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This was always our fight
The loud, crushing sounds of the waterfall were filling the scene.
Crosshair had his vibroknife out, but he was growing weak each passing moment. The shakes from Mount Tantiss were back and it was all thanks to the Shadow.
The CX-2 trooper he was fighting with at the moment.
Crosshair had managed in holding his own against the special trooper, but it was becoming more and more difficult to keep going.
The two had been at it for a while, fighting.
It was a combat to the death, that much was obvious. Crosshair having gone after the imperial clone while the rest of his team was trying to get to the rendezvous with Echo after their crash-landing.
“You could have been one of us, Crosshair. Why did you betray us, brother?”
The voice might have been distorted by the vocoder, but Crosshair could tell the subtle nuances in there, those speaking volumes as to whom the Shadow Trooper really was behind the mask.
“If you come with me, we can still change that.” The Shadow promised.
Crosshair having been part of the program with some of the details still fuzzy. But something having stuck to him just the same. Something he was only now realising to be the truth. As if someone having tried to erase the memories from his mind. And perhaps they had but not successfully so.
“And, you can be one of us again.” Crosshair knew what he was offering for CX-2, the Shadow at the very moment.
The knives clashed again. CX-2 almost as good as Crosshair with his own weapon. After all, they had sparred like this before.
“There is no going back. You, if anyone should know this fact.”
Crosshair felt more powerful suddenly. Keeping the Shadow talking was clearly weakening his resolve in trying to end Crosshair. As that was his goal still, even if the words spoken out before had suggested something different.
“No, it’s never too late. For any of us!”
Crosshair shoved the Shadow just then. One fatal slip, the bionic legs not as good in water as the human legs were. Echo if anyone knew this very fact.
CX-2 falling flat on his back, Crosshair right on top of him. Holding the enemy trooper down.
“You cannot win.” The Shadow spat.
It sounded so angry, perhaps a little sad too, even if they were supposed to be programmed to be neutral. Something in there from deep within shining through his programming.
“Yeah?” Crosshair held CX-2 down, his own strength growing, the resolve suddenly in place. As if something having clicked inside of him.“Guess again.”
Just then, he could hear the voices in the distance, the others calling out to him.
“Over here!”
CX-2 tried to struggle, to get away. But Crosshair had made his choice. He was adamant, hellbent in his efforts, to not let go.
“You believed in me. Before. Now, it is my turn to return the favour.” Crosshair hissed.
Crosshair sounded serious too, holding onto CX-2 for dear life. The others arriving on site, their weapons drawn as they neared the duo on the ground.
“Use stun setting!” Crosshair shouted to Hunter and Howzer, the two standing closest to Crosshair and CX-2.
Hunter fired the shot. Once, twice, CX-2 loosing all consciousness. Never questioning Crosshair’s order as Hunter had taken the shot.
They were all there. All the Rebel clones having gotten away, thankfully, when the base had been attacked. The lot of them now surrounding Crosshair and CX-2, both still on the ground.
“Why stun him?” Wrecker asked, not sure what was happening.
“This, is why.”
Crosshair released the pressure lock of the specially designed helmet of the Shadow Trooper. The face of CX-2 suddenly revealed to them all. With all the Rebel clones there, staring in total and utter disbelief at the one on the ground.
“Tech!” Omega’s voice was but a whisper, crying out the name of the one she had never thought of seeing again.
“You knew?” Rex asked of Crosshair.
“I had an inkling. A faint memory of sorts.” Crosshair admitted as much.
Rex could only nod. This being a small victory in a new war, a civil war, they were all part of again.