Work Text:
Her ribs feel more suggestive than reality right now. In short, they ache. They feel like fire, burning and stabling all over in plenty of unwanted places. Oh, she’s broken plenty of bones before, and there’s even more injuries to go around. But she could do without two broken ribs, five fractured ones, and a broken arm. Or fractured. Maybe.
She has no idea, and it doesn’t really matter. It just hurts.
Wrecker fractured his spine. Crosshair, luckily, escaped with only a few bruises, and a slight fracture in one his legs, though he’s gonna be stubbornly walking anyway, no doubt. Tech broke his leg. The other one. And got a concussion. And Hunter’s out from mostly really bad bruising, and some slight rib fractures.
Echo, somehow, the idiot, managed to damage one of the implants in his back. He insisted he was fine, though he could barely walk, and AZI patched him up right away. He had to totally rewire the implant.
Going back to Ord Mantell was a last resort, but she had to.
To save her brothers. It was worth it.
At least she hopes it is.
They nearly died. All of them.
She really thought they could pull it off, but thanks to Saw Gerrera, they failed.
She already commed Anakin to Catch him up with the situation. She’s got the feeling he’s going to hunt down the rebel and have some words with him himself. She hopes he does. She doesn’t care what excuse Gerrera has. They’re in this situation right now because of him. Every single one of them nearly died, and they lost their only hope at getting a lead to Fives.
She knows what he means to Echo.
“You’re really thinking about settling down on Pabu permanently?” Echo asks her quietly as they sit at the boys’ bedsides. The twins are out in the main parlor, having woken up right after their treatment. Omega gave them strict orders to take it easy, but she has her doubts about how much they will. Hopefully somewhat.
Hunter and Tech are still out.
“We haven’t decided,” Omega sighs, “But… I think that would be the best thing for us. What about you?”
“I don’t know. We’ve built a network, and we’ve gone some underground, helping others into hiding.”
“You can’t defeat that power,” Omega points out.
“It’s not about winning. It’s about fighting for our brothers.”
“But what about us?”
“To tell the truth, before yesterday, I wouldn’t have thought about it,” Echo replies, “But now… yeah, I saw what happened. I know it’s a battle that needs to be fought. But I didn’t mean to drag all of you in there with me.”
“We chose to go,” Omega reminds.
“This entire mission was my fault, start to finish. I could have waited. I could’ve had Anakin deal with the mission like he wanted from the start. Buti wanted to get you involved. I took you there, and now… We nearly lost more than we got.”
“That’s a risk of choosing to fight,” Omega says quietly, “As long as you do, it’s… going to happen. Maybe you can just… take a break. For a little while.”
Echo huffs a sigh. “I don’t know. You might be right, I just…”
“Shep told me that, too. We might be fighters but what are we more than that? Eventually, we are going to have to put the fight down. The galaxy has changed, and… we have, too. We need to figure out where to go from here on.”
“I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess.”
“I know. But it wasn’t your fault, Echo. Really.” She knows he doesn’t believe her, and why should he? She’s not telling the truth.
Beside her, Hunter stirs, pulling his eyes open with a tired groan.
“Maybe you should keep an eye on the ship,” Omega tells her brother. “I don’t know what we’ll do from here, but as soon as we’re ready to go, we need to get back to Pabu.”
Echo sighs, rubbing his neck. “Yeah. See you soon.”
Omega watches him go, unable to understand the sudden strange finality she feels.
“Hey, kid,” she offers instead of following like part of her aches to, brushing Hunter’s hair form his face. She has a focus right now, and she needs to keep it on her brothers. The only mission that matters anymore, that has since the Empire.
He blinks at her sleepily, smiling faintly, then wincing. “Hey. What happened?”
“The rail car crashed,” Omega replies, “We had to take you back to Ord Mantell. AZI patched us up, but we’re all hurt. I… don’t know where to go from here.” The twins are talking about Lyana. Pabu. They want to go back.
Home.
They called it home.
She needs to talk to Hunter and Tech.
“We – we failed the mission,” Hunter murmurs, Face dropping into a frown. Omega helps him upright, passing him a water bottle.
“We did,” Omega agrees, “I’m starting to think we’re past this part of our life. At least for now.”
Hunter takes a swallow of water, frowning a little in slight confusion. “What does that mean?”
“The galaxy’s changed,” she explains, “And we have, too. We’ve seen a life other than training to be soldiers. We saw what everyone had on Pabu. The twins want to stay there. I thought I should talk to you and Tech about it first.”
“I believe that to be a sound idea,” Tech says, unexpectedly.
Omega’s head snaps to him, and she laughs. “Sorry, I thought you were sleeping.”
“I have been awake for a while,” he answers,
“And I agree. If this is what the twins want, I cannot disagree. I as well believe that might be the best choice for us.”
Omega nods, a small smile on her face, though far more tired than anything else. “Yeah,” she agrees, “I guess, we’ll go to Pabu. It’ll be nice to have a home again. Since… Kamino.” Something’s wrong. She can’t say what, but there’s something prickling at the very edges of her senses, whispering in warning, reminders that they’re still in the Empire’s heat.
“Something’s wrong,” Hunter starts, just as a blaster shot sounds from the back.
Omega scrambles to her feet with a gasp. She grabs her blaster, shooting the door shut. “Hunter, Tech, get through the mining tunnels to the spaceport. Find Echo. I’ll get Wrecker and Crosshair.,” She throws the things Cid has stashed on her secret escape route aside, opening the hatch. “Go!”
“But you’re injured,” Tech argues, “Yu will not be able to fight hem alone.”
“Echo will figure something out. Go.”
She waves the two of them down.
Hunter, with extreme reluctance, obeys. Omega shuts the door over them, throwing the objects back over it. She still needs to get AZI. He’s out there with the twins.
Omega ducks back against the wall by the door as it explodes. She fires at the trooper that enters, and he drops. This is familiar, even if her ribs ache at the movement. She’s gonna hafta hope Echo figures something out fast. She’s not risking Hunter and Tech on top of the twins. Hopefully they actually left.
Omega skids around the corner into the main part of the parlor, inhaling with a sharp hiss when her eyes land on where the twins are in the center of the room, kneeling and at blaster point, glowering with more fire than should be possible on either of them. But they are angry
And, she knows, they are going to explode something. Wrecker no doubt still has way too many explosives on him. Omega would like to see some in action, but she still has to freeze with the two dozen troops gathered around.
“That’s not very strategic, Omega.” Her own angry gaze zeroes in on none other than Hemlock himself. “You know you’re outnumbered.”
AZI is floating in the back of the room, head swiveling between everyone, hands raised fearfully. He’s as scared as she is. But he’s a medical droid. He can’t do much to help.
“The Empire thanks you for your assistance.” Hemlock motions one of the troops to pass a container of credits over to Cid, whose gaze is on her. She looks remorseful, and Omega feels an instant flare of fury. The trandoshan is the one who sold them out, and whatever happened here is on her. “Our business is done. Leave.”
Cid looks like she wants to say something, but she leaves instead. Omega’s furious glare follows her. She can’t believe she trusted that traitor with herself and her brothers. She sold them out, and now… well, Clone Force 99 or not, Omega ha lacks no understanding of the severity of their situation.
“Please, consider your next move very carefully,” Hemlock says, turning to Omega, “I would hate for this to end poorly for both of them. Here is how this is going to go. You will lower your blaster and hand yourself over, and I will allow them to keep breathing.”
“None of us are going anywhere with you,” Omega snaps back, stepping forwards. The guards aim their blasters tighter on her brothers.
Wrecker shakes his head at her, fists rightening. He’s going to try ripping the binders off. Crosshair’s gripping something he’s twisting something between his fingers, trying to pick the cuffs open. Smart, but they need a diversion.
“Oh, well, who knew clones are so paternal?” Hemlock scoffs, “Fascinating.” Omega’s jaw clenches. It aches by now. “If you want to protect these children, turn yourself over. I assure you that you will be well-cared for. As will you.”
“I don’t believe you,” Omega hisses back, though her fingers shake over the trigger. There’s no way out. They are going to kill them if she doesn’t stand down. She has to. For them.
Slowly, Omega crouches, setting her blaster on the ground. Some other troops pass her into the back office. Binders are slapped over her wrists. The troops exit the office behind her. “The other clones aren’t in the office,” they report.
“Told you,” Omega snarks, “You can’t defeat us all.”
Hemlock smirks. “We’ll see.”
Right on cue, a blaster shot fires from the doorway. The others whirl around to their attacker, who dodges out of the way. AZI yelps and flies for cover. Wrecker rips his wrists free, tackling a nearby troop despite being half his side. Omega kicks her blaster to Crosshair, who has already finished freeing himself.
She grabs her bow, firing. “Fall back,” she yells to the twins, shooing them behind her when they sprint to her side. “AZI, go with them! Make sure they get back to the ship.”
The droid flies after as the two of them fall back. It’s a pity Hemlock’s survived the chaos.
The troops are falling back onto the street now, perusing their attackers. Omega tries to follow, only to drop, barely dodging a stun bolt. Omega flips herself over the bar counter, firing back at them. She’s getting the sinking feeling their rescues are actually Hunter and Tech, not Echo. Echo would’ve come with the ship. She doesn’t hear it outside, through there is definitely a lot of blaster fire.
She fries over the counter at the game table they used to spend ages at. It hurts to damage this place, the area where she spent so much time with her brothers. The place that holds so many memories, of the time they were just… here. All that time. This was more of a childhood than her time on Kamino ever was.
She has to duck again. She’s basically pinned down here. Omega fumbles for a smoke bomb and throws it over the edge, rolling from the hiding place and hopefully taking down the duo.
Omega sprints up the stairs into the street.
In the street is… chaos. She sees walkers on the street, and what is definitely her little brothers shooting from the top of a nearby building. “I told you to go,” Omega sighs. She can’t believe she thought they would, but… they have gotten used to functioning without Echo.
“When have we ever followed orders?” Tech snips back, firing again.
The walker fires.
“Look out!” Omega yells. Her brothers scramble for cover as the front of the building explodes. Force. They are going to shoot through the entire planet if they have to. Hemlock is after them, and they won’t stop.
They’re in a tight spot.
There are shuttles combing the area, too.
They need Echo and the Marauder. But she’s starting to realize, more and more, that this isn’t going to work. They’re going to tear this entire place apart, and her brothers aren’t… they aren’t going to make it out.
Omega’s fingers curl over the bow a few more times, firing some shots at the walker to drag its attention from her brothers. She breaks off, sprinting down a nearby alleyway. She can’t stop trying to get out, but… but she’s starting to see fewer and fewer options.
She never wanted to have to turn herself in, but she’s not sure what to do. The twins are nowhere to be seen, but no doubt have found their way to Hutner and Tech by now. She hoes Echo’s flying over here, or – or something.
They need a pickup.
A second walker walks up in front of her.
She really doesn’t want to do this.
Omega slowly lowers her bow and raises her hands.
The stormtroopers are closing in on her. Someone fires a stun blast, and her mind finally – painlessly – goes dark.
***
They skid to a stop at the edge of a building, looking upwards at the ship. It’s flying out. Whatever Hemlock was here for, he came for Omega.
She’s gone.
The vision.
Echo sees it now.
He came back, and Omega was taken. This is on him.
“We need to go,” Tech yells over the chaos.
They make it back to the Marauder. Wrecker is shooting in the gunner’s mount. Tech is helping him fly, like he used to before Echo left.
He’s been gone a month. It suddenly feels like forever. He should have known. How didn’t he? Why didn’t he? Omega’s gone, and… Echo has to keep them safe. Which means he has to do it himself. He owes it to her.
“There was no way to track Hemlock’s ship,” Echo says quietly, admitting what he already knows is going to be his greatest regret. He lost his first squad. And then, in effort to regain the last piece of it, he lost his second. He promised they’d be together forever, and he lied.
Crosshair is holding the energy bow. Hunter’s sitting across from him, quietly fiddling with his knife. He looks exhausted. AZI is floating in the very back, offering awkward comfort. Wrecker slowly climbs down to stand by Crosshair.
“We have to get her back,” Hunter says finally.
“Why would she do that?” Crosshair asks. His voice is wounded and devastated all the same.
The air feels so heavy, it’s hard for him to breathe, and suddenly, Echo feels like he’s at the Rishi outpost again, the smoking pieces of Heavy’s helmet staring up accusingly at him again. “She sacrificed herself to keep us safe,” Echo replies, the same thing he’s told himself a thousand times since that day, “And, after all this, I don’t think we should waste it.”
“What does that mean?” Wrecker asks miserably.
“I think we should stick to her plan. Go back to Pabu and sit this out. Make a new life for ourselves. At least until we’re healed.”
“I am inclined to agree,” Tech says finally.
It feels wrong to leave. But Echo did this. He’s going to make it right.
***
Tantiss is… miserable. Hemlock wants her for some sort of experience that Omega doesn’t understand. She just knows that she’s shooed to the medbay to be looked over, a doctor takes her blood sample, and she’s told to wait there.
Omega’s eyes scan the brothers present. They’re all restrained, and unconscious.
It takes a minute, but she finds him faster than she thought.
Fives. The tattoo on his head is too unmistakable.
It was real.
“You… must be Omega?” a tiny voice asks from behind her.
She stops, twisting and turning back to see a girl about Hunter’s height, maybe a little shorter. Her dark hair is in a ponytail. She’s wearing goggles, similar to Tech, but square-shaped and red-tinted. But Force, she looks so much like Tech. Omega crouches in front of her. “Hi,” she replies, “I am. What are you doing here?”
“I live here,” the girl shrugs. She doesn’t look happy. That’s the first thing Omega notices.
“What about your… family? Parents? What happened to them?”
“I never knew my family,” she replies, “I… just know that I’m your sister.”
Omega blinks. And blinks again. “You’re a clone?” she asks, strangled, and somehow, everything about her makes way more sense. Why would Hemlock have a little girl here unless she was a clone? This isn’t a place for kids.
“I am,” she replies.
“What’s your name?”
In a place like this, Omega expects the answer to be a number, but instead, she answers with a soft “I’m Emerie.”
“I’ve known many clones,” Omega replies, “But never one like you. I thought I was the only female clone. And that my squad and I were part of were the only irregular ones.”
“I read my files once,” Emerie replies, “I was part of another squad. There were four of them. I was the only girl. I know I had a twin, though I don’t remember him. I believe his number was CT-9902.”
Omega makes a quiet, strangled sound in the back of her throat. “Tech has a twin?!”