Chapter Text
‘Fate sometimes steps in to rescue the wretched.’ Boba Fett
He was no longer cold. The pain no longer present. His heart no longer beating.
The light at the end of the tunnel visible to him. His name whispered softly in the warm winds of the darkness. The sort of a vortex he had been hurled into after dying. Floating there before ending up in his final destination.
“Crosshair…”
All he needed to do was to take the few more steps and then, all of that which he had been, would be gone. Forever. Moving forward to become something else.
The final steps seemed heavy to take though. But he would make it. He needed to make it. Knowing the light would be his one and only salvation. His redemption.
“Crosshair…”
He could hear it. Like a mantra being repeated over and over. His name.
Not CT-9904. Not Commander. No. It was him they were calling to. Those voices from the beyond, the light.
And perhaps, he could find Mayday there too.
At least. That was his hope as he moved slowly but surely taking the last few steps. Reaching out to the portal with his hands.
“Crosshair…”
Just as he was about to take the plunge, something happened.
The light was gone with an instant. With a flick of a switch. And he was falling… fast. Into the deep end. The darkness. No longer hearing the calling of his name.
He, would not be redeemed after all.
*
“Try again.”
“Paddles charged. All clear!”
The electrical charge crackled all around him. Feeling the jolt in his body as it jumped with the soaring of electricity running through it.
What the kriff was going on?
“Again!”
“Charging!”
“Paddles ready! All clear!”
He could hear the voices.
But none of them were calling his name. Not like before. What had happened?
He had died right? On his way to… well, clearly this wasn’t that place. No, this was somewhere else. And the voices? They sounded… familiar somehow.
“We have heartbeat!”
“Pulse is steady.”
“He should be coming to any moment now.”
“Cross! Can you hear me? Cross?”
Opening his eyes, was painful at best. The numb sensations taken control of his body. It took several moments before he was even able to see anything. His vision fuzzy at best. Closing his eyes again, the effort too hard at this point anyway.
“Crosshair?”
He tried to speak, but his mouth felt like it was filled with cotton balls. His throat having gone dry.
“We need water!”
“Cross, try to take a sip.”
He could feel the straw against his chapped lips. Working on instinct, he sucked from it, the liquid soon filling his mouth. He was thirsty. And the water felt heavenly. Just as he was about to try to get some more, the straw was taken away from him.
“Careful Cross. Don’t over do it.”
The voices. He knew them. But… how?
Still not able to open his eyes properly he let himself think for a moment. Clearly, he was still alive, right? The memories of the past days, the mission on Barton-4 flushed forth… before he had… died?
He had died right? And…someone else had been there with him… Mayday!
No! Mayday!!!
He pushed himself to the limit and then…
“Mayday!”
He could hear himself shriek out loud. The name ripped off of the top of his lungs.
“Mayday?”
He heard the word, the name, repeated back to him in confusion. Clearly, the others around him did not understand what he was on about.
The others? Who?
He tried harder. Much much harder. Opening his eyes and focusing on the blurred faces hovering above him at the very moment.
“Cross?”
Crosshair stared at the closest face coming into focus. He knew it. Well.
Hunter? Yes, it was Hunter. Staring right at him.
“Mayday.”
Crosshair repeated the name seeing the confused look on Hunter’s face.
“Cross. You are safe. On board the Marauder. There is no more urgency for you.”
Hunter was trying to tell him something. That he had been… rescued? But that was not what Crosshair was concerned about. No, he needed to find out if… they did not understand…
“Mayday.” Crosshair repeated again, gulping hard this time trying to form the words to convey to the others for them to understand what he was on about.
“Hunter. I don’t think Crosshair is trying to convey distress. I think… it’s a name.” It was Tech who had finally figured out what Crosshair was on about being so agitated and repeating the same word all over again.
“A name?” Hunter turned to look at the other direction from where Crosshair was lying now.
Crosshair followed his gaze and even if he had difficulties still to see properly, a most likely effect of the snow and the storm… all of it from the icy planet having ran havoc on his body.
But as Crosshair followed Hunter’s gaze he could see the other cot on the opposite side of him. Someone was lying there. A lifeless looking body.
No…
“Mayday.” Was all Crosshair managed, half chocked with tears filling his eyes.
Crosshair felt the fatigue, the dying and then coming back to life again. As that was what had happened right? He had died?
But most of all, he felt deep sorrow. Mayday had died. Crosshair had not felt his pulse when he lay on the icy platform. He felt the tears stinging his eyes. The sobbing soon following as he could not control it.
But before he could dwell on the loss further, control his emotions, his treat, Crosshair was out cold. The darkness consuming him once again.
“The medicine is kicking in.” Tech stated factually. “He will be out for a while.”
“What of our other patient?” Hunter turned back to the cot which Crosshair had realised housed the other clone they had found on the icy platform after landing there, just in the nick of time.
“He, will be out for a longer time. It was touch and go there but I’ve managed to stabilise him with Omega’s help.”
Omega nodded only feeling too tired of everything that had happened, their rescue mission almost gone awry and then the care him and Tech had provided for both of their patients.
“I will make sure they are both comfortable enough.” Tech assured Omega, not wanting for her to worry too much, even if he knew she did.
Thankfully, the Bad Batch had gotten wind of what was happening on the Outpost. The distress signal having been activated on an old GAR frequency. They had had no idea as to whom was sending it. But it was a clone signal just the same and Rex and Echo had sent the squad to go and check it out.
Arriving in time to see Crosshair shoot the imperial officer. Hunter and Wrecker having jumped out from the Marauder mid flight to take care of the imperial troopers. Those ones who had chosen to remain when their Lieutenant had fallen. Most of them having run away though as soon as the shooting had started. Cowards!
Grabbing the two clones lying on the ground. Then making sure there were no other clones around the place, only seeing the clone trooper helmets stacked in a row inside the warehouse they had immediately known what it meant. Checking the cargo and finding it filled with new imperial trooper armour, Hunter had made his decision then and there.
As soon as the Marauder was safely in the air. Wrecker pushed the trigger and the whole structure blew up leaving only rubble behind. A fitting memorial for their fallen kin. The clones having given their lives for the Empire.
“Omega, you should take rest. Go with Wrecker. Tech and I will keep watch.” Hunter assured the Kid.
Omega did not argue rather took up on the offer and made her way to her room, the gunners mount leaving Hunter and Tech to monitor Crosshair and well, his friend.
Hunter hovered over Crosshair for a moment longer before Tech placed his hand on Hunter’s shoulder.
“He will be alright. We found him in time.”
Hunter only nodded and turned towards the other clone.
“And him?”
“He will be fine too. I promise”
Hunter sighed heavily and sat down, palming his face in slight frustration even if the rescue mission had been a success.
“I hope so. Because I have an inkling Crosshair would not forgive us if we lost him.”
Tech sat down next to Hunter.
“Well, guess we know the name of our guest now as well. Mayday.”
“Yeah. I kind of figured that when Cross kept on repeating the word.”
It was totally out of character for sure for Crosshair to be worried about a reg of all people. But both Hunter and Tech had witnessed it. The desperation in Crosshair in his half delirious state.
“Indeed. But we won’t find out more until either of them wakes up again.”