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The raid on Tantiss had gone surprisingly well, Rex reckoned as he glanced about the busy medbay full of the rescued and dechipped clone medics, simultaneously taking care of the rescued clones and dechipping them. No one looked to be in mortal danger, as far as Rex could see, most had been able to walk out on their own two legs, though a few had to be carried.
Rex glanced around once more, and paused, freezing on a face that stood out among the others. What was he doing here – where was Echo? Rex whirled on the spot, eyes wide, just to see Echo walking in calmly, heading straight to Rex, who hurried over. “Echo.” He said, and Echo’s eyes face contorted in worry, seeing how his older brother seemed worried – and scared.
“What?” Echo answered quickly, glancing around the room, but he didn’t notice anything.
“What was the last thing you heard about Crosshair?” Echo blinked, clearly confused.
“We - they last saw him when he stayed with the Empire, we haven’t heard of him since.” Echo’s frown deepened as it always did when he thought of the man he still considered his younger brother, who had left them.
“Are you sure? Nothing about him turning traitor, or anything?” Echo scoffed, a bitter scowl taking over his face.
“No, he was their precious Commander last we heard.” Echo’s frown lessened. “Why? Was he mentioned by one of them?”
“No, Echo. Crosshair’s here.” Echo froze, doing a double take of the words Rex said, and turning to look out over the area.
“Crosshair’s here?” Echo repeated, looking around.
Rex raised his hand, pointing to where Crosshair was perched on the end of a medical bunk, snarling at the medics trying to help him. Echo stared, his feet moving on autopilot towards the end of the room, Rex walking after him.
---
“We just want to put bacta on the wound.” Card said hesitantly, trying not to flinch as the clone’s glare switched from Slow to him.
“It doesn’t need bacta.” The incredibly-tall, grey-haired clone hissed at him, his tattooed eye making him seem more menacing.
“It might get infected then.” Card pointed out, trying not to cower away. He wished that Jip or Lens would come over, Card and Slow were only junior medics and had no idea what to do to a patient that refused treatment. He couldn’t force the clone to get it treated, but he couldn’t just let that go untreated. It went against his sense as a medic to let a wound remain untreated.
“Let him put it on himself.” A voice spoke from behind Card, who jumped, to see Echo – the hero of Anaxes! – standing behind him. Unlike his name, Slow handed the bacta patches to the clone so fast he nearly threw them. The clone’s eyes narrowed as he saw Echo, and Card’s widened as he spotted Rex walking up behind.
Rex touched Echo on the shoulder. “I need to go check on the bridge.” Echo nodded, before turning back, smiling slightly at Card who was staring at him wide-eyed. Embarrassed at having been caught, Card turned around to see the clone carefully applying the bacta patch to the bleeding and sore red skin around his neck – likely the result of a collar. Card shuddered. As a medic, he didn’t have to go into Tantniss and see horrors there, but he had to see the products, the beaten and injured clones that were released, and sometimes he thought that the medic had the worst job.
“Can I go now?” The clone spoke – no, snarled with surprising venom in his voice, and Slow flinched, caught off guard where he’d been tidying the medkit.
“Yes.” Card said hesitantly, moving aside to let the clone stand and walk past. The clone stood carefully, towering over Card, and Card tried not to shiver under his glare. Why was he so frightening? He stared wide-eyed, as the clone then proceeded to walk out of the medbay without wrapping the bacta patches.
“Sorry about him.” Echo spoke, stepping over. “I’ll go make sure he gets that wrapped up.” He snatched the roll of bandages, up from the bed, and quickly jogged out. Slow and Card stared, and then slowly turned to face each other.
“What just happened?”
---
“Crosshair!” Echo spoke as he caught up with the taller clone who was pointedly ignoring him, scowl in place. “Crosshair, you need to wrap the bacta or else it will fall off or not work properly.” Crosshair ignored him, striding faster down the hallway.
“Crosshair, I know you probably hate me,” the words broke Echo’s heart to say, “but please take care of your wound.” Crosshair strode on, not looking at Echo.
“Crosshair!” Echo touched Crosshair’s arm, trying to get him to stop, and Crosshair flinched violently, his stride coming to a halt as he threw himself back against the wall. Echo realized Crosshair’s eyes were wide and he was breathing quickly – likely panicking. “I’m sorry Cross-”
“Leave me alone.” Crosshair growled, before turning and walking away. Echo only watched him go, sadness in his eyes.
---
Crosshair was seated in a corner of a random storage cabinet when the door opened. “Crosshair?” Echo’s voice called. “Are you in here?”
Crosshair went motionless. Echo seemed satisfied, as he shut the door a second later, and hearing footsteps move away, Crosshair relaxed, moving his legs out of cover. He did not expect the door to open for a second time.
“Ah.” Echo clearly noticed Crosshair’s legs. “Crosshair? I wanted to talk.” He moved forwards, coming into Crosshair’s view, towering over where the taller clone was seated on the floor.
“You are talking.” Crosshair refused to acknowledge Echo, grinding his teeth in place of a toothpick.
“Did you turn on the Empire, Crosshair?” Echo’s voice was tinged with sadness. Crosshair didn’t answer. “Why didn’t you come with us? We would have taken you still.” He echoed Wrecker’s words.
“What I did was none of your business.” Crosshair hissed, his throat dry.
“Crosshair.”
“Leave me alone, reg.”
---
After that day, Echo didn’t see Crosshair around the ship anywhere for one literal week, though he looked for Crosshair, who was very clearly avoiding him. When he spotted Crosshair at the end of the corridor during a conversation with Howzer, he was off like a bolt, swerving around people. Crosshair’s eyes widened as he saw Echo coming, but he didn’t stop walking away, his long stride causing Echo to have to speed walk to keep up.
“I’m-so-sorry-we-left-you-with-the chip.” He said in one breath, staring at Crosshair’s face, just to see Crosshair pause, his eyes widening and his stride faltering instantly. “We should have come back when we learned it was the chip, Crosshair. You’re our brother, and we left you and I’m so sorry.” Echo was nearly in tears as he said everything as fast as he could.
Tomorrow, they reached a port, and Echo knew Crosshair would sneak off then and not come back but he had to apologize before Crosshair left.
Crosshair seemed taken aback, if his wide eyes were anything to go off of. He finally looked at Echo.
“You-” His voice broke, and Crosshair had to look away, feeling the horribly familiar sting of tears in his eyes. “You meant that?”
Echo nodded vehemently, ignoring the staring clones. “I’m so sorry.” He sniffed. “Please forgive me.” Crosshair was frozen, staring at Echo’s sudden show of emotion.
“You know I can’t just forgive you.” Echo’s heart sank, and his lip wobbled like he was a cadet again – though he’d rarely cried even then. “Not yet.” Echo looked back up, meeting Crosshair’s eyes.
“You forgive me?” He said, wide-eyed.
“Not yet. Later.” Crosshair turned away.
“Thank you, Crosshair.” Echo said, meaning it entirely. “Thank you so much.” He reached out to touch Crosshair’s arm, but he flinched away again, and Echo winced.
“I’m sorry-” He instantly started to apologize, his lip wobbling, close to tears.
“It’s fine.” Crosshair waved it off, and Echo froze as Crosshair rested his arm on Echo’s shoulder. A second later, Crosshair found Echo’s arms around his chest, squeezing his brother hard, as a wet patch appeared on Crosshair’s borrowed civvies.