Chapter Text
“Tech?”
“Tech, can you hear us?”
He was trying so hard to fight his way back but he couldn’t. The darkness all consuming around him. But the voices… they were calling to him. Pleading for him to return. All of them so familiar, so soothing, and yet he could not. No matter how hard he fought for it, he could not go back.
“Tech? Love?”
A spell passed, the voices started fading.
“We miss you so much Tech… Please, come back to us!”
Alas the pleads were never requited, Tech, as he was called simply collapsing back into the place where nothing moved or stirred. Only there was the darkness he was used to now.
*
The soft bleeps and rattles of the machines next to Tech’s bed were the only sounds heard for the longest while in the otherwise quiet room of the med bay on Rex’s Rebel Base.
The heart rate monitor indication a regular rhythm of the sleeping beauty with nothing indicating anything being wrong with the patient. The brain scanner rigged for high alert for any sudden changes.
Alas, Tech, had yet to wake up.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Hunter knew he was pressing without much reason, asking once again from Emerie whyTech’s recovery had not exactly gone to plan.
“I cannot see anything on the brain scan. It’s all clear. He should by all accounts be up and about.”
Emerie glanced at Echo, him shaking his head to her being as baffled as Emerie was about the reason why Tech had not recovered like the others in the cryo chambers had.
“It should have worked Hunter.” Echo told him for the umpteenth time, placing his hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, but there is no good reason why this,” he motioned at Tech’s direction in general, “did not work. He is breathing on his own accord. He is alive, medically speaking.”
Echo was as worried, as heartbroken too as Hunter was. Only Echo wasn’t showing it as openly as Hunter was even if he was crying inside just the same. The desperation never something Echo showed or let it hinder his work. Echo and Emerie having tried everything they could to revive Tech.
Hunter slumped back into the seat he had been occupying ever since Tech had been brought to the recovery room after his deprogramming and cryo freeze had completed. Watching over the sleeping man.
Hunter, having never budged from Tech’s side even if the others had been there as well spending their time with the still sleeping Tech. Coming and going, reading, talking and even singing to Tech, trying to connect with him in whatever way they could.
But Hunter, had not shied away from Tech’s side.
Echo took the seat right next to Hunter, Emerie leaving them alone with Tech.
Emerie too was feeling what the other clones were feeling even if she had never actually met Tech. Not really. Her having been a major part of his deprogramming process and all, digging around the genius’ brain and having come across a few of Tech’s memories in the process. And yet she still did not feel like a part of the family, even if Emerie had been welcomed to the fold with open arms.
The two of them, Emerie and Echo having found some of Hemlock’s conditioning inside several of the now thawed cryo clones was the reason they had needed to deprogram Tech as well. Clearly, Hemlock having had plans for the clones having been kept in deep freeze. Something for his sinister projects he seemed to have had so many. Alas thankfully, Hemlock would never have the chance now to hurt them again.
The deprogramming having worked just fine for them all.
Alas, Tech being the one not waking up while the rest of the clones had. Then again, Tech had suffered a fall even if most of the injuries had been dealt with during his time on Tantiss. Tech now housing a pair of artificial legs, the suspect being he had landed on his feet and them having been broken beyond repair. At least that was what they were going with. Then again, with Hemlock, one could never be certain. Still, the speculation was all moot now. Hemlock was out of their lives for good and Tech was not broken any more.
Well, not physically any way.
“Hunter, you need some rest.”
“I can sleep right here just fine.”
Hunter was grumpy, tired, feeling all kinds of bad ways.
Echo could understand him easily. Them all having been so close in get their missing partner back, their family member. And yet, Tech did not seem to want to come back to them.
“Okay, fine, Hunt.” Echo knew well enough to leave Hunter alone when he was like this. “I will get some food sent to you from the mess again. I still have some work to do so, I will check up with you in a few.”
Echo got up and kissed Hunter on his cheek. Then moving over Tech’s bed, hovering there for a moment, before leaning in and placing a soft peck on Tech’s forehead before speaking to the sleeping beauty in a soft whisper.
“Oh Tech, I only wish you want to wake up.”
As Echo had developed an idea, this was a mental thing, Tech not wanting to wake up. Having only shared it with Emerie so far. Not daring to tell the others. But if Tech wasn’t going to wake up soon, Echo needed to share what he suspected and perhaps, together, they could figure out something?
Hunter felt his heart ache. He wasn’t the only one missing Tech. Especially now that he was here again, alive but not really. With them but not. And seeing how Echo and the other behaved around Tech, all loving and caring, well, Hunter felt even worse. Still blaming himself, on some level even if they had all assured Hunter it had never been Hunter’s fault to being with. It had always been Tech’s choice to make. Plan 99. Something they all needed to respect.
Echo nodded to Hunter as he left to do his work. Leaving the scout alone to watch over Tech.