Part 7 - Rescue on Ryloth
Plot: Wrecker and his brothers have never really met another kid before, much less ended up on a mission with one, but when Echo and Omega take them to Ryloth on a mission, they get their first real sight of civilian childhood.
Echo and Omega are talking to the adults when a green kid spots Wrecker and Crosshair lingering in the doorway of the Marauder.
"What type of ship is this?" she asks, looking up with wide eyes.
Wrecker looks at his little brother, who shrugs, shifting forward.
"It is a modified Omicron-class attack shuttle," Tech answers for them, approaching.
"Can I have a look inside?" she asks.
Wrecker looks to Echo and Omega.
"Can she come up?" Hunter calls, and Omega nods to him, so the five of them reboard the ship together.
The kid looks around, green eyes wide and awed. She goes right up to the controls, and Tech starts pointing out a thousand random buttons to her.
Crosshair rolls his eyes, shifting into Wrecker's side, who hooks an arm over his shoulders and pulls his little brother close.
"Do you fly?" the kid asks.
"When it is necessary," Tech replies.
"I wanna be a pilot someday," the kid says, awed. "And live on a starship. I'll probably want a bigger kind, though."
Wrecker can say he never thinks about the future. It doesn't matter, because they're soldiers, and they just do whatever part they're told to. It's weird to hear someone who does. Nat-borns are weird. He thinks he likes this one, though.
"This one's big enough for us," Hunter shrugs, "And we live here."
"It's my dream," she says, "Your ship is amazing. I fly a little sometimes. When I close my eyes and picture myself up there, I feel it. It's really about a feeling."
A feeling?
Wrecker has no idea what she's talking about and from the look on Tech's face, he doesn't either.
"What feeling?" Tech objects, "It is about precise calculations and detailed knowledge of the ship's functions."
"Maybe but it's more than that," the green kid insists. The thingies hanging off her head are swinging, and Wrecker can't stop staring at them. He's never seen a species quite like this before and it's weird.
A conversation about flying is kinda boring and his mind wanders to the weapons they're buying. He doesn't know what kinds, but explosives are always fun.
"What're you getting the weapons for?" Wrecker asks.
"It's a secret," she says, leaning forward conspiratorially. "The Empire's taking all our weapons and my uncle says we need to be prepared."
"You're fighting the Empire?"
Wrecker looks up at Omega's voice. She's standing in the doorway.
The green kid looks up, startled. "Not yet. My father hopes we won't have to."
"The Empire will notice if you keep collecting weapons," Hunter speaks up.
"If you ever need any help but only in emergencies, you can have our comm channel," Omega offers.
Wrecker perks up instantly. He likes her. The regs aren't nice like this. He wants to get to talk to her again.
"She's strange," Crosshair supplies when the others head back for their ship.
"Yeah," Wrecker agrees, "I kinda like her."
She waves goodbye to them from the ramp of her ship when she leaves and Wrecker watches it for a moment. If these people are smuggling-or-whatever-it's-called weapons, they probably will be seeing them again.
**w**
They're just leaving Ryloth back for Ord Mantell when Hera sends a transmission. "The Empire's taken my parents, and they're after me now too. I'm sending coordinates. Please hurry. I need your help," she says.
"Why's the Empire after her?" Wrecker asks, confused. She seems nice and harmless. Why would the Empire see her as a threat?
"They were fighting," Omega answers, "That's what happens. We have to help." Wrecker nods his agreement. That's what he's supposed to do, right?
"Could be risky," Hunter warns.
"They need us," Echo replies, "We might as well at least check it out."
The trip back to Ryloth doesn't take long, and Wrecker and Crosshair keep exchanging glances as they wait. Wrecker doesn't know much about the Empire, but he knows they're awful to people. They saw some on Saleucami, and they were going to hurt Omega.
But they'll finally get to do something fun again!
A droid rolls up to them when they get off the ship.
"Thank you for coming," Hera says, approaching from the back of the compound, "I wasn't sure you would."
"You said you were in trouble," Omega replies, kneeling in front of her and pulling her helmet off. "What happened? Why is the Empire targeting you?"
"Because my father is Cham Syndulla."
"Who's that?" Crosshair whispers. Hunter shrugs at him. Wrecker certainly doesn't know. He's never heard of it, and he looks at Tech, because Tech usually knows, but he looks just as confused.
"Ah," Echo says, as though that answers everything. "He was a freedom fighter on Ryloth when the Republic was there," he explains at all the confused looks, "I wasn't on Ryloth, but I heard about it. I was still with the 501st back then."
"This was his old command outpost," Hera continues, "It's where I've been hiding. The Empire's begun targeting anyone loyal to him."
"What mission you want us for, kid?" Echo inquires.
"To free my parents from the Capitol. That's where they're being held."
Wrecker laughs. "Sounds easy enough!" Crosshair looks grumpy, and he lightly punches his shoulder to make him lighten up.
"We'll hafta check it out," Hunter says.
"The Capital will be well-guarded, and I expect the Empire is anticipating an attack," Omega agrees.
"Then we can blow our way in!" Wrecker says cheerfully.
"We'll see," Echo replies dryly, "We don't know what their defenses are right now. That's the point of checking it out."
Yeah, Wrecker knows that, but the pre-fighting stuff is just dull. Just give him somethin' to punch.
They go up to a ridge overlooking the Capital, where a bunch of people are gathered, listening to some speech. Wrecker has no idea what's being talked about, and he doesn't really care, either, though Hera seems highly irritated by something about an assassination attempt.
Crosshair doesn't even need binoculars, obviously, and he's way too smug about sprawling at the edge of the ridge next to Echo and Tech as they check it out.
Hunter inhales sharply next to them, reaching out to nudge Omega. Wrecker eyes him worriedly – he looks scared for some reason, and that's bad. "What's wrong?" he asks.
"We're being watched," he whispers. "I think it's a droid."
"Wait," Echo tells them, standing and circling around out of sight.
He probably shouldn't look around. They can't alert the droid, but he so badly wants to know where it is. What kinda droid is this? Is it dangerous? It's not gonna shoot at them, is it? They're trained though, and Wrecker knows how he's supposed to react to being watched. Meaning, don't react until they're ready to fight, and Echo's supposed to be taking care of it. Still though. He hates waiting.
There's a clang of metal against metal and a loud thump from behind them and Wrecker scrambles to his feet to see Echo stabbing his scomp through a sparking probe droid.
"It has likely already warned the Empire we're here," Tech pipes up.
"They'll be on their way," Omega replies, "We have to get back to the base. Come on."
**w**
"The plasma bridge into the city's been deactivated," Echo says when they gather back inside to discuss the situation.
"Can't we blow our way in and out?" Wrecker asks hopefully.
"The Capitol scanners would detect our ship," Echo replies.
Wrecker deflates sulkily. He has no ideas then. Let the others do the planning.
"I'll monitor comm channels," Echo offers, heading back for the Marauder, "We need to know if the Empire's picked up our presence or not."
"We'll work on a plan," Omega tells him, turning to Hera, "Ryloth is your home. You know it better than us. If there's too many troops in the Capitol, we'll have to cause some kind of diversion."
"Yes, I do," Hera replies, "There's an Imperial refinery on the outskirts of the Capitol that Chopper and I have been spying on. I know their routine."
"That something to work with," Hunter says, perking up, "Do you have a layout record?"
Chopper beeps, pulling up a hologram of the factory. The boys shift closer to look it over.
"What are the refinery's defenses?" Hunter queries.
"Five perimeter cannons, but they are unmanned," Hera answers.
"We'll have to take out the cannons first," Omega interjects, "Where are the controls?"
"Right inside the main gate. It is heavily guarded, but... Chopper can slip inside with the other droids and disable the cannons," Hera offers.
"Echo and I are gonna hafta infiltrate the Capitol ourselves," Omega decides, "Which means the diversion will be up to you. Tech, can you pull this off?"
"Of course, I can!" He sounds mildly offended.
"As long as I get to blow somethin' up," Wrecker cuts in, because everything about their last few missions has been so boring.
"Someone should go with Chopper," Hunter interjects, "Just in case."
"I'll do it," Hera offers, "He's my droid."
"You're not a soldier," Crosshair points out with a shrug and an uncertain look in Hunter's direction.
"I can still fight!" she argues, "The war was on my planet for months. I know what to do. Besides, those are my parents. I have to get them back." Having parents sounds very, very weird, but she looks so upset about it. Wrecker pats her shoulder.
"I still think someone should go with you," Omega asserts, "Just in case. Hunter?"
"What?" he yelps, "No. Someone has to keep an eye on Crosshair."
"Hey!"
"And Tech –"
"I am perfectly capable of flying on my own!"
Omega sighs. "Wrecker? Can you go with Hera?"
"What?" he whines sulkily, "They get to blow somethin' up and I don't?" That's why this entire mission was fun!
"Don't worry," Hunter promises, patting Wrecker's shoulder, "I'm sure the mission will get explosive soon."
Wrecker groans, stomping after the others back onto the ship.
**w**
Chopper was supposed to be disabling the cannons – and sprawling on the ground watching up here next to Hera is so boring – but apparently, that's not working.
But, in order to cause a diversion, they need the cannons down or Hunter, Tech, and Crosshair will get shot down and they won't have the Marauder anymore. Through their binoculars, Wrecker sees the droid being surrounded by regs.
Uh oh.
"We have to help Chopper," Hera whisper hisses, eyes wide.
They gotta get the cannons down, too, and they don't have time to wait. They don't have any explosives, but the nearby shuttles have a weapon system, too. "Ya said you can fly?"
"Yeah?"
"The shuttle can take out the canons," Wrecker offers.
"And that would be a diversion enough so Chopper can escape," Hera agrees.
Wrecker laughs, lightly bonking her shoulder. "Now you're catchin' on!"
"My parents would never approve of this plan," she warns.
"Well, we're gettin' them out!"
They run for the shuttle together. The darkness gives them enough cover to get on board without anyone seeing. "Ya said you know how to fly, right?" he asks.
"Yeah," she agrees a little warily, but she scrambles for the pilot's seat.
He goes for the guns. Finally, he's getting the chance to blow something up!
They're just getting the ship off the ground when Wrecker's comm beeps. "Are the perimeter canons deactivated?" Tech asks.
"Uhh, no, but we're on it!" Wrecker calls back eagerly.
"Wait – you're on it?" Hunter's voice asks, somewhere a distance away.
"We got a shuttle. Don't shoot us," Wrecker replies gleefully,
Their ship smashes into something as they take off but at least they're in the air now. Wrecker fires on the guns the moment the ship is finally within range and everything explodes in an incredible display of flames.
Finally!
Chopper uses the opportunity to free himself from the clones, flying onto the ramp when Hera opens it.
"Canons are down!" Wrecker calls over his comm.
"Is that why there's been explosions near the refinery?" Tech asks.
Wrecker laughs in response. "What else?" The cannons are down, the fires still blazing and smoking. It's amazing. He's been waiting to see some real explosions since they left Kamino.
The Marauder flies in moments later and starts shooting too. Hera swerves their ship sharply out of the way.
"We're getting the hang of this!" she exclaims excitedly.
"You're maneuvering is confusing them," Tech calls back and Wrecker almost thinks it's a compliment until he adds, "And to us."
Wrecker just laughs again.
Tech is still blowing things up when the proximity sensors on the ship start flashing. Wrecker glances at the controls and then out the viewport to see ships inbound. "We hafta get out of here," he calls to Hera as he starts wildly shooting.
Except the moment he starts firing, the others start shooting back.
Oh well.
At least he beat them to it.
Hera's flying the ship away, jerking from side to side as the laser shots fly past them, but then a shot catches one of the wings, jolting the ship violently.
Hera gasps.
Wrecker yelps as the ship spirals out of control.
"I can't slow it down!" she cries.
Oh great.
He thought this couldn't get worse. He was sure they could pull this off just fine until right now. "We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" he yowls as they go down.
Which doesn't seem to be helping Hera in the slightest. The ship slams into the ground, throwing Wrecker forward into the controls in front of him, and everything blacks out.
Doesn't know how long it's been when he tries to open his eyes again, but everything is spinning. He can hear voices but the mere thought of moving makes his head spin wildly enough to throw up, and then Hunter appears in his line of sight, crouching next to him.
Wait – Hunter? How'd he –
Wait.
Looks like he's suddenly inside the Marauder. When'd that happen?
"Wrecker!" Hunter is calling. The noise hurts. It's making it worse.
"Yeah?" he whines.
Hera's standing behind Hunter. At least he thinks it's Hera. She doesn't look right. She has three eyes and three lekku for some reason. And her face looks weird.
Hunter's saying something but most of the words are going entirely over his head. It takes a few seconds to even try deciphering any of them.
"Reckless plan... flying a ship like that... could have at least told us," Hunter is saying.
Enough to decipher what he means at least.
But why does Hera have three lekku suddenly?
Wrecker blinks a few times but it's not going away and the brightness back here is annoying even if it's not that bright. Maybe.
Hunter touches his shoulder. He looks worried, but his face is horribly blurred, and he looks like he has way too much hair. "You have a concussion," he says. His voice is so loud. Ow.
"Cunky what?" Wrecker grumbles.
He knows what that word means. maybe. Can't seem to remember right now.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Hera asks.
"I'm fine!" Wrecker protests, though staring at Hera's blurred face and too many lekku is getting very distracting.
"He will be fine," Tech agrees, showing up from wherever he was up front. "Though it may take a while to recover."
"What happened?" Wrecker groans, trying to sit up, though his head spins wildly. Hunter grabs his shoulder to steady him.
"Careful," he cautions, "You hit your head hard."
"That's not gonna keep me down!" He laughs, groaning a little when another stab of pain jars his brain. It hurts.
"'course not," Crosshair agrees, appearing from wherever he'd disappeared to and taking Wrecker's hand. He sounds cheerful, anyway, though a little worried. At least he can hear, even if he can't see.
"Echo and Omega got the others out," Hunter tells him, "Tech had to fly down to get out you and Hera before the regs got there."
He was out for all of that?
"You hit your head hard," Crosshair shrugs in answer to his unasked question.
Tech disappears back up front, and Wrecker stays on the floor, because he doesn't dare risk getting up yet. "You okay?" he asks, eyes finding Hera again.
"Yeah. You got my parents out. Thank you," she says sincerely. "But... I have to go now."
Right. The mission is over now.
He's almost sad about that. This is the first natborn he's met who's actually nice. The first anyone who's been nice to him and his brothers, actually. "Yeah, we hafta go to," Wrecker agrees, a little more subdued.
"Maybe we'll see each other again," she offers hopefully,
"Maybe," Wrecker agrees even if he doesn't know why they would.
"Hera!" a voice calls from outside the ships.
She hesitates a moment before she runs up to him, throwing her arms around him. The movement jostles his head but Wrecker squeezes her back instantly, maybe a tiny bit too hard, since she lets out a muffled squeak.
"Bye!" she says when she pulls back, waving to all of them before she runs for the ramp.
Wrecker waves back until the kid disappears from sight.
"That was fun," Wrecker says, "I wanna do this again sometime."
"Which part?" Crosshair asks, "Hitting your head in a crashing ship or blowing up a factory?"
Wrecker laughs again. "Blowin' somethin' up!"
"Next time, let's all be there to see it," Hunter advises, sitting beside him and taking his other hand. "That wasn't something I wanna repeat."
Wrecker pauses, looking up when Echo and Omega reboard the ship. Omega's at his side in a second, kneeling to hug him tightly. "Are you okay?" she asks worriedly.
"Yeah," he assures. His head might still hurt, and every time Omega moves it looks like she has more than one face, but it'll be fine. Tech said so.
"No more flying ships. Alright?"
"I wasn't the one flying!" Though it's not like Wrecker's ever really wanted to fly – that's Hunter and Tech's thing. He and Crosshair just get the fun.
Omega laughs, though there's still a predominant hint of worry in her dark eyes. "I know. But still. You've all been through a lot since we left Kamino."
"I'm fine!" Wrecker whines.
"You're not soldiers yet, kid," Echo objects, patting his shoulder, "Just get some rest."
Hunter and Crosshair settle down on either side, and Tech squeezes himself in beside Crosshair with his datapad and all as they curl up to sleep. For once, Wrecker's out instantly. His head's still throbbing, but he feels unreasonably content.
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