Chapter 33 - But It Always Took Me Back to the Start (2:8)
Just to be annoying, I need to say that this is one of my favorite arcs, and where things start diverging. :')
~ Rivana Rita
I am one with the Force and Force is with me. I am one with the Force and Force is with me. I –
Omega's flower-petal soft presence shifts closer through the void of the Marauder, flickering against the endless multicolor lights dotting Ord Mantell. Hers is bright and familiar, standing out against the dark and Cid's murky yellow-green, still dimmed with annoyance that I flippantly told her we murdered a bunch of her fellow lizards instead of finishing her mission. Hunter's dimmed evergreen, waiting and watching on the Marauder's ramp – always watching – with the same near meditative state that I am. Wrecker's dull orange, stretched across his chair lazily, half sleeping and impatient for action. Tech's goldish smoothness and Echo's smokiness misting together in the cockpit as they talk about some new Imperial files Tech hacked.
My sister stands below me, looking up the ladder to where the gunner's mount's gold light shines across us. Her face is shadowed. I tilt my head, blinking down at her, hair falling into my face.
"Can I – um. Talk to you?" Omega asks, rubbing her right wrist. She looks uncomfortable.
I scoot back to give her room. "Sure."
She climbs the ladder and sits at the edge, legs dangling off. "I – I'm glad Gungi figured out a way to get you to See again."
I smile at her. It feels real for the first time in months. "Thanks."
"I – I just... I guess we've both changed a lot from where we were on Kamino. We're soldiers now, and I – I think we've forgotten what it means to be us."
The calm doesn't leave. It's almost unnerving. "That's why I've been trying to reconnect."
"Yeah, but that's... not us."
I gnaw on my lip, looking out across the darkness of the ship. It's familiar, but something is different. There's a heavy, layered weight in the air, but there's something uplifting in it, too, a rise of light like Anakin promised me. It's been so long since I've felt light. Long, since I've felt someone.
"I'm sorry I haven't been paying as much attention to you. We always used to do everything together."
I tilt my head, blinking at her, words lost, and just wait. Wait for her to keep talking.
"I didn't really... think about it. I thought you were fine, and it's been hard with – we're all so dark now. Things aren't like I thought they would be."
I don't know if I would be fine if Crosshair was here or not. That's not a thing I voice, though I think – probably. It would've been easier. For me. Even if 'mega wasn't here, I wouldn't be alone, because I'd be with him like I was meant to be. "Nothing is like we thought it was," I offer finally, "But I guess we're all where we were meant to be."
Omega looks up at me. Up. Not – over. Or down. Like she should. "Are we?"
"Of course we are."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know, but that's what Gungi told me. I believe him."
"Why do you trust him so much?"
I look away. It's not accusing – it's confused and somehow hurt, and that catches me off words even more. "He's the same as me. We're one. I can't explain it."
"You said you thought I could use the Force once."
"I think so. I don't know. I'm not a Jedi. I – I wish I could be, but I don't think that life's for me."
Omega nods, looking away from me. "I wanna stay together."
I don't even blink. "Of course we will." What's odd is that she's telling me, but I'm glad to hear it.
"Can you teach me how to meditate?" she asks. "I wanted to ask on Kashyyyk, but I wasn't sure if I should interrupt."
I feel a pang of regret, but it fades fast. I can See again. That's what we've all been trying, and I finally got it to work. "It's okay. I can show you now. Here." I scoot back from the edge – there's not going to be room for us both to sit in the exit. It's a narrow room.
Omega climbs up and sits across from me, facing each other, the same way I did with him.
It feels nice. It feels right.
"There," I tell her when she finally gets it right, "Relax, and try to breathe."
"I can't imagine you doing this when we were little."
I shrug. "Probably not."
My hands are on my knees, and I close my eyes again. my sense of time whisps in and out, fades until I See Echo coming towards us.
"Meditating again?" he asks dryly.
"Sure," I supply.
"Trying," Omega answers. "I like it though. You wanna try?"
Echo. Sit still and mindless? Is she kidding?
"No," he answers immediately, "I don't enjoy solitude. I had enough of that on Skako Minor." I wince, tensing. Echo never talks about his time as a prisoner. It's a good sign that he can now, or at least that's what Hunter says, but he's always twitchy about it. "If it weren't for this squad, I'd still be a prisoner there. Or worse."
"Is that what made you join them?" Omega queries.
"Hmm. This was where I fit, where I was needed."
"To babysit us, or to give Tech a hacker buddy?"
Echo scoffs a laugh. "Both."
"Or, were you running?"
He cocks an eyebrow at me.
"It's just – you'd been gone a long time, and a lot must've changed. No one would blame you for running." I don't know why I had to ask, but I mean it, too. Is that part of why Crosshair left us? Because when he realized he was wrong, he was too deep in to leave, and he wasn't sure how to try, even when we all tried our best?
"I wouldn't say that," Echo replies, "Four is hardly a squad, even if they got by. I didn't fit with the regs anymore. Hunter gave me a place to stay. I didn't want to hold down Rex or the others with... any of this."
He means his mechanical parts that need constant attention and maintenance that Tech is always more than happy to give. I can't imagine what it'd be like to have Tech fussing over pieces of me that intimately, so well, guess it's a good thing I'm not a cyborg. I nod to him, biting my lip again. "That's okay. I understand. I can't imagine not knowing you. I wanna do this together forever."
Echo's about reply when Tech calls from the front. "We have an incoming transmission. It's Rex."
I jump down from the mount and Omega slides down the ladder.
The hologram is on when we make it to the front. "Hey, boys," Rex greets us. There's a brightness to him, something I don't remember ever having seen before. "Any chance I could use your squad's expertise for a mission?"
"Finally," Wrecker exclaims, "I'm tired of waiting around for Cid."
"What do you need, Rex?" Echo inquires.
"I'll explain everything when you get to Coruscant."
"Coruscant?" Hunter echoes, "That's a big ask, Captain."
"Why?" Omega pipes up, "What's on Coruscant?"
"It's a city planet. It was the Republic's capital and the home of the Jedi, but now, it's the Empire's capital. So, yeah, something we need to be steering clear from."
"But the Empire thinks we're dead," Echo objects.
"You sure about that?" I ask, "We were spotted on Serenno. And I – I doubt the Empire's been lied to about us surviving Kamino." I wave a hand. "Just being realistic."
"While I cannot say why, our files have not been updated to say that we survived," Tech replies. Huh. That's weird.
"Either way, the Empire won't be looking for us," Echo points out, "That puts us at an advantage."
"I'd like to keep it that way," Hunter tells him pointedly.
"It's a covert mission," Rex promises, "A simple data extraction, but a crucial one. I'll send over a flight plan to bypass Imperial security and coordinates to a safe landing zone. And, Echo, there's... someone I'd like you to meet."
My brows raise a little. "Just Echo? Why?" He feels bright. Shimmering. He's... excited? That's weird.
"Let's just say it's... someone from his past we all thought was gone."
"We're on our way," Echo tells him.
"I didn't just jinx it, did I?" I ask, hands raised. "I swear I didn't mean to bring anybody back to life."
"I doubt it was your doing, kid," Echo tells me bluntly, ruffling my hair.
"Don't be so sure. Creepy things happen every day."
"Well, come on," Hunter asserts, "If we're going, we better get to work."
Yeah, yeah, fine. We'll find out soon enough. Thanks, Rex. I'm losing it now.
**w**
Coruscant is beautiful and ugly. Who wants so many buildings? And why are they all gray? But hey, at least it's unique. Kinda.
Tech flies us to the landing pad Rex told us about, and I trot off the ramp behind Hunter and Omega.
(Something – something feels – is – something – a blue humming energy, nagging a tm head, a distant whistle calling my name –)
Rex is waiting for us outside with a Pantoran girl dressed overly fancily. "Glad you made it," he introduces, "This is Senator Riyo Chuchi. These are the special clones I told you about."
Her eyes roam across us, and she smiles when she settles on Omega and me.
"Hello," my sister offers brightly, waving.
"Thank you for coming," Riyo tells us.
Hunter smiles a little and nods in acknowledgement, returning his focus to Rex. "Why are we here, Captain?"
"Inside," Rex replies, motioning over his shoulder, "There's something I want you to see. And, well, someone."
He takes us into the back, and there's some shuffling inside. A reg stands, pushing himself off the work bench he was slouched on and stands, turning back to look at us. He's a bit younger than Rex, but he's... familiar. There's a tattoo on his head, which I recognize instantly. At least I think I do.
Echo freezes up, exhaling sharply. His smokiness freezes, tensing with prepared anticipation of bracing to lash out. Threat expecting. "Is this...?"
"Apparently, he broke out of an Imperial prison. He's been stuck there since... we thought he died."
Echo's staring at him. All my brothers are.
"Hey," Fives himself says, standing to face us all. "Rex told me about you."
"Hi," I opt, waving, "You're Fives, aren't you? Echo talked about you, too. Y'know. Once in a while."
"The one and only," he says with a roguish grin, "I came back from the dead. Apparently, it runs in the family."
"No kidding," Echo says finally, though he sounds faint. "How did you – where have you been? We thought you were gone."
He mourned him. I did, too – Echo never talked about Fives very much, but the loss was palpable. It was so obvious, and it always hurt to think of him and know the brother he's closest to is dead.
His expression scrunches. I do that too. Yikes. "The Chancellor wasn't happy I tried to unveil him. He had me imprisoned. I couldn't get it out. I heard about the Empire in there. Couldn't sit it out."
"You'll have plenty of time to catch up later," Rex interrupts, "I called you here to see something else, too."
Echo and Fives turn away from each other to the table in the middle of the room. It's a box. I blink. Wait. Is that a...
Echo grabs Omega's wrist before she can poke anything.
"He's an assassin," Rex reports, opening the thing right over his face. He's dead, but he's a reg. "His identifying number's been wiped."
"I was not aware that was possible," Tech muses.
"Who was his target?" Hunter queries.
"A clone contact of mine named Slip. He said he was in danger. I came to Coruscant with Fives who'd I'd just pulled out to get out Slip, but the assassin got to him first. Nearly got the senator too." His eyes dart to Riyo, and she looks hurt. She Looks like velvet and it hurts to see her upset. Just soft. And purple. People can Look purple?
"Why would a clone be targeting another clone or a senator?" Echo demands. Like he's already forgotten Crosshair and everything he's done to us.
"Orders," Fives answers dully, "Fox did shoot me. Not all of our brothers are... themselves."
I bite my lip. See Crosshair's face in my mind.
"To silence us," Riyo answers passionately. "Admiral Rampart has the entire Senate believing Kamino was lost to a cataclysmic storm. Slip witnessed the truth. I wanted him to testify to Rampart's crimes."
"We were there too, Senator," Echo interjects immediately. Wrecker crosses his arms and nods behind him agreeingly, as if our word might actually mean something. "I can be your witness."
"The Senate won't listen to any of us. We're deserters," Hunter objects.
"Hunter's right," Rex agrees, "But there's another way to provide the Senate with the evidence of the Empire's crimes. The command log on Rampart's Venator." Ohh. That has me listening. I want to squash the Empire, too. Echo and Wrecker throw glances at each other – the action has them alert. "Slip made a copy of it on the ship's backup data banks."
"Where's the Venator now?" Wrecker queries.
"Being retrofitted at the Imperial shipyard right here on Coruscant. Lots of security, but I know a way in." Good. That's covered.
"Rampart's Defense Recruitment Bill goes to a vote tomorrow. We must prove his crimes before it passes. I'll return to the Senate and garner support where I can," Riyo decides.
Rex frowns disapprovingly, hands on his hips. "You could still be in danger."
"Then I must be on the right track." I think I like her enthusiasm. We could use more people like that.
"I can go with her and keep an eye out," Omega volunteers.
I twitch. The boys do have this covered. Sneaking into a star destroyer sounds fun, but next time, maybe? "I'll go with you." I reach out, patting her shoulder, and Omega smiles up at me. Things feel somewhat normal again. Tech's gonna forge codes for us, and well – as Rex says, we're getting to work.
**w**
We're in the Senate now, wearing a sparkly purple and blue overshirt thing over the rest of our clothes. Good way to hide them. It's kinda pretty, though a bit too sparkly. Maybe. It looks like it's made for a party. Not a soldier. Also, unfortunately, means we have to leave our weapons behind. I grudgingly leave my blaster, but I refuse to put down my knife.
"I refuse to put down my knife. Ever," I announce firmly, carefully pulling the hem of my floppy overshirt over the blade, hiding it against my side.
"Even when you're in the shower?" Omega asks.
"Well, no one's gonna attack me when I'm in the shower! Unless you're planning something." I side-eye her.
"Remember," Omega quips, grinning, quoting Echo's snarky comment from earlier before we parted ways, "Don't talk too much, keep your head down, and everything's gonna be fine."
"Roger." I salute her dramatically.
Omega giggles.
I hate this place. Really. It makes me feel gross. There's so much dirtiness here. There are so many people here. So many secrets. So much chaos. I swear, this entire place just needs to go.
(A voice is still whispering. Whistling, calling me with its irresistible alluringness. Something that used to be nothing, then lost its life and chose me over – over – someone. I feel the buzzing in my hand, and –)
Someone is walking towards us. The air is tense around him. He Looks gray and way too smooth in a way that makes me desperate to scrub all my skin off.
"You seem surprised to see me, Admiral," Riyo says, and my head snaps up.
That's him. Admiral Rampart, the person who destroyed Kamino. Our home. I stood there watching as he blew my world to ash.
"Not at all," he objects, straightening. "I was just making a few preparations for tomorrow's vote."
The nerve. He was probably hoping she was dead from his assassin. I'm about to open my mouth, but Omega grabs my hand. Oh, right. Mouth shut, eyes down.
"Indeed," Riyo answers evenly. "I am looking forward to it."
Rampart looks past us, and I follow his gaze to some blue freak. "If you'll excuse me," he says, moving off.
"Who's that?" I ask, pointing.
"The former Vice Chancellor in the time of the Republic," Riyo answers, "Though his role now is essentially the same."
Yikes. The Emperor is here. I realized that for the first time.
From there, she takes us into the Senate and explains what it is. The room is so big, but it's gray and dull. Lifeless. I think we could all use some color in here.
Hmmmmm.
**w**
We go out to a meeting with Senator Organa – whoever that is. He's apparently helping Riyo in her work, though he's being far more discreet about it. They have to meet in the underworld to avoid detection, which is just really messed up.
Even people in the government aren't safe? If somebody offed Riyo, shouldn't that...
Ugh.
I hate politics.
Half the world, too, when all my brain is doing is humming with a distant whisper.
"What's wrong, Viz?" my sister demands finally, "You've been half zoned out ever since we got to Coruscant."
"I don't know. I keep hearing something. Some sort of... voice. It keeps calling me."
"I don't hear anything."
"Maybe it's just me it's calling."
Omega bites her lip, looking away. She's upset, and I don't know why. I just think something's wrong. Something other than that we're wandering around in the underworld of a giant city planet. I hate what I see everywhere. It just looks bad. People live horribly down here while the Emperor is lounging on his high and lofty throne.
But 'mega – I think she's angry about something. I don't know what or why.
But that voice, that whistling – I want to follow it. It's eating at me, and waiting is driving me insane. I need to get a speeder and just fly. Fly to it. It's important.
All the meeting with Senator Organa does is point us to the former Kaminoan Senator - Halle Burtoni.
Which is how we find ourselves sitting together in Riyo's living room with the Kaminoan Senator sitting in a chair across from the couch. It's so, so strange to see a Kaminoan again. I haven't since Nala Se. Since we left Kamino so many months ago. I don't miss her. I don't like any of them. But still, it hurts to know their entire civilization is gone.
"Tell me about the missing Senate appropriation funds that were earmarked for operations on Kamino. Funding for the cloning facilities has been siphoned off for over the past year. You had to have known," Riyo requests.
"Of course I did," she answers carelessly, not even looking at us.
"Where did the money go? Who diverted the funds?"
"You're a fool to bring me here. Do you know what happens when you dig around where you shouldn't?" The stupid hand movements are completely unnecessary.
"Yes," I answer loudly, annoyed. "That's why we need answers. Someone's messing around, and we are going to squash them."
"I wouldn't put it quite like that," Riyo agrees, "But your people deserve –"
"My people are gone," Burtoni replies. I hate how flippant she sounds. Maybe she's grieving. Maybe she's in denial or understands revenge won't bring her people back. Better than me. But I want justice. The Empire destroyed my home. "The few remaining Kaminoans scattered throughout the galaxy are of no importance to me, and therefore, not my concern."
Riyo sighs a little defeatedly, and my sister bristles beside me.
"How can you not care about what happened on Kamino?" Omega demands, her voice rough with anger.
"Why do you care, children?" she asks.
"Because we're clones, too!" Omega snaps, "It was our home. We were there. We saw the Empire destroy everything, and I'm angry."
There aren't even words to describe how we feel about Kamino. It's a vacuous void in my heart, something shredded away where the bits of Crosshair still are. We've lost so much for the Empire. "We saw our home burned in the ocean. We were there, protecting it when you never were," I accuse, "You were our Senator. You were supposed to be the one protecting us." I sigh, hands dropping onto my lap and fisting in my knees. "But we're not letting the Empire get away with what they did. Even if it's until the last of them is stamped from beneath the stars."
"I suspected an attack was imminent," she admits at last, "Lama Su was arrogant. Too confident his clones were a necessity to the Empire. But none of us are."
Just like what Hunter told Crosshair so long ago.
He'll find that out soon enough.
And it will destroy him.
He's our brother. He's got to care somewhere.
"Did Admiral Rampart divert the funds?" Riyo demands.
"You already know the answer. But yes."
I close my eyes, exhaling. Good. That's some of the evidence she needs. Something to work with until our brothers finally get back from the mission.
"You must testify to that in front of the Senate tomorrow. He cannot continue to get away with what he's done."
"Rampart is a mere cog in the machine." Burtoni waves her hands. "And my word won't do you any good. You need concrete proof."
"Well, if you pull out enough cogs, the machine breaks. All we need to do is hit a big enough blow on the Empire. That's not so hard. There are more people willing to help us than we know."
"Why would you believe that?" Burtoni asks.
I freeze. Don't actually know, but I know there's still truth to my words. "Just a feeling. Get those a lot."
**w**
Omega and I go to the underworld again as Riyo heads to the Senate. They won't try anything when she's in public, thankfully. We can only wait for our brothers to get back.
I hear the singing. Whispers in the silence. Voices in my head. Flashing images of someone else's life. I keep on hearing these... voices. Words.
"I took care of them. They're as good as new."
"Good luck!"
"Good thing I taught you otherwise."
"This weapon is my life."
"They were following my orders. I got them killed."
"Take heart, little one. It's the reality of command."
"You keep zoning out," Omega tells me, biting her lip.
I shake my head, rubbing my temple, head turning to look at my sister. She's studying me worriedly. I feel that worry, too, See it flickering in the tainted edges of her goldish-orange light. "I don't get it either," I tell her with a shrug. "I just keep on... Seeing things. Hearing voices. There's a whistling. Do you hear it?"
She shakes her head. "Viz, I think you should get some rest."
There's a voice. Calling me. I need to answer it. "I can't. Not right now." The other should be back soon, and Omega and I need to rush an express delivery back to the Senate, though for some reason, the thought of going there makes my skin crawl. "I'm not sure I should come with you back to the Senate. I think something's wrong."
"Doesn't that mean we should stay together?"
"Well, that would make the most sense." I look around again, the dimly lit halls of Coruscant's underworld. It looks so dingy and dirty down here. How can anyone live? Ord Mantell is better. And this is some sort of capital? "Buuut, that probably means we shouldn't do it." I give her a lopsided grin.
She cocks an eyebrow at me, but doesn't argue. "I don't think you staying here alone is a good idea."
"I won't be alone. Our brothers will be here."
She sighs. "Okay. I'll be fine."
"I know." I squeeze her hand, and we jerk around to look up at the sound of a speeder screeching to a halt. Finally.
Rex climbs out and Omega runs towards them. He passes her a datadisk. "Get this to Senator Chuchi," he orders, "Hurry."
She nods, running for the other speeder.
"You're not going?" Hunter asks me, leaning against the speeder edge.
I shrug. "Nope. Weird vibes. Something's wrong. I – I keep hearing this voice. It's calling me." I turn away, pacing, kicking at the ground and willing something to happen. The voice to stop. I hear it again, distant and whistling, feel a pull to somewhere... else. The speeder's right here. I want to take it and fly.
"Ohhh. What's it sound like?" Fives. I don't even know him, but it feels like we do. I might as well. Echo's talked about him a lot. He climbs out of the speeder, approaching me.
"A whistling. A voice. I – I don't know how to explain it, but it won't stop."
"Could be a kyber crystal," he suggests.
"What's a kyber crystal?"
"It is the core to a Jedi's lightsaber," Tech responds.
"You think I have a kyber crystal?"
Fives shrugs with a grin. "Why not? You are Force-sensitive."
"Ooookay, where'd you hear that from? Who told you about me? It was all good, right?"
He winks. "Mostly."
I laugh, shaking my head, heart swelling with fond endearment. It aches all the same as I remember Crosshair. Who, for all we know, could be on-world somewhere. "If there's a kyber crystal calling me, then, I think we should check it out."
Hunter glances at Echo, who immediately nods to him. "Alright, kid," he replies, "Hop in. Let's go take a look."
Final Notes: Reviews are always appreciated! ^-^
Come hang out on Discord (delete spaces), discord . gg / nqSxuz2 or find us on tumblr at fanfictasia (our more serious blog which does have controversial posts on it; I won't be offended if you choose to block it, promise), and disastertriowriting (which is our fun blog with crack posts or incorrect SW quotes)
We've got a YT channel for tributes! (delete the spaces) youtube channel / UC_g1M5rSCxJUzQCRS29B6pA
ALSO: We have SW gift request forms for General, Anakin-Clones-centric, and Bad Batch fics. :D (delete spaces) bit . ly / CourtesyTrefflinFicRequests
