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"Echo! Come on the water's great!" Wrecker's voice easily carried across the water to Echo's perch.
Echo waved, but did not move from his spot. He watched in fascination as the rest of the Bad Batch splashed and swam in the water. Echo had never learned how to swim. He'd learn how to use the rebreathers for short travel under water if necessary, but he wasn't from a scuba corp.
He watched as Wrecker threw Crosshair high enough for the silver haired man to laugh before he crashed hard into the water. He came up and shook the water off with a rare smile. How incredible it must be to be able swim like a Nautilan.
Echo rested his head on his hand as the breeze blew though the Cenote. They were uncommon here, the Bad Batch had accidently found it when Tech almost landed it in. The thick jungle foliage had hidden it from their scanners.
Tech was working to modifying the scanners so it wouldn’t happen again. He was two arms lengths away from Echo, he furiously tapped on a screen and tried to rewire the tangled mess. Echo had never heard Tech curse as much as he had when Wrecker pulled the system out. Apparently someone had done a terrible job for Tech to be that pissed.
“You do not have to keep me company.” Tech told Echo as he fiddled with stripping the casing off a wire section.
“I’m good.” Echo replied, he glanced over to see what progress Tech had made. Tech was neatly sectioning out the wires and bundling them for ease of maintenance next time. Echo had a feeling Tech would be watching the next repair crew like a casting hawk.
“We may not have an opportunity to swim for leisure again for some time.” Tech pointed out. He cursed as a wire stabbed him.
“Where did you learn to swim?” Echo asked to skate past Tech’s comment. Hopefully Tech would start rambling.
“In basic training.” Tech answered. He cocked his head and pulled a small set of pliers from the tools he brought out.
“Huh, that wasn’t part of my basic training.” Echo said as he leaned forward to look down again. He felt back for Wrecker. Getting back up a was going to be worse than the jump down.
“Well our training was more advanced then reg training. I imagined you learned during ARC training then.” Tech replied absent mindedly as he fished out a small wire that was hidden under a larger snarl of wires.
“I never learned. I never did any water fighting.” Echo corrected.
He was so busy watching Hunter dive underwater to retrieve something Wrecker threw that he missed Tech’s look of dismay.
Tech finished the section he was working on and put the part down. Echo looked up curious as Tech leaned over the sink hole and whistled. Crosshair, Hunter, and Wrecker all looked up.
“Hunter! Echo needs swim lessons. We will be down momentarily.” Tech called, ignoring Echo’s protests.
“Tech, I know how to use a rebreather. I don’t need to know how to swim. Let Hunter have a day off.” Echo protested.
Tech shook his head as he took off the loose tunic he had been wearing. He grabbed the UV blocker spray and wrinkled his face as he sprayed everywhere.
“Swimming is a required tactical skill. What if you are shot off a balcony or cliff into a body of water? Or we are shot down and need to make a water landing?” Tech asked as he offered the spray to Echo.
“I’d drown. Tech, I don’t even know if I can submerge these.” Echo said with a shrug as he pointed to his prostheses. He’d had a few close calls on Kamino. It’s why he always carried a rebreather on him. It’d give him enough time for someone to throw him a line. Or crawl his way through the water if it was shallow enough.
“They are and this cenote is not deep enough for us to have to worry about the pressure.” Tech informed him as he tested the rope Hunter set up for them to climb up and down. He didn’t need to. He knew Hunter was the best at knots out of all of them, but it settled a small primitive part of his brain to check so he did.
Tech turned to Echo ask how he wanted to proceed down. He saw Echo looking down at the water nervously. Echo’s hand white knuckled the grass at the edge of the Cenote. There was no shallow part of the pool. Crosshair had called out an estimate that this one was 9 meters deep at the center. Tech sighed and knelt awkwardly next to Echo.
“It is safe to jump from this height.” Tech informed Echo. Tech realized early on that Echo craved the stability numbers and rules brought. While he didn’t live by numbers as intensely as Tech did, they were still very similar in this.
“I know!” Echo shot back. He glared at Tech for moment, Tech’s expression didn’t change. He was getting used to Echo’s outbursts. Echo sigh. “I know, it’s just… What if I can’t get back up?”
“That is what the line is for, Echo.” Tech pointed out, though why he had to he didn’t understand. Echo had seen Hunter tie the line off.
“Not up the wall, Tech. What if I sink to the bottom…” Echo scomp whirled, a nervous habit Echo couldn’t seem to shake.
“None of us would leave you down there and you have your rebreather.” Tech reminded Echo.
“Everything ok up there?” Hunter call up from the cenote, he treaded water next to the line, ready to climb up if needed.
“Yeah, Tech’s just giving me the safety talk.” Echo called down.
“I was not.” Tech said confused. Echo laughed.
“Well I guess you should, unless you want me to be a liar.” Echo joked as he tried to lighten the mood a little.
“Indeed. It’s fairly simple. Listen to Hunter. Do NOT go to anyone if they are in destress, let Hunter or Wrecker handle it. Keep your rebreather somewhere easy to reach. If anyone calls red, it means get out now.” Tech rattled off.
“Right. Fastest way is to jump?” Echo asked as he pushed up to a kneel.
“Yes, but we need to warn them if you are going to attempt that. Wrecker can help you get to the surface. You will want to insert your rebreather underwater. If you jump in with it.. Well, best case scenario it would be ripped out of your mouth.” Tech looked Echo over. “Maybe we should use the line. Until you are comfortable in the water.”
Echo nodded in agreement. He took the UV blocker spray from Tech’s hand. Tech had forgotten he still held it. He gave it to Echo and worked on hooking Echo’s climbing rig on the line. By the time he had it set up Echo was ready.
“Do you want to go first or second?” Tech asked.
“Second? Yeah, second.” Echo answered as he looked down.
“I will meet you at the bottom.” Tech answered as he took his goggles off and put them in a hard case lined with foam. “Incoming. ”He yelled as he threw them down the cenote into Wrecker’s outstretched hand.
“Got ‘em!” Wrecker called out, he swam to the middle of the cenote and waved. “All clear.”
Tech squinted to try to verify Wrecker’s call. Then he took several steps back and took a leap at a run. Echo watched amazed as Tech did several flips before he straightened out arms first. He hit the water with minimal splash and sliced threw it for several meters before he swam to the surface.
The others swam over to him once he surface. Echo could hear Wrecker complimenting his dive as Crosshair critiqued it. Wrecker gave Tech the case and Tech opened it to put his goggles back on.
Echo hooked himself up to the special climbing harness and repelled down the cenote. This he was comfortable with at least. The trip down was too short though, Echo hesitated right above the water line.
“Just ease in, we’re going to keep the harness on.” Hunter said as he swam over to hold the line.
Echo nodded and slowly lowered himself into the water. Hunter stopped him half way.
“How are you doing?” Hunter asked as he checked over the harness.
“Ok? It’s weird. Like being stuck in the rain, but I can’t feel the drops.” Echo answered. He felt fine connected to the line. He knew anything Hunter tied off would hold far more them him. He wasn’t going to sink to the bottom because the line failed.
Hunter looked as Echo with frown.
“Have you ever taken a bath, Echo?” Hunter asked incredulously.
“I shower! I’m not Kowakian monkey-lizard.” Echo spat with disgust.
“I was asking to see if you have ever been submerged in water, Echo.” Hunter sighed.
Echo hesitated.
“I’ve only ever seen them in holo’s. I’ve cleaned up in streams a couple of times.” Echo admitted as Hunter motioned for him to come lower.
“How big were the streams?” Hunter inquired.
“The water came up to my knees. I think. It was a long time ago.” Echo replied, his voice hitched half way as the water hit his chest.
“Ok, we’re just going to get you used to the water. Can you submerge your shoulders?” Hunter asked as he waved Wrecker over. Wrecker swam over to the wall and found a hand hold. “Wrecker’s got a good grip, you can hang on to him if you feel like you’re falling.”
Echo nodded, not trusting his voice. The cenote had crystal clear water, making it easy to see to the very bottom. Suddenly Crosshair was under him, about a meter away. He looked up and Echo saw he was wearing a rebreather. Crosshair floated in place and turned his hand to show Echo a spare rebreather. Echo felt some of the nerves dissipate.
Echo lower himself till his shoulder hit the water, he held tight to the rope.
“Good job. Are you comfortable enough to hang there for a little?” Hunter asked, Echo was surprised at how proud Hunter sounded. This had to be child’s play for him.
“Yeah, sarge.” Echo answered, he felt the back of his neck heat up. The rest of the Bad Batch were all within an arm’s length or so. They’d stop hanging out to watch Echo do his best impression of one of the nat born children’s toys that floated.
“Crosshair nearly drowned the first time they had us swim. He couldn’t gauge the bottom of the dive tank and jumped in. He’d been watching the scuba squads training, but didn’t realized they were in full gear for a reason. Trainers called him stone for a long time.” Hunter recounted with a smirk.
“Yeah! Cross was so pissed he snuck out to practice every night.” Wrecker laughed.
Echo looked down to see Crosshair was far too small. He looked to be combing the bottom of the cenote for anything interesting.
“He ended up out competing some of the scuba corp. The instructors where shocked, they thought Hunter would be best. Considering he spent every free moment he was allowed in the tanks.” Tech added and he floated on his back next to Hunter.
“Does Crosshair learn everything out of spite?” Echo asked.
“That does seem to be the case most of the time.” Tech agreed.
The water felt nice. It was refreshingly cool in the heat. Echo felt himself relax as Tech pointed out a small patch of fungus on the cenote’s wall. He went over its medicinal properties; harmful for humans, but not the natives.
“Can you go down to you chin?” Hunter asked when Tech paused to take a breath.
Echo nodded and released a little bit more of the line.
“Great. Now turn your head so you get your cheeks wet.” Hunter encouraged.
Echo gave Hunter a dubious look but did so. Hunter pulled out a nose plug and showed it to Echo
“I’m going to put this in your nose. It’ll make the next part easier. Now take Wrecker’s hand and hold your breath. I want you to go up to your mouth.” Hunter instructed as he put the plug in Echo’s nose.
Echo didn’t quite time it right and dropped past his nose. He panicked for a moment before Wrecker hauled him up.
“Got ya.” Wrecker said with a smile.
Wrecker lowered Echo till the water covered his mouth, he pulled up whenever Echo squeezed his hand.
“You’re doing great Echo. Now there’s two ways to do this. We can go slow; drop to your nose, forehead, then submerge. Or we can jump to submerge. Your choice.” Hunter presented both options as equals.
Echo thought for a moment.
“Fast.” Echo said after a little thought. Better to get it over with and move on.
“Ok. Hold on to Wrecker and I’ll let out the line.” Hunter replied. He waited a moment then adjusted the line to double what he thought Echo would need to submerge. “Ok, Wrecker’s going under with you. You’re still hooked up to the line, you can pull up any time.”
“Why are we doing this so slow? I doubt your training moved this slow.” Echo asked as he tried to delay, he hoped they couldn’t tell. Hunter’s eyes hovered on Tech for a moment, then went back to Echo.
“Because I was terrified of water after our training. Crosshair almost drown and I did not take to the training well. They were going to decommission me if I did not show improvement at one point.” Tech admitted. “Hunter and Crosshair figured out the cues I was missing. It was enough for me to pass. I avoided the water if I could for a long time.”
Tech stopped and stared at the cloudless sky above them. He could see the rings of the nearby moon. This was not a memory he enjoyed. His brain replayed it without permission. Pain followed by a rushing sound and freezing cold. Water seeping into his helmet to try to steal his breath away.
“Tech got knocked off a tower into a lake one of our first missions. Crosshair was able to shoot him a rescue line, but if Crosshair hadn’t spotted him.” Hunter’s throat closed up, making continuing impossible.
“I practiced in every body of water we were near after that. It was difficult at first. It took a while for us to recognize I had a phobia of water and our standard training was hindering my progress.” Tech added as he drifted lazily in the water. “Hunter saved a healer on a water planet. They taught him this method after they saw me having difficulty.”
“But I’m not scared of the water.” Echo said. He knew it was a lie, or he’d have jumped in when he had the chance.
“We’ve got all day. Can’t fly till it gets dark.” Hunter responded with a shrug.
“And that will not be a while, it is summer here. We have another 9 hours of daylight.” Tech elaborated. “And you have been delaying, which suggests you are apprehensive.”
“Aw, leave him be, Tech.” Wrecker scolded Tech. He looked at Echo. “Ready? I’ve got you.”
Echo took a deep breath and nodded. Wrecker kept a firm hold of his hand and he submerged. It was weird. His ears felt like they had damp fluff in them and he could feel every movement Hunter and Wrecker were making in the water. Like someone had given the wind substance. He felt movement by his foot and opened his eyes.
Crosshair took up his vision, he held the rebreather up to Echo’s mouth. Echo fumbled to accept it, the last bit of tension dissipated with the ability to breath. Once Echo had the rebreather in Crosshair shooed Hunter away. Then quick at lightening Crosshair unhooked the harness. Echo panicked, flailing to make sure Wrecker had him.
Hunter made an angry hand signal at Crosshair and surfaced. Crosshair breached the water and after a moment he was back. He waited for Echo to calm down and then carefully took his hand from Wrecker. Echo fought his panic down. Thrashing would only hurt Crosshair and keep him from helping Echo get back to the line or Wrecker.
Crosshair pulled Echo to the center of the cenote and pointed out a rock formation. Echo took a deep breath to steady himself and nodded. Crosshair pulled Echo to the bottom slowly. Echo felt the pressure change as they dropped.
Finally they reached the bottom and Echo could see what Crosshair was trying to show him. There were carvings in the rocks, words from several languages including Auerbesh. It looked like it was a list of people who had dived to the bottom.
Crosshair pulled a knife out and pointed to a familiar name. Crosshair already carved his own in. Echo took the knife and added his name with a small measure of pride. This morning he’d never have gone to the bottom. When he finished he looked up to see Hunter, Tech, and Wrecker had joined them at the bottom.
Echo gave Crosshair his knife back as Hunter looked over his handy work. Hunter held his hand out and Crosshair gave him the blade. Echo looked over to see Tech inspecting a rock as Hunter and Wrecker added their names. He walked over carefully to Tech. Tech pointed to crevice between two rocks. Something caught the light, but Tech’s hands couldn’t reach it.
Echo waved for him to move aside. Tech moved and Echo tried to pick it up with his scomp. After two tries Tech’s hand gently guided Echo’s arm. They got the object up far enough for Tech fingers to fit into the crevice. Tech held it out. It was a small pendent in the shape of a fishing hook. Echo didn’t recognize the material, but Tech seemed excited by it.
Wrecker swam over and pointed up. Echo nodded and tried to mimic the motions he saw the others making. He slowly rose, Hunter darted in to make minor corrections to his form as they swam. Once they hit the surface Echo had trouble staying above the water. The rebreather kept him from panicking, but it was frustrating. Hunter dove down and made an odd motion under the water. He kept his legs bent and moved them in a circular motion. Echo mimicked him and Hunter corrected what Echo wasn’t seeing. After a minute Hunter gave him an all clear and surfaced.
Echo surfaced and managed to float with the motion. It was hard though.
“Echo can you see Wrecker?” Hunter called.
Echo looked around, he struggled to stay up and turn. He spotted Wrecker floating on his back.
“I want you to try that. I’ll help.” Hunter instructed.
Echo nodded as he slipped under the water briefly again. He struggled to lean back and not sink into the water until Hunter and Tech helped him. It took a few tries but Echo figured it out with their help. He couldn’t help but smile as he floated looking up into the clear blue sky.
“How are you doing?” Hunter asked as he floated near Echo.
“Couldn’t be better, Hunter.” Echo replied around the rebreather, smile never leaving as he drifted under the sun.
They spent several hours in the cenote. They called it a day once Wrecker noticed Crosshair had gotten sunburned. Echo could float on his back and front, and tread water. He was having trouble swimming smoothly, but he could manage enough to get out of harm’s way.
They ate a quiet meal under the ships wing. Tech finished modifying the scanner as he chewed his rations robotically. Wrecker laid down for nap while Crosshair leaned against him to clean his rifle. Hunter went over the mission plans one last time and asked Echo was his input occasionally.
“Thank you.” Echo’s voice was quiet as Hunter turned off the datapad.
“You needed to know.” Hunter replied, it wasn’t brushing Echo off, just stating a fact. He always looked out for his squad. If anyone was lagging they all needed to work to bring them up to speed.
They sat in relative silence until Echo drifted off to Wrecker’s snores, the smell of Crosshair’s preferred blaster oil, Tech soldering something, and Hunter humming.
Hunter shook Echo awake as the sun was setting. No one else was outside.
“Time to go.” Hunter said apologetically. Echo shook his head.
“Then let’s go.” Echo answered.
They entered the ship and Hunter veered to the cockpit to help Tech navigate. Echo went to his bunk to change into his blacks. He’d gotten mostly dressed when something sparky caught his eye. It was the fishing hook pendant. Tech had added a leather strap to it and hung it to Echo’s berth. Echo smiled as he sat down to put his armor on. Happy to have something to remind him of the day.