Chapter Text
“Echo!”
Fives began to run forward, but Rex grabbed his belt at the last minute.
“Fives. Fives!” Rex yelled and pulled Fives closer, away from the fire that was engulfing their shuttle. “Fives, I’m sorry!”
“No, Echo!” Fives continued to resist Rex’s hold and could feel his face getting hot under his helmet.
“Fives!” Rex screamed and struggled against Fives, “Echo’s gone! He’s gone and we have to move! We have to go now!” He could feel his own throat tighten at the words, but kept his focus on Skywalker’s orders and holding Fives back.
Fives stopped thrashing, but he kept muttering, “Echo… no… no…”
“Fives,” Rex hooked his arm around Fives’ waist and heaved, making both of them stumble backwards, “Fives, I’m sorry, but we’re moving.” He tugged on Fives’ belt, “C’mon, brother, we have to go.”
Fives saw something that resembled a helmet and looked away, letting himself be pulled away from the burning wreckage by Rex. The moment replayed again in his head and he lifted his weapon out of instinct and fear.
Rex gave him a gentle push, “Fives, there’s nothing we can do now besides follow the Generals. Go.”
Fives’ feet started moving, carrying him away from the intense fire and the bolts flying by his head. He was running, but running away? Running from what? He couldn’t figure out where he was, but it felt like a training exercise on Kamino. He could hear some of his other brothers, armored up, and running beside him. But where were they running? His legs felt heavy and he was short on breath. He knew he should check up on his brothers.
“How you holding out, Echo?”
“Everyone, hold.” He stopped automatically, knowing the command came from an officer.
Rex stepped into his vision and put his hand on Fives’ shoulder.
“Rex, good to see you again, brother.” Fives gave a crooked smile behind his visor.
Rex’s head turned in confusion, “You okay, Fives?”
Fives gave a curt nod, “Yeah, just asking Echo how—” The sight of the shuttle burning invaded his mind again. He could see himself reach out to stop Echo from running towards it. It was a brash move, something he would have done, but not Echo. Echo would have taken a step back and reevaluated their position, would have thought about the effects of the situation, would have been cautious and careful to the point where Fives would roll his eyes and smile. “Echo…” he whispered.
Rex’s helmet met his as he moved his hand to the back of Fives’ neck. Fives’ knew that his Captain, his friend, was trying to come to terms with what had happened as well. They had already lost so many good men.
“He’s not coming back,” Fives said with finality.
Rex squeezed Fives’ neck, “I’m sorry, Fives.”
“He’s… It’s all my…” Fives struggled against the tears threatening to fall, “I’m the last… Domino Squad is gone.”
“Fives, you know Echo,” Rex swallowed, “You know he would have wanted you to go on. To finish the mission, protect your brothers.”
Both troopers could feel the haste radiating from the group, but they stood there a minute longer.
Fives’ shoulders shook as he rocked into Rex, letting himself feel the presence of one of his closest brothers for mere seconds before he rocked back on his heels and pulled away from him. “I’m fine,” he told Rex, not daring to take off his helmet and let Rex see the lie. “I’ll be… fine.”
Rex fit one of his blasters back in its holster. “Come on, we have to keep moving.”
Fives could tell that Rex was reluctant to give the order, “Where do you need me, Captain?” He tried to make his voice sound just as strong as Rex’s.
Rex paused and sighed deeply, “Watch our back, Fives. If any Seps are coming, we need to know first.” Fives saluted and waited for everyone to pass before taking up watch. He knew Rex had placed him here out of courtesy; Rex knew that watching for Seps took a soldier’s focus from the high of battle and placed it in a quiet solitude of sentry. He was overly grateful for Rex’s observations.
Fives kept his head on a swivel, hands on his Decees, prepared for anything that came around the rocky corners of the cavern they were escaping through. He started to hope, in his slow watch, that he would see a familiar figure in blue and white walk around the corners, broken helmet under his arm, familiar blue handprint on his chest. But nothing came around the corner, and Fives shivered in the silence.
It shouldn’t have happened like it did. Fives always knew that Echo looked to him to make the decisions, that he treated Echo like a little brother even though they were the same age. He wished he could have him back, watching the shadows for tinnies with him. He recalled how after every successful mission they would high five and clasp hands, or how every time there were orders that were accidentally repeated he would imitate Cutup and say, “Is there and Echo in here?”, to which Echo would get red and elbow him.
Fives sighed. “Domino Squad is no more, boys,” he said to no one in particular. He was the last of his Batch. He and Echo had made it so far, through every transfer, every mission, they had stuck together. He thought about maybe putting the “FOR HEVY” back on his armor, but also adding “AND ECHO” under it. That wouldn’t be fair to Cutup and Droidbait though. They were just as much Domino. Perhaps just “FOR DOMINO SQUAD” would do. Fives promised himself that would be his next armor project.
Fives knew he would miss Echo’s laugh the most. After Cutup, Fives tried his hand at clever comebacks and witty remarks, much to Echo’s delight. He remembered the few times that Echo laughed so hard Fives had to pull him down in a headlock just to get him to stop. He always ruffled Echo’s hair after those moments, and clapped him on the shoulder.
His helmet began to feel stuffy and he took it off, rubbing his eyes. Fives contemplated about how in Echo’s last minutes, he had acted more like Fives than Fives ever wanted him too. “Why, Echo? Why did ya have to…” Fives wiped his cheeks and sniffed. He knew he shouldn’t be thinking about Echo now. His mind should be on his post, should be on the mission. Rex’s words came back to him and he fit his helmet back on. “You’re right, brother. You would’ve wanted us to finish the mission.”
He saw a metallic glimmer and readied his blaster. The first battle droid jerked around the corner and Fives shot it right through its core processor. “For Echo.”
Artwork by red_b_rackham!