Chapter Text
"Havoc One this is Havoc Two, please come in!”
After the comms had crackled into life out of the blue, the coded message on a highly coded channel coming through loud and clear in the otherwise silent ship. The voice slightly distorted as if muffled through a vocoder.
“I repeat, Havoc One, this is Havoc Two calling. Please respond.”
But it was for their use only. Clone Force 99’s internal communications channel! And they were all present there on the Marauder currently. Even Echo having come back to visit his family located on Pabu at the very moment. So all present and counted for… well, but yes. They weren’t on a mission nor having any scheduled either for the foreseeable future. Besides, only the Batchers knew of this frequency, not even Rex was privy to it.
They all exchanged confused glances, the rather perplexed and bewildered expressions donning each member of the team, the lot of them having rushed to the cockpit immediately when the comms came through having heard the all too familiar call sign in the small ship.
A spell passed between them. And then, the message was repeated.
“Havoc One? Anyone on this channel? Please, respond!”
The request sounded urgent, desperate even despite the distortions on the line and the voice.
Hunter nodded to the others, before opening the channel to respond.
“Who are you and why are you on this frequency?”
The channel hissed and crackled for a moment, indicating long range communication was in progress and the connection being somewhat wonky.
“This is… it is me, Tech.”
If the Marauder had been silent before, well, now the room was as deaf as a tomb having been sealed off after the memorial of someone having died. The analogy not far from the truth either, as clearly, someone was talking beyond the grave. It it indeed was whom they claimed to be.
Tech.
Eyes wide, chocked and confused the lot of them stood there unmoving, staring at each other. Mostly at Hunter though, who had a very hard time getting his words out. Trying to respond to any of them. Most of all… Tech?
“Tech… is dead.” Hunter paused and looked at the others around him. As if trying to gather all the courage and support he could from the others. As this, very cruel joke as he thought of it to be, was making Hunter shake to his core. “Why, are you doing this?”
“Hunter…” The tone turning more softer on the other end, “it is really me. I am, Tech.”
“It can’t be…” Hunter refused to believe it, simply shaking his head, the tears prickling behind his eyes.
“Listen Hunter, I don’t have much time… I need to ask you something… something very important and I… we all need your help…”
Those were the very last words uttered before the comms channel suddenly went silent, the static crackling loudly the only sound heard.
“Tech… come back! Please, Tech, respond!”
Hunter cried out in desperation on the line. Wanting to know more, to hear more if this indeed was Tech. Wanting to desperately believe it really was Tech calling them from wherever he was at the very moment. Even if he was taking a risk simply by talking to an unverified source who could have easily been an imperial spy trying to lure the free clones into a trap. It wasn’t unheard of, having known to have happened before.
But there was no response on the other end. Only the constant was the soft sizzle of the static on the open comm line. Either the communication had been severed on the other end… or then, it really was a trap. Whatever it was, none of the others had any answers to give to the devastated looking Hunter.
“Tech…” the word simply dying inside of Hunter’s mouth.