Work Text:
By the time the Remora is approaching Teth, Gregor’s state has deteriorated rapidly despite the med pack and multiple injections. During the flight, Echo tries to remind himself that the mission wasn’t a complete failure and the plan itself was good. He finds that somewhat hard to believe though as he watches Gregor’s colorless, drawn face, which is usually so lively and alert. It’s hard to say exactly how bad the internal damage is, but it seems the shock of the injury itself has done significant damage to Gregor’s system. It’s a chilling reminder that even Gregor isn’t indestructible.
Howzer is also upset by Gregor’s condition; Echo’s never seen him quite so quiet and stony-faced. Echo’s trying to hide his own concern, but it feels palpable, and he’s not convinced it’s working.
When they touch down into the base’s rubble-strewn courtyard, he can see a number of troopers waiting for them, including Rex, who’s perched on a fallen stone column. His helmet is off, and despite the distance, Echo can make out his worried expression. Echo turns away from the control panel and grips the back of his flight chair hard, trying to steady his mind, before hitting the control to lower the ramp.
Echo moves to Gregor’s side as Nemec and Greer scramble onto the ship, a stretcher between them. Rex is on their heels, and he helps them lift Gregor onto the stretcher, falling into step beside Echo as they head back down the ramp toward the dilapidated monastery. As they cross the courtyard, he glances in Echo’s direction.
“You’ve done everything you could – let them handle it from here.”
Echo furrows his eyebrows, “That’s not true. It happened on my watch, Rex!”
Rex’s face is serious, “You can’t always keep everyone out of harm’s way, Echo. You know I’m speaking from too many experiences to count. Let it go, you blaming yourself isn’t doing Gregor any favors.”
Echo doesn’t look at Rex, and he knows it’s not that simple. He was there when it happened, and he didn’t get Gregor out of the way in time. It was his mistake, and if Gregor dies because of it, well, he wishes Rex luck in convincing him otherwise.
When Echo doesn’t respond, Rex lays a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop. His eyes are bright, daring Echo to argue with him. “You’ve got to let this go, Echo! We’re going to lose a lot of people in this fight, and we all know that. You think Gregor didn’t know this might happen, that he might get hurt? You think he doesn’t go into every mission knowing he might not come back? I don’t care what happened, Echo - it’s not your fault!”
Rex’s face softens at Echo’s pained expression, “You should go get some rest. Once you’ve had a chance to regroup, we can take a look at the data you retrieved. If I hear anything about Gregor’s condition, I’ll let you know.”
Echo nods without speaking and moves off down one of the monastery’s dark passageways, away from Rex.
* * *
Echo has no intention of heading to the barracks, though he’s let Rex believe he’s won this time. As soon as the captain’s footsteps disappear down another passageway, Echo retraces his steps, turning into the med bay passage where he saw Greer and Nemec take Gregor. The ancient stone walls are wet with humidity, the moisture muffling his tread. A little way ahead, he can see an open doorway casting a bright white light into the passage. He glances inside.
They’ve laid Gregor onto his stomach on the makeshift operating table, and Greer is bent over his still form, while Nemec digs through the medical supplies. At Echo’s approach, Nemec looks up and beckons him inside.
“Echo, he’s stable at the moment. Greer says nothing vital’s been compromised, though the blaster did do some damage to the tissue.”
Echo tries to keep his voice steady, “I’m glad to hear it. He was shot point-blank, so I wasn’t sure what to think.”
Greer looks up from where he’s been dressing Gregor’s wound, “There’s a chance of infection – I think we headed that one off, but I’d like to be careful just in case. I’m going to put him in the barracks so that somebody can always be keeping an eye on him.”
Echo nods, “That’s probably wise. Is he still unconscious?”
“Yeah, he is. With the injection I’ve given him, he should be asleep for a while. Give his system a chance to recover.”
“Right. Do you want help getting him to the barracks?”
Greer grins, “If you wouldn’t mind! I’ve got to clean up.”
Nemec and Echo carry Gregor to what the clone underground has dubbed the barracks, a long room with an arched ceiling that is somewhat less moist than the rest of the structure. Marx, one of Howzer’s squad, is stretched out on one of the bedrolls they’ve managed to scrounge up with his feet propped against the wall.
He glances over at them, eyebrows raised, “They got Gregor? No kriffing way!” Marx comes over as they settle Gregor onto a bedroll near the door. “Is he alright?”
Echo retrieves a blanket to prop Gregor’s right shoulder up, “Yeah, he’s stabilized.”
Marx looks curiously at Echo, “What happened?”
“It’s complicated.”
Nemec cuts in, “Did you manage to get the intel before things went south?”
Echo sighs, “Yeah, I did. I’d better get it to Rex.”
* * *
The data they’ve retrieved doesn’t provide any immediate answers, but Rex is confident it at least narrows down their search for Tantiss. After he, Rex, and Howzer have gone through it a number of times, Echo contacts Hunter and Wrecker to update the Batch on what they’ve found, though it hardly seems right to call them that anymore with Tech and Omega gone. Wrecker is hopeful that the intel will get them closer to finding Omega, but Hunter sounds severely disappointed. It’s frustrating not to be able to find anything on the hidden base, but it’s worse knowing how badly Hunter and Wrecker need it. Echo hasn’t mentioned it to anyone, but he’s concerned Hunter might do something drastic if he doesn’t find a lead soon.
Rex is still watching him quizzically. Echo grudgingly lets Rex convince him to eat something, though he decides not to see if there’s anything decent in the kitchen and sticks with rations instead. He doesn’t want to go in there while Gregor’s not around. Echo attempts to take a shift at the watch, but Rex won’t let him, insisting that he and Howzer should take a break after the mission. Howzer accepts Rex’s suggestion without complaint, but the last thing Echo wants is to be alone with his thoughts and nothing to distract him. Echo’s not sure why he can’t let what happened to Gregor go, but if he lets himself think about it for too long, he might lose control of it, and that scares him.
Of course, Rex wins this one too. He always does – that seems to be the price Echo pays for working with him again. In the barracks, Echo stretches out on a bedroll, trying to keep his mind empty of everything except the close darkness. He can sense the wide space around him, hear Howzer breathing softly a few bedrolls away. No one else but Gregor is in here and it’s quiet enough that he can hear a trooper’s footsteps down the passage, and the faint sound of the jungle outside. Somewhere outside the walls there’s the distant sound of what might be a bird calling, but in his mind, Echo hears Gregor cry out in surprise, sees him slide limply to the floor, the awful expression of shock and pain etched on his face.
There really is a low voice calling out. Echo sits up and holds perfectly still, listening hard. It comes again from the end of the room near the doorway.
Echo gets up slowly and walks down to the end of the bedrolls. “Gregor? Gregor, it’s Echo. What do you need?”
There’s a low moan and what sounds like a muffled sob. “Echo… where am I?”
“You’re in the barracks on Teth, Gregor.” Echo crouches down beside him and feels for his forehead. It’s hot and slick, and Gregor’s breathing heavily. “You’ve got a fever – hang on while I get some water.”
By the time he gets back, Gregor’s trying to sit up.
“Slow down, Gregor!”
“I‘ve got to…”
“You’ve got to what?”
“I, I’m…” Gregor seems confused, and Echo gently pushes him back down.
“Here. Lie still, I’ve got some water and an injection that should help break the fever.” Echo flicks on a lamp and carefully injects Gregor’s upper arm before passing him the water. Gregor spills most of it, choking on the little he manages to drink. When he’s recovered his breath, he turns to look at Echo, his eyes too bright.
“Sorry, Echo…”
Echo shakes his head, “Gregor, you’ve got nothing to apologize for! You’re injured and sick, things are just more difficult than usual.”
Gregor ‘s eyes catch Echo’s and hold them. They glitter in the lamplight. After a moment, he raises an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth lifts, “I don’t know… I can be pretty difficult on my own… Are you… sure it’s the fever?”
Echo rolls his eyes.
This time when he gets more water from the filtration tanks, Echo helps Gregor sit up and drink it slowly. He’s impressed Howzer has slept through it all – apparently, he’s perfected what Fives used to call “necessity sleep,” and Su calls “tooka napping.” Echo settles Gregor so that he can breathe more easily, propping his shoulder up so his weight doesn’t reopen the injury. He’s thinking about seeing if Rex is still awake and going through the data again, when Gregor brushes his arm.
“Echo?”
“Yes, Gregor?”
“Do you have to go?”
“I – no. I can stay if you’d like…”
“Yeah, stay…”
Echo settles back down beside him; it’s a better idea to stay here anyway. Soon, Gregor’s breathing steadies and Echo assumes he’s fallen asleep when he feels Gregor’s hand slip into his. It’s surprising, and Echo’s instinct is to pull away, but he resists the urge and closes his own fingers around Gregor’s. The feeling of physical contact, as foreign as it seems, is strangely comforting and he guesses it must be for Gregor too.
If this is how they’ll get through the night, well, Echo isn’t going to argue with that.