Chapter Text
Chapter one
Focus.
Echo, Focus.
He had heard that repeated to him countless times in his life.
During his cadet days on Kamino, he would catch himself repeating the word after long days of training.
Usually, Fives would pinch his arm to make him stop. At the end of those long hard days, Fives would crawl into Echo's cramped bunk and fall asleep beside his batchmate. Echo didn't understand why Fives found it necessary to climb into the cramped tube-like bed with him after hard training days, but now, after everything, Echo understood.
Focus.
Echo sat on the floor of the marauder, back against his bunk. The cool floor registering through his artificial nerves to his partially cybernetic brain. His eyes were closed, his head tilted slightly back against the frame of the bunk.
Echo's left hand sat resting on his thigh, while his scomp fell to the floor spinning slightly every so often.
Focus.
During Echo's time on Skako, he rarely had time to think about anything outside of his current situation. He was always just the algorithm during that time. Every second of consciousness was either painful for him or his brothers. Freedom to think meant freedom to act. And he had tried to act. The scars on his wrist and neck would burn every so often with the memories of what he had tried to do to stop it all.
But, despite still being an active soldier, he felt he had more time to think than he had before the citadel.
Maybe it was because Fives wasn't there to distract him. Pull him into some outlandish prank against some unsuspecting shiny in the 501st. Maybe it was because Fives always had something interesting and new to say. Other clones in the 501st would say he spoke for both of them. Maybe it was because Fives had been more than just Echo's best friend. They were twins. The only twins in their original batch.
Wherever Echo found weakness, Fives found strength. Wherever Fives found Hardship Echo found courage. Through Everything, they had each other.
Until they didn't.
Echo opened his eyes.
The marauder was quiet.
Only Wreckers snoring, and Crosshair's occasional light tired murmur could be heard. Hunter wasn't in bed. Tech wasn't in Hunters, so he assumed they were both awake. He hadn't noticed when he had rolled himself off the bunk, trying to escape his nightmare.
Focus.
I just need to focus.
Echo stood up.
He figured if both Hunter and Tech were up they’d be in the cockpit.
He was right.
As Echo quietly made his way over to the cockpit door, he could hear Hunter arguing with someone on a comm. Echo had grown to understand that Hunter would only argue with someone, especially a higher-ranking official, if whatever was being asked directly affected the Batch. Echo took note and kept trying to listen. Shifting closer to the door, he could barely make out the tapping of Tech's light fingers on his datapad. The young slicer of the batch was always too eager to learn about new missions, chiming in whenever he could. But he didn't. While Hunter continued to argue, Tech stayed silent.
Echo couldn't understand what was causing these kinds of problems at this hour into the rotation, it was well into the 2nd shift, Echo guessed it was between 0200 and 0300.
The Batch was currently travelling to a Republic depot in the outer rim to get fuel and supplies for whatever mission waited for them. Their last mission had been a covert intel retrieval operation on Geonosis. They had completed the mission, it was simple; Break in, grab intel, get out, send the intel to the Republic. Easy.
In the time Echo had been with the batch, every other mission seemed to be just like that. Every mission was different and brought its own challenges, but Echo had grown used to the routine of it. The only time the routine seemed to implode on itself was when the batch had to go to certain planets.
Some planets seemed to put the batch on edge. Fellucia, Geonosis, Coruscant, and Kamino seemed to be at the top of the list.
Still standing outside the cockpit door, Echo tries to listen harder. He was sure Hunter could hear him breathing behind the door at this point.
Echo could make out a faint voice on the comm. A Kaminoan voice.
Echo heard Hunter sit down and end the transmission. He considered whether he should go in or not. As he began to turn back to the bunks, the door opened.
“No use leaving now, we’ve got some things to talk about.” Hunter motioned for Echo to sit in the chair behind Tech, who was pouring every fibre of his brain capacity into his datapad. They both looked exhausted. Hunter's eyes seemed dull and withdrawn. And Techs’ looked more distant than usual. He sat with his back bent so far over, it looked as though he was trying to cave in on himself.
Echo stepped forward and took the seat behind Tech. Hunter sitting in the copilot's chair turned towards him silently and crossed his arms over his chest, his leg bouncing slightly.
Despite the 10 seconds having been in the small cockpit, it had felt like a lifetime. The tension felt like it was going to crush him. Echo considered saying something to hopefully break some of it. But before he got a chance, Hunter took a breath. “We just got a comm from the Kaminoans. They want us back on Kamino for “Testing”. Hunter exaggerated the last word, and Tech gave a slight huff.
Echo was confused. This wasn't the first time Clone Force 99 had been called back to Kamino. In the past, it had been to give certain reports directly to the Kaminoas, or for Unofficial shore leave under the guise of getting new supplies. Even a few times when the Kaminoans thought an injury to a member of the Batch was too extreme for Tech to handle. But this was different, and Echo could feel it. His demeanour went from curiosity to his stoic protective front.
“What do you mean “Testing”?” He asked raising an eyebrow towards his leader. Hunter was now avoiding eye contact.
Tech offered Echo no more than a glance, then answered.
“As you know we are an experimental Batch of clones. Throughout our cadet years on Kamino, it was routine for the Kaminoans to take us from training for said “Testing”.” He paused briefly. Sitting up straighter in his chair but still focused on his datapad. Echo glanced at Hunter, his leg was bouncing slightly harder than before he noted. Tech continued, “In the past being pulled from training for testing meant they were going to experiment and try to “enhance” our abilities. When we were young they would have us do it at the same time.” Tech took a steadying breath. Echo noticed the slicer's hands had a slight tremor to them. If he was nervous his voice was not betraying it. He continued,
“ When the Kaminoans say testing it also can mean experiment. For example, Wrecker and Hunter had grown taller and stronger than me and Crosshair. So the Kaminoans had taken me and Crosshair in the middle of the night to enhance our growth-related genes.” Tech looked up at Hunter, who tilted his head away. Tech was now sitting straight in his chair, his hands now sitting idly around his datapad. He stared blankly at the wall as he continued,
“The thing about growth genetics is that the process of accelerating or even decelerating them can be quite painful. The new stim began working almost instantly. It began altering our genes and causing our bones to grow exponentially.” Tech took another steadying breath, his voice slightly giving away what he was really feeling; fear. He looked down at his hands as he began again, “Every day for 3 weeks we had to endure the stims until our height was adequate. There were times when we would have to drag the other back to the barracks because the rapid growth was excruciating. Unfortunately, I took longer to grow than Crosshair. The last time he had to receive the stims, they released him but kept me. He fought the guards so he could stay. After that, the Kaminoans didn't let any of us go through any sort of procedure or “testing” together. Testing does not mean that that is what the Kaminoans will actually do, but “Testing” looks better on paper to the Republic.” Tech sounded like he was going to continue when Hunter finally spoke up,
“Testing isn't a good thing for this squad, before you joined us they only called us back for it a handful of times and they never ended well.” Hunter looked over to Tech who was now staring into the depths of hyperspace. Hunter stood abruptly his feet hitting hard on the ground causing Tech to be startled and face him.
“Tech set a course for Kamino, then get some sleep I'll finish watch then-” Tech turned towards the console when Echo stood holding up a hand to cover the console and point his scomp at Hunter.
“Hunter you’ve been awake for long enough. I'll plot the course, you and Tech can go sleep for a bit. If this is going to be as bad as I think it is we all need sleep. I'll wake you all when we're an hour out.” Echo watched Hunter begin to form an argument, but Tech shot him a look that said “ He's right, this will not be a pleasant trip” and “ I will sedate you. ” Hunter dropped his head with a huff. Tech rose from the pilot seat, his neck and back cracking slightly. The bags under his eyes seemed to be slightly more noticeable than before.
“The current course we are set for will allow us to change routes for Kamino in 2 hours. You will only need to make a slight adjustment then.” Tech grabbed and stowed his datapad away and began to walk out of the cockpit. Echo shot him a mock salute despite knowing the hyperspace procedure like the back of his singular hand.
Before the door closed the Mechanic looked back at Hunter. Echo noticed something in his little brother's eyes. It was a look of almost sorrow. It set Echo's nerves on edge. Hunter glanced at him but returned his gaze to the floor. Tech turned to Echo who was standing with a more rigid posture than normal.
“Wake me if you need me.” As Tech turned out the doorway Echo heard him mumble “ or a sedative for him.” Hunter heard and shot his head up towards the doorway his younger brother had just been in. Echo let out a light chuckle finally letting out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He then moved to sit in the pilot's chair.
Echo began inputting the coordinate change into the computer as he sat down. He took note of the fact that Hunter was still in the room. Hunter
didn't like to linger or lolligag. It was one of the first things the Arc trooper had noticed about his new CO. But Echo, ever the reg, had a deep appreciation for it.
Hunter was always one to get to the next task immediately. His current task was sleeping, and for some reason, he was avoiding it more than normal.
It hadn't taken long for Echo to notice the Batch's sleep patterns. Wrecker would always find sleep if he wanted it, but it seemed as though he couldn't function like the rest of the Batch when sleep-deprived. Crosshair was similar. If he was tired he never said so. But similar to Wrecker he could usually find sleep with ease. Tech didn't sleep as much as a standard clone would. He did not require as much sleep due to the Kaminoans extended experimentation on his brain. Echo had ruled that Tech could get between 12-36 hours of sleep per week to be fully functional. Any more or less and he seemed to almost lag. Like too much or too little energy sent his brain on the fritz. With Hunter, Echo found that he needed just as much sleep as a standard clone 6-8 hours a night. But Hunter unfortunately had verying bouts of insomnia. When it would get bad Tech would order the leader sleep pills that would knock him out instantly. But with how often the Batch had missions, it was rare for him to have the time to use them. The after-effects of extreme groggyness taking almost half a rotation to wear off sometimes. Time they didn't usually have.
Echo sat inputting the codes slower than normal. Trying to see if the extended silence would cause the exhausted sergeant to relay what was on his mind.
He was right.
“Echo,” Hunter paused.
“What's up sarg?” Echo kept his voice light. He had put on his “facade of besskar” as Wrecker and Tech had called it.
Echo hated being a bother. He cared so much about others, and they always had other stuff going on, why would they need to carry the burden of whatever was going on with him? Echo listened. That's what he did, What he had done, What he always will do. Fives had been the only one to ever coax out whatever was bothering Echo. But even then Echo rarely gave him the deeper details of the issue.
Echo could feel the question brewing in Hunter's head milliseconds before he asked it.
“Did you have another nightmare?”
Despite anticipating the question Echo paused his long drawn-out motions of changing the nav computer cords. He should tell his leader the truth. It wasn't hard, just a nightmare. Hell, they all had nightmares occasionally so they’d understand. Yet Echo still felt like he couldn't admit it. It was always easier, although slightly more embarrassing to wake up from a nightmare because one of the batch heard you having it, and talk about it then. But right now he couldn't.
“No, I just had to use the ‘fresher.” His voice caught at the end of his lie and he coughed hoping Hunter didn't notice. He began inputting the cords again.
“You know if you need or want to talk about it im here right?” Hunter's voice although concerned was betraying his exhaustion.
“I know,” Echo said curtly. He didn't want to talk about it, he never did, and he never would.
“I just think-” Echo turned his chair to cut him off.
“Hunter, I'm fine, didn't have a nightmare just had to piss.” Hunters looked at the Cpl with a little bit of hurt. What he said came off a bit more angry sounding than he liked so he followed up with,
“I'm aright Hunter, I promise. Now get your shebs to bed, gonna have a long day tomorrow.” Echo looked at the sergeant until the leader rubbed a hand down his face finally beginning to cave.
“Wake me up an hour before we arrive, no later. Got it?” Echo rolled his eyes and waved him off turning back to the panel, he heard the door slide shut.
The coordinates were changed. He looked down at the small screen.
“5 hours till arrival”
Echo knew he only needed to stay up for 2 hours to make sure the nav computer adjusted properly and after that, he could wake the grumpy sniper for his shift. But sitting there alone in the cockpit he decided against it.
They need rest.
Hunter wouldn't be happy but Echo felt justified in his decision and reasoning. Echo didn't think he would be subjected to much if any of the Kaminoans tests, so he figured if anyone could be sleep-deprived it would be him.
Echo sat in the cockpit of the Marauder staring into the blue swirls of hyperspace. He hadn't even noticed he had spaced out until the Nav computer alerted him to an upcoming course change. He looked down at the screen blinking away the hazeyness.
The course is right, no obstacles or interfering ships. Perfect.
Echo sat back in the copilot's chair he looked at the Chrono above the windshield, it was nearly 0400. He considered again whether to wake up Crosshair or not but ultimately decided not to. If Crosshair got up Echo would either have to go back to sleep, which he really didn't wanna do, or explain to Crosshair why he didn't want to sleep.
In the time Echo knew Crosshair, Crosshair had figured out both how to get under Echo's skin, and also when Echo was either lying or not letting on the whole truth. And both sucked.
So Echo relaxed more into the pilot's chair, “3 more hours,” he thought to himself.
Echo sat through the silence. His mind drifted. He thought about what Tech had to him about the Batch's history on Kamino. And his heart ached for them. He loved all his brothers but had grown extra fond of the Batch.
Echo's memories on Kamino were never great but were nowhere near as bad as Clone Force 99's. Echo could fathom being the centre of an experiment, but not at the hands of people who helped train them since decantation.
Echo stood up and stretched. Well stretched the best he could, metal and flesh weren't a great mix for flexibility. He took a deep breath and stepped out of the cockpit. The familiar sound of the Batch sleeping filled his ears. A small smile crept onto his lips. Even though he knew the batch was there, he walked into the doorway to the bunks. Hunter was cuddled up next to Tech, a medkit sitting open next to the two clones.
I guess he did sedate him. Echo thought to himself. His smile grew wider.
He gathered the medkit and went to tuck it away in the 'Fresher unit. As he passed Wrecker's bunk he noticed that Lula his beloved tooka doll was missing. Echo's face dropped and he began searching for the lost doll. After a few seconds of searching, he realized it was in the hands of the Snarky sniper sleeping above him. Echo blew out a sigh, he finished putting away the medkit. As he put it in the cabinet he noticed himself in the mirror.
Some of his colours had come back from Skako, though not enough in his opinion. His cheeks weren't as sunken in but his cheekbones still jutted out. It made him nauseous. He stepped out of the fresher and headed back towards the cockpit, but before leaving the bunks he turned one more time and thought of a line from a novel Fives had insisted he read as a cadet,
"I am a soldier, my creed is to protect. I will protect you. As long as I'm alive, you shall feel no pain."
Echo made his way to the cockpit.
I will not let them suffer.
He began prepping himself for whatever was about to come,
2 more hours, he thought.
2 more hours.