Chapter Text
‘In my book, experience outranks everything.’ Captain Rex
After Skako Minor Echo had pressed on. Wanting to do the more even if that hadn’t exactly been the goal for his squad, the Bad Batch. Especially after the war had ended.
Joining Rex’s cause, things had changed. For the better or worse was undecided. Echo was risking his own life for the sake of others while taking on missions so dangerous they might just be wrong. As he truly felt there was a lot he owed, to the universe, to his kin.
Some might say this had not always the case. Echo not always being this way, the one for sacrifice for the sake of others. But Rex knew better. Echo was always the one to put others lives ahead of his. Even as a shiny when the two had first met a long time ago. On Rishi Moon.
Some time ago, in the past
“Echo, we need to leave. Now!” Rex urged the Arc Trooper still trying to save the mission.
The mission having gone badly from get go. The intel having been totally bad and their squad pinned to their current position not able to move forward. Their options getting slimmer each passing moment.
“You take the others and go. I will wait a while longer.” Echo half snapped at his Captain.
Echo wanted to give their compromised contact a fighting chance. Getting them out from enemy territory while they still could. But them being a no show was putting the rest of the extraction team at risk and Rex was feeling antsy, wanting to save his squad.
“Echo. They could be dead for all we know.” Rex tried again.
Not wanting to risk his team, his friends to get one person out even if their contact had done a great service to them all already. Still, being a double agent always had its risks. Rex knew and so did the agent as well. But Echo was a hard one to convince otherwise.
“You go. I’ll stay.” Echo was adamant and when he got like this there really was no changing his mind.
Rex sighed and then made the hand sign for the others to move out and get back to the ship while there still was time before the enemy would box them in completely.
“Alright. Then we wait. Together.”
They could not move forward to look for their missing agent either, the only option remaining to wait for them where they were. Hoping the agent would be able to find them in time.
Echo gave Rex a sideway glance. “You don’t have to. There is really no need for both of us to risk our lives.”
“Of course I do. I would never leave you behind.” Rex had made his mind up and Echo knew there was no trying to convince the Captain otherwise.
Echo only nodded. The silence between them descending quickly. The blaster fire in the distance the only noise heard. The enemy yet to have pinpointed where the two were hiding. Always a good thing.
“What made you think they would still be on their way?” Rex just had to ask.
“Gut feeling.” It was a simple answer. But Echo had always had a sixth sense about these things. And Rex had learnt to trust them early on. “And we don’t leave our people behind.” Echo reminded Rex of the mantra the clones went by.
It was Rex’s turn to nod. Even if the very same sentiment would come to bite him in the shebs at a later point in life. To haunt the Captain until such time a rescue mission was deployed to get back his Arc Trooper. Echo.
The two waited for the longest of whiles.
Suddenly they heard the shuffle of feet nearby. Someone with an unsteady beat to them walking their way.
Echo scanned the area with his binocs. He could see someone limping, heading their way. It was their contact!
“It’s them.” Echo was up and running towards the agent before Rex could even react.
“We’re here to help you.” Echo told them and immediately gave the agent his support.
Rex was there in a quick dash. Helping Echo with the injured agent.
Supporting their contact on either side while making their way slowly towards the ship, to safety. Reaching the vessel with the aid of their squad giving them the needed cover fire as the enemy had noticed the trio by the time they were out in the open.
Once inside, the ship taking off Rex turned to speak to Echo. “Guess you were right. For us to wait for them.”
“Would have been bad for them if I hadn’t.” Echo wasn’t taking any credit for his actions, but he knew he would have regretted it if he had not stayed for a little while longer.
“You’re a good soldier. A good person, Echo.” Rex sometimes worried Echo trusted people and things a little too blindly, but once again proving to Rex that Echo was usually right about these things.
“Like I said, it was a gut feeling.” Echo smiled at Rex. “Thanks for trusting me.”
“Always, Echo. Always.”
*
Present day
“Give me a few more minutes. We need this data.” Echo sounded commanding and adamant, perhaps a little frustrated too, the mission having not exactly gone as planned. “Go and make sure the prisoners get to safety.”
“But you will have no cover. The imps will start boarding soon enough. They’re really close already.” Fireball tried to warn Echo as he did not like leaving Echo behind. All alone. Without backup.
“I’ll be fine. Just. Go.” Echo knew they needed the data buried deep inside the ship’s databanks and he wasn’t about to leave without it. Or then die trying. Not a great option, but he needed to try at least. This was too important.
Fireball stood there for a moment, unmoving.
“Go! That’s an order!” Echo barked not wanting to put anyone else in danger. Their mission was to rescue clones, not to loose them.
Fireball saluted Echo and left. There was precious time to get all the prisoners off of the ship, the imperials too close for comfort.
Echo glared at the screen, the data pouring into the data rod. The download hanging at ninety-nine percent adamantly not budging. An omen perhaps? Something else?
Echo had left the Batch to join Rex’s cause after all. Because he needed to. Simple as that. Saving the clones was his priority now. Guess it always had been. And so, omens be damned!
There were shots fired nearby. His communicator crackled to life.
“We’re all clear. Waiting for you.” Gregor’s voice came over the comms. “The imps are already on board!”
“Roger that! One more minute!” Echo half whispered.
“Echo!” Gregor shouted.
But Echo cut off the communicator.
Echo glared at the computer. As if willing it to go faster. One karking percent pending!
He could already hear the footfalls in the corridor leading to the bridge. But he wasn’t budging. They were getting closer though. And just then, the download indicator hit a hundred, blinking green.
Echo detached the rod and glanced at the corridor. The imperial troopers were closing in on his position. Making a split second decision, Echo commed Gregor.
“I will take an alternate route out. You need to pick me up as quickly as possible.” Echo warned him.
“What alternate route?” Gregor sounded baffled.
Echo quickly closed the door leading to the bridge, shooting the keypad he bought a few moments of time. He then proceeded towards the viewport. Placing a small explosive there.
“Gregor. You have a minute before I run out of air.”
Just then, Echo pushed the detonator. The viewport screen imploded, sucking out all air from the bridge sending Echo flying out from the transport ship.
“Karking Arcs!” Gregor cursed as he manoeuvred their ship in the path of the floating Arc Trooper, managing to grapple Echo just in the nick of time, the hook’s cord reeling him inside the ship.
Fireball and Howzer were already waiting by the airlock. Grabbing a hold of Echo dragging him inside the last few metres.
“We got him Gregs! Go go go!”
Gregor took the transport vessel to hyperspace, leaving the imperials behind in their wake.
“You okay Echs?” Howzer asked the Arc glancing at him with a worried look trying to see whether he was still breathing.
Echo removed his helmet, the soft hissing sound indicating it had been pressurised. Taking a few shaky breaths a soft smirk emerged on Echo’s face.
“Yeah. I’m okay.”
“That, was one helluva ride you just took!” Fireball quipped smacking Echo on the back.
“Sure was.” Was all Echo managed, still catching his breath. “It sure was.”
And it had been all worth it in Echo’s book. They had the clones and the data. All and all a very successful mission!