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The question comes out of nowhere, breaking through the transmission of data like the piercing beam of a search light — startling but welcome. He feels found, somewhere beneath the zeroes and ones where his humanity lurks, waiting and watching for a weakness in the prison of his mind.
“Who are you?”
Not what. Who. The question seeks personhood, seeks him. Found him. Him. Personhood. Humanity.
Him.
Brother.
Soldier.
Friend.
CT-1409. CT-1409. CT-1409…
Echo.
The warmth of open-air burns against skin, curls around frozen metal. His lungs feel a shock of breath, his eyes see blinding light, unhindered by frosted glass. It hurts. Everything hurts. But pain means freedom. Please. Let me out.
The stream of data is cut short, and his mind searches for a timeline. The Citadel. The shuttle. No, I’ll go first. Burning. Fire. A voice screaming his name. Fives. No…
“Echo, it’s Rex. I’m here.”
Rex.
“Rex,” Echo breathes, lungs still burning, “you came back for me.” He reaches out, frozen fingers finding purchase on familiar armor.
“Yes.” The clone captain sounds uncertain. “Yes, I did.”
“What…what happened? Where am I?”
Where’s Fives? I promised him…
Rex holds his hand, puts a comforting grip around Echo’s wrist. “It’s okay, Echo. You’re safe now. Just sit tight, trooper. You’re going home.”
But Rex didn’t answer him.
The timeline shifts. Fives should have come back for him. I kept my promise. I’m alive.
An unfamiliar clone is kneeling at his other side, stilted questions, careful fingers prodding.
Echo ignores him, turning to his captain. “Rex, where’s Fives? What happened to me?”
“Echo, please,” Rex whispers, “I promise I’ll tell you everything…not yet. When you’re stable.”
But that was answer enough. The timeline settles into place. A long time has passed. And so has Fives.
Fives is gone.