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moonstrider9904 · 10 months ago

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Coruscant

Chapter 9 of Moonwalker: The Flame

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{crossposted to Wattpad - coming soon} {crossposted to AO3}

Summary: Sarah goes undercover to aid Riyo Chuchi on Coruscant, but in doing so, she is faced by her most unspeakable fears.

Tags/Warnings: Mature. Canon-typical violence, death, threats, force-choking, implied sex, language.

Word count: 7.7k

Songs: The Gem Sea Giant

Sarah sat back on one of the passenger seats of the Marauder with her eyes closed. The absence of light made it easier for her to focus on the sounds around her, from the whirring of the Marauder’s engines in hyperspace to the subtle chatter between Tech and Wrecker coming from the cockpit. She couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, but the tones of their voices were constant and relatively calm despite the fact that they were headed towards Coruscant.

It had been a long time since any of them had been to Coruscant.

A sudden laugh emerging from Wrecker prompted Sarah to open her eyes, and when she did, she noticed Echo sitting across from her. His arms were crossed and his gaze was gracefully set on a point on the floor, oblivious to the fact that Sarah was looking at him. She stared at him, wondering what could possibly be going through his mind, and for a moment, she felt remorse. She’d been through a lot those recent months, and she wouldn’t deny it, but she couldn’t help but feel for a moment that she’d become detached from Echo.

That was when Echo felt her gaze on him, and he looked up. His brown eyes looked tired on his pale skin, and Sarah could swear that the bags under his eyes were somehow heavier. Sarah’s eyebrows furrowed in worry, but in return, Echo directed a soft smile at her as if he wanted to dismiss any of her concerns. It wouldn’t work.

“What’s with you?” Sarah asked him.

With that same gentle smile, Echo shook his head. “Just thinking. This mission Rex is asking us to help him with… it seems a hell of a lot bigger than anything we’ve done in the past few months.”

Sarah’s gaze absently wandered to the floor as she quickly recalled the events of the past months, and she was inclined to agree. Save for helping out Gungi and the Wookiees on Kashyyyk, and her own internal endeavors, Echo was absolutely right. Everything else they’d been focusing on for the past months paled in comparison to Rex’s efforts. It made his work seem like the front lines while the batch were on mere guard duty.

“Yeah, I get what you mean,” Sarah obliged.

Echo got up and walked across to take a seat next to Sarah, leaning back on the wall behind him and gazing up at the ceiling. “It’s better than being alone, I guess.”

“Echo, is there something on your mind?” Sarah asked gently.

Echo chuckled softly. “Yes.”

Fair answer. Sarah hadn’t asked him what was on his mind. And it wasn’t as if she hadn’t kept a secret from him throughout the past weeks. Enjoying his company, Sarah leaned back on the wall and gazed up at the ceiling much like Echo, and the two remained in silence until he finally broke the silence again, trusting in the confidence of his best friend.

“I was relieved when Rex’s transmission came in,” Echo confessed.

Sarah nodded slowly. “Yeah, boredom leads to insanity.”

“It’s not just the boredom,” Echo said. “Wherever Rex is involved, we know we’re gonna be doing something meaningful.”

The two sat up on their chairs and looked at each other. For a few moments, Sarah’s gaze traveled absently around Echo, deep in thought as she pondered on his previous words, reaching her own realization.

“I hate to break it to you,” Sarah began, “but so long as we’re mercenaries, our drive will always be the money at whatever cost.”

“Oh, I know,” Echo nodded, unamused.

Sarah chuckled. “I don’t like it either. It just seemed like the only choice after Kamino. It was the way to go.”

“But you want something more,” Echo prompted.

“Of course I do,” Sarah replied. “I want a home. I want my family together again.”

Echo nodded slowly and momentarily avoided her gaze at the realization that what they wanted was vastly different, and Sarah couldn’t help but observe his body language.

“That doesn’t mean I won’t keep fighting for now,” Sarah added.

Echo met her gaze again, silent. Sarah then leaned back on the wall again and softly sighed.

“You remember what Hunter told us when we joined them?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah,” Echo smiled briefly. “It was a different life back then.”

“And your path was different,” Sarah looked over at Echo. “The thing about paths is they can morph.”

Echo nodded, deep in thought. “I also remember what Rex told me. If that’s where you feel your place is…”

“Then that’s where you belong,” Sarah finished.

They made silent eye contact.

“That’s right,” Echo whispered.

Sarah smiled at him. “You were always the best of us, Echo.”

“Come on, the batch are crazy, but they’re all fine men,” Echo humbly declined.

“I don’t mean the batch,” Sarah stated. “I mean the GAR. The 501st.”

A sad smile appeared on Echo’s features as flashes of blue-painted armor and legions of clones marching raced through his mind, only for him to be brought back to his present life as a mercenary. His features then dropped, deep in thought.

“What would Fives have done in this life?” Echo asked.

“Honestly?” Sarah sat up with a chuckle. “Fives would be blazing through the galaxy, most likely with Rex. He’d despise the Empire more than anyone I currently know, but he’d use that to do good.”

Echo chuckled in return. “Yeah, he would.”

The two accompanied each other in silence until the Marauder exited hyperspace and Tech announced they were approaching Coruscant. Tech flew the Marauder into the planet’s atmosphere while everyone gathered in the cockpit and waited to land among the lower levels of Coruscant, seemingly far from the main complex of the city where the Senate and the Jedi temple were… or at least, the ruined Jedi temple.

The Marauder landed on a platform about halfway down one of the pits on the lower levels of Coruscant, and just as the engines were powering down, Sarah could see through the windshield that Rex’s figure was approaching the ship. She smiled at the sight and made her way down towards him with the others, lunging at Rex and giving him a big hug when she reached him.

“What happened to your hair?” Rex chuckled as he hugged Sarah back.

“Cut it,” Sarah giggled. “I kinda miss having it long, though.”

“Don’t, it looks nice,” Rex smiled serenely, letting Sarah go so that he could acknowledge the others. He first greeted Echo, and then Hunter, and as Rex finished greeting the entire squad, Sarah became aware of another person approaching them.

It was a young Pantoran woman who walked with an air of elegance. Her outfit was professional, and though she was clearly among the higher classes, nothing about her came across as opulent. Her long lavender hair was done upward, and the golden markings on her cheekbones contrasted with her rich blue skin; her eyes, large and round, held an unfathomable amount of wisdom for someone who would almost appear too young to hold whatever position she held, most likely a result of recent unfortunate events she’d had to witness.

“I’d like to present Senator Riyo Chuchi of Pantora,” Rex gestured at the woman as she stopped in front of the squad.

“Oh, we’ve been there!” Omega said excitedly.

Riyo looked over at Omega with a gentle smile, and then she greeted the others, demure with a hint of gratitude. Riyo’s gaze lingered on Sarah for a moment with a gentle curiosity, and her discreet smile widened subtly. Sarah felt it too. In other circumstances, Riyo would have been someone Sarah would want to befriend. She’d heard of Riyo many times from the clones and from Ahsoka back in her days in the army. It was nice to finally put a face on the name.

“Thank you for coming,” Riyo spoke. “If your reputation precedes you, we might have a chance against what’s going on here on Coruscant.”

“How can we help?” Echo asked.

Riyo’s gaze landed on Echo and she smiled softly, appreciative of his support.

“You’ll need context,” Riyo answered. “Please, follow us inside.”

Riyo turned around and led the way for the others to follow. Rex took notice of Omega following closely behind Sarah, and he hesitated, fumbling towards Sarah and Hunter and speaking in a hushed voice.

“Er…” Rex began. “I’m not sure what we’re about to show you is alright for Omega to see.”

Sarah and Hunter exchanged a wary look.

“What is it?” Sarah asked.

Rex leaned in and whispered the answer in Sarah’s ear, and she felt herself going pale.

“I’m not sure I want to see it,” Sarah admitted.

“You’ve seen worse in your day,” Rex assured her. “The kid, however, still has some innocence I’d like to salvage.”

“She can handle it,” Hunter affirmed. “She hasn’t exactly been shielded. Not like I didn’t try to.”

“Then come on,” Rex gestured.

Sarah fell to the back of the crowd and remained close to Tech as Rex and Riyo led them inside to what appeared to be a repair shop, and Sarah was doing fine until she saw the casket ominously placed on a large table. She stuttered in her footsteps—caskets and anything having to do with post-mortem were usually where she drew the line. Regardless, duty called.

Tech noticed her faltering. “Are you alright?”

She sighed. “Yeah. Just… hold me.”

Sarah clutched Tech’s forearm, and soon, everyone had circled around the casket only for Rex to reveal that the body inside had belonged to a clone, adding an evident tension to the air. In an attempt to leaven the weight of the sight in front of her, Sarah focused solely on Rex as she held tighter onto Tech, and Rex explained how they’d gotten there. He told the squad about Slip, about his discovery, about what he’d been doing and trying to achieve since the last time he and Clone Force 99 had met. When he finished, Riyo looked at the squad solemnly.

“Slip was taken out by this clone assassin not long after he came close to uncovering the truth about what happened on Kamino,” Riyo said. “And the assassin was after me as well.”

Echo sighed with disillusion evident in his features. “But how could a clone do such a thing?”

“Before he… died,” Rex began, his gaze faltering as he said the words, “this trooper spoke in a manner I’ve never heard another clone do so. That at any trace of identity, from his identifying number to any markings, were erased.”

“Erased?” Sarah asked.

“How is that possible?” Tech inquired.

“I don’t know,” Rex answered. “But all of these signs point to mind control, brainwashing, and we’re not even talking inhibitor chips here. This is far more sinister.”

Sarah broke through her fears and looked down at the casket, her thoughts pondering on the clone who lay inside it. She thought about this clone having begun in the army, fighting the cause he was bred for. He had brothers. He had a name, and a story behind that name, as all clones did. He was forced into serving the Empire, and then for some reason, he was plucked and put through some sort of training to turn him into a lethal masked assassin who would be capable even of killing his brethren. It was unthinkable.

Sarah looked up at Rex and Riyo. “What do you need us to do?”

Riyo stepped forward. “For starters, I need someone to testify to the Senate about what happened on Kamino.”

“We’ll do it,” Omega said. “We were there.”

“I can testify,” Echo proposed.

“That won’t be enough,” Hunter said. “You’re going to need proof. If the Senate and the Empire are already on the fence about clones, the testimony of a rogue group won’t sway them.”

“Which is where you actually come in,” Rex said. “Admiral Rampart is on planet, as is his Venator.”

“Rampart’s here?” Sarah let go of Tech and walked forward in front of the whole group. “Where?”

“In the Senate,” Riyo replied. “He’s representing the military forces for this bill.”

“What about his legion?” Sarah continued digging. “His squads, his elite soldiers, are they on the planet too?”

Riyo’s features softened in sympathy. “I have no way of knowing.”

“If we had seen Crosshair anywhere around here, you’d be the first to know,” Rex assured.

Sarah nodded, sighing her agitation away.

“If you can retrieve the command log from the Venator, then I can show it to the Senate,” Riyo said. “We’ll need it before sunrise tomorrow. I can keep Rampart occupied in the meantime, as well as try to sway some more of the senators toward our cause.”

“Let me go with you,” Sarah proposed. “Please.”

“I could use the help,” Riyo nodded.

“Can I come too?” Omega spoke up.

“No offense, Sarah, but you stick out way too much,” Wrecker intervened. “Maybe it should just be Omega and the senator in there.”

“I can get her a disguise,” Riyo said. “She’ll blend in perfectly. We just need to cover your marks, and I’m sure I have colored contacts somewhere.”

“That’ll be perfect,” Sarah agreed.

“Be careful, both of you,” Hunter instructed.

“Yeah, we’ll get what you need from the Venator, senator,” Wrecker added, and chuckled at the end. “Hey, that rhymed.”

Riyo chuckled at Wrecker, and the group scattered to prepare for their respective parts of the mission. Riyo, Omega, and Sarah disappeared deep into the repair shop, and when they returned to the landing platform, Omega wore a blue poncho over her attire and Sarah stole the spotlight. She was dressed in a burgundy gown with long sleeves that covered all the marks on her arms. The gown was discreet, but the color matched her to Riyo. Her hair was done in a low bun that covered any of the dark red strands that could have been exposed at the tips, and she wore a single golden brooch over the bun to further sell her status. On her face, Sarah wore foundation the tone of her skin to cover up all her markings, and her nebulous eyes were concealed by the gray contacts Riyo had available. The gray contrasted with her olive skin, and the full disguise made Sarah appear regal, as if she’d never fought a battle in her life. She drew every pair of eyes toward her as she made her way across the landing platform, and though Sarah was aware that she looked good, she couldn’t help but feel like a stray tooka with a diamond collar.

“Oh, she’ll blend in alright,” Echo said, and he directed his gaze at Riyo. “You did a great job with her.”

Riyo returned the smile. “That’s a relief.”

Sarah watched as Echo and Riyo’s gazes lingered on one another for a second too long until Riyo stammered and walked over to Rex to review final details of their plan to retrieve the command log. Echo watched as Riyo walked away, and when he turned to look at Sarah again, he noticed her temporarily gray eyes were already on him, and she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Echo scoffed. “No one’s gonna believe you’re her handmaiden if you keep acting like a child. Omega’s being more mature than you, for crying out loud.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Sarah cooed.

“You implied it,” Echo growled.

“You were staring at her,” Sarah wiggled her brows again.

“I think there’s something on your face,” Echo stood up to Sarah.

Sarah giggled, and she finally stood down from her teasing, looking at Echo with slight worry. “Be careful out there.”

“You too,” Echo replied, saluting her with his scomp.

Echo walked back to the squad, and Sarah was then approached by Tech. He was fully armored and had his helmet on, and as usual, he stared directly at his datapad as he walked up to her. He stopped close to her, reaching out a free hand to take Sarah’s.

“Crosshair is not on planet,” Tech said.

“What?” Sarah asked. “How do you know that?”

“I tapped into the military logs,” Tech showed her his datapad’s screen and looked at her. “He hasn’t been on Coruscant for a long time.”

“Does it say where he went?” Sarah looked at it.

“I’m afraid not,” Tech replied. “His destination is classified. Only his commanding officer will know where he is.”

“Well then, if I run into Rampart, I’ll say hi,” Sarah nodded.

“Sarah…” Tech tugged at her hand.

“Yes?”

Through his goggles, Tech scanned Sarah from head to toe before finally landing on her gaze again, his eyes visibly softening.

“Take these imperial clearance codes, I forged them myself. They’ll help you get into the senate,” Tech said. “Remember our distress signal agreement.”

“I will,” she smiled and pressed herself close to him. “You be careful too.”

“Always am,” Tech rested a hand on her waist.

They held each other for a brief moment before letting go, and Sarah walked over to Riyo and Omega for them to depart. Tech made his way back to the rest of the squad, seemingly oblivious to the way Rex was staring at him as he walked by. Rex then faced Hunter, unable to hide his surprise.

“When did that happen?” Rex asked.

“Why don’t you ask him?” Hunter growled.

“Hunter is still not adjusted to the fact that Sarah and I are a couple,” Tech said, his eyes still glued to his datapad. “I do not hold it against him.”

“Well…” Rex stammered. “We should, uh… probably… get going?”

Wrecker chuckled, shoving Hunter playfully. “Tech totally stole your girl.”

Hunter glared up at Wrecker before putting his helmet on. “Shut up.”

“The very reason why Sarah and I concealed the truth for so long was to avoid this sort of immature conversation,” Tech said. “We have a very brief window of time to get Senator Chuchi the command log. Let’s not waste time.”

“Right,” Rex steered back into his role of leader. “Let’s go, boys.”

The clones put all other things aside and headed towards the imperial shipyard.

Being inside the Galactic Senate headquarters was an experience of its own, but Sarah found it far more enjoyable to listen to Omega’s numerous questions and the way Riyo gracefully answered each one of them. Hearing Riyo talk about the senate and what she was trying to achieve would really make one strive for a higher purpose despite what they were trying to do, and it dawned on Sarah that a sensation such as that one was rare when working as a mercenary or a pirate. She thought back to the conversation she had with Echo on the way to Coruscant, and she found herself understanding more. And although Sarah probably wouldn’t jump at the idea of being a senator—it wasn’t as if roaming around freely in imperial proximity was a good idea anyway—Sarah realized there were times when even she lost sight of what she wanted to accomplish.

It was just as Crosshair had once put it back on Kamino. Sarah and the others were merely drifting through the galaxy from mission to mission without a cause or a purpose. Sarah missed having something greater to drive her.

And when the three of them turned a corner and Sarah saw a familiar face, she was suddenly reminded of what that drive was.

“Ah, Senator Chuchi!”

Sarah despised that voice.

“Admiral Rampart,” Riyo acknowledged him, pulling to a halt when she was just in front of him with Sarah and Omega flanking her sides.

“I thought it best to let you know that I have begun preparations for tomorrow’s vote,” Rampart said. “Surely, you must understand that this bill is in the best interest of the galaxy. Is that not what we are all striving for?”

“Yes, the common and greater good should be what all senators and imperial representatives achieve,” Riyo masked her disgust with dignity. “Though I’m afraid that rushing the voting on the military bill will yield unforeseen results.”

“No need to worry, senator, it has all been revised and handled by only the best officials,” Rampart answered.

Sarah’s blood was boiling. He didn’t acknowledge her or even Omega, as if they weren’t even of importance to him. And his good natured speech was despicable; Sarah knew just how much of a monster he was, and without even trying to hide it, her repulsion towards Rampart bled into her eyes as she pierced into him with her gaze. It was only then that Rampart bothered to look in her direction just as he was finishing what he was saying. His gaze lingered on Sarah, and he didn’t retrieve it; his eyes seemed to harden only faintly at her, and when he smiled in acknowledgement, Sarah could feel the twisted intention behind her.

“Senator, you did not tell me you’d be accompanied,” Rampart commented.

“It’s not uncommon for senators to bring their staff along, admiral,” Riyo answered with professionalism. “Especially not on days with such long hours.”

“It’s a pity, otherwise, I may have brought some staff of my own,” Rampart continued to look at Sarah as he said it.

Sarah clenched her fists behind her. She knew exactly who he was talking about. Riyo must have felt the tension rise, and her hand glided over to Sarah’s shoulder, bringing her attention away from Rampart.

“Admiral, what would you say if my handmaiden were to escort you?” Riyo asked.

Sarah tried not to look too quickly at Riyo, but that was the last proposition she’d expected to come from her.

“Pardon me?” Rampart asked.

“You are still quite new to this, and my handmaiden knows the protocol,” Riyo said looking at Rampart, and then she faced Sarah. “I can finish the preparations on my end. The vote is coming up soon, and it wouldn’t be right for the senate’s guest to be wandering around such a large facility with no guidance.”

The new plan became so clear to Sarah that she wondered how she didn’t come up with it first. It was perfect. Sarah would keep Rampart occupied while Riyo and Omega did everything they had to do, and in the meantime, Sarah could do some digging of her own.

“Well, if it’s no major problem to you, senator, I would be delighted to accept,” Rampart looked at Sarah.

Riyo gazed over at Sarah too, but all the latter did was smirk over at Rampart.

“Of course,” Sarah said.

“Very well,” Riyo nodded at Sarah. “I’ll see you after the vote.”

Sarah bowed lightly in deference, and she stood still as Omega and Riyo began to walk away. The silence grew thick as Sarah was left alone with Rampart, and when Riyo and Omega were out of sight, her eyes landed on him again, unamused. When Rampart looked at her, he scoffed and brushed a tad of fuzz from his uniform.

“Well, miss, why don’t we go somewhere more comfortable while we wait for the vote?” Rampart held his arm out to escort her.

She felt she would have puked, but she took his arm regardless of how unwilling she was to continue playing the handmaiden charade. They walked silently down the halls until arriving at a deserted room, one decorated elegantly with a large desk, chairs, and a couple couches, even a balcony that could overlook the whole city. Sarah walked in and examined it—it looked like the mix between an office and a home, and thankfully, the only thing missing from it was a bed. Sarah flinched when the door closed behind them, locking her inside it with Rampart, but she wouldn’t back down, not at that moment.

Rampart looked at her and seemed amused, and although Sarah was almost sure had recognized her already, she wasn’t willing to blow her cover while there was still a possibility she could fool him.

“You could have at least tried a different voice,” Rampart broke the silence. “However, your disguise is commendable. You almost had me fooled, but you didn’t have to speak for me to see right through you.”

Sarah said nothing, and her gaze on him was unfriendly.

“I know what you’re after,” Rampart said. “I can either give you what you want or keep you in the dark.”

“You’re not in charge here,” Sarah answered.

“Oh, but I believe I am,” Rampart threatened, pacing closer to her. “To be in here, you had to be thoroughly searched. You have no weapons on you, and using your abilities will give away your identity. Your hands may as well be tied behind your back.”

Rampart stopped just in front of her, towering over Sarah with an arrogant look plaguing his features. Rather than intimidation, Sarah felt impatience, and she wasn’t willing to continue stalling.

“Where is he?” Sarah spat.

Rampart raised his brows, shocked that she would get there so fast, and he laughed. “You do amaze me with your one track mind. Of course, it comes as no surprise to me, not after the last time you went to Kamino. All the time you and CT-9904 spent locked inside his private quarters… I’d have reprimanded both of you sooner had I not liked what I heard. Not to mention, what I saw.”

Sarah’s eyes widened, disgusted at his implications. “You saw nothing.”

“My senior commanders are under constant surveillance,” Rampart said. “I saw it all.”

She bared her teeth at him.

“I came close to making a proposition of my own,” Rampart continued as he came even closer to Sarah. “You two were having all the fun. Perhaps my involvement may have swayed my opinions in favor of the clones.”

“You disgusting son of a—”

“Watch your language, dear, it’s not appropriate coming from a handmaiden,” Rampart sneered.

“Quit playing around!” Sarah shoved Rampart enough to make him tumble a couple steps back, much to his surprise. “Tell me where he is.”

Rampart dusted himself off and regained his composure, and all hints of teasing and desire left him. “I’d pretend your terrible behavior would drive me to take it out on him, but the mere confirmation of you being alive is enough.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Sarah growled.

Rampart smirked. “He told me you were dead.”

Sarah’s features momentarily softened, but with every second that passed and every word that came out of Rampart, any fear Sarah felt morphed into anger boiling through her veins.

“And it’s no surprise why,” Rampart continued. “I simply expected better, though perhaps one could not blame him. An error in judgment as grave as that one is bound to happen after thirty-two rotations stranded in a platform on Kamino. Regardless, lying to a commanding officer is still a grave offense.”

“Thirty two?!” Sarah stomped toward him. “You left him there for thirty-two rotations?!”

“Why do you yell at me?” Rampart said calmly. “You left him there for good.”

“That’s not true!”

“I was overseeing my official imperial duties, I couldn’t be taken away from my post to scan the ruins of Tipoca City. And he tried to cover up for you even after that,” Rampart mused. “Ah, what a tragedy. It almost makes it pitiful that I’ll have to enforce the consequences now that his lie has been uncovered—”

Rampart abruptly stopped talking to clear his throat, and he coughed in an attempt to talk again, suddenly feeling himself unable to breathe. His once confident gaze widened in fear, and he looked at Sarah again to see her holding her hand up in front of her, with her palm facing up and her fingers tensed like claws. She stared at him viciously, mercilessly, and all around him, Rampart could hear a low rumble as he made a futile attempt to free himself from the invisible strain over his throat. Sarah watched unwaveringly as Rampart squirmed, guiltless after all the trash and the threats he’d spat her way. She felt the power coursing through her, the hate and the anger rising within her as she walked closer to him and Rampart attempted to crawl away.

“If I let you live, you won’t lay even a finger on Crosshair,” Sarah snarled. “You will tell me where he is. Now!”

“I-” Rampart struggled. “I don’t know where he is!”

“You lie!” Sarah growled, pressing harder.

“He was reassigned to a lieutenant by the name Nolan!” Rampart cried. “I haven’t known his whereabouts for months, I swear!”

Sarah didn’t relent.

“Please!” Rampart begged. “You need me alive!”

Only then did Sarah release Rampart from her grip. He dropped to the ground coughing and clutching his chest, looking up at her in fear with a hint of anger. Sarah walked up to him, equally unamused with him.

“Where is this Nolan?” Sarah asked him.

Rampart didn’t respond. Sarah held her hand out again without power, only as a threat.

“I can still do this,” she said.

“I don’t know where he is now,” Rampart flinched. “He’s on a series of missions along several imperial outposts. CT-9904 was reassigned months back, his records are no longer under my possession.”

“You’ll get me those records,” Sarah ordered.

Rampart scoffed. “What makes you think I’ll do that?”

“If you get them to me, I’ll sway Senator Chuchi to vote in favor of your bill,” Sarah said.

Rampart raised an eyebrow. “That could take days. The vote is tomorrow. You’ll need to sway her before.”

“Not a chance, I don’t trust you enough,” Sarah said.

“I don’t trust you either,” Rampart snarled. “I think you’re just an infatuated girl angry at the world because she can’t have her little toy with her. Perhaps if you’d had any sort of experience with a real man—”

Sarah wouldn’t listen to any more. She had just begun to raise her hand, but anger blinded her from her surroundings, and Rampart was quicker to react. From his belt, he took a taser, one like Sarah had never seen before, and all it took was one tap of the electric tip to paralyze Sarah’s entire body, sending her plummeting to the ground squirming in pain and whimpering helplessly. The taser didn’t render her unconscious, but she was still unable to move, unable to do anything to defend herself.

“You almost had me there,” Rampart mocked. “Too bad you’re simply too weak.”

Sarah groaned at him, wishing she could at least muster the strength to reach out and scratch him, smack him, punch that disgusting face of his, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t do anything.

“You made a mistake crossing me. Have fun with the Coruscant guard. They’ll most likely take you to the Emperor himself once I tell them what your crimes are,” Rampart replied. “And don’t even think about looking for your little clone while you’re on the inside, you have my word that your precious CT-9904 will face the firing squad.”

Sarah growled. She strained and struggled, unable even to yell at Rampart as he made his way outside of the room while Sarah lay there helpless. She wanted to believe, with every fiber of her body, that Rampart had just been spewing empty threats. She wanted to believe she hadn’t just sealed her fate as well as Crosshair’s, that she hadn’t just failed miserably and cost herself and her family far too much for anyone’s good. And as the fear coursed through every corner of Sarah’s being, all she was able to do was weep in desperation.

Hours passed as she lay there, alone and in the dark. The only good that could have possibly come of it was that no Coruscant guards arrived to take her away, but she was still sulking in her terror and her misery. Sarah tried to move her body to no avail; each time, pain shot through her limbs. But she couldn’t risk wasting precious time. Every second she spent there, Rampart could have already given the order against Crosshair.

Sarah put the fear of pain aside. The fear of losing Crosshair for good was far too great for her to care about anything else. And so, she pushed through it, straining her arm towards the belt of her gown and reaching for her hidden comm, crying through the pain until she finally brought the comm up to her lips and dialed Tech’s frequency.

“Sarah?” Tech’s modulated voice came in through the comm. “What is going on? Are you alright?”

“Tech…” Sarah whimpered. “Tech, you need to come help me. Please.”

“Where are you?” Tech asked her. “Are you not with Omega? She just received the command log.”

“No, I’m in a room somewhere in the senate building,” Sarah replied. “I can’t move.”

“Are you hurt? Sarah?”

“I—” Sarah hiccuped, stifling a sob. “I was tased, I can’t move!”

“Sarah, be patient, Omega’s on her way to you,” Tech assured. “I will infiltrate the senate—”

“No, it’s too dangerous!” Sarah cried. “Tech, I… I messed up.”

“Sarah, you’re going to be alright,” Tech comforted her through the comm.

In full force, Sarah began to wail.

“I just did something terrible!” She kept crying. “I think I just put Crosshair in danger!”

“Sarah, please breathe,” Tech told her. “What do you mean?”

“Sarah?” Echo’s voice came in through the comm. “I need you to calm down, and I need you to explain.”

“I tried to get information from him, from Rampart,” Sarah sobbed. “But it backfired, and he threatened him! He threatened Crosshair!”

For a brief moment, there was silence through the comm, but soon enough, she heard Tech’s voice comforting her again.

“Rampart is currently busy with his bill’s vote,” Tech explained. “If we lay out the facts, we know that he has no access to Crosshair at the moment, and once the truth about Kamino is exposed, he will be rendered a criminal. No one will be taking orders from him, nor will he have the autonomy to execute his own plans.”

“Crosshair’s going to be fine, Sarah,” Echo said through the comm. “You just wait for Omega to go get you. She’ll come through. Once we’re all back together we’ll figure something out.”

“Hang in there, darling,” Tech said. “We’ll be together soon.”

At that moment, the door to the room Sarah was laying in opened, and she felt three different pairs of feet approaching her. She thought she was done for, and that the Coruscant guard had finally made it to her, that she was going to be taken prisoner most likely to suffer a fate worse than just being in a cell, but the fear began to fade when a soft, small hand placed itself on Sarah’s shoulder.

“Sarah!” It was Omega who cried out and gently helped shift Sarah to look up. She was accompanied by two of Riyo’s bodyguards, and one of them had a first aid kid from where he retrieved a vial. He injected the liquid just behind Sarah’s hip, and though the sting of the needle did little to relieve Sarah, she felt the antidote spreading through her body and the mobility slowly returning. Not long after, she was finally able to relax, and her eyes drifted toward a worried Omega, who gently stroked Sarah’s hair.

“What happened?” Sarah asked. “Are you okay?”

Omega nodded, and a little tear slid down her cheek. “I’m okay. Are you?”

Sarah began to sniffle again as the two bodyguards helped her stand up, and as she panted, Sarah reached to clutch Omega’s shoulders.

“What happened? Where’s Riyo? Did you get the command log?” Sarah inquired.

“Yes,” Omega said. “And, well… Rampart was arrested.”

Sarah couldn’t help but feel relief, but the fact remained that his arrest didn’t mean he didn’t give the order before.

“So, the senate knows that Tipoca City was destroyed intentionally?” Sarah asked.

Omega nodded, but she reflected no sense of victory. “Yes, but… There were clones on that Venator, clones serving the Empire when it happened. It gave them leverage.”

“How?”

“The clone rights bill failed,” Omega looked at the ground as she spoke. “And the senate voted almost unanimously for stormtroopers.”

Sarah’s heart sank. Even in their success, they’d been faced with a surprise failure.

“Let’s get you out of here,” Omega said softly. “Tech contacted me while he was with you.”

Sarah nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.”

As Riyo and Rex were filling the squad in on the outcome of the voting, Sarah sat silently in the Marauder. Her legs were pressed tight together and she held her hands over her thighs, and she was slightly hunched over in her posture, her eyes vacantly staring at a point on the ground. She’d let her hair down and removed the contacts from her eyes, and she constantly found herself looking at whatever reflecting surface she could just to make sure they were still their natural blue and pink starry hues.

Despite her evidently having tapped into her inner darkness, her ill premonition from the caves hadn’t yet come true. Sarah knew she had to be more careful. And as she continued to ponder on how easily she’d slipped into such an extreme, she felt her chest going cold and her head getting heavy, with her hands subtly beginning to shake.

Sarah straightened up when she heard someone climbing up the Marauder’s platform, and she sighed softly when she saw that it was Echo. Her features dropped at the sight of him.

“If you need me to stay, I will,” Echo told her. “But I’m telling you, I’m sure Crosshair’s going to be fine.”

Sarah got up from the chair and walked over to him. “I truly hope you’re right, Echo. And as much as I do want you to stay, I don’t want to stand in the way of your path.”

With a sad smile, Echo thanked her silently.

“How did Omega take it?” Sarah asked him.

“She’s upset, as we all expected,” Echo answered.

Sarah nodded slowly, and she inhaled sharply as a small realization made its way into her mind. “Actually… here, I want to show you something.”

Sarah went to the back of the ship and searched around the Firepuncher’s pack for the little hard drive she’d kept close to her for a while now. Never having found the ideal moment to sit down and watch its contents, Sarah knew that it was either now or an indefinite wait. She made her way back to Echo with the drive and she plugged it into one of the computers, selecting the first file on it.

“What is this?” Echo asked her.

“AZI gave me this,” Sarah said. “He said I’d want to see it because of who’s in the recording and, well… I think you’ll want to see this too.”

Sarah pressed play and, on the screen, the vivid image of a long lost loved one appeared. He was tall and handsome, smiling with the most charisma any living being could have, and he looked like the perfect soldier in his white, blue, and gray ARC trooper armor. He was staring right at the camera, chuckling just before standing up from where he was sitting.

“I’m telling you, she’s freaking amazing,” Fives said in the recording. “She’s got these cool markings over her face and her eyes look like galaxies. You’ll know her when you see her, you can’t miss her.”

“And is her name also a word play on a number?” AZI’s voice filled the recording. “Like yours, Fives?”

Fives chuckled. “No, no, her name’s much prettier. Her name’s Sarah.”

Sarah felt herself tearing up at the recording, but she wouldn’t bring herself to regret watching it. It was simply painful to see Fives so happy and to remember how she’d lost him, and inevitably, the fear began to creep into her heart again at the thought of losing Crosshair in a similar way.

“Oh, she’s coming!” Fives said in the recording. “Hey, were you filming this entire time?”

And the recording ended, taking them back to the file select among several other videos in the drive. Sarah and Echo stood for a moment in silence, each one smiling sadly and pondering on the past.

“Fives started this,” Echo broke the silence. “He discovered the inhibitor chips. I owe it to him to continue his legacy.”

Sarah nodded and looked at Echo through teary eyes. “He’d be so proud of you, you know that?”

Echo chuckled sadly. “Sarah, you’re gonna make me cry.”

Echo and Sarah faced each other and held hands, and Echo looked at her in the eyes with a gentle gaze.

“I’m not gone forever, alright?” Echo said. “You have my frequency and I’ll be there if you ever need me. That’s a promise.”

Sarah sniffled as the tears rolled down her cheeks. “We are too.”

The two pulled each other into a tight embrace, holding one another as if they’d never let go.

“You go and find him,” Echo suddenly whispered. “You find him and you bring him back.”

Sarah pulled apart from the hug enough to look at Echo. “Who?”

Echo gave her a jokingly disappointed look. “Jabba the Hutt. What do you mean, who?”

Sarah chuckled through her tears. “I thought…”

“He’s our brother and he’s been controlled and manipulated, much like that clone assassin, and every one of our brothers within imperial ranks,” Echo said. “He deserves his freedom as much as any one of us do. I’m gonna fight for all of us, Sarah. For Fives, for Cody, for Hevy, for Cutup, Droidbait, 99, everyone. Including Crosshair. But… something tells me you’ll see him before I do.”

Before Sarah openly wept, she threw her arms around Echo and held him tighter than ever. She sobbed into his armor, wishing time could stay still and she wouldn’t have to let go of another person she loved. But she couldn’t stay in that moment, and instead, she pulled apart to look at Echo in the eyes, and she willed her tears to stop for long enough to speak to him.

“I’m proud of you, Echo,” Sarah said. “We all are.”

Echo smiled at her. The two leaned in close and their foreheads rested on one another for a brief yet timeless moment, and after that, Echo walked down the Marauder’s platform. When Sarah was alone again, she browsed the files to keep her mind occupied, and she was doing alright until she stumbled upon one that sparked her distress all over again when she saw the identifying number.

CT-9904.

In a heartbeat, Sarah opened it. The recording wasn’t a heartwarming as Fives’ had; it was a silent recording of Crosshair sitting up on a bed in what appeared to be the Kaminoan medical facility. The recording had been taken before Bracca, as she could tell from his missing scar and his full head of silver hair; he’d been stripped of his armor and was merely in his blacks, and as he sat up, he looked tired, unwilling, unhappy. In silence, Crosshair had looked directly at AZI as he recorded him and spoke a few instructions to him, but while AZI talked, Crosshair remained with the same lack of spirit in his features.

Sarah felt as if he was staring directly at her, and she felt her inside world begin to crumble. She should have fought harder to remain at his side, she should never have parted from him. She should have done a better job keeping him safe, and now, there was no telling what was going to happen to him. She thought of Echo’s words, his encouragement to find Crosshair and bring him home, but what good would that do to either one of them if Rampart’s threat went through?

“I think he’ll be fine.”

Sarah flinched when she heard Hunter’s voice filling the Marauder, and she quickly stumbled to pause the recording. Hunter walked inside slowly, inevitably looking at the image of Crosshair on the screen, and when he looked back at Sarah, he held out Tech’s datapad for her.

“Senatorial logs,” Hunter continued. “They apparently have this system in the hallways where they monitor movements and record where their more important staff goes. According to these logs, after Rampart left you in the room, he returned to the senatorial chamber. He was never accompanied by any subordinates, nor did he send out any executive orders, communications, or similar, all the way up to his arrest. Everything he said, everyone he interacted with, is documented here.”

Sarah took the datapad and observed the heavily logged datasheet before looking back up at Hunter.

“This means…” Sarah trailed off.

“Rampart didn’t give the order,” Hunter gazed heavily at Sarah despite his comforting words. “He was arrested before he could.”

Sarah sighed sharply and she sat back on her chair, panting as she assimilated the facts.

“He’s safe,” Sarah whimpered just before looking up at Hunter again. “How did Tech find this?”

“He didn’t,” Hunter said. “I did.”

Sarah’s eyes widened slightly at such an unexpected revelation.

“I know how to hack a few things myself,” Hunter added as his features softened, though he still seemed mildly upset. “I just knew it would eat you inside. I heard how worried you were. I could feel it. And you’ve been through enough already.”

Sarah’s features softened as she clutched the datapad close. “Thank you.”

Hunter gave a soft smile at her before turning around and heading into the cockpit, and shortly after, the rest of the squad followed. The last one up was Omega, probably having lingered behind to say another goodbye to Echo. When she was on the ship and the platform closed behind her, she scanned the ship with her eyes until she found Sarah, and when Sarah looked at her, she opened her arms, inviting her in as her own eyes filled with tears again. Omega ran up to her and threw her arms around her, sniffling into her shoulder, and the two remained as such as the Marauder took off from Coruscant.

For the entire duration of the trip, Sarah and Omega remained close to one another, until they both eventually drifted off to sleep where the recent events couldn’t haunt them.

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mylifeisactuallyamess · 2 years ago

Text

Chapter 18: Kashyyyk

A/N: Erm…I got a touch of heat stroke yesterday, I’m very burnt because I’m an idiot. Have this as a treat.

Warnings: Feelings, mentions of abuse, canon violence, blood, fighting, slave mention, Trandoshans should come as a warning, did I mention feelings? This fic will always be 18+

Word Count: 7.8k+

Tagging: @idoubleswearimawriter @ravenclawbitch426 @dreamqueenkala @moon-wrecked

Slaves… selling slaves.

Closing your eyes you tried to squeeze them tight, an attempt to protect from the thoughts that hounded you. Thoughts so barbed they cut you with each pass. Your fists were clenched, trembling from the effort as your arms shook. That had been you, auctioned off to the highest bidder just like the Wookiee that slept in his corner.

You envied him that. The ability to fall asleep, seemingly unaffected by what had happened to him. Logic told you he wasn’t, but right now you couldn’t reason with yourself. You’d heard the rumours of the emotionless Jedi, maybe he was one of those, using his connection to the force and ridding himself of all feeling.

If only it was that easy…

Everyone was asleep as the ship raced through hyperspace, the ever changing lights offering shadowy light that delved into the hold. Wrecker was snoring, Omega was curled in her room, Hunter was slumped over in his chair, arms still crossed. Tech and Echo occupied the cockpit and you were in your spot next to Gonky.

Your throat was dry, panic was edging on your tired consciousness and you knew you should sleep. Burying the heels of your hands into your eyes, created a shower of stars that rivalled what was passing the ship. It also made you eyes ache more than they already did. If only you’d picked up the stim kit…16 hours of pure never ending bliss.

Something was coming, it was going to happen and soon. What though, you had no idea. Just something bad. A nameless creature that stalked in the dark, eyes as yellow as a flame and fur as black as wild space.

Your chest ached. Your muscles protested with every movement because you were so tired. Everything was building, dragging behind you like weights tied to your ankles. You could hear the invisible chains every time you took a step.

Breathing became difficult as you struggled to keep yourself under control. Now was not the time to fall apart at the seams.

Gods, why did your memories cut so deeply? Why, after all this time did they wound with the same ferocity as they did when they happened? You forlornly thought of the headset Tech had made for you, resting on the table beside your bed because then it was within easy reach. Next to the com he’d made you, the one you looked at and reached for before changing your mind and deciding he didn’t want to hear from you.

Pushing your tongue against the roof of your mouth you tried to stop the pressure of tears as they crowded at the back of your throat. Your ears felt like they were going to burst with each inhale, the air rushing past them made you wince.

Was it always this difficult to exist? Was it supposed to hurt all the time? Was it supposed to be this loud inside your mind?

Some days you wished it would just end. But then you’d been given something you’d never had before and arguably, it made the ache worse. Resting your head back against the durasteel, a few tears leaked from the corner of your eyes. Your hands relaxed, flopping between your legs as you forcibly expelled the tension from your body.

Maybe one day this will get easier. Existing. The ache could flourish into something else, something you could live with.

If only he’d see you…

Kashyyyk grew larger with each passing second, the wondrous green and blue surface had you gasping with pure delight. Tech looked up as you leaned over his shoulder, his eyes creasing with a smile from behind his helmet.

“We’re heading to a village we know of,” Hunter explained to Gungi. “The Wookiees there should be able to help you.”

“I’ve locked into the coordinates. But I’m picking up heavy smoke and deforestation,” Echo explained with a hint of disgust in his voice.

“Keep an eye out for Imperial outposts. Oh, and kid…”Hunter looked down at the young Wookiee. “Keep that laser sword hidden. It, uh, draws attention we don’t want.” As Tech flew the ship over masses of greenery you couldn’t get enough, enjoying the way the colours all blended together, giving the expectation of fresh plant air.

“Stitch,” Tech sighed as you bumped into him yet again.

“I’m sorry! It’s just there’s so much to look at!” You exclaimed. After Tech’s thorough lecture on the planet you couldn’t wait to experience it for yourself.

“I cannot land the ship with you leaning over me like this.” You took the hint and gave Tech his space, watching with excitement as the large trees swallowed up the ship.

“Keep your eyes open for any Imperials,” Hunter warned as you both put your helmets on. “No heroics.” You were sure the comment was aimed at Gungi but you concentration dissipated as soon as Tech opened the ramp.

This world was stunning. You’d never seen anything like it. Trees that made your back bend as you looked up at them; thick spongy ground pillowed with each step you took. The air was heavy with humidity, suddenly grateful for the body suit that helped to regulate your temperature. Vines hung down from the branches, dripping with age and moss. The fauna was hollering all around and you picked out some sounds you’d heard in your meditation.

The boys walked along, Omega and Gungi in the middle. Hunter was at the front with you hot on his heels as your visor drank in everything you saw. Sunlight streamed through the canopy, patches of light dancing in the breeze as the tree rustled. This planet was crawling with life, so much so it set your senses on fire. Your fingers twitched, tingling to touch anything and everything you walked past, the whole place teemed with an awareness that whispered its way over your skin and you shivered a little.

“Do you remember anything about this planet?” Omega asked curiously. Gungi replied, his tone gentle with wonder. “What did he say?” She murmured, looking up at her brother.

“From his dreams,” Hunter translated.

The filtered sunlight between the trees became muted, casting a silvery glow through some webbing that was strung from trunk to trunk. Your footsteps slowed, letting Hunter and the kids ahead and falling in line with Tech. His eyes were roaming, helmet turning from side to side as he clocked the change in scenery.

The pathway became blocked, strings of white web were clouding the way ahead and Hunter brought the group to a halt. It was Wrecker who stepped forward, thumping his fist into his palm as he announced he’d lead the way. The fine strings drifted delicately when cut by his large blade.

“What do you think made this?” You asked Tech quietly only to be answered by a chittering shriek from ahead.

“I am going to assume they did,” he stated calmly as the creatures descended on the group. They came down on long ropes made of the same silk that Wrecker had been making a pathway through. They were huge, their legs thumping on the soft ground, a long appendage protruded upwards like a neck, revealing a mouth piece.

“And they are?!” Because you’d like to know the name of the creature that was probably about to eat you.

“An arachnid species called Kinrath,” Tech said, still exuding a calm confidence even when you knocked into him as you stepped back, hand on your blaster.

“They’re swarming us!” Echo observed and Wrecker pulled out his weapon only for Gungi to stretch out a furry paw.

“Hold your fire,” Hunter instructed. Gungi spoke some more and Tech casually lowered his visor ready to translate.

“He says they will not attack unless we pose a threat.” Whispers ran up your spine, creating a shudder you couldn’t control as Gungi held up his hand. The Kinrath shrieked again, their legs pushing into the ground and for a split second you thought they were going to charge; a collective breath filled your chest and everything around stilled for a moment.

Then, they just turned away. Disappearing back into the sticky strands that crisscrossed through the trees. Gungi beckoned you all forward, now leading as he ducked his way through the webs.

As you walked something began to press on your mind. It was heavy, creating a dull ache you couldn’t shift and you really wanted to take your helmet off and rub your eyes. Hunter ducked down before you, skimming his hands across the ground and you knelt next to him with Omega.

“You smell that?” He asked you quietly, the acid smell of charred wood filtered through the vents in your helmet and you nodded. It smelled unnatural, tainted with a thickness that told you something else was afoot here.

“It’s not right,” you murmured.

“No.” The trees gave way before the edge of the steep hill and you gasped a little at the sight below. Rich plumes of choking black smoke rose high above the canopy. Your breath caught, the searing scorch of the smoke filled your chest and you coughed; everything was suffocating, you could feel it.

Tech’s datapad beeped and his sigh came through your internal com. “According to my telemetry, the village is straight ahead.” No one responded. There was nothing to say, a sense of trepidation lined your gut and you knew the village was destroyed or abandoned.

Hunter led the way down the slope, your feet turning to the side to keep you steady.

The descent was rocky, ending in you having to slide the last few meters down the bottom of the hill and leaping to the flat ground again. Tech followed in your grooves as the rest of the squad made their own way. He glanced at you but your visor was full of the choking smoke that filled the air.

It curled as you walked through it, cloying and drying as it permeated your helmet, trying to suffocate you from the inside out. The ground crunched, burnt flora crumbled to ash at the slightest touch, disintegrating into nothing.

Sound deadened in the air. There was no fauna chittering in the trees or flying through the canopy. The stale stench of death and spoliation couldn’t be covered and you wanted nothing more than to be back on the Marauder and leaving this place.

A structure rose out of the gloom, fire still alive within that crackled and ate anything it could reach. The squad came to a stop, drinking in the level of destruction that licked up the side of the massive trees. Leaves were gone, branches broken and charred lay strewn all over the ground, still smouldering with the hatred that made them fall.

Hunter crouched again, his gaze running over the ground with an experienced eye. “Tanks came through here,” he sighed. “The Empire incinerated the entire village.” You left his side, approaching Gungi as the youngling fell to his knees in despair. Your fingers danced as you reached to delicately rest on his shoulder, feeling his mourning as though it was your own. Omega joined, her face revealing she too was affected by the ruination around her.

“The Empire destroyed our home too. Don’t worry, we’ll find your people.” The dread in your gut dropped. A motion that caused you to gasp loudly and Tech was beside you in an instant.

“What is it?”

“Something is coming!” You whispered as the sound of heavy machinery trembled through your audio receptors. Hunter and Tech shared a look before jogging over the decimated clearing to the other side. Crouching down, Tech took out his macrobinoculars.

“What do you see?” Hunter asked. You felt the hesitation in Tech before he answered, it made you look round at him as you waited that split second for his answer.

“Trandoshans.” Your blood solidified in your veins, the crawling sensation you’d been ignoring became unbearable and you visibly shivered. Closing your eyes you told yourself to get a grip, to breathe and not let this break you down. They couldn’t get you, they wouldn’t touch you…not again. “And they have a Wookiee hostage.”

They were destroying everything in their path, great swathes of fire billowed from the flame thrower heating up the stones in their way and causing the Wookiee below to protest loudly. Your heart was pounding, rushing every feeling through your veins in a dangerous cocktail. You weren’t the innocent girl they took all those years ago, not anymore.

“Hunter! Gungi!” Omega pulled everyone’s attention to the young Wookiee as he ran towards the Trandoshans destroying his homeworld.

“Oh no!” You watched as he ignited his lightsaber, the bright green of it glowing vividly in the blackened surroundings. The group moved as one, breaking cover and shooting the ice blue of their bolts at the Trandoshans as they fired back. You went with Echo and Tech, while Hunter and Wrecker took out the tank with Gungi’s help.

It was over quickly, bodies littered the ground and the only sounds left were the crackling of the fire and the press of your breath inside your helmet. Your foot nudged one of the lifeless bodies over, hands shaking as you raised your blaster. The shot was loud, ringing out over the clearing and Tech turned at the noise. You did it again, watching the searing bolt flare and scorch the skin through the tears that dripped down your cheeks.

A snarl emitted from your vocoder and you fired twice more in quick succession, no longer able to see as your vision fractured. A firm hand took your blaster, leaving your fingers needy and empty. You thought Hunter had intervened, but when you looked up it was Echo who stood there, haloed by the flames.

“It’s dead,” he stated.

“I just want to keep shooting!” You admitted through gritted teeth, hating this seething anger that festered like a dead animal in your chest.

“I know,” he spoke softly and it was nearly lost if not for the internal com. “But we need to save what we can.”

“We need to stop the flames from spreading,” Hunter’s voice came through. “Start digging.” Echo handed you the blaster back with a nod.

It felt good to concentrate on something else, to dose the flames and watch them sizzle out of existence. You worked hard, digging until your muscles screamed and your body ached all over. Taking a moment you breathed. The air was clearer, the subtle sounds of wildlife returned and you let the early morning sun bathe you. Tilting your head back you sighed, feeling Tech come up beside you. He didn’t say anything, just his presence was enough in this moment.

Your eyes snapped open as the fauna sounds swelled in magnitude. Chittering and growling clashed together and the group backed up against one another surrounding the kids.

“More Trandoshans?” Echo suggested. Hunter was beside you, head shaking as the pair of you stared up into the trees.

“No,” he replied. “Something, bigger.” Bigger was an understatement. The creature was huge, easily climbing down the tree and landing on its wide paws that could have flattened you all in a moment. The ears spanned widely either side of its head, the ridges diminishing in size to closer they got to its head. Large, black feline shaped eyes regarded the group as it roared, showing rows of sharp teeth. Green fur covered with dark stripes marked the whole creature and you heard Tech inhale sharply at such a sight.

These must have been the mylayas he had told you about before you landed. Quadrupeds, cat-like fur covered creatures connected to the spirits of the forest. It looked fierce but you weren’t afraid, your visor registered a Wookiee riding such a beast. Two more appeared, each carrying a Wookiee that looked down at you all.

Tech translated, saying the Wookiees wanted to take you to their small settlement. Which meant hitching a lift. The mylayas fur was softer than it looked, a smooth downy quality that made you want to run your fingers through it.

Once you were settled in the saddle, Tech climbed up behind you, resting his thighs either side of yours. You turned to look at him, seeing his eyes wide with wonder when the creature began to move. He tipped forward, hands jerking in an effort to keep his balance and not crowd you at the same time. Your legs tensed when the mylaya leapt back into the trees, slipping slightly in the saddle making you grip onto Tech’s legs.

“You will not fall off,” he assured you.

“It just feels like it.”

“The motion of the mylaya is very different to anything I have experienced before,” he admitted. “Your grip is tight.” His voice had a strained quality but you couldn’t make your fingers loosen. You closed your eyes as your stomach lurched, fingers digging even harder into his legs as you tried to not lean forward and pull the Wookiee’s fur in fear.

“I-I’m sorry!” You gasped. “You steady me.”

“I understand.” The creature jumped from a large branch to another and you felt Tech tense his legs either side, his hands finally finding purchase around your waist as you both rocked with the motion of the jump.

Eventually you relaxed enough to lessen the cramping sensation in your fingers but not enough to let go. Tech didn’t say anything else, his mind absorbed with seeing Kashyyyk from another angle as you all made your way to the settlement.

He dismounted first, easily swinging his leg over and sliding down. He looked up, holding his arms to receive you and giving you an encouraging nod. You tried to copy, fearing you were much less graceful as you let yourself half fall down the side of the mylaya. Tech caught you, sliding his hands up the sides of your body to hold you steady on wobbly legs. His touch lingered, fingers flexing through the material of your bodysuit as he regarded you calmly through his goggles.

Sounds muted, nothing else existed for you right now as your body zeroed in on the way he felt holding you. Your heart kicked up, fluttering erratically and your gaze magnetised to his through your helmets. You almost leaned forward, the urge to tap your head against his was overwhelming, instead you tried to breathe, noticing the way your ribs expanded but his hands stayed exactly where they were.

“Thank you, Tech.” Your words barely breathed out but you knew he heard you, his eyes turning up as his smile became evident even though you couldn’t see it.

“Tech.” You both turned to see Hunter walking past, his head inclining towards the new Wookiees that had appeared and Tech’s touch fell away. You all gathered in front of the round wooden hut. A female Wookiee began to speak and Tech lowered his visor.

“Her name is Yanna. She appears to be leading them.” Hunter stepped forward.

“We are returning him to his homeworld,” Hunter told her, gesturing to Gungi. “But he doesn’t know what village he’s from.” Yanna ducked down to the Jedi’s level, pressing her forehead against his in greeting. She spoke again and you saw the words light up on Tech’s visor.

“We were soldiers of the Republic,” Hunter reached up to take his helmet off. “But, let’s just say we don’t see eye to eye with the Empire.” Yanna responded and you watched Hunter listen intently. “We came because Gungi was in trouble. Jedi or not, he’s still a child.” You could feel his sense of guilt as it trickled through once again and you knew he was thinking of the time before when he couldn’t help. If anyone could make this work, Hunter could.

Your foot dangled over the platform. Dusk was approaching and with it came the new sounds and creatures. You looked up as the leaves rustled but you could only hear the animals as they moved about. You leaned easily on your raised knee, swinging your other leg slightly and enjoying the peace that enveloped this place. Wrecker was having a great time inside with the Wookiees, his joy was infectious and he threw himself into everything they offered him.

There was harmony here. A quiet sense of satisfaction that filled all the devastating cracks in your soul, even if it was temporary. It felt odd to feel so at peace and yet, knowing this all could be shattered at any moment. You felt him approach, his concern for you a leading sense as he gently settled beside you.

“You don’t have to check up on me, you know.”

“I’m not,” Hunter mumbled. You huffed out a single chuckle, letting it go in the breeze that weaved between your relaxed forms.

“I realise earlier…” your fingers twisted the strand of bark you’d been playing with and your gaze lowered.

“It was a charged situation,” Hunter responded with. “One we might come across again.” He leaned towards you, eyes dragging over your profile as he thought about what to say next. “We won’t let you fall into their grasp again.”

“I know.”

“I’m…” he stopped himself and now it was your turn to look over at him. The shadows of his tattoo were vibrant in the dying light as he studied the leaves of the canopy. “If I had known, I would not have brought you here.”

“About the Trandoshans?” He nodded. “You can’t protect all of us all the time.” You heard the quiet scrape of his knife as he drew it from the vambrace casing and replaced it with a soft click.

“Have you…you know?” He sounded so hesitant, so unsure you almost enjoyed seeing him out of depth for a moment.

“Have I thought about getting all of Gungi’s secrets in the hope it would fix me?” Hunter sighed and fiddled with his knife once more.

“When you put it like that,” he muttered darkly and you leaned over to nudge his spaulder.

“I’m fine as I am. Not all of my issues are due to my heritage, you know.”

“Hunter.” Tech appeared from round the corner, gaze casting between you both before he spoke again. “Yanna wishes to speak with us.” You picked up your helmet, moving into the hut and joining the others.

“Yanna’s agreed to let Gungi stay with them,” Omega announced and you smiled, giving the young Wookiee a quick smile.

“What about the Trandoshans?” Echo asked. You followed Hunter to sit at the table.

“The Empire’s been using them to strip the planet’s resources. Many of the villagers have fled deeper into the jungle.”

You looked up as Tech stepped closer, his visor trained on the Wookiee leader. “Yanna’s scouts are reporting a large convoy headed in this direction. She says to leave.”

“Hunter,” you could tell by Echo’s expression, he wasn't wanting to go anywhere. “The Wookiees were our allies for years. We have to do something.”

Hunter sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly as he rubbed a hand across his face. His gaze alighted quickly on everyone, finally resting on you as he made up his mind. “We’ll stay and help you fight them.” Yanna replied to him, her voice soft. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

You watched when the Wookiees all left the hut, curiosity making you follow and the boys congregated around you. They knelt before the tree, a hand placed gently on the trunk, the light from inside casting a warm glow over their red-brown fur. The hairs on your skin pricked under your bodysuit, rolling your neck you hoped to dispel the feeling but it only grew.

“What are they doing?” Omega whispered.

“They are asking the trees for help,” Hunter explained.

“They’re talking to the trees?” Your gaze travelled up the impressive trunk, the tingling sensation creating waves that crashed over your body like electricity. You ran your hands up your arms, chasing the feeling away only to succumb to another shiver.

“They believe this planet belongs to the trees,” Tech took over the patient explanation to Omega. “And they are allies in this fight.”

“We’ll take all the allies we can get,” Hunter muttered. “Tech, Stitch. Take first watch.” You nodded, stepping aside as the others filed back in to get some rest.

“Here,” Tech handed out his macrobinoculars. “They will be coming from that direction.” He leaned in and pointed to a gap between the trees. “The scouts say they come with tanks and this will be the easiest route for them. Not that they are bothered about destroying anything in their path.”

“I hate Trandoshans,” you snarled quietly, looking through the binocs and adjusting the dial so you could zoom in.

“I understand this altercation might be—challenging for you.” He seemed to flounder a little, gripping the edges of his datapad as he tried to think of a way to vocalise what he wanted to say. “I am afraid we cannot escape that.” You smiled at his bluntness. He was right, you couldn’t escape it and if anything you were churning over ideas of revenge. It scared you a little, how much you wanted that Trandoshan to be alive when you shot him again and again.

Maybe you’d get your chance.

Lowering the device you looked up to see the blue black sky pocketed with vibrant stars through the wide leaves. Such beauty, such vastness and still there were those who seemed to destroy it all for some sort of gain. You didn’t understand. The Empire was occupying planets like a disease, chewing them up and spitting them out bare. And for what?

“I’m sure I’ll cope,” you finally responded.

“I cannot deny, your lessons with Hunter have greatly improved your combat fighting abilities and awakened some dormant skill.” Tech stepped closer and you turned to look at him, catching his eyes briefly in the light that came from behind you both. “But your long range skills leave much room for improvement.”

“Almost sounds like you’re worried about me, Tech.” You teased with an easy smile, hoping to make him relax slightly. You expected some quip or slightly sarcastic reply in return to cover his obvious discomfort with this conversation; but he said nothing. Staring at his datapad like it had all the answers when, in fact, it had none. “Maybe I’ll hang back with the kids.” Lifting the binocs and you looked through them again. “Hopefully Omega won’t get into any tangles and Gungi seems capable, being a Jedi and all,” you rambled on. “I’m pretty sure I could cause some damage to a Trandoshan if he got close enough…”

“I am,” Tech blurted out and you lowered the binocs.

“Are what?”

“My concern for your well being—when Trandoshans are involved, seems heightened.” You caught the frown behind his goggles, the flick of his fingers as he registered what he’d just said and still wasn’t entirely sure about it. You could feel it, emanating from him in hindered waves. You had nothing else to say to him, no words of reassurance because you could easily make a mistake.

He grew increasingly agitated, burying his face in his datapad and turning slightly away as you now struggled with your own emotions. You were back there again, at Safa Toma, fighting the urge to spill out everything you felt in a long tirade. Concern for your safety because of your lack of combat experience did not translate into him having feelings for you.

It creates feelings of euphoria that can, quite frankly, be a hindrance.

He didn’t believe in them anyway, like Hunter said, he couldn’t see it. Maybe he didn’t want to rather than couldn’t. Tech had turned away, you could see more of his pack than his face. Pressing your teeth together you turned fully away from him, scanning the perimeter and hoping a Trandoshan would burst through the undergrowth and spearhead into this hideous moment.

It didn’t. And the rest of your watch passed by in grating silence or stilted confirmation that everything was still clear. Echo and Wrecker relieved you both and you ducked into the hut to find Hunter sitting up against the wall, Omega passed out in his lap. His eye cracked open when you approached and he gave you a hint of a smile.

Removing your pack you settled beside him, your gaze trying to ignore the way Tech sat at the table, back hunched over his datapad. Hunter looked between you, a questioning frown appeared and you subtly shook your head. Resting your head back against the wood you let out a quiet sigh, forcing your eyes closed and breathing deeply in an effort to trick yourself into sleep or a state of meditation.

Ghostly touches danced over your skin, indistinguishable whispers sounded in your ears but you ignored it all with a set expression on your face; willing yourself to succumb to some sort of restful mood.

The darkness wasn’t comforting, it never welcomed you with open arms or embraced you like it did some people. Instead it was like navigating walls covered with knives and no light. You bled in your dreams, you hurt in your nightmares, you relived things you never wanted to see in the first place. Silver armour, blue lines, a ship that seemed to break every rule book when it came to gravity. Voices echoed, yelling, screaming, words that had no meaning but you knew they meant something. Hands snatched at you, claws vicious and wicked dragging over your scars as though they remembered inflicting them upon you. It was never welcoming, in the dark…but you never shed the sense you belonged.

“Stitch…” you snatched awake, your body tensing as you looked up at Hunter leaning over you. “They’re closing in and we have a plan.”

You stayed crouched. Your knees weren’t protesting yet but they would soon. Omega and Gungi were either side of you, the rest of the Batch just a pace ahead as they watched the Trandoshans file closer. Your chest was hurting, the sound of the tanks thrummed deeply in your body the closer they got and your breaths got more and more shallow.

Wookiees mounted on mylayas waited, hidden in the canopy above ready to leap into the fray. Your blaster felt heavy, your fingers wrapped around the grip as the nervousness made your hands itch. Your shield was ready to go, all you had to do was clench and twist your fist for it to come to life.

“Now.” Hunter whispered through your internal com and Tech moved, rolling the detonator quietly and with precision so it came to a stop under the second tanks base.

3…

2…

1…

BOOM!

The light from the explosion filled your HUD, the smell of twisted metal and charred earth seeped into your helmet; swiftly chased by the sound of blaster fire. You ducked with Gungi, watching the shots find their marks on the Trandoshans and soldiers alike.

With a roar the mylayas dropped onto the tanks, creating havoc among enemy ranks with large paws and loud roars that echoed through the jungle.

“Stick to the plan! Draw them into the nest.” The group moved at Hunter’s command, still trading bolts that sparked in the dark as you all made your way to the Kinrath nest. All of a sudden Gungi bellowed beside you, the lightsaber glowing richly with a green that made you squint and you tried to reach for him.

Your fingers passed through his fur, grabbing onto nothing but the humid air and you snarled a curse inside your helmet. You went to follow him, tracking the light of the saber in the smoky dusk only to be grabbed from behind.

At first you thought it had been one of the Batch and you tried to wrench yourself free. “I can make it!” You huffed, turning to glare at whoever had hold of you.

When your gaze locked with his narrowing green eyes, it felt like your entire world was burning. You could hear the screams, feel the heat of the flames and all your scars ached with the ripping pain they harboured. You worked harder to get away only to find he’d dragged you further into the jungle. The Trandoshan threw you heavily onto the ground, dislodging your helmet and revealing your face to him. A gasp of surprise hissed from between his drawn back lips and you managed to kick away his grasp, scooting back between the green leaves of the undergrowth.

“Not sssssso fasssst!” He snarled, grabbing your leg and hauling you back towards him. His claws scrabbled hideously against your armour, eventually finding purchase between the plates and you tried to scream as he lifted you up.

Pain, so familiar tore through your body, tears leaking from your eyes as fear made you shut down completely. “It’sssss you!” A hissing chuckle erupted from his throat and his green eyes lit up from within. “I know ssssomeone who would pay a handsssssome priccccce for you.”

You wanted to scream at him, to kick out his legs but your inner self was beating on invisible bars that you had created; leaving you trembling in stupefied horror. His claws closed around your chin, digging in deeply to your skin and your eyes rolled, only for him to shake you back into the moment. “Remember me?” He growled. Turning his head your eyes were drawn to the scar on the left side of his face, one you had put there.

The missing scales left a long line of bare skin that had healed over. You remembered doing it, the first and last time you’d lashed out. Joorsk had given you the first scars on your back and arms. He marked you up so badly you couldn’t even lift your arms to feed yourself. “Yesssss, you do.”

Fear was pumping through your body, pulsing right down to your fingertips but still you couldn’t get your limbs to obey. Your insides liquified, a sickness rose up your throat and you choked, making the Trandoshan grin wickedly. “No mewling for Joorssssk today?” Your eyes were wide, still not believing of all the planets, of all the Trandoshans, your first captor was here and you were in his grasp again.

His eyes looked up, the sounds of fighting had muted and panic flared in your gut like a wildfire.

You were being left behind.

Hunter ducked down, his fingers running over the depression in the ground. A small Wookiee footprint marred by one of Omega’s.

“The fire!” He’d never admit the sense of relief he felt when he heard her voice calling to them. “It’s spreading too fast!” He looked in the direction she was pointing, reading the smoke that rose high into the sky.

“Tech, gather all the Wookiees.”

“Affirmative.” His helmet cast around as he saw the glow of the fire coming through the trees. It had to be stopped.

“Omega. Where is Stitch?” The young girl frowned and looked up at Gungi.

“I thought she was with you?” Gungi shook his head, saying he lost you amongst the trees and Hunter felt his blood ice over.

“Echo, Wrecker. Work with the Wookiees to get that fire out. Tech,” he spoke into his com as he broke into a run. “We need to find Stitch.”

“Is she not with Omega? Hunter?” He closed his eyes, he hated doing this to his brother. As he rounded a large trunk Tech fell into step with him until they stopped at the first place they engaged the convoy.

“I am not getting any human life sign readings in the immediate vicinity,” Tech chatted. “Do we know which direction she went?” He was outwardly calm, his eyes surveying the clearing and the wreckages of the tanks but Hunter knew, inside he was churning. Because so was he.

“There!” He looked through the bushes seeing your tracks as clear as day. “Hurry.” You weren’t alone. He kept his own counsel as he read the ground, seeing the scuffle you had with the Trandoshan, the way your body was dragged and then left the ground concerned him. His fingers swept over a speck of blood and he carefully rubbed it between his fingers. “Getting anything?” He asked Tech hoping to keep his brother occupied with his datapad.

“No. I am struggling to get an accurate reading this deep under the canopy.”

“This way.” Hunter’s eyes saw everything. He saw the drag marks, the grooves in the ground, broken stalks, crushed grass and his heartbeat quickened. You weren’t struggling and he’d trained you enough to know you could have done something if you wished—unless, you couldn’t. He’d seen the fear in your eyes, he’d felt the quiver of your body and he knew fear reigned when you didn’t want it to. He’d promised. He had promised you this wouldn’t happen and now you were being dragged through the jungle and reliving all your worst nightmares at once.

He slowed, motioning to Tech to flank left. He could hear your breathing, the way the flora gave way under your captors flat feet and when it brushed against your katarn. Too quick, each breath you took was shallow and fast, echoing in his helmet and he honed in on it.

The Trandoshan had his claws hooked into your shoulder, your eyes were drooping, Hunter could see the blood shining over your bodysuit and he approached silently. He was aware of Tech moving, knowing his brother wanted to get to you but was waiting for a signal. Hunter tilted his helmet as he studied the way the Trandoshan was holding you, figuring out a way to bring him down without causing you more pain as he dragged his blade slowly free.

He turned, the hairs on the back of his neck rising and before he could say anything a single shot rang through the jungle. The Trandoshan didn’t even miss a step, falling completely flat on his face, the shot was clean and it smouldered heavily.

Hunter glanced around to make sure no one else was coming from between the trees. Sheathing his knife he straightened to watch Tech crouch beside you, his own blaster still drawn. Sweat marked your brow, soaking your hairline along with dirt and blood. He could see the gashes in your cheeks, the mark of Trandoshan claws evident on your skin.

“Hunter. We need to free her.” Kneeling beside his brother they worked the claws free from your shoulder. Lifting the katarn off to give themselves more room. Your screams were loud, flinching from the serrated edges that dragged in the wounds, blood spurted freely and Hunter saw Tech’s hands shaking slightly. “We must get her back to the ship.”

“The ship is too far,” Hunter pointed out. Keying in his com, Hunter radioed through that they needed help. It felt like an eternity except it was minutes when a Wookiee with a couple of mylayas arrived in the clearing. Wrecker leapt down, lifting you off the ground but you just dangled lifeless and silent in his grasp.

Hunter hated the way how your eyes were glazed over, clearly trapped in whatever horror the Trandoshan had awoken for you. He had done that, because he wasn’t paying attention. And he’d never forgive himself. Tech rode the other beast with Wrecker, turning round in the saddle to check on you as they made it through the trees, all the way back to Yanna's hut.

Each breath was like breathing with a pillow of needles at your shoulder. You moaned, automatically going to reach for the pain in your groggy state when a hand stopped your motion. Your eyes flew open, meeting Hunter’s frown, his fingers wrapped around your wrist.

“I wouldn’t, if I were you.” Gently he lowered your hand back to the bed and that’s when you saw you were back in the Wookiee hut. Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the boards, the world outside was full of echoing roars and chittering yammers from large and small creatures alike. Wrecker and Omega were asleep near the door, slumped onto one another and the bowl of drinks still sat on the table.

Rolling to your uninjured side you managed to push yourself upright, ignoring Hunter and his outstretched hands as he hovered beside you. Your mind had been empty when you woke up, now it was yelling. The pain was a firm reminder of the way the Trandoshan had carted you away. The despair you felt as he dragged you away from the Batch, his claws scraping your bones, they were buried so deep.

Flexing your hand you gasped. Your nerves were damaged, numbness affected your fingers while pain radiated from your joint. He didn’t stop you this time, watching with an intense look as you placed a hand just over the tight bandage. Your arm was in a sling, wrapped against your body so you couldn’t jar it accidentally.

Warmth radiated from your palm and you felt the edges of your lacerations burn slightly, getting the measure of them. Hunter crossed his arms, the intense look deepening his scowl as he watched. “Tech bandaged you.”

You went to speak and flinched, his expression softened in the face of your discomfort, your mouth felt full and tight at the same time. “Where is Tech? And the Wookiees?” You managed to ask, wincing.

“They moved on. This won’t stay hidden for long when the Imperials come to investigate.”

“Why are we still here?” You asked, easing yourself off the bed.

“Tech insisted we had to wait until you woke up. He’s retrieving the ship with Echo.” You wanted to stretch, to bend your body and relieve some of the tension that had settled in your limbs but you knew that was the worst idea. Lifting a hand you touched your face, trailing fingertips along the lacerations and you winced at the burn that radiated across your cheek. “I would leave those,” Hunter suggested firmly.

Frustration clouded your mind, tears pushed their way to the edge of your lashes and you turned away from Hunter, but he had already seen your despair. “Stitch…” you held up your hand, halting him in mid step. You knew he was trying to be supportive but the weight of his guilt when he looked at you was oppressive. Hunter hadn’t tried to ease it by apologising, or put it on you by laying blame, he harboured it, like a wound and it bled out around him.

You couldn’t speak, forcing your tired body to shuffle outside and try to breathe in the fresh air before you got back on the ship. You knew your current state was your fault, if only you’d acted like you’d been taught. The hours you’d put into training and still you were as helpless as ever.

Footsteps caught your attention and you looked up to see Tech eyeing you with visible concern. When your gazes locked, you broke. You didn’t care if the others noticed how you gravitated, you didn’t care if this was something out of character for you. All that mattered right now was having Tech hold you up. Your back hunched, the sobs making your shoulder throb and you frowned through the tears.

But Tech was there. He was so careful with you, helping you down the steps, supporting your body and lifting you over roots you couldn’t see, all the way to the ship. He eased you up the ramp, telling you it wasn’t much further to go and then he was depositing you in one of the seats at the back.

Your fingers curled over the top of his chest plate, whispering pleas of him not to leave you, not again. You were barely aware of the others boarding, Hunter and Echo taking the pilot seats while Wrecker shut the door to the hold and left you alone with Tech.

He knelt before you, hands on either side of your legs, gazing up into your tear stained and scarred face. You flinched when he reached up, gently using his thumb to swipe away the tears that dampened your skin. He concentrated, the creases on his forehead deepened as he watched the slow motion of his digit, avoiding the edges of your cuts.

Your sobs became hiccups as you relaxed into his touch, yielding to the calmness he exuded, knowing you were safe and alive. “Please allow me to tend to your wounds? More bacta needs to be applied,” Tech said huskily. He went to reach for your pack but your fingers tightened on his chest-plate and he glanced down at your hand.

“Not yet,” you whispered.

“The more we—.”

“I know.” He stopped talking, his eyes so rich in colours of drizzled honey and warm chocolate, widened when you leaned forward. You needed to feel him against you; needed that connection to sweep you away into the void and forget everything that was taking hold of you.

Tech held back the blackness in your soul, it was a temporary fix but right now you didn’t have the strength to do it yourself. You hesitated, nervously watching his face for any sense of panic but you found none. Just a red tone to his skin and a brightness behind his goggles as he too began to lean into you.

The door to the cockpit swept open. “Tech, Hunter says you need to…” Omega trailed off with wide eyes, closing her mouth when you both looked at her in surprise. Your heart was in your throat, almost like you’d been caught doing something you shouldn’t and you relinquished your grip of the katarn as Tech rose. He stepped back, looking down at you with an unreadable expression. You had nothing to say, wearily bowing your head as you sighed.

His footsteps were loud on the floor until he entered the cockpit and Omega took his place, dragging over your pack as she settled into a role she knew a little too well. You let her slather you in numbing paste after a fine misting of bacta. Locked in that prison cell in your brain as you heard Joorsk’s voice, felt his claws under your skin and more tears rolled silently down your face.

“Am I hurting you?” Omega asked.

“No. You’re doing a great job. Keep telling me about Gungi.” Satisfied she carried on, her voice not distracting you from the roiling inside as you wistfully thought about Tech.

Do you want him to come with us? Hunter’s voice rang in your mind from when they’d first picked you up, the moment when you decided not to rely on Tech…and look at you now. Maybe he was right, feelings were a hindrance. Spending so much time with him during his recovery had made you realise how much he was a pocket of safety in your wild life and you didn’t want to give that up.

A stuttering breath filled your chest. You knew nothing lasted forever and something was coming.

Something that might force you to give up Tech for good.

#sanctuary #tech x reader(stitch)#tech x reader #tech x f!reader #tech x you #tbb tech #tbb tech x you #tbb tech x reader #the bad batch #tech

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