Chapter Text
The explosion rattled his teeth. Fives felt it in his bones as the shockwave rippled past him, so forceful that his own frantic cry of “Echo!” was nearly lost in the deafening sound. The shuttle was in flames, the droids were closing in, and Echo was gone.
Echo’s helmet, charred and smoking, landed in front of him. Fives couldn’t move. Could barely even breathe. He heard General Kenobi calling for a retreat, saw Commander Cody and the others racing for cover, but Fives didn't follow. He was supposed to, but he didn’t.
He thought he heard Captain Rex calling his name. He needed to run. That was how he was trained to react. There’s no time to move, soldier. Keep moving. He’s dead. Keep your head down. Make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you.
Except —except it was Echo. Fives protected Echo, always. It was Fives and Echo, Echo and Fives. That’s how it had been since the moment they were able to walk. Fives couldn’t leave his brother behind.
He whirled and looked at Rex. The Captain was waiting, tense and worried on the other side of the courtyard. He gestured frantically, because the rest of the strike team was leaving. If Fives didn’t move now, he was going to be left behind.
He shouldered his gun and made a choice. He turned away from Rex. It was a simple motion, but Rex must have understood Fives’ intent.
“Fives, don’t!”
Fives didn’t listen.
He ran towards the site of the explosion. Rex didn’t come after him. The Captain couldn't sacrifice the mission like that. Fives didn’t hold it against him. But Fives had very few things in this world. His armor, his weapon. His status as an ARC. And he had Echo. He wasn’t going to leave him behind. Not even if that cost him his life.
He found Echo near the edge of the courtyard, armor blackened and warped from the heat of the explosion. He was unconscious, but alive. Something in Fives’ chest clenched at the realization. Echo was clinging to life, stubborn as always.
He was also missing three limbs. Fives hovered his hands over Echo’s body. He didn’t even know where to start to stop the bleeding.
It didn’t matter, anyway, because suddenly there were five gun barrels levelled at his skull. Fives didn’t look up at them, didn't give them the satisfaction. Instead he curled himself as best as he could around Echo’s still form and waited for the droids to blast him into oblivion.
(He wondered if this was how Hevy had felt, before he died — surrounded and on his own.)
But the blast never came. It was silent, except for the sounds of raging fire nearby. Fives slowly opened his eyes and subtly pressed his hand against the one Echo still had, wrapping his pinkie around Echo’s.
Then his heart was filled with rage. Why are they just sitting there staring at us? Fives clenched his jaw and grit out, "If you’re going to kill us, then just do it!" His eyes never left Echo's bloodied face. Burns covered Echo’s entire neck, crawling up like cracks from under the neckline of his armor.
Two of the droids soundlessly lowered their guns and backed away. They disappeared from Fives' peripheral, and that made him all the more nervous. They are just toying with us. They'll kill us off soon. But I need to make sure Echo doesn't feel any pain when it happens.
"Sir. We've found two clones on the platform,” one of them spoke. Fives tightened his hold on Echo the best he could. He knew where this was going. The droids were going to execute them.
"Yes sir." The droid lowered its arm and made its way back to the pair of troopers.
Fives growled under his breath and shifted so then he was protectively hovering over Echo. He wouldn’t let these clankers hurt him anymore than they already had.
"You will be coming with us," the red one spoke. Fives tensed up and slowly looked up.
"What? The kriff do you mean?"
The droids started to get closer, surrounding them, tightening the circle they'd created. Fives felt nervous. "Kriff, you touch him and I'mma kriffing destroy you!" One for the droids pointed at Echo.
"Separate the injured one from it." The droids immediately listened.
Fives hissed and tried to hold onto Echo but they ripped him from his grasp. Echo didn't scream, but Fives surely did.
"NO!! Let go of me! Echo, kriff, leave him alone!!" Fives yelled. He tried to kick the droids holding him down against the platform, but they were quite stronger than he was. Especially when there were three pinning him there.
As Echo was dragged off, blood trailed across the ground along with him, following the gory nubs where his limbs used to be. Fives gasped.
"No! He needs medical attention, are you listening to me?!" The droid responded with a kick to the stomach. Fives doubled over.
"Silence."
Fives didn’t listen. He would fight and fight until he had Echo back in his arms again. I should've moved him when I had the chance .
"Let go of me!!" Fives kicked his legs but one of the droids dug their knee into it. He gasped and struggled. That hurt. The green droid on his left side pulled out an electro-rod and aimed it at him. Bolts of electricity ran up and down Fives' spine, he yelled and fought through the crackling pain, yanking his arms away, but he couldn't move far.
They pressed the rod into the side of his neck again. "Ughhh!!!!" Fives screamed until he couldn't anymore. He slumped forward and stared off into the distance. Echo could be seen getting dragged into a… . ship? The droids grabbed Fives from around his arms and pulled him up. He hung his head over lazily in their hold.
The droids dragged him past Echo, who was strapped to a medical bench of some kind. Fives moaned, tried to reach out to his brother but couldn't. The droids unceremoniously tossed him into a small room in the back of the ship and closed the door. Fives immediately stood up on wobbly legs and pounded on the metal door.
"Let me out!! You kriffers!"
He panted and slammed his shoulder into the metal, gritting his teeth. "Echo! Echo!" But no response came back. The ship started to move and Fives jolted back from the door, completely off balance. He fell to the floor, panting.
".... Echo… " Fives tucked his knees in against his chest the best he could. His ribs hurt a bit, but he didn't think they were broken. Hopefully not. He inhaled and exhaled shakily before he tipped his head back to thunk against a metal crate behind him.
"Ni'm Ni ceta. " Fives whispered out to no one in particular. The ship exited the planet's atmosphere and they jumped into hyperspace, leaving the Citadel, and the broken and volcanic Lola Sayu behind.
Hyperspace meant several horrible things.
The first was that they were being taken far away. The second was that there was no way for the Republic to track them, even if they did attempt a rescue. Their chances of receiving help were diminishing by the minute. Fives pushed himself to his feet once the first hour had drifted by and started to pace the length of the room. It wasn’t surprising that they weren’t dead yet —they were ARCs, after all, and that made them targets in the eyes of the Separatists. ARCs were privy to high-clearance missions and all sorts of intel that ordinary troopers didn’t have. Fives scowled at the wall as he moved. The Seppies had another thing coming if they thought that Fives was going to tell them anything.
He hoped that Echo was still alive. If he wasn’t, Fives was going to tear this ship apart.
Echo hadn’t looked good. He’d been losing too much blood. Anxiety clawed at Fives’ insides. He resisted the urge to slam his fist into the wall in frustration. Breaking his hand would just make things worse —he was going to need it if they were going to get out of this in one piece.
Time passed by slowly as Fives’ thoughts swirled and spiraled. The drop out of hyperspace made him lose his footing for a moment. He stumbled, and then righted himself with a new sense of determination. If they were coming out of hyperspace, they would be landing soon, and the droids would come for him. Fives was going to be ready.
He waited through the vibration of the ship entering the atmosphere, and through the telltale bump of a textbook landing. When the door slid open, Fives struck out without even checking to see who his attacker was. He bowled over the first B-1 battle droid, slamming it into the wall with his shoulder. The impact sent a jolt through his entire arm. Fives ignored it. He tore the blaster from the droid’s hand and dropped into a roll, shooting the second droid straight through the processor.
The commando droids that darted into the room next were significantly more difficult to deal with. Fives hit one in the chest, but it’s armor was thicker and it didn’t even slow down. It drew a vibroblade from the sheath at its hip and came after him. Fives spun away from it and tried to put some space in between them, but the second commando droid was coming in from the other side. Fives braced himself, but it did no good. The vibroblade clanged against his gun and sent it clattering to the floor.
Before he could try and recover from it, metallic fingers closed around his neck. Fives choked as the droid lifted him up, cutting off his airway. He choked and struggled uselessly against metal fingers.
“Desist, clone,” the commando said. The voice was toneless. Fives gasped desperately for air.
When it finally dropped him, he stumbled against the wall for a few unsteady moments and scowled when weapons were levelled at him again. He almost lunged once more, but the clankers grabbed him tightly and steered him out of the room with grips of steel across his arms. He had no choice but to let them shove him through the ship. When he was brought to the ramp that would lead them outside, a floating gurney was waiting for them. Fives choked on a shocked inhale at the sight. He tugged against the droids, but they didn’t let him move.
Echo was pale and silent on the stretcher. He was hooked up to several tubes, and there were strange clamps tightened around the stumps of his missing limbs. That meant they wanted him alive. Fives felt a jolt of fear.
He was shoved down the ramp. He tried to twist and keep Echo in sight, but they were moving too fast. There was a group of pompous-looking Skakoans waiting for them. They looked Fives up and down, like he was nothing more than a piece of meat. He snarled at them and felt a lick of vindictive satisfaction when a few of them flinched back.
“These are the clones?” one of the Skakoans warbled, voice distorted by his voice modulator. The commando droids nodded. The Skakoan humed.
“Good, good. Everything's coming together nicely. Take them to the detention level.”
“I’ll kill you, Separatist scum,” Fives growled. “You won’t get anything from us—”
The commando droid punched him across the face. Fives spat out a mouthful of blood and glared daggers at the Skakoans as he was dragged away.
The Skakoan glided into the cell with a sweep of robes, flanked by two magnaguards that raised their weapons in a silent threat.
“Greetings, clone. You have something I want, and you’re going to give it to me.”
Fives refused to answer. He only glared the Skakoan down, eyes an angry gold. His gaze flicked over to Echo for a quick second, who was lying flat down on the floor. Alone. Then Fives turned his attention back to the Skakoan. They won’t get me to talk. His mouth twisted up defiantly, but again, no words came out as a response to the Skakoan.
“Hmm. As amusing as the defiance is, it won’t last long.” The Skakoan’s eyes narrowed behind his facemask. “You will answer my questions one way or another. If you won’t talk, in a few days your mind will.” His gaze drifted downward to study Echo. “Or his will.”
Fives remained absolutely still. He smirked. Kriffing di’kuts. “Heh, you’ll just waste your precious time with us. You’re dumber than you look. Thought Skakoans were smarter than that.” Fives stared him down without hesitation. Draw attention off of Echo. That should be my first goal.
Fives leaned his back against the wall and gave the mother of all smug facial expressions. “Even if you tried, you wouldn’t be able to get anything out of me.” He tipped his head back. “You can try and give it your best shot, sleemo! But you won’t break me. Highly doubt it, actually,” Fives challenged with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Your pride will be your undoing, fool,” the Skakoan sneered. “You will tell me the secrets of the Republic’s strategy algorithm. One of you must have it.” He gestured to the magnaguards. They stepped forwards, electrostaffs crackling to life.
“Algorithm? Heh, you must be mistaken, I don’t know such a thing as an ‘algorithm’. Might wanna go looking somewhere else. You’ve got the wrong guys for that info,” Fives snorted. What is up with this guy? Algorithm….Hm. Haar’chak! Echo, he, he knows the algorithm. Kriff. Fives glared at the floor and then shrugged. “Yeah, doesn’t ring a bell. Oh well! You might just have to, I don't know, give up your search.” Fives huffed out laughter and then smiled smugly once again.
The Skakoan huffed, placed his hands behind his back.
“A lifetime of research has gone into this project, meat-droid. Something grown out of a laboratory won’t stop us now.” He clicked his fingers and gestured at Fives, eyes narrowed. The magnaguards jabbed their electrostaffs into Fives’ side.
Fives grit his teeth. Ugh! Kriffing… “ Aaaah!!” Fives screamed and then snapped his jaw shut. He couldn’t scream. He couldn’t give them the satisfaction. So he practically ate those electro-shocks. He could show pain in his eyes, but NOT his voice. The magnaguards backed off and the Skakoan said, “Again.”
Fives clenched his eyes shut and pushed the scream down as it zapped him. The electric blue bolts rolled across his tan skin like a storm, spiraling in and out as if they were dancing. Putting on a show. Fives felt his vision start to black out just when the magnaguards backed off again. He let out steady breaths and chuckled. “Is...that all you got?” He forced out the last part and gave them a mighty grin once again.
The Skakoan huffed in annoyance.
“Hit him again. I’m not in the mood to hear such insolence.”
The electrostaffs came closer again. Fives had literally three seconds to brace himself. His eyes sweep to the other side of the room, where Echo lay, alone and hurting, most likely. Echo. I’ll try to hold on as l- He was shocked again. “Grrrr!!” Fives clenched his teeth and glared at one of the torturers. Kriffing scum! Then another electrostaff hit him on his left side. More spiked blue raced up and made his arms twitch violently. The Skakoan hummed to himself.
Fives was given a break to breathe for barely 15 seconds before the electrostaff were on him AGAIN. Echo’s immobile body stayed completely still. What if these kriffers broke him?
What if he never wakes up? No no. I can’t think like that. I can hold out for him. I will NOT break!! If it’s the last thing I do. Another electrostaff joined the party. Oh, kriffing great. This is absolutely wonderful. It struck him in the side. He had three different electrostaffs sticking him in three places: his right side, his left side, and his neck. It HURT.
“You may be able to resist now, but I doubt you can keep it up,” the Skakoan taunted. “Your own body will eventually betray you. The Techno Union always gets what it wants. Why prolong the inevitable? Tell me what you know about the algorithm, and you and your friend will receive quick and merciful deaths.”
Fives closed one eye and looked over at the taunting Skakoan. The electrostaffs did not move from their positions. They backed off again after a full two minutes of electrocuting him constantly without break.
He panted heavily and could see the furthest electrostaff disappear from his peripheral. “....Like I said. You won’t get anything from me. You. Are wasting your time.” He cocked his head to the side smartly. Sweat started to roll down his forehead, but he didn’t show that it bothered him. Fives was stronger than this nerfherder thought.
He underestimated me.
The Skakoan seemed to be growing impatient. He heaved a sigh.
“Very well. If you won’t talk, perhaps your injured friend —”
“Sir,” the magnaguard interrupted before the Skakoan could go any further. “The second clone cannot sustain any more damage. It will not survive.”
The Skakoan growled in frustration.
“Very well. You can have some time to think about it, clone. Perhaps some time alone will jog your memory. We’ll be back tomorrow for the information.”
Fives scoffed, but did not break eye contact. “Can’t wait,” he smiled sarcastically. No true emotion resided behind the smile. It was just there to make it seem like he wasn’t bothered by this new update. They would be here the next day. Kriff. Right. We are now prisoners. ‘We’. Echo, I need to check on him as quickly as possible! Once these di’kuts leave.
The Skakoan said nothing else. He wouldn’t need to. He walked out of the room along with the magnaguards and the sliding door slid closed behind them with a ‘woosh’, leaving Fives alone in the room. Well, he wasn’t completely alone, Echo was there. But it sure felt like he was alone. Echo was unresponsive and who knew for how long.
Fives immediately shot up from where he knelt on the floor and almost stumbled forward. Echo. Echo. He repeated the name multiple times in his mind as if he’d forget it.
He crossed the room in four striding steps and knelt down at Echo’s side. Fives moved his hands and then froze. Echo looked so fragile and broken. Fives wasn’t even sure if he should touch him. His hands hovered right over his brother. Echo’s chest moved up and down slowly.
He’s alive! Well of course he is, di’kut! Fives’ eyes swept across Echo’s body, searching for any still bleeding wounds. The extra medical training he had received for emergencies kicked in.
I don’t need to apply pressure to the wounds. They already did the hard part for me, but only to keep him alive for their evil schemes.
Fives stared down at Echo’s emotionless face. The algorithms. If they get their hands on it, who knows what they’ll do with it. And even worse, they’ll kill Echo and I once they get what they want. Echo wheezed. Fives stopped thinking. He didn’t breathe, he just listened.
“Echo? Echo, can you hear me?” he asked softly.
Nothing.
Fives ended up sitting against the wall for what felt like hours. But perhaps time was moving much slower than he thought. Echo was still lying on the floor. Missing a couple limbs, skin as white as a sheet of paper, eyes closed. Not even his eyeballs moved behind them. It made Fives feel nervous.
He sighed as he watched Echo. There wasn’t much he could do except remain silent and vigilant, especially since those shabuirs were still hanging around outside. Guards. Most definitely. Echo’s breathing hitched. Fives’ eyes flicked over to stare at him, then Echo’s chest lowered again.
Something didn’t feel right to him. He scooted closer to his vod until he was right next to his head. He raised his hand and then placed it on the side of his neck. Boom boom. Boom boom. Fives stared at his neck right where his carotid artery resided, hidden away by sensitive fabrics and fragile skin. One wrong move with a blade could end it all.
Gah! Focus, focus.
Boom boom. Boom boom. Fives closed his eyes and hummed to himself. His heart is going at a regular speed. But why am I getting this bad feeling? It just sits at the back of my mind, like something’s trying to warn me.
Echo remained still.
Ah Echo. Please wake up soon. I don’t know what these guys are going to do to us? No, scratch that! I do have an idea of what they are going to do to us. But it may get you killed. I-I...I can’t allow that to happen.
Still nothing. Just heavy wheezing. And the constant lift and lower of Echo’s chest.
I promise. I will protect you.