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"So Flucrum, huh?", the young woman grinned broadly and brushed a blonde strand from her face. The Twilek next to her nodded as she started the engines. "Yep, even if I don't think you were invited…", she grumbled and gave her companion a sharp look, she raised her hands defensively. "Relax Hera, my lips are sealed and as long as I'm back home after three rotations, Hunter won't miss me.", she still grinned broadly and Hera rolled her eyes, then they took off. "I wouldn't be able to shake you off anyway.", she mumbled and the woman smacked her shoulder with a laugh. "Exactly, so where are we going?"
"Omega for the last time, I know as much as you do!", Hera growled and Omega rolled her eyes in annoyance, a blaster resting on her knees. “So you blindly trusted a stranger all along? The last time I trusted someone I didn't know, it almost-" "Killed you, I know. I know…" Omega nodded seriously, a gentle jerk went through the Ghost and she looked up. They left hyperspace and a small moon appeared in front of them. Omega's stomach contracted nervously, this was definitely not the first time that she and Hera flew to some forgotten moon to meet dubious people. As a part time leader in the rebellion, that was her goddamn job. But so far she'd always had a bunch of information on these people, thanks to Tech. This was new territory. With a little puff, she stood up and tied her hair in a tight bun at the nape of the neck, then fastened the blaster to her side and checked her bow. Finally, she grabbed her helmet and put it on, and immediately some displays lit up that gave her a lot of information. For example, that she had as much ammunition with her as she could carry, that her bow would have to be checked by Tech again in a few months, that her pulse was slightly increased, and that the moon had an atmosphere. They would be able to breathe there and whoever they met probably there too. At least she didn't think she'd run into a Kel Dor for the first time. Even if it would definitely provide a lot of data for Tech... Damn it, focus! Sighing, she took her newest utensil out of her backpack, a small present from Echo. She didn't think she was going to steal any data today. But better be safe than sorry.
Hera landed the ship safely and without turbulence and also came to the rear, Omega switched off a few of her displays in the helmet while she watched her friend pulling on her blaster-proof vest and locking it up to her chin. "Not so sure who we're going to meet now?", asked Omega and the Twilek sighed deeply before she took her blaster and shrugged her shoulders. “Your paranoia rubs off. Kanan will love you for it.", she grumbled and Omega chuckled. "What do I say when Fulcrum asks for your name?", Hera then asked more quietly, which made Omega laugh all the more. "I'm one of the Fetts, very simple.", she clarified and then the hatch opened.
The moon was cool, but not as cold as Omega's instruments had indicated. They quickly corrected the number upwards, so it was quite easy to endure here. She wanted to act to protect Hera, just as Hunter always did to protect the others. But there was already a ship out there and it would give the wrong impression if the famous rebel leader didn't go first. Instead, she followed Hera closely on her heels and gripped her bow tighter, should the stranger dare to attack her. He wouldn't get far!
"Can you relax a little, please?", Hera hissed and grumbling, Omga rolled her shoulders to take some tension out of her posture. She didn't like any of this. She was about to reply when a tall figure left the other ship. She wore a dark gray cloak and inevitably Omega felt reminded of an encounter she would never forget. But this couldn't be a clone, none of them had ever had that stature or would have it today! The figure pulled the hood lower over his face, were those horns under the fabric? With great strides she came closer and stopped a few paces away. “Hera Syndulla?”, she asked, a woman. A woman with horns... Togruta maybe? "Thats me.", Hera replied, her voice firm and sure. Wow, if her hands weren't shaking on her blaster, Omega wouldn't have recognized that the other woman was even a tad nervous. "Who do you have there with you?", asked the woman, now a little calmer. Apparently she had also shed some initial fear. Her hand came out and pointed to Omega. Ah shit, unfortunately she wasn't unvisible. Reflexively, she gripped her bow tighter and opened it. "That's Boba Fett's sister.", Hera explained quickly and the woman across from them froze, then her arms slipped back under the robe and it looked like she was reaching for a weapon under the fabric. "So a clone... Did she carry out the order?", asked the woman, Hera cocked her head. "Which order? Flucrum, I don't quite understand."
But Omega understood very well. The woman knew clones, was apparently a good deal afraid of them, and knew of at least one order. Order 66. So she knew about the chips? "I was made without a chip, if that's what you mean.", Omega replied calmly and the person hesitated before looking up a little. "Are you an original copy then?" Argh, how she hated it when people put it that way. But in this case, the question seemed appropriate. "Yep, almost unchanged.", Omega replied and gave Hera a look, the Twilek stood there and listened. She still didn't seem to understand everything, but her face was attentive. A movement from the woman across from her again took all of her attention. She raised her hand and pushed the hood off her head. Ha, it was a Togruta! A nice one, Omega had to admit that. Her first look was at the fine white markings that artfully arched over her eyes. The second her lightsabers. "You're a Jedi." The woman smiled and raised her hands reassuringly, what is that really better? A Jedi didn't have to be near his weapon to be dangerous. And this one surely had every right not to like the clones. “And you are a clone. You look younger than Boba.", the woman smiled and Omega shrugged her shoulders, her back relaxed a little and she folded the bow again. This woman did not appear aggressive in any way. "Just a tad." The woman smirked. “Hera, I thought I know everything. And now you work with clones.”, she teased and Hera seemed surprised, maybe a bit offended even. "Excuse me? I didn't even know how much you knew, Fulcrum. Couldn't have commed you and said: 'Hey, there there is this anoying girl that wont leave.‘ ", she complained and now Fulcrum actually laughed. That sounded nice. "Good point. Time to change that. My name is Ahsoka Tano, I am pleased to meet you.“
Ahsoka Tano was nice company, friendly and calm. Only a few moments later she had invited the two younger women into her ship and Hera was already sipping a mug of tea. Omega sat next to her but was a little distracted. She listened with half an ear, the rest of her attention was on the list in front of her eyes. Tech's database flowed past her so quickly that she could barely read the names. If Vader knew they'd stolen that list from him, they'd all be dead for sure. 100%! Something caught her eye, there was a name on it. Ahsoka Tano, she was listed among the dead. Huh, she looked very much alive here. Curiously, she opened the file and compared the photo of a young girl with the woman with them. Yep, that seemed to be the same Togruta. She briefly considered changing the status of the woman on her list. Then she left Ahsoka Tano's status at 'death', you never knew when such data could be stolen from you! It would be safer if Fulcrum continued to be a ghost to the Empire.
"Omega, your tea is getting cold.", Hera suddenly mumbled close to her and Omega looked up in surprise. Kriff, how long had she been lost in thought? Tano sat across from her and smiled over the rim of her own mug, she blinked with satisfaction. The mischief and the infinite calm in her eyes almost gave her the appearance of a tooka. Omega liked tookas but had quickly stopped wanting one. At the latest after she was almost shot the first time, she decided that she definitely shouldn't have any pets. Sighing, she took off her helmet and laid it next to her on the thinly padded bench before taking a sip of the tea. Sweet, unexpected. When she looked up again, Tano stared at her with a surprised look. "You look so much like him...", she mumbled and Hera and Omega tilted their heads both. "That`s not that hard, I'm a clone.", the latter tried to joke and Tano sighed before slowly nodding. „Yes, you are right. Sorry, you just remind me of a friend." A friend huh? So a clone, 100% blonde… „CT, first generation? Blond? Captain?", asked Omega and when Tano nodded, she dared to make a guess. "So you helped Rex.", she smiled and Tano blinked in surprise, before she smiled broadly and nodded again. "So you ran into him?", she asked hopefully and Omegas heart contracted uncomfortably, she hated disappointing the woman in front of her. Why? No idea, she only knew this Togruta a few moments. But the look in her eyes held a child's hope. The hope to see a brother again, a father, a friend. “That was a couple of years ago, I'm sorry. We haven't kept in touch with him?", she admitted with hunched shoulders and Tano visibly collapsed before she stood to attention and downed her tea in one big gulp. Her gaze was calm but hardend. “Well then, to work. We have a lot to do."
*~*
It was dark, very dark in fact. Kriff, she had really underestimated how little light fell on this moon after half a rotation. And it was freezing! Anyway, hopefully this was worth it. She tapped her communicator with cold fingers until she finally got Tech. "Omega, if that's another question about any harmless plant, I swear I'll-" "Do we have ways to contact Captain Rex?" Silence. "Not that spontaneous... Why?", Tech asked suspiciously and sighing Omega plopped down on a stone. Her helmet immediately told her that she would have to move her ass again soon to keep from freezing it. "Well we met Fulcrum and they-" "Fulcrum?“, an indignant voice rose in the background. Great, she definitely had all of her family's attention now. So much for doing a little discreet favor! "Hey Echo.", she mumbled tiredly and listened to the rumble at the other end until it was finally quiet again. "What did you do?", asked a calm voice and she smirked. “Nothing Crosshair, as always. Where's Hunter?” “Didn't wake up, your luck.”, the sniper growled back and her mood improved a little. Maybe the others would help her to keep this little excursion a secret from her father for just a bit more time!
"Great, so we can try to find Rex.", she suggested with exaggerated enthusiasm, the reactions of the others were as expected. Tech didn't answer, instead she heard Echo and Crosshair cursing softly. The latter seemed to be trying to convince Tech what a lousy idea that was. God she missed Wrecker! He would have helped her immediately, no matter how stupid. "Omega listen, even if I knew where Rex is, I wouldn't tell some strange and unknown agent.", Echo muttered, her shoulders sagging. As long as Hunter wasn't in charge, Echo took over and he had said no. So it would probably stay with no. “But she looked so sad. Echo, you should have seen her face! And I thought adults won't cry anymore at some point.", she mumbled and glanced over at Ahsoka Tano's ship. She knew that the Togruta was not asleep. The harsh sobs had been too loud for that when she snuck out. "She's a Jedi, doesn't that make her a friend?", Omega tried one last time and even the quiet argument between Crosshair and Tech fell silent. "Well if it's a Jedi then-" "No, stop! Think Tech! The Empire is just as good at setting traps as the Seps, even better. Use your kriffing brain.”, Echo stopped him immediately. But if Tech was interested in the Jedi, Omega now had found a weak spot. Would it be worth it? Certainly, after all, Tano wanted to see Rex again. "Hey Tech, how about an information exchange?", she suggested and heard Crosshair click his tongue in annoyance. "Aaand… I can’t believe we lost.", Echo growled, but was deliberately ignored. "Okay, I'll find Rex and you tell me which Jedi you've tracked down.", Tech agreed immediately. Ha! She knew how to get hold of it! "Okay! Tano."
There was a dull thud, then Tech answered again. He sounded disillusioned. "You broke Echo.", he told Omega. Kriff! "What's happening? Did I say something wrong? If this is a trap, I will leave with Hera immediately. Please you-" "Send me your coordinates.", Echo growled suddenly, and Omega stared in amazement for a few seconds into the darkness. Her bum went cold. Sighing, she got up and took a few steps back and forth. "But why?" "I could just locate you too.", Echo threatened. The others kept carefully in the background. "Oh come on, don't be silly." Back. "I'll take a look at this Jedi myself, whether you want it or not!" "Okay, no need to get loud.", she grumbled. As she walked, she transmitted her coordinates. “What's going on here?” Forth. "Hey Dad.", greeted Omega extremly cheerfully, praying Hunter wouldn't get upset. Her steps became faster. "Nothing special, we're going to check out Omega's new friends.", Tech announced. Silence. Back. "Omega. What did you got youself into?“, Hunter mumbled and managed to sound tired and threatening at the same time. Kriff. "Nothing. See you then, love you!”, she babbled hastily and cut the connection. What was she doing? What should she tell Hera? And Ahsoka Tano?!
*~*
"This is the stupidest thing you've done so far.", Hera mumbled and Omega's lips twitched under her helmet in a nervous smile. "Are you counting the crash with the speeder?", she asked in a low voice. Hera grumbled and shrugged. Ahsoka on Omega's other side was almost immobile, she looked like she was made of stone. "Tano, if this is too much, I can send them away again.", she muttered hastily, but the woman calmly shook her head and closed her eyes. Omega glanced over her shoulder, the bird could even be seen out here. He sat on the back of a seat. Strange thing, seemed to always keep the Jedi in its view. “You said they are de-chipped. I trust you.", Tano muttered. "Really bad idea, believe me.", Hera joked and the oldest of them smiled in amusement. "How bad can this get?"
Omega never got around to formulating an answer. A familiar ship approached and landed next to the Ghost. Omega walked over to her family with hasty steps. Maybe it was good if she stood as a buffer between Tano and Echo... Or maybe not, in retrospect she could have avoided the hard blow on the back of her head. Hunter had left the ship first, and even gray and aged, she shrugged her shoulders defensively at that look. "What?! It's not like I went off again to blow something up.", she grumbled softly and Crosshair pushed past her, shaking his head, Hunter sighed and patted her shoulder apologetically. Everything was okay, blows to the back of the head were almost normal among the few clones she had seen in her life. Then her father put his helmet on too, and Omega believed he got years younger before her eyes. Tech followed behind him, and Echo brought up the rear. He hesitated before following them. Then he saw Tano and stopped dead in place. “Ahsoka Tano, this is my family. Hunter, Tech, Crosshair and Echo.", Omega introduced them all and Tano eyed them before tilting her head. "A batch consists of five clones.", she stated and Omega gave Hunter a concerned look. His shoulders tensed, but he seemed stable. "Wrecker is missing.", he explained and even if this sentence sounded so harmless, the woman's blue eyes softened and she took a tiny step closer. "I'm sorry. I'll add him to my list.” “List?”, Omega asked, damn it. Again her own curiosity was faster than her mind. But Tano nodded. "Yes, I wrote down all of my friends and brothers so as not to forget them."
"Then please cross out a name, sir.", a shaky voice answered from behind and Tano looked up. Omega followed her gaze. Echo was still in the same place, his fingers trembling slightly. "Then you know the story of the other Echo?", she asked with a painful smile, Echo nodded dully. Kriff, it looked like he was about to have a panic attack. Did Hunter have enough blankets? "Because it's mine." Tano froze and examined Echo more closely. Okay, what was Omega missing out on here? What little thing did she not understand? "You ... but I saw him ... you ... die ...", Tano mumbled and suddenly she wasn't standing in front of them anymore but squeezed between Hunter and Omega, scurrying past Tech and Crosshair and wrapping her arms around Echo. “I should have looked for you! I should have gone back!", Tano choked out and when Omega could see her face again, thick tears stuck to Togruta's cheeks. Echo trembled and Omega crept closer, worried. He laughed! She had heard Echo laugh so rarely that the sound was almost alien to her. "We are okay vod’ika. We're both okay. I'll find Rex and kick his ass thoroughly for not telling me this!”, Echo laughed and Tano grinned, she was still crying. "What did I just miss here?", Hera asked softly and Omega shrugged helplessly.