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Hunter was gone.
Their leader, their brother, was gone.
And it was all Echo’s fault.
Obviously, Echo didn’t know if that was what his team was thinking, but he knew it was true.
Echo knew it was true every time he heard Omega’s quiet sobs from where she was curled up against Wrecker’s side. Hunter was gone, and there was nobody to blame but Echo.
He had busied himself by helping Gregor wrap his wounds, the commando remaining silent as he looked around, answering the basic medical questions that Echo asked.
“We are approaching Ord Mantell.” Tech announced quietly.
Echo returned to the co-pilot’s seat, assisting in the landing (not that Tech needed assistance, but it gave Echo something to do so he could ignore his crushing guilt until he wasn’t surrounded by his team).
Everyone was silent as the Marauder landed in Cid’s hanger. The only sound was Omega’s quiet sniffs as she clung to Wrecker, the large clone holding her tightly as they stepped off the ship. Echo sent a quick message to Cid, alerting her of their return, and grabbed Tech’s arm once he finished as they both stood to leave the cockpit. “Get Gregor back to Cid’s and take a look at his wounds.”
“You’re not coming?” Behind his goggles, Tech’s eyes were worried, and filled with exhaustion, no doubt mirroring Echo's own tired gaze.
“I’ll be there in a bit.” Echo replied.
After a cautious look, Tech nodded and approached Gregor, assisting him off the ship and following after Wrecker and Omega.
As soon as his team was gone, Echo collapsed back into the co-pilot’s chair, burying his face in his hands as his shoulders began to shake. He shoved his fist into his mouth, biting down as he tried not to scream.
He shouldn’t have insisted they listen to Rex.
Hunter had trusted him.
Hunter had listened to him.
He failed.
He failed his brothers again.
Echo let out a sob, wrapping his arms around his torso, shaking.
The sound of the ship’s comm pinging made him flinch, but Echo quickly answered the call, hoping for a brief second that it was Hunter, that he had escaped the Imperials and found a way back to them.
“Echo, how did it go?” Rex appeared before him, and Echo felt his stomach sink at the sight of his older brother’s face. “Did you find Gregor?” Echo gave him a quick nod, not trusting his voice. Rex frowned, noticing the death grip Echo had on his torso. “Eyayah? What’s wrong?”
“I messed up, ori’vod.” Echo whispered, his voice breaking. He couldn’t meet Rex’s eyes. “I… I messed up.”
Rex’s frown deepened, and he looked Echo over. “What are you talking about? Where are you?”
Echo took a gasping breath, trying not to sob. “We’re back on Ord Mantell. We left Hunter behind.”
“Oh, vod’ika.” Rex said softly. “Is everyone else okay?”
“Omega’s not doing well. Wrecker’s been with her, and Tech’s taking care of Gregor, but they’re physically okay.” Echo replied, rubbing the back of his neck like he always did when he was tense or nervous.
Rex narrowed his eyes, looking intently at his younger brother. “And you?”
“It’s my fault, Rex. I pushed them to agree to the mission.”
“Ey’ika, that’s not true.” Rex said gently.
Echo shook his head. “It is, Rex. Hunter wasn’t sure about the mission, none of them were, but I was so sure we’d succeed.” He stared at the floor of the ship. “We saved Gregor, but we lost Hunter. We left him behind. He ordered us to leave but we could have gone back for him.”
Rex shook his head. “That doesn’t mean it’s your fault. Hunter would have never agreed with you about the mission if there wasn’t some part of him that wanted to help Gregor as well. You aren’t to blame, vod’ika.”
“Then why do I feel like I’ve let another brother down?” Echo shot back, looking up at Rex. “I’ve left too many brothers behind. I couldn’t protect my own batchmates, and now I can’t protect the new brothers I’ve just gotten?”
“Fives blamed himself too.”
Echo froze. “What?”
“He blamed himself. When we lost you.” The blonde captain said, looking decades older. “In the early days after the Citadel, he’d barely sleep. I remember waking up in the morning and finding him standing over schematics for the Citadel, going over every possible route or different strategy that could have been used, some alternate way that things could have gone. Kix eventually had to sedate him a few weeks after just so he’d sleep.”
“It was my choice to go for the shuttle, though.” Echo said, almost confused.
Rex raised an eyebrow. “Fives didn’t think about that. He told himself he should have gone after you, he should have pulled you back, he should have done something.” Echo opened his mouth, but Rex raised his hand. “I know it was your choice to go to the shuttle, Eyayah. You made the call, as hard as it was.”
Echo looked down, a heaviness settling on his shoulders. “We have to bring him back, Rex. I can’t lose another brother.”
“You’re not going to, vod’ika.” Rex reassured. “I’ll finish here and meet up with you boys as soon as I can. But for now, go be with your squad.”
Echo’s shoulders sagged, and he nodded, giving Rex a thankful look. “See you soon, ori’vod.”
For a moment, he sat back, closing his eyes.
We’re going to find you, Hunter. Hang on, vod’ika.
Echo stepped off the ship, took a breath, and made his way back to Cid’s, his mind still racing with everything he needed to do. He had to make sure Gregor’s wounds were wrapped, he had to make sure Tech slept, because his younger brother would absolutely refuse sleep if unwatched, he had to make sure Wrecker slept as well, because he usually paid more attention to his siblings than himself.
As he stepped into Cid’s, he was immediately pushed back by a blonde-haired torpedo. Letting out a small huff, Echo knelt down, wrapping his arms around Omega as she buried her face in his torso.
And he needed to comfort Omega.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Omega’s arms were like a vice around him. She shook her head, which made Echo’s heart break just a little bit. “You?”
He smiled sadly, lifting the child into his arms and holding her close. “I’m worried, ad’ika.”
“I have schematics from the facility.” Tech said from his spot at the bar, his datapad in his hand. “I will look over possible routes for a rescue.”
Echo met Tech’s eyes, and saw that the exhaustion he had seen before was even more prominent, and he couldn’t help but remember Rex’s words about Fives after the Citadel.
With Omega’s arms wrapped tightly around his neck, refusing to loosen her grip on her older brother, he approached the bar.
“We’ll look them over with you.” he said, gently rubbing Omega’s back, as she pulled her face away from his shoulder to look up at him. “We’re going to get him back.” Echo looked from Tech to Wrecker, then down to Omega, whose eyes were filling with tears once more. He pressed his forehead to hers, wiping away one of her fallen tears. “We’re going to get them both back. No matter what happens, they’re coming home.”