Work Text:
“We have the coordinates! Better strap in lads!”
Hunter’s order boomed, or rather croaked, the once velvety tone having turned into a more grumpier Echo like timbre over the years, when their ship was approaching their target location.
“Strap in? Or strap on? Which is it, be more specific Hunter! “
"We didn’t use to need to do that in the olden days. Using seatbelts and all.”
Wrecker truly had his more gilded memories of the good old days of yonder but it was for their own protection, the broken hips and other parts as well protected by the constraints.
“We’re more like geezers than lads now anyway, but yeah, can’t have enough protection!”
“Better do as Hunter says Wrecker, we cannot afford another hip-replacement part for you if you break the one we got for you last month if you fall off of the seat again.
Tech wasn’t joking either, as Wrecker being rather carefree still after all these years of hurting one part of his body or another. But the carefree attitude was something innate for the powerhouse. And so, having already had three times new hipbones replaced alongside one artificial limb he housed, most proudly too!
“Awww… I really hate those belts… they’re… too secure!”
“That is the whole point of them. To keep us safe and strapped in while Tech does his uncontrolled flying yet again!
”
Echo glanced at Tech already at the helm plotting and planning his most devious landing. The genius still having his wits about him, but his eyesight wasn’t the best of the best any more despite his enchanted goggles.
“I can fly quite well, thank you very much!”
Tech initiated the hyperspace engines, the Marauder soon getting into the faster than light speed corridor with a rather loud cough and also jerking and nudging about before settling to the speed of flashing lights all around.
“Pretty!”
“Yeah, if you like that sort of thing!”
“I do!”
“Well, I don’t so don’t bother me!”
The constant bickering of them still very much present no matter their age!
As it was though, the Marauder among the rest of them, had gotten on in years. Not that any of them admitted to it, not for the Marauder and certainly not themselves. Getting old as it was. Feeling young at heart still.
“Need I remind you of the last time you almost crashed our ship when trying to park on a slippery muddy slope side of a mountain?”
Crosshair too had gotten somewhat afraid of Tech’s flying, or rather his landings specifically. Tech’s reckless manoeuvring sometimes a tad off. Then again it had always been slightly off or being toady honest, reckless at best of times!
“Well, any of us can make a simple mistake.”
“And you Tech, have made a lot of them lately.”
They all chuckled then, the teasing never having left the team even with age.
Tech completely ignored the snide remarks. After all, he was still the best pilot of the lot no matter how they teased him about it.
“Our target location is at the end of this jump. We should be there in a few hours.”
“Provided the Marauder feels the need to stop mid jump!”
“Yeah, like last time.”
“Well, she needed a second wind. We all do. But I have recalibrated the engines so should be okay this time.”
“Should be?”
“Yes, Echo. Need I remind you none of as are able to state facts for certain, would have, should have, could have being key for us only.”
“Thanks for the reminder!”
“You’re welcome!”
Ah! Tech and Echo, no matter what, they were always gnawing at each other no matter how they cared for each other. At least some things never changed?
The Marauder taking off with a loud and complaining sputter was not news. For any of them. But they were happy ye ole ship was still with them. As were the rest of their family. The Marauder had been well cared for by the crew even if age was certainly showing and feeling too on the old lady.
But then again, none of them were getting any younger?
*
“Over there, just a few hundred meters away.”
Hunter was scanning the area with his binocs, his prescription ones as he too needed googles where long distances were to be observed, not to mention reading the fine print on a data pad. Who said getting old was easy and glorious?!
“Few hundred? Are you mad Hunter?”
“Yeah, there’s no way to walk that far, especially between three good hips only!”
“Why couldn’t we park closer?”
“That’s it, we’re done!”
“Oh come on fellas, we used to walk farther than that.”
“Need I remind you Hunter, we’re neither fellas or young any more!”
“Yeah, grumpy ole geezers more likely!”
“Hunter, let’s face it we’re too old for this shit!”
“But we have to finish the mission.”
“Why Hunter? Why us? We’ve done our bit for king and country, time to throw in the towel.”
“Yeah, Hunt. We’re just gonna blow this thing up anyway.”
“We promised Rex…”
“No, you begged Rex for us to get this op, remember? To prove we weren’t that old!”
“Yeah, why us?”
“Because…”
“Because you wanted to prove we’re still worthy. That we’re still the best of the best of the best.”
Tech had hit the head of the nail with his proverbial hammer.
“Fine! Yes! That. I needed them to know we’re still needed. Worthy and capable and… all of it!”
“Hunt. We are all that. But we can do other things than missions.”
“Yeah Hunter. We’ve done our bit. We’ve earned our rest. And retirement too!”
“I wanted to go fishing!”
“And I had an art class!”
“I just wanted to hang, but oh no…”
Hunter was silent for a long moment. They weren’t wrong about Hunter’s motivations. But he could see their point too. They were worthy even without running ops. They had done more than enough.
So why had Hunter neem so adamant about going on a mission?
Seeing his family’s tired faces staring back at him, Hunter knew he had oversold their eagerness and willingness to Rex. Most likely his own feelings and emotions doing the trick.
The others were right. The just needed to hang, do their thing, live their lives and not be a squad any more, rather a retired family.
“Do, what do you suggest we do then?”
“Well, we finish the mission as promised and then retire for good.”
“You sure?”
“Yup, one more for the old times sake!”
“And then we go home.”
“I could do with a nice long hot soak.”
“Me too.”
“I’m in!”
“Yup, it does wonders for the aching joints.”
“Okay then, we good to go?”
Hunter was worried the yammering of the warm baths would continue and their mission would become scrapped after all.
“Yeah Hunter. Let’s go!”
“Yeah Boss! I wanna blow something up!”
“Careful to not loosing any more limbs Wrecker!”
“Yeah, yeah!”
*
Later, on Pabu.
They were all in the large size jacuzzi. The bubbling warm waters truly working miracles on their tired and achy bodies. The mission having been a success in the end even if it had taken some time for them to get back to the Marauder Two, Marauder for short. Yes, they rebuilt the broken one… well, built a new one all those years ago.
Hunter had officially handed over their resignation to Rex and so here they were, free agents again. Not that they hadn’t been that before, running only selected ops the past several years since retiring on Pabu.
But from now on it was just them doing nothing. Or whatever.
Or fishing and stuff they really enjoyed to do these days.
“Cheers!”
“Happy retirement to us all!”
“So Hunter. What’s the plan then?”
“No plan.”
“So, just hang.”
“Yup, that’s the ticket laddies.”
“What if we get bored?”
Oh oh, that wasn’t part of the plan!
“Then, guess we ask for a mission.”
Hunter leaned back, he got them good for sure!
Knowing boredom would descend soon enough and Hunter had kind of promised Rex. That if and when needed, they would go and help out. Yup, simple but effective planning from Hunter! As he certainly wasn’t too old to hang up his blaster. Not when the galaxy needed them. Never mind a few broken hips.
“Hunter…”
“Yes Cross?”
“No. More. Missions.”
“Yeah?”
“No.”