Part 8 - War Mantel

Plot: Staying off the Empire's radar and out of action works until Rex asks them to go to Daro. Hunter had a bad feeling about it from the start, but well, that goes the way it always does.


"We're being hailed," Echo calls over his shoulder, "It's Rex." And the others are gathered in the cockpit instantly. Rex might be a reg, but he's nice, and Hunter likes him even if he doesn't know him.

"Hello, boys," Rex greets them with a smile despite the tension in his eyes, "Sorry to cut right to it, but I could use your help."

"What is it?" Omega asks without blinking. She's always ready to help, and Hunter likes that, but it still worries him sometimes. Yeah, the action is fun, but they've been hurt before.

"I received a distress signal from a clone trooper, but I'm a bit tied up at the moment to retrieve him."

"And you want us to get him out?" Omega clarifies.

"He's an old friend, and he's in trouble," Rex confirms. The hologram flickers, and he looks over his shoulder. "Sorry, I can't talk right now. Sending you his signal. I'll be in touch."

"So," Crosshair says, lazily spinning his chair in a circle, "He wants us to go pick up a reg?"

Echo casts him a sideways slightly irked look at the tone. Yeah, he used to be a reg, too. It's easy to forget that. "Rex is sending us on this mission," he replies, "That's where we need to be."

"We are currently on a mission for Cid," Tech objects from the pilot seat, before Hunter can voice his own concerns, "If we don't complete her mission, we won't be paid."

"Rex's friend is in trouble," Omega says firmly, "That's more important than getting paid."

It's a reg, and Hunter doesn't agree just on that, but... "So, where's the signal coming from?"

"A terrestrial planet in the Outer Rim," Tech answers, poking on his datapad. Knowing him, they just have to wait a couple of minutes to get a long and unnecessarily detailed description of the entire planet. "There are no known settlements on-world."

"Then what's he doing out there?" Something here doesn't make sense, and Hunter already doesn't like it. There's something about this not adding up.

"It doesn't matter," Echo replies. "Rex sent us on this mission. It's something we have to do."

"Yeah, it does!" Hunter argues, "We don't even know what we're going into. It could be dangerous."

"Could be fun," Wrecker laughs, lightly shoving him. Hunter throws him an annoyed look.

He just wants to keep them safe. After their last many excursions, he's worried. Being soldiers means they're gonna get hurt eventually, but... it just seems different when it's happening. It's much harder to see it.

Tech slides out of the pilot's seat so Echo and Omega can take over the piloting. He and Hunter exchange a silent glance. Hunter knows Tech is upset about it, too. After everything that's happened, they're just worried, and he's just trying to look out for them.

Ryloth went bad. The trip to get Muchi went bad. Bracca, too. He doesn't want to see his little brothers hurt again.

He knows Tech can say the same, but really, this is better than Kamino. They're free now. They're free now they're free now they're –

**w**

Hunter's not feeling a whole lot better about the entire trip when they land on Daro and disembark. They didn't see or scan anything on the way in, but that doesn't make Hunter feel any better about it. He's fine with twisting and breaking rules, but what are they supposed to do if they don't even have food? Or fuel? They've gotten in debt with Cid before, and she's always really cranky about it.

This isn't what they trained for, and Hunter hates having to worry about all these random apparently civilian things, too.

"Found it!" Crosshair calls, pulling the tracking beacon off a log. "So, where's the reg?"

That's the part where Hunter's abilities come in useful. The reg isn't here, which is weird – something must be wrong, and he doesn't think this is a ship crash, though he could be wrong – but Hunter can track him.

Or, he tries.

"Something else came through," Hunter says, because he can feel something came through after. A lot of something's, and the heartbeat he feels strongest on the beacon is going fast. He traces it to a landing area, where there's a much, much brighter energy lingering. "There was a ship here. I think the reg's being hunted. And..." He feels something else, too. Too much. "I think something's underground? Inside that mountain."

"I thought nothing was here?" Wrecker queries, confused.

"Evidently, that data is inaccurate," Tech replies flippantly.

"Considering our scans are being jammed, I believe you may be correct."

This just got much, much harder. If somebody's hiding a base in the mountain... it's bad.

This isn't a good idea.

"Well, come on," Omega says, nodding for the mountain, "Let's go check it out."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Hunter objects worriedly, "This could be Imperial, or worse. We don't even have backup."

Echo and Omega exchange glances. "We'll be fine, Hunter," Omega promises.

"What if something goes wrong? We don't even have anyone to give us a pickup if this goes down." Not that the thought of fighting isn't fun. It is, and Hunter's curious, but after what's happened to his brothers, he doesn't want to risk them. They're not trained.

Omega kneels in front of him, pulling her helmet off. "We've gone on missions like this before, Hunter. What's wrong?" She looks genuinely concerned, and Hunter suddenly feels overwhelmingly self-conscious about being afraid. He's a soldier. This is what they're supposed to do, but that doesn't change how scared he is of – of seeing someone else get hurt.

"Every time, someone nearly dies," Hunter mutters, looking away. He feels small and ridiculously out of place. He's trained for this, but they're not ready, and he hates to think that but they're just too small to do what they're supposed to be able to.

"I can ask Cid to be more picky about our missions, if it helps," Omega says quietly.

"I just don't think this is a good idea," Hunter argues, "If someone gets hurt again..."

"We'll be fine," Crosshair promises, appearing at his side, "If we stick together, remember?"

Hunter thought that, but he's just... scared. The fighting was fun until he and the twins were electrocuted unconscious on Ord Mantell by those slavers. Ever since, he's been wary. Then, with the entire Bracca scenario – they're not... ready.

"Someone could wait with the ship," Echo proposes.

"'M not staying behind again!" Wrecker is quick to interject.

"Me either," Crosshair agrees fiercely. "'sides, you need me as a sniper." Oh, that's no exaggeration – Crosshair's shooting skills are insane.

"And me to punch stuff!" Wrecker adds.

"And I may have to hack into the system," Tech agrees.

Hunter sighs. "Which means I'm coming, too." They're not being apart again.

"Then, come on," Omega urges, nudging them forward.

**w**

Climbing the mountain is fun at any rate. This they've been trained for, and it's fun. Easy. They won't be ready for real fighting for a couple of years, though.

Inside the mountain is definitely a base of some sort. There are ships here, flying in and out, and they have to keep ducking into cover. "This looks like a military base," Hunter notes, staring.

He really, really doesn't like this. That reg probably is in trouble if he's still alive. He sent a distress signal and got recaptured. The Empire isn't gonna be nice about that.

"I'm clocking a couple of commandos and squads of clone troopers. And they've updated their armor," Echo reports, looking inside with a pair of binoculars.

"Well, what kinda base is it?" Wrecker inquires, worried.

"It is not one I've ever heard of," Tech replies. "Though based on the mountain's structure, I do not believe it will be easily penetrable."

"We gotta get inside," Omega asserts, looking through her own binoculars, "He'll probably be in the prison levels inside. If he's a deserter like us, they'll have him shipped off to prison or scheduled for execution."

Hunter looks back down, biting his lip. It's a bit... much, but he understands. He doesn't want Rex's friend to die, either.

"We don't know for certain if CC-5576 is even in there anymore," Tech objects, "Or if he is still alive."

"Tech's got a point," Wrecker agrees quietly.

"He needs our help," Omega objects, "Even if he's not inside. We have to check it out. It's a stealth mission. We'll be in and out."

"Quick and quiet," Echo agrees, patting Hunter's shoulder. "Come on. We can take a ride down on the lift."

"The lift?" Wrecker asks, instantly alarmed, "How far down are we going?"

"Easy, Wrecker," Hunter soothes, patting his shoulder, "We're not falling. We're riding."

"Unless you wanna jump," Crosshair agrees, elbowing Wrecker's shoulder lightly and they move in.

Hunter still has a bad feeling about this. They don't have backup, or a way out, and it'd be very, very useful if they could've had somebody on the Marauder, but they don't really have that option. They need everybody. And really, Hunter's learned his lesson about them splitting up by now. Bad things happen every single time.

They all have their own weapons now, but just a blaster and a knife feels like a teeny bit too little considering who and what they're going against. He wishes they had armor, or – something. This could be dangerous, and he's worried. If they get shot or land wrong, they don't have any protection. Well, at least most of them don't.

Trying to keep Wrecker quiet throughout all the climbing and jumping they have to do is neigh impossible, but they make it to a computer port where Echo plugs himself in without being spotted, which Hunter this is a major plus considering the insane tension.

The twins are scared, too. They're excited, but they're also scared. Crosshair shifts closer to his side.

"This encryption's new. This might take a while," Echo warns as he works. "Stay on watch."

Hunter and Omega keep watch on one side of the hall, and the twins on the other, though Hunter's still worried to turn his back on them even that long. Wrecker and Crosshair are live trouble magnets. Tech's poking on his datapad, as he always is.

A clone commando passes with a card he's using to take the other regs in weird armor everywhere – that'll probably be important information for later.

"This doesn't make any sense," Echo whisper-hisses once they're clear, "The muster report lists 50 clone commandos and 1,000 TK troopers."

"What even are those?" Crosshair asks, glancing over his shoulder.

"If I knew, I'd tell you," Omega whispers back.

Wrecker looks at Tech. "I am not aware, either," he shrugs.

"Have you found him yet?" Hunter asks, still keeping an eye out around the corner. He doesn't feel or hear anyone coming, but they have to be careful. The point was to avoid another shootout. They need to move.

"Found him. Cellblock 25, four levels down," Echo reports, pulling his scomp out of the wall.

**w**

Echo's the first into the prison level. Hunter fires a few stun bolts to take out the guards without risking a fight, and Omega moves onto the cell. "Are you CC-5576?"

"That depends. Who's askin'?" the reg asks, sitting up.

"I'm Omega," she answers, deactivating the ray shield and pulling her helmet off, "I'm your sister. These are my squad."

The reg laughs. Actually laughs, and Hunter throws him an annoyed look, though someone saying their squad consists of a cyborg and four cadets probably is pretty funny.

"Are you gonna sit there, or are we leaving?" Crosshair snaps, annoyed.

"Rex sent us to get you out," Echo answers before the situation gets escalated and Crosshair manages to pick a fight with a fully grown reg.

"In that case, the name's Gregor. Now let's move out." Fast enough, Hunter guesses.

They make back for the exit from there. It's too easy. Too quiet, and Hunter already knows something's about to go very badly wrong.

"How'd a group of cadets get off Kamino?" Gregor asks as they run.

"We left with Omega," Hunter says. They don't have time for a drawn-out conversation right now.

"We couldn't stay with the Empire, and I didn't want to leave them behind," Omega supplies.

"None of you look like normal clones," Gregor observes.

"Because we're not regs," Crosshair throws back. Why he seems this close to picking a fight right now, Hunter's not sure but they really don't have time for it.

"You're defective clones," he realizes, but then laughs instead of the immediate disgust or disapproving-ness Hunter was bracing for because that's always how the regs acted. "If you ask me, the ones who want to stay here are the ones who are really defective."

"What was your assignment here?" Echo asks.

"I was an instructor," Gregor replies. This is a training facility?

Their conversation is abruptly interrupted when they round the corner to see a group of troops gathered. Uh oh. That's the way they need to go.

"They're gathered for inspection," Gregor warns, "There's no way past 'em."

"If we can't reach the lifts, we can't get out of here," Echo worries.

"Perhaps I can redirect them?" Tech ventures. Hunter has an instant bad feeling about that, but really, it isn't as though they have much other choice. They need to move before they're spotted.

Tech goes over to a panel on the wall, plugging his datapad into it. Hunter tries not to be impatient as he waits but they don't have time. They need to get out before they're spotted -

Which happens to be the very moment an alarm suddenly starts blaring.

"Tech?" Hunter asks, turning to him.

"I don't know what happened," he protests, "I keyed a Code 16 to redirect their forces."

"Clone codes don't work here!" Gregor exclaims, "You just triggered a security alert."

"That would have been good to know a couple minutes ago," Hunter grumbles.

It's not as if they had a way to know how much things are changing. Even if Gregor probably fairly assumed they knew what they were doing.

A blaster shot rings out and they all dive for cover as troops swarm around the corner, shooting at them. They fire back, stunning them surprisingly quickly. One of the troops' helmets nearly comes off when they hit the ground, and their face looks wrong. It's Tech who pauses to pull the helmet off.

And it's... not a clone?

"These are not clone troopers," Tech observes with a frown.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. These are our replacements, if you can believe that," Gregory replies.

The clones are being replaced? Hunter has no idea what that means, but he doesn't like it. He grabs the card off one of the clone commando's belt. "Let's get outta here," he says, and they bolt for the lift.

"These new troopers, what do you mean they're our replacements?" Echo inquires once they're safely in the lift and on the way up to the surface.

"Well, we clones are soldiers of a Republic that doesn't exist," Gregor explains. "These recruits come from all over the galaxy. They swear loyalty to the Empire. They're not as skilled, but there's an endless supply of 'em."

The most he can say is that he's liking this less and less. "Numbers aren't everything," Hunter points out. Not if they're not as good as clones. The clones were made for this. Nat-borns needed them for this.

The lift doors slide open then, only to reveal several dozen troops.

"You were saying?" Crosshair mutters, firing. Hunter throws his little brother his best shut-up face, though really, they're gonna have a problem fast. Omega fires off a couple of stun bolts and they split off to opposite sides of the elevator. Echo gets them going again, sending the lift down.

"We'll hafta find a different way out," Omega says – blaster bolts are raining down on them from above. This is exactly what Hunter was worried about in the first place. That's why he didn't want to go. But what ifs don't change that they're here, so all they can do is keep trying to survive.

Running through the halls trying to shake the troopers chasing them and get somewhere safer certainly isn't helping.

Especially not when they round a corner right into a group of troopers and two blaster shots hit Gregor straight in the chest and shoulder. He stumbles with a strangled gasp but doesn't go down somehow – though he has to lean on Echo as they try to keep moving. It slows them down even more. They don't have time for this.

At least it wasn't one of his brothers who was nearly shot to death but that could be next if they don't get out soon.

They're finally able to make it to a control room though, and Echo shoots out the controls so the troops can't follow them. They'll have a minute in here, but only a minute.

Echo and Tech go over to the consoles, trying to figure out some other way out.

Gregor leans against the table with a groan. He's not looking good, and Omega reaches out to steady him.

"How... are you?" Hunter asks, looking up at him.

"Ha. Don't worry about me. I got blown up once and survived. I can survive this." That's somewhat comforting, but Hunter's still worried. His armor must be pretty durable, anyway.

"They have all access points to the central ring blocked off," Tech reports.

"We'll have to find another way out," Echo agrees.

But if the only way out is up then...

Tech glances up at the ceiling at the same moment Hunter does. There's a vent grate up there. "Those pipes are reactor conduits," Tech says, perking up. "They could get us to an exhaust port on the mountainside."

"The mountainside?" Wrecker echoes, eyes going wide, "How high up is that?"

"It's halfway up the mountain. We'll never survive that jump," objects Gregor.

"We've still got better than staying in here," Hunter feels the need to point out. Too bad no one stayed with the ship but if someone had, they might not have made it this far at all. "We can climb. We have our grappling lines, but we'll hafta be fast." The troops are getting closer. He can feel their heartbeats approaching. They don't have much longer.

"We'll have to make it work," Omega says with a sigh, "Come on."

She drops to a knee to boost the four of them up, and they spread out for the exit, Crosshair hanging in the back to cover them.

And that was how the entirety of Clone Force 99 plus Gregor fell down a mountainside screaming.

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