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Crosshair picks his way down the rocky path, Batcher staying close beside him. Every so often she nudges his hand, reminding him of her presence and then he stops. He lays his hand on her leathery skin and she leans into the affection, panting a happy, open mouthed smile.
"Wish I could somehow tell Omega that you're here with me, girl," he says softly. "She would be pleased."
He gives her one more scratch and together they continue down the path to the beach below.
It's still raining lightly and gentle waves lap at the sand. Batcher runs to chase the outgoing water, barking at it in her gruff voice. Crosshair laughs watching her. He surprises himself with how happy he suddenly feels. He reaches into himself for any trace of guilt or heartache and curiously finds none.
He walks along the shore slowly, letting Batcher explore. She runs back to check on him in between sniffing and digging, the wet and heavy sand flying behind her.
Batcher gets further ahead and then she's barking again. She's barking at someone. Crosshair calls her to him trying to make out the figure up ahead. Whoever it is is sitting on the rocks at the shoreline, back turned toward him.
"Hey," he calls, coming up close to the figure. The man turns, a small smile twisting up one side of his mouth, thick goggles framing his face. Crosshair's eyes go wide because it's his brother. It's Tech.
"Tech..." he almost doesn't know what to say at first. His feet are frozen in place. Batcher huffs at him and trots to greet Tech.
His brother stands and moves toward him slowly, both men awkward at first. Tech smiles wider then, opening his arms to Crosshair. And Crosshair can't get to him fast enough and he stumbles into his arms. Tech's tight embrace feels like instant forgiveness. Like everything Crosshair had longed for made right again. A lump rises in his throat but he doesn't cry. Neither man had ever been a hugger in life but this feels...this feels right.
They pull apart. "It is good to see you, Crosshair," Tech says, pushing his goggles up his nose.
"I...I can't even begin to tell you how good it is to see you, Tech," Crosshair says. He keeps looking at his brother's face, remembering his long forgotten expressions, the quirk of his lips. "But, Tech, how are you here?" he asks.
"Didn't Echo tell you at the gate? All clones go to heaven," he states, tone only slightly less matter of fact than Crosshair remembers.
"Yes, but how are you here? Did I imagine you somehow? Are you only in my head?"
"No...I...I cannot explain it. It simply is. You are here, so I am here." Tech is watching him carefully as if he too is remembering his brother. It had been such a long time since they had known each other. Another lifetime.
Crosshair moves to sit on the rocks and Tech sits beside him. Batcher comes to Crosshair's side. He scratches her snout absently.
"That is your pet, Crosshair?" Tech asks, indicating Batcher.
"She was mine in life. Well, mine and Omega's..." Saying her name makes his heart squeeze in his chest. "Her name is Batcher, Omega saved her."
Tech asks about Omega then and Crosshair tells him everything. Words pour out of him. He tells his brother of her life, of her beautiful ship, her friends, the mission they had tried to keep her from. Tells him how proud he would be of everything she had done. He tells Tech the story of how she had saved him.
Tech listens quietly to Crosshair, hearing the pride in his voice. "I am not the least bit surprised by any of that. Omega was always the best of us," he says, pushing his goggles up his nose again. " I am sorry to have missed out on most of her life."
Crosshair looks down, unsure how to reply to this. "I...am sorry too, Tech. More than you will ever know..." Crosshair turns to the creature at his side, rubbing her forehead. He turns back to see his brother watching him.
"I do not blame you, Crosshair. I could never blame you. You are my brother and I love you."
Crosshair has to swallow his sudden tears. He no longer feels the deep ache of regret as he did in life but his eyes feel the burn of tears at the affection in his brother's voice.
He clears his throat "I love you, Tech." It's simple and he says it easily. Something they never would have said in life. He places an arm over his brother's shoulders.
Crosshair is reminded of his restored right hand and he has a sudden question. "Tech, why do you still wear goggles? Echo is completely whole again here, I was given back my hand. It seems like you wouldn't need them to see."
Tech glances at him, smiling a little half smile. "I wear them because I like them."
"Oh," Crosshair says.
Crosshair keeps his arm around his brother and they sit in silence for some time. The sound of the waves moving up and down the shore is like music. The feeling of having nowhere to be and nothing important to do is foreign to Crosshair but he surprises himself at how easily he has already slipped into this peaceful existence.
Batcher moves to Tech's side and nudges his hand. He pats her softly on the head.