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Echo collapsed into his co-pilot seat. His mind was full of thoughts buzzing around at the speed of light. Rex had called them for a mission and It brought back a bunch of thoughts he was grappling with after the fall of Kamino. And now… well. Echo had a decision to make.
Rex had told Echo about what happened to his other half. His best friend, Fives. Fives found out about the chips before anything even happened. He tried to tell the Kaminoans, the jedi, Rex himself. Fives tried to save the other clones, but he was silenced. Killed where he stood by another brother. Echo never even got to say goodbye.
Hunter didn't understand. He couldn't just sit by and hide. Not when so much was in disarray and innocent people were trapped in the crossfire. He couldn't just sit and hide when his brother had given his life to try and save others. He may not be a trooper of the republic anymore, but he was a soldier. Good soldiers always put the lives of others before their own comfort. Rex had taught him that.
“Are you alright, Echo?” Tech’s voice made him jump out of his skin.
“Oh, hey Tech, I’m fine.”
Tech raised an eyebrow as he took a seat in the pilot’s chair. But he didnt pry, he simply pulled out his datapad and started scrolling. The silence was deafening. Tech’s greatest communication was his expertly timed bouts of silence.
“Okay. You win.”
“Win what?” Tech asked, voice even but his eyes held a sarcastic glint.
“You’re the worst.” Echo sighed lightheartedly. “You already know.”
“All I know is you have something on your mind. You get distracted when you do.”
“It’s just…” Echo trailed off. “Fives.”
Echo’s voice faltered at the name.
“I see.”
Tech was one of the few people Echo had opened up to. One of the only people who knew what really happened to
Fives. After Echo joined the Bad Batch, he had found comfort in the genius clone. He was never in a rush to fill the silence, Echo could simply be.
He didn't mind silence, in fact, after a long mission it was preferable. However after Skako Minor, Echo hated being
alone. Too many memories were swimming around in his head, waiting to remind him at the worst times. With Tech, Echo always had a presence with him. He wasn't alone anymore. Consequently, Echo had found it very easy to open up to Tech. He was a good listener. Echo fidgeted with his scomp.
“I’ve been thinking about this long and hard. Since shortly after the fall of Kamino.” Echo hesitated as Tech’s gaze
burned into him.
“I think I need to go with Rex.”
“What?” Tech said, barely containing his volume to a whisper as not to wake up the rest of the Batch. “Are you being
serious?”
Echo flinched. What was his problem?
“Yeah, I am.” Echo said firmly.
“You can’t leave! We need you here!” Tech’s voice was laced with a small amount of anxiety. Others wouldn’t be able to
pick it up, but Echo did.
Ever since he joined the Batch, Echo quickly learned that Tech expressed his emotions differently. Tech didn’t panic
like others did, but he still felt that fear, he just conserved that energy. There were only a few times Echo had heard
that edge of anxiety in Tech’s voice. It was never good when he did.
“Listen-”
“No you listen.” Tech interrupted, anxiety replaced with a crisp edge to his tone. “You are a valuable member of this team and my friend. You cannot just up and leave us without any warning, any time to process.”
Tech’s voice quivered at the end of his sentence. Echo’s face softened.
“It won’t be forever. I’ll be back, I promise.”
“I… I lost one best friend. I can’t lose another.”
Crosshair. Of course. Hunter had told him that Tech and Crosshair were close before the empire. Nearly inseparable.
They did everything together. ‘Joined at the hip’ Hunter would say while laughing. Tech had changed since Crosshair
had left, he had become more distant, even to Echo, who the genius clone had become friends with quite quickly after they rescued him from Skako Minor.
Echo recalled a conversation he and Tech had shortly after he decided to join the squad. He had found the clone in his
bunk, entranced by his datapad, as usual. He had sat down on the edge of the bunk. Tech had flinched slightly and pulled himself into the corner of the bunk. Echo had stood up.
“Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude.”
“You are fine.” Tech’s even tone hadn't given away any of his feelings.
“I just,” Echo had hesitated before continuing. “I had a question for you.”
“Ask away.” Tech had responded without looking up.
“Do you hate me?”
Tech had set down his datapad, confusion covering his gaze.
“What would possibly have given you that idea?”
“It's just…” Echo paused, considering how to ask the question on his mind. “Ever since I joined the squad, it feels like
you’ve been avoiding me.”
“Oh.” Tech had said. Was that guilt seeping into his voice? “It was not intentional.”
“I know I’m new and everything, I get it. You are your brothers have been with each other since you were created-”
“It's not that, Echo.” Tech had interrupted, rubbing his fingers. “Did Hunter tell you the details of my mutation?”
“He told me that you were a genius.”
Tech smiled softly, the first time Echo had seen him smile since he met him.
“Well, yes. My neurons fire faster than a normal person allowing for me to absorb information faster. But there are
some… downsides to my condition.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even though I can process information faster than a regular person, my brain and rhythm can be upset by… sudden
and dramatic changes. It takes me longer to get used to new things.”
“Like having a new person on your squad.” Echo realized.
“Precisely.”
Echo felt a bit of guilt wash over him. He should have told Tech sooner. He deserved that, but there was nothing to be done now. Echo placed his hand on Tech’s knee and looked him in the eyes.
“Tech, I swear, I will be back.” He said firmly. “This is just something I need to do. If not for my sake, for Fives.”
Tech fidgeted with his datapad, not really reading anything, the way he did when he was processing.
“You know my feelings on the empire and our place in the galaxy right now.”
“I do.”
“And you agree.”
“Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to leave to do so!” Tech exclaimed quietly.
Echo sighed and leaned back in his seat. He watched as the stars flew past them at the speed of light.
“Fives would want me to.”
Tech was quiet. He rubbed his fingers so roughly that they were turning red.
“Hey.” Echo said softly, grabbing his hand to make him stop. “I’m not abandoning you. This is just something I need to
do.”
Tech met Echo’s eyes. What he saw startled him. Tech’s eyes were welling up with tears and fogging up his goggles.
However, what Tech did next surprised Echo even more. He threw himself into Echo and squeezed his torso. Echo
froze for a few seconds before returning the gesture. He and Tech sat on the floor of the Havoc Marauder locked in a hug. Tech finally pulled away. He wiped his eyes and placed his hands on Echo’s shoulders.
“You must come back. Swear so.”
Echo smiled softly, he squeezed Tech’s shoulder.
“I swear.”