside him.
She needs Wrecker. She needs him to break, well, everything, so she carefully climbs down and tiptoes across the room, tucking her blaster under her arm and typing on the controls to get the machine to lift its restraints. Just one arm should be enough.
She's mid-working when she sees Hunter turn back, reaching for his blaster.
Omega gasps sharply, raising her blaster and firing. The stunbolt hits him, and he stumbles, but somehow doesn't go down. He ducks when she shoots again, rolling for cover behind a control, and Omega flips to live fire, shooting out the controls by Crosshair. Might as well.
The electricity shuts off, and that's enough, but when she flips her blaster back to stun and turns back to where Hunter was, he's circled the full length of the room to get up behind her.
She gasps, firing and stumbling back, mind flashing months into the past on Bracca, remembering the panicked desperation as she scrambled back from Wrecker. Remembers the hopelessness and certainty that he was about to kill her there in the dark of the cruiser.
It's happening again.
With Hunter.
He rips the blaster from her hands. Omega stumbles, sidestepping to rebalance herself, but Hunter grabs her arm.
The door opens, and Hemlock steps inside again, backed by another of the CX's.
Hunter's holding her against him, and Omega squirms a little, even if she knows she can't get away. He still has weapons on him. Things she can... use. Something. He has a knife on the back of his belt, and Omega twists her arm around, carefully reaching behind her and him, grabbing the knife hilt and unsheathing it, keeping it pressed against her wrist and behind her back, safely out of sight.
"A glaring weakness in clones is their loyalty to one another," the doctor tells her smugly, "Thank you for proving my point."
He activates some sort of gas down to where Echo and the others are fighting below. It floods the area, and Omega watches, wide-eyed as the regs start dropping amidst the smoke.
"Their efforts have failed. Predictably so," Hemlock monologues aloud to himself, smugly watching out the window.
His back is turned on Wrecker. Everyone's are. He'll be up any second now.
The door opens again, and another reg comes in, that one who's followed him everywhere. "Sir, there's been an explosion in the central lab," he reports, and Omega feels a surge of vicious satisfaction. "It's been destroyed."
"You failed, too," Omega tells him smugly. "Your data's gone."
"But I still have you," he throws back.
"Do you?" Omega asks, with the brightest, most infuriating, Crosshair-like smile she can manage.
And that's when Wrecker rips himself free, tearing off the top half of the machine over him and flinging it across the room with a roar.
Several something's explode, and Hunter drops her to dodge the debris. Omega rolls away from him.
Tech rolls off the table now that his restraints are lifted, diving for the blaster she dropped from earlier and dropping to his knee to shoot the reg following Hemlock. He goes down, and the other CX pulls an electrospear and goes for Wrecker.
Hunter grabs her again, and Hemlock cuffs Omega's wrist to his, taking Hunter's blaster.
He knows how to use that?
Okay, she shouldn't be surprised.
"We're leaving," he tells Hunter, "Deal with them." And with that, he makes for the door.
Omega's dragged after, careful to keep the knife she stole pressed against her side and free wrist so no one sees it. They're all distracted, so they shouldn't notice.
He's holding the arm band controls he took from Hunter, too – he's remote controlling the ship to come to them.
Hunter and the other CX are still inside, not to mention however many troops Echo is fighting. They need to stay focused, and Omega...
They don't have time to get distracted by her. They're alone out here.
Omega's hand tightens over the knife. Her chances are low, but she's not waiting, and anger bubbles inside her, hot and fierce.
She is not being taken away from her brothers again. He tortured all of them and took Hunter's mind.
None of them will be safe until Hemlock is dead.
Omega jerks around, stabbing the knife into his thigh and cutting herself free of him. She jerks back, flicking the blade up and throwing it at his chest.
Hemlock tries to shoot her. The shot goes off, and she ducks fast enough it scorches her hair. She ducks under his arm, grabbing his wrist and shoving it with her weight against it. She's not as strong as her brothers. They know how to do this properly.
He's going to kill her just out of spite.
Yeah, well, same here.
The blaster goes off again. It skims across her right thigh, and Omega yelps. She knees his arm and rips his blaster away when he drops it. "You should have thought twice about hurting my brothers," she snarls, firing.
Something's beeping.
Is that an explosive?
He really is bent on killing her. Came more prepared than she realized.
Omega whirls around and runs.
The explosion goes off before she gets far, and she's thrown into the railing. Something behind her is smoking.
She grabs the metal and hauls herself upwards, heads spinning and pounding, limping back for the entrance.
She needs – needs to get to the others.
Hunter would've been proud.
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