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Chapter Text

Crosshair’s brain felt numb as the distinct sound of children laughing flooded the air.  He sat with his shoulder blades pressed against the massive weeping maya tree at the top of Pabu.  It had only been one day since he and his family escaped Mount Tantiss and arrived safely back on the island.  They were finally free, no longer being chased by the Empire.  Despite that, all he could do upon their triumphant return was stare blankly at the endless blue sky and puffy white clouds that inhabited it.

“Would you like to know what I have been researching, Crosshair?” Tech had asked back when they were cadets watching a thunderstorm out the window of their barracks.

“Sure,” Crosshair had nodded, giving his goggled brother his full attention.

Tech smiled, thrilled at his brother’s interest.  “Well… Simply put, clouds are built of water vapor that has been condensed into a form of either liquid or ice.  Unlike average water vapor, substances such as water droplets or ice crystals are visible, hence why we are able to detect the clouds in the sky at this present moment,” Tech had explained.  “The thunderstorm clouds we are observing now are known as cumulonimbus clouds.  These are typically what we see on Kamino, given the planet is oftentimes storming.”

That was the earliest ramble that Crosshair could remember from his intelligent brother.  The beginning of many more to come.  And now?  Now he would never hear his voice again.

The cumulus clouds above him shifted ever so slightly, floating aimlessly in a mesmerizingly slow dance.  Crosshair was never particularly fond of having grown up on the stormy planet of Kamino.  He and his brothers’ childhoods were filled with intensely brutal trainings and testings.  If he hadn’t been brought up on the cloudy and watery wasteland though, Tech wouldn’t have had the opportunity to teach him so in depth about the various types of clouds.  He never would have gotten the chance to learn the difference between the words cumulus and cumulonimbus…  On second thought, Tech probably would have found a different avenue to inform him of such, regardless.  If Tech ever put his mind to something, he always would have achieved it.

Crosshair swallowed thickly.  They were free, but at what cost?  How could he possibly enjoy this gift of freedom without the brother who had so selflessly granted it to them?  This was all wrong.  It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

It had taken a few hours back on Pabu for it all to fully sink in.  Crosshair had temporarily basked in the immediate relief of not being actively hunted down.  His body was on autopilot… Truthfully, all his siblings’ bodies had been.  The initial realization that they, a group of clones, had actually done it… They’d pulled off rescuing not only Omega, but countless others from the infamously horrific Mount Tantiss… a base where clone testing ran rampant.  It was unfathomably poetic, really.

That victorious group of clones was undoubtably incomplete though.  They were missing a key member.

Now, it was time for them all to grieve.  They weren’t on pure survival mode anymore.  The blood that pumped through their veins wasn’t mixed with adrenaline, acting as the potent fuel required for them to push forward. 

Now, the autopilot was shut down. 

…And they no longer had their beloved pilot. 

All that was left to occupy their souls was the insurmountable weight of true pain and profound loss.

The cheeriness from the villagers and former prisoners felt like they were mocking him.  The thought of ever being truly happy again felt impossible.

The sniper vaguely wondered if his jaw would break from clenching it so hard.  If that was a possibility, surely it would have happened within the past hour or so of him sitting here… right?

In a motion performed countless times, Crosshair reached into a hidden part of his armor to pull out his small box of toothpicks.  It was travel-sized, or as Tech had called it, battle-sized.  So that Crosshair didn’t have to carry around a full-sized box of toothpicks all the time, Tech had taken it upon himself to craft his brother a more portable container.

Considering the inner turmoil he was facing; Crosshair wasn’t at all surprised that the toothpick snapped only seconds after being placed into his mouth.

Tired and absolutely fed up with the persisting gleeful noises that erupted around him, Crosshair readied himself to stand up.  He positioned his arms behind him and pressed down with his hands to rise. 

Then, an excruciating pain erupted from his right wrist.

“Kriff!” Crosshair hissed as he fell back down against the trunk of the tree, wincing as his tailbone collided unpleasantly with the hard tree trunk.  He yanked his right arm up only to be face to face with yet another shiny aspect of his new reality… The stump where his hand used to be.  His shooting hand.  His kriffing trembly shooting hand.

He awkwardly managed to stand up with the help of his remaining, non-dominant hand.  His tailbone, now surely bruised, didn’t make the motion any easier.  Crosshair grumbled under his breath, his throbbing wrist partially influencing his colorful dialogue.

In his peripheral vision, he could have sworn he had at least one set of eyes on him.  He might have lost his hand, but his vision was still as exceptional as ever.  He knew when he had eyes on him…  It was a trait of a good sniper.  Whoever it was probably thought he was just as useless as he perceived himself to be.

He didn’t belong here.

Storming off, Crosshair fled the populated upper level of Pabu.  The winding roads that led to the home they had been generously given, were relatively empty.  Good.  He didn’t want to interact with anyone right now.

A moon-yo tugged at his armored leg as he fiddled with the keys to unlock the door.  He carefully pried the playful primate off before retreating into the nearly pitch-black insides of the house.  Shutting the door relieved him of the bright light.  He deeply exhaled as he trudged along towards his small room, immediately locking it upon entry.

Despite the darkness that covered the room, he could still see perfectly fine due to his enhanced eyesight.  Plus, the blinds on the tiny round window allowed unwanted light inside anyway.  He considered boarding it up somehow… Maybe with some of the remnant scrap metal they salvaged from the Marauder.

Crosshair stripped off his armor in the familiar fashion he had done his entire life.  It wasn’t worth the effort of stacking it neatly in the corner, so the pieces just fell wherever gravity decided to take them.  Too emotionally exhausted to take off his blacks, he slumped onto the mattress still dressed in them.  He didn’t even own any regular clothes yet to change into anyway.  The outfit he and his sister stole on Lau while escaping from Mount Tantiss the first time, definitely didn’t count in his eyes.  It only brought up more depressing memories, and there were already enough of those to last many lifetimes.

He fell asleep drowning himself with thoughts of emptiness, hopelessness, and memories from a simpler time.  Ugh… He really was quite literally living and dreaming- the dream, wasn’t he?

When he groggily awoke, he felt just as dull as he had the day before. 

The morning began with Hunter, Wrecker, and Omega trying to convince him to come along for a relaxing day at the beach.  The three beach lovers were sitting around the circular dining room table, munching on breakfast someone had prepared.  Crosshair couldn’t have been bothered to distinguish whom had been the one to put together the early morning meal.  Echo was busy in the next room, presumably having already finished his food.  Clearly the sniper had uncharacteristically slept in.  Wasn’t like he was missing out on anything anyway… maybe just more sorrowful thoughts?  It didn’t matter that he was living in literal paradise now.

“Come on, Crosshair!” Omega begged with her mouth full, chewing on a piece of juicy meiloorun fruit.  Hunter made eye contact with her and clearly exaggerated chewing his own food with a closed mouth, acting as a proper example as to what she should be doing.  Table etiquette wasn’t a priority while living on the Marauder, but now was as good of a time as ever to begin enforcing it.  Omega gave him a bashful smirk as the juice dripped down her chin.

“Not today,” the sniper mumbled, keeping his eyes on his plate.  He shifted the dish’s contents around with his fork.

“Aww!” Omega pouted.  “Pleaseee!”

“That’s enough, kid,” Hunter interrupted gently.  “Cross probably has other matters he’s gotta attend to first.”  He said the last part with his eyes set on Crosshair.

Crosshair gulped subtly as Hunter studied his face.  The expert tracker was superb at a variety of different skills, all of which the sniper himself found undoubtably impressive.  What mildly freaked him out though, was just how far his talents spread.  Oftentimes, it felt as if Hunter could read his neutral face and unlock all his underlying secrets.  He supposed he shouldn’t be too surprised, considering his bandana-enthusiast-of-a-brother could literally hear his heartbeat and essentially smell his discomfort and fear.

Omega had thankfully stopped her pleading, giving up after Hunter gave her a basic excuse on Crosshair’s behalf.

To Crosshair, the truth of the matter was that he just couldn’t accompany them.  He shouldn’t get the privilege to relax.  He didn’t deserve it.  Not him, anyway. 

Staying home wasn’t an option either, seeing as Echo was staying inside to call Rex.  Leave it to the reg to get back to work just a measly couple days after their return.

Even more stoic than the day before, Crosshair set off to sit by the tree again.  Donned in his black and red armor, his steps felt achingly heavy.  It was almost as if his body didn’t want to move and that he was forcing it to perform some unnatural phenomenon.

His tailbone still hurt from yesterday’s unpleasant encounter with the same tree trunk.  The town square was filled with the sound of the island’s residents casually going about their day, laughing and making small talk.  There could have been three people or 1,000 for all he could care.  His brain didn’t even attempt to register the environment around him.  He was completely and utterly numb to the outside world.

How cruel it was that life still went on without a hitch around him, all while he was held at a standstill.

The noise of the island rung in his ears, sounding much worse than the screeching call of a keeradak.  If he really wanted to hear the call of a keeradak again, all he had to do was go back to the Batch’s shared residence, pick up their datapad, pull up the files Tech had downloaded/shared with all of them, and find the one that contained the recording of the keeradak call Tech had collected on Skako Minor. 

Crosshair instinctively reached back to grab a much-needed toothpick from the box Tech had made for him.  This time, he was met with its alarming absence.  Frantically searching all hidden compartments of his armor, he felt his heartrate spike.  He clenched his teeth together impossibly tighter than he had the day before.  The box was nowhere to be found.  His eyes stung at the additional loss.

Rising to his feet was still awkward, thanks to his lack of a right hand, but he managed.  His eyes were blurry, but he didn’t dare let any tears fall.  There were too many people around and he just couldn’t allow that to happen…  He wouldn’t.

Wanting nothing but the isolating sensation of solitude, Crosshair crossed his fingers and hoped nobody was down by the rocks.  The spot where Omega took him to meditate was typically free from people besides the two of them.  Since Omega was with the others at the beach, he figured the area should be desolate.

As he walked, the act of keeping his face drawn to his feet only helped in pulling his tears more towards the surface.  Instead, he opted to look up at the sky.  The cumulus clouds stared back.

Chapter Text

Before departing from the tree, he had circled its trunk twice hoping that somehow, he’d remarkably find the box.  Maybe he had dropped it there the day before when he left in such a haste.  But nothing... Just dirt.  That morning, he had walked the same route to the tree as he did the previous day, and he definitely hadn’t passed the very identifiable toothpick box.

He had already been at his wits end and now this?  Could nothing go right?  Could he do anything right?!  He couldn’t even manage to keep his treasured tiny box from Tech safe.

“Hopefully this container I constructed for you will serve as a solution to your so called… toothpick issue,” Tech said amused, handing off his miniature creation.

Crosshair raised one of his eyebrows as he accepted the gift.  It was true…  He had been frustrated recently about not having a proper place to store his beloved toothpicks.  The Batch was by no means swimming in credits, so he never attempted to purchase anything to solve his trivial dilemma.  It wasn’t something he had openly complained about either.  Tech was always astute to every detail, no matter how minor they may have been.  The fact of the matter was that his brother had noticed something he needed and made something to help address the issue.  “Thanks, Tech…”

With a heart pumping a concoction of irritation and despair instead of blood, Crosshair arrived at the vacant rocks by the water.

Collapsing on his knees wasn’t that painful.  His plastoid armor took the brunt of the impact from the hard rock below him.  Even if it did hurt, it wasn’t like he’d be able to internally register it anyway.

Waves lapped up against the short cliffside.  The noise of the water was the only external stimuli Crosshair vaguely processed.  Blankly, he stared ahead at nothing in particular.

One of the things Crosshair had always prided himself on was his incredibly accurate ability to know when someone had eyes on him.  Similarly to Hunter, it was rare that he was ever caught off guard.

For that reason, the last thing he expected was for a woman’s voice to break him out of his dreary trance.

“Excuse me?”

Crosshair quietly gasped.  Getting startled was not something the man was used to.  He cautiously turned around and was met with the sight of a young woman.

“I arrived back at the tree earlier today just as you were leaving, so I followed you here…”  The woman gestured down to her feet.  “We had been hoping to catch you.”

We?  Crosshair raised a brow and looked down.  Sure enough, a pit droid peeked out from behind her legs.

“You found me,” he huffed turning away, instead choosing to face the ocean.  “Congratulations.”

Looking out to the vast blue water, Crosshair internally fumed.  He wasn’t angry per say at the lady.  She technically hadn’t done anything in particular to annoy him.  Not yet anyway…  Most people and things annoyed him, so it wasn’t necessarily a difficult task to accomplish.  It’s just that he didn’t want to be around anybody right now.  He bristled about the loss of a future that could have been.  If only it were a perfect galaxy.

A tiny poke against his back caused him to startle in alarm.  Getting caught off guard twice in a matter of seconds?!  What was happening to him?!  Turning around, he was face to face with the pit droid.  At first, he scowled at the thing…  It was invading his personal space, and the last thing he wanted to have bothering him right now was a karking pesky droid.  But that was before he saw what the woman’s companion was holding.  Held between its tiny metal fingers was the toothpick box.

Absolutely bewildered, Crosshair looked up to the woman, who shrugged in return.

“Saw you lost this yesterday.  By the time I got over and picked it up, you were already gone.  Figured you’d potentially return to the same spot by the weeping maya.”

Crosshair could only stare at her as he slowly retrieved the toothpick box from the one-eyed droid.  He could barely hear its satisfied beeps as he gaped at the woman.

“It’s quite an impressive tree,” she stated.  “Not a bad spot to sit in the slightest.”  She had her arms wrapped around her body.  Crosshair couldn’t tell if she was chilly from the breeze, or if she was just nervous.  After all, he had been informed in the past about his cold appearing exterior.

Crosshair had never been much of a conversationalist.  That seemed to be a universally known trait of his… or lack thereof that is.  In the past, minimal speech had been a deliberate choice.  But from where he sat, studying the woman who was standing before him, no words could come to mind even if he begged them to.

Luckily for the quiet sniper, she continued the incredibly one-sided conversation for him.

“I think I know who you are…” she squinted down at his hunched over figure.

That was enough to at least knock some vocabulary back to the tip of his tongue.  “Unlikely.”  Well, at least enough for him to enunciate a single word that is.

She crossed her arms and jutted her hip out.  “You sound surprised.” 

“I haven’t exactly been here for that long.”  Before the Empire had stormed Pabu, Crosshair wouldn’t have exactly called himself a resident of the picturesque island.  He and his siblings had still lived out of the Marauder.  Sure, he made acquaintances with some of the locals, helping out with various tasks and such, but not nearly as many as his brothers.  Then again, his first-time setting foot on Pabu was not his siblings’ debut on the island…  Tech had been there for that.

The woman gestured a silent question as to whether or not she could join him on the rocks.  He stared at her again, shoulders shrugging to indicate some semblance of a yes.  Luckily, she perceived the shrug as such, as she walked a bit closer, sitting down next to him with her legs hanging off the rocks mirroring his own.  She purposely put a decent amount of space between them, evidently to not crowd him.

Crosshair glared at her with a side eye, studying her in his peripheral vision.  Well, so much for being alone.

“Crosshair?  Right?  I supposed we haven’t met directly, but I’ve had some conversations with your brothers and sister a while ago.”

“Is that so?” he softly asked in a drawled out, rhetorical manner.  He was by no means surprised that she had met his brothers already… Omega even less.  The girl had the ability to spark up a juicy conversation and then a meaningful friendship, with anyone she met.  She could make the most bitter person’s heart melt.  He supposed he was proof of that.  The kid could even domesticate a lurca hound trained to hunt clones and befriend a rancor for kriffs-sake.  She had an affinity for that kind of stuff.

Instead of the woman responding or talking about how much his clone brothers and him stood out… (in his opinion anyway), he was met with silence.

Crosshair turned his head to his left to look at the mysterious savior of his toothpick box.  She was gazing out towards the horizon.  Her light brown hair framed her face of which the sun streamed onto her delicate features.  She was wearing loose, dark green pants and a white sleeveless top made from a soft linen material.

The comfortable silence was pleasant.  Crosshair was thankful that he wasn’t bombarded with questions about his identity and past.  He didn’t feel like facing such topics.

“I ought to get going,” she smiled sincerely,.  “It was nice sitting out here with you.”

“Thank you, again,” Crosshair softly mumbled as she stood up and dusted some sand off her pants.  He didn’t feel like indulging the significance of the toothpick box but felt strongly about expressing his gratitude.

Crosshair remained unmoving on the rocks for quite a bit longer. 

It was only after the woman was long gone that it occurred to him. 

He hadn’t even asked for her name.

Chapter Text

Crosshair sat cuddled up next to Batcher on the front porch of their Pabu domicile.  The former hunting hound turned house pet, nuzzled her snout into his side as birds squawked in the air.  In lieu of destructive explosives erupting around him, a tranquil haze of peacefulness was airborne.

“Crosshair?”

The sniper in question snapped back into the present moment at his sister’s call.  “Wha-?  Huh?”

Omega giggled at his flustered demeanor.  “Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“You didn’t sne-” He shook his head to clear it and start over.  “What is it?”

He watched as his sister skipped over and snuck herself right next to him.

“Do you have any plans for today?  I wanted to go snorkeling by the dock.  Try to find more remains from the Marauder.”  Her tone of voice saddened with that last part.

Truthfully, Crosshair’s plans consisted of moping around… by himself.  It wasn’t anything personal towards anyone else.  Definitely not.  It was just that putting on the false facade that he was relatively fine, felt like wearing a mask that weighed more than a bantha itself.  In the past he’d have his helmet for that.  Now, wearing his full set of armor on a beachy island looked rather out of place, to put it lightly.  The fact that he still wore his armor instead of location appropriate clothes made him stick out enough in his option…  Walking around in his helmet all day would be more strange than normal.   His brothers had all begun to adjust a bit more smoothly.  They’d already found some civvie clothes to don in place of their signature plastoid.

Acclimating to such a relatively mundane lifestyle was a mental obstacle course in and of itself.  Instead of having to be hyper aware constantly of his surroundings in order to survive, a new challenge had arisen.  Now, he had to grapple with the taxing emotional burdens that weighed heavily on his shoulders and mind.

Although he currently had the (social) battery of their defective gonk droid Gonky, he ultimately agreed to tag along with his sister.  “I’ll go.”

Omega’s facial expression was one of shock and glee.  It almost caused him to huff in amusement...  Kid really wasn’t expecting his gloomy self to actually accept the offer.

“I’ll go change into my swimsuit!”  Before Crosshair could even formulate a response, the girl was sprinting off to her fairy light decorated room.

That gave him at least a couple minutes to collect himself.  He pinched his eyes shut.  They stung.  That wasn’t really shocking though.  His sleep schedule has been even less consistent than in between missions, and that was saying something…

After only a minute and half, give or take, Omega reemerged from the privacy of her room.  Over her bathing suit she had on a light and flowy red dress.  “Lyana had an extra set of snorkeling gear that she gave me,” she explained holding up the equipment.  Her smile sank.  “That means we only have one pair of gear though…  We can take turns if you want!”

Omega’s genuine concern over the matter was sweet… rather touching actually.  “Don’t overstress it, kid.”

With Batcher by their sides, the two strolled down to the dock, Omega significantly more enthusiastic at the prospect of searching the ocean.  After the short trip on foot, they made it to the area where the Marauder had exploded.

“Do you want to go first or should I?”

“Go for it, Omega.”

While Omega braced herself to plunge into the chilly ocean, Crosshair found a barrel to lounge against.  Batcher sat down next to him, resting her chin on his outstretched leg.  He found it surprising that the hound wouldn’t rather be swimming with his sister and instead stuck by him like glue.  Although, years ago, Tech had mentioned that certain animals did have the ability to read the emotions of their companions.  Maybe Batcher could too.

When he gazed back up at his sister, she was dipping her toe in to gauge the water’s temperature.

“It’s so cold!” she squealed, giggling.

Crosshair hated the cold.  At least the island his brothers ended up on was warm.  The thought of living out the rest of his days both depressed and living on a planet as treacherous as Barton IV, was enough to make him internally cringe.

Eventually, Omega bravely leapt over the side of the dock.  Crosshair watched the breathing tube of her snorkeling gear loom over the surface of the water, hovering (un)menacingly like a tentacle of a friendly vrathean.  In random increments, she’d pop her head out of the water to give him detailed updates about what she could see.  Being sporadically reminded of their destroyed home was not the best way to lift one’s spirit.

After about 20 minutes, Omega climbed out, leaving wet footprints on the wooden dock.  She slid the goggles off her head as she approached her brother who was semi-relaxing.

“I’m going to lay in the sun for a bit.”  Omega lifted her pointer finger in the air as she continued.  “I’ll go back in and continue my salvage mission later.”

Crosshair stared at the goggle imprints around her brown eyes.  They looked just like the imprints Tech would get after taking off his goggles before they all went to bed.

“Crosshair?”

Oh.  “Uh- Sounds good.  I’m going to take a little walk.”

“You got it!”  Omega nodded before attempting to find a comfortable spot on the dock.

As Crosshair abruptly stood, all the blood rushed to his head, causing him to pause for a moment with his hand on the barrel to regain his bearings.

Maybe he’d go over to the tree again.  It was peaceful there.  A rather long walk up from the water’s edge, yes, but manageable.

So, he did just that.

When he finally reached the weeping maya tree, he stopped.  His eyes unmistakably scanned the area around the massive landmark.  

She wasn’t there.  For some reason, he felt his heart sink at the realization.  Disappointment filled his chest for a reason unknown to him.

Sighing, he shook his head and awkwardly plopped down against the tree trunk.  Thankfully, he didn’t weight his right wrist on accident again.  Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath in.  Batcher had stayed back with Omega, so this uninterrupted opportunity could be a good time to practice his sister’s meditation routine.  That should theoretically help to steady his mind, right?

A rather unusual sound creaked from above him.  He snapped open his eyes and nearly jumped out of his armor.  “What the?!” he craned his neck to look at whatever was directly over him.  In the branch above him was the woman from the other day.

She grimaced.  “I’m SO sorry!  I was just trying to climb down.  I didn’t mean to sneak up on you!”

“You didn’t sne-” he scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “It’s fine."  He moved over to allow for the lady to jump down without him being in her direct fall zone.

“Name’s Odalin,” she revealed once both her feet were off tree bark and back on solid ground.

“Do you always sit up in trees?”

“Sometimes,” Odalin shrugged, wiping off the tree debris from her clothes.  “The view’s more enjoyable up high.  Better vantage point.”

As a professionally trained sniper who oftentimes had to climb trees during past missions, he had to say… She did have a point there.

“Crosshair!” Omega shouted from out of nowhere.  “Look what I found!”  The young teenage clone clutched something against her chest as she ran towards him and his newly acquainted with… acquaintance…?

“How did you get here so fast?” the sniper questioned, turning his tall frame towards his short sister.  He took significantly longer to trek up here, and his legs were notably longer than hers.

“I rode on Batcher!”

The lurca hound let out her own interpretation of a bark.

“Well?” Crosshair asked, gesturing at her hands.

She revealed the item in the palm of her hand.  “It’s an art project I made back on a planet we were stuck on!  I had been keeping it in the gunner’s nest.”  She smiled at the memory, re-playing a moment in time within her mind like an old holofilm.  Suddenly, her smile lessened, and a look of sorrow flashed across her eyes…  Eyes that had experienced and seen far more than they ever should have, especially for someone her age.  “Tech had been showing me how to skip stones.  He and I painted this one after we had repaired the Marauder and were back in hyperspace,” her usually chirpy voice faded like sand blowing away in the wind.

Crosshair clenched his jaw.  An adventure that he had missed out on.  A moment that he never had the privilege to experience.  A memory that he’ll never get the chance to fondly look back on. 

Omega had been right when she brought him to meditate on the rocks for the first time…  He had missed a lot.  The sniper studied the tiny stone in Omega’s hand.  It was filled with delicate red flowers and masterfully painted out linework.  Peering down, he caught her hand squeeze onto the irreplaceable memento just as tightly as he did his jaw.  He could relate to that.

“Odalin?” Omega wondered out loud, suddenly appearing to realize that her solitary and rather shy brother wasn’t by himself.

“Omega,” Odalin grinned, instantly causing Omega to return the facial expression.

“You finally met Crosshair!”

She chuckled.  “Indeed, I did.”

Omega turned to her big-little brother with a proud face.  “I’m so happy you’re making friends.”

Crosshair closed his eyes and took a deep breath to quell the rising embarrassment.  On the other side of his eyelids, was a chuckling Odalin and a giggling Omega.  There was no escaping the inevitable moment it seemed, so he had nothing better to do than to open his eyes.

Thank the Force, when his eyes opened, Odalin wasn’t staring at him, but instead at Omega’s rock.  As long as his red cheeks weren’t actively being noted or called out, he was fine… momentarily at least.

“Do you enjoy painting?” Odalin asked his sister.

“Sometimes,” Omega shrugged.

“I love the red flowers,” Odalin told the girl, observing the stone with the utmost interest.  “The line work on this stone is very beautiful as well.”

“Tech did the lines,” Omega huffed, giving their brother the well deserved credit.  “He did the little stems on the flowers too,” she pointed at the green stems before biting her inner cheek.  “He taught me how to paint this type of flower… Said it was native to the planet we got stranded on.”

Crosshair gulped as he stole a glance at Omega’s face.  His enhanced eyes could pick up just the faintest layer of developing tears.

Odalin crouched down in front of Omega to be eye level with her.  “It sounds like a very special stone then.”

“Uh huh,” Omega said, wiping her eyes seconds before any tears could fall.

“I’m glad that you found it.”

“Me too.”

Crosshair silently watched the interaction between the woman and his sister.  She interacted so naturally with the kid.  It almost mesmerized him.

This serene life that was now theirs, felt odd.  He shouldn’t be here.  The only circumstance under which he could maybe allow himself to succumb to the pleasantries of this new lifestyle, was if Tech were here to enjoy it alongside the rest of them.

A grasp on his elbow pulled him once again from his thoughts.  “Crosshair?”  The caring voice of Omega calling his name reverberated in his skull.

“I- I have to go,” he mumbled, staring at his boots as he began to stumble away.

Omega might have been shouting his name, but he’d be none the wiser.  At the moment, he could only hear a persistent ringing in his ears that threatened to cause his head to explode.

With little thought, Crosshair aimlessly walked.  He walked until his feet and ankles were sore and his thighs were throbbing with overexertion.  Eventually, his shoulder made contact with a hard surface, and he slid down until his body fully rested upon the ground.  Stars he probably looked pathetic.  Behaving like this wasn’t common for him.  Typically, he’d be able to hold in his dreaded emotions.  But now, nothing mattered.  A crushing darkness flooded his senses.  A darkness that consumed his soul.

Truthfully, he didn’t know how to feel.  There was just too much all at once.

After an undistinguishable amount of time, Crosshair lifted his head up to fully comprehend where he had wandered off to.  He was on another level of the island, now closer to the water than the upper levels of Pabu.  At the moment, he was near tiny dwellings.  In fact, he was leaning, slumped over against one of those a small houses right now.  Clearly, he wasn’t yet well versed in the layout of the land thus far, considering this nook of the island appeared unfamiliar to him.

“Seems as though I found you again,” a voice belonging to someone hovering slightly over him stated.

Peeling his eyes open, Crosshair stared at the owner of the familiar voice.  Odalin.

“How touching.”  The cynical sniper rubbed his hands over his face before staring blankly at the house across from him.  “What did I lose this time?”

She furrowed her brow.  “Did you need something?”

Crosshair pondered that question.  The more he thought about it, the more he realized that the negative and depressing answers that came to mind, were likely not what she was implying.  He kept his mouth shut.

“Are you alright?”

He gnawed at his lip instead of answering.  If he said no, he’d be in a position where a stranger would feel obliged to feel sorry for him.  If he said yes, that would be the most extravagant lie he had ever told.  He did have a good sabacc face though.

“Are you hurt?”

Someone other than his siblings asking these types of questions was a foreign concept to him.

“Crosshair?”  Odalin’s voice trailed off.  Her forehead creased in concern.

Why was she looking at him like that?  Why was-

Oh…  Kark.  His cheeks were damp.  A few tears had escaped.

Horrified, he tried to cover his face by turning to the side.  He quickly tried to dry off his face with his right hand, only to realize that it was no longer there.

“Do you want to go inside?  I can make some tea if you’d like.”

He stared bewildered at her.  Go inside?

“The house you found just happens to be mine,” she revealed after looking at his puzzled face.  She gestured to the door he sat near.

Crosshair could have laughed at the absurdity of it all.  Not only was she in front of him, but the chances that he just so happened to drag himself to the woman’s house?

Without processing his options in depth, his lips parted, and a one syllable word fell out.  “Ok.”

Chapter Text

“I hope you like this flavor.  It’s the only one I currently have in my cabinet,” Odalin admitted, handing over a full teacup to Crosshair.

He accepted the cup, allowing for the steaming beverage to warm his hands.

“It’s meiloorun fruit tea that I picked up at last weekend’s night market.”  She took a sip from her own teacup, cautious so as not to burn her tongue.

After settling into the dwelling, she motioned for him to get comfortable on her couch as she boiled water.  He had silently made his way to take a seat, slightly petrified.  This was all new territory for him.  In fact, this was the only house other than the Batch’s, Shep’s, and Phee’s that he’d stepped foot into while on Pabu.

The living room of Odalin’s home was rather small, but therefore cozy.  At the moment, the air smelled strongly of the sweet fruit infused drink.  Within the confines of the space was a cushiony forest green colored couch and a rectangular caf table made of locally harvested wood.  Livening up many of the rooms were native plants in homemade pots.  The walls were colored a light yellow and were decorated with eye-catching paintings.  All the paintings, mostly of portraits and nature, shared a similar style, clearly having been created by the same artist.  While the house was by no means messy, it was most definitely lived in.  Compared to the Batch’s new house, this one was far more personalized.  What particularly caught Crosshair’s attention was the bits of machinery and scrap metal belonging to various unfinished engineering projects that were lying around.

“What’s all that for?”

Odalin looked over to where her guest was gesturing towards.  Observing the largest pile of mechanical clutter on another table across the room, she smiled fondly.  “It’s from a new little project I’ve been working on.”

The potent scented steam flooded from out of his teacup and wafted over the entirety of his face.

“My brother was an engineer too,” Crosshair revealed.  “He- he had a lot of projects that he fancied working on as well.”  Tech would always have various piles of stuff scattered around both the squad’s barracks and the Marauder.  To most, that stuff would simply be perceived as junk or as used parts that no longer had any significant purpose.  Tech on the other hand, would see endless opportunity and create anything he set his mind to.

“Tech?” she asked in a rhetorical sort of way.

At the sound of his brother’s name, Crosshair lifted his head away from his teacup to acknowledge the woman.  He nodded.

“I’m so sorry for your loss… For your entire family’s loss…” She frowned, trying to choose the correct words to which there truly were none.

He kept his head faced down, studying the intricate design on the teacup instead of at the woman.  For whatever reason, Crosshair felt compelled to know the answer to something.  “Did you know him?”

Odalin huffed out a short laugh.  “Yes.  He was a good man…”

Crosshair turned just his head towards her.

“I met Tech when he first arrived here,” she recalled.  “At the time, I was rather new to the island myself.  It had probably only been a few months since I moved over…” she sighed, deeply in thought, before returning to finish her story.  “I had been working on a passion project of mine by the weeping maya tree.  Tech was just walking by at that time, I believe he had been headed to the Archium, and he noticed me getting frustrated.  He asked what I was building and what I was stuck on.  Asked if I needed some assistance… Gave me some ideas.”  Odalin smirked as she finished her train of thought… “He provided some really good ideas, let me tell you.”  She chuckled.

Crosshair huffed, a shadow of a smile gracing his solemn face.  “I’m sure he did.”

“I had been designing a more streamline hoverchair for the medical building here on Pabu.  A few weeks earlier, I had been walking past the hospital gardens and overheard a doctor apologizing to a patient about the lack of various mobility devices… In particular- hoverchairs.  It inspired me to create some original prototypes using a mix of spare parts that I found, and that people donate to me.  Tech greatly assisted me with a few logistical matters, as well as some functionality concerns that I had.  We met up a few times to build it together after blueprinting the idea.  The hospital recently started officially using them!”  Odalin’s enthusiasm then lowered.  “I really wish he'd gotten the chance to see just how many people he helped…  How many people he continues to help with his ideas… from this day and beyond.”

Crosshair quirked his eyebrow. “Leave it to Tech to be all in on helping with a project that involves using scraps and turning them into something helpful.”

Odalin laughed, using her hand to cover her mouth.  “He was actually the one to introduce me to the rest of your siblings.  Omega’s quite an incredible kid.”

“That she is.”  His little-big sister had opened his eyes in more ways than he could even count.

Creeping up from behind the caf table was Odalin’s small droid companion that had accompanied her when she returned his toothpick box.

“Is this,” Crosshair hesitated, “…a pet of some sort?” Crosshair motioned towards the DUM-series Pit Droid that strolled up next to her.  He couldn’t stop the baffled glare he gave when the droid’s frail stick arms reached out and hugged Odalin’s leg.

Odalin’s face lit up, almost as if she forgot the small fellow was lurking next to her.  Crosshair guessed that this was a regular occurrence.

“This is Pitee.  His original owner just threw him away!  Can you believe that!?”  She shook her head in disgust.  “After finding the abandoned little guy, I reprogramed him.  This was back when I was in my early teenage years, so he’s been with me for quite some time now.  I consider myself a self-taught engineer of sorts,” she shrugged, peered down at the droid and scratched its metal, mushroom shaped head.

Crosshair stared into the droid’s single eye as it looked back at him.  The droid’s stare was inhuman yet appearing to look into his soul somehow.  Of all things, he suddenly found himself questioning the cognitive abilities of droids.  After an awkward pause, the droid waved at him.  The sniper’s eyes widened in shock.  “It waves?”

“This one in particular does!” Odalin proudly patted its mushroom shaped head again.  Just as before, the tiny stick arms clung even tighter around her calf muscle.  “…And that’s one of his many specialties I programmed him to have.  You’ll get a chance to see the rest at some point.”

“Goody.”

Crosshair’s wrist comm suddenly buzzed.

“Probably my brothers,” Crosshair explained, checking the message.  And he was right.  Sure enough, Hunter was checking if he’d be home soon.  “Asking when I’ll be back,” the sniper reiterated, sighing as he attempted to temporarily ignore the text.

“You should respond,” Odalin encouraged, sitting up straighter as if she was getting ready to stand up.  “Don’t want to keep them waiting.  I bet they miss you.”

“Miss me?” Crosshair made a face at the laughable comment.  “I’m sure they’re doing just fine without my immediate presence,” he reassured her, self-deprecation dripping from his tone of voice.

There was a thoughtful pause.  The silence was then broken by a sigh escaping from Odalin.  “Sometimes, we can be blinded from doing what’s best for ourselves.”

Another pause ensued.

Shortly after, Crosshair said farewell to Odalin, thanking her for the tea.  She gave him a few extra meiloorun fruit teabags to take home after she discover that he liked them too.  

He couldn’t help but still internally beat himself up over the breakdown he had that she’d partially witnessed.  At least she didn’t make a huge deal (or any deal for that matter) out of it like he had been afraid of.  What she now thought of him could be another story… Who knew, but her?

On Crosshair’s walk back home, something rather interesting dawned on him.  Replaying the conversations he’d just had with Odalin, if she promised he would see the droid’s other modifications, that would mean that he would see her again too.  That thought alone made his heart increase in a way he’d never experienced before.  It confused him, so he tried to push it away.

When Crosshair arrived home, he was confronted with a concerned Omega, sitting and waiting for him on the front porch with Batcher.  Upon seeing him approach, she abruptly stood up and met him halfway.

“Crosshair?” her whole face was contorted in worry.  “Are you alright?”

He ruffled her hair as the two made their way to the front door.  “I’m fine, kid.”

Crosshair didn’t miss the unconvinced expression she flashed at him.  Just like Odalin, Omega saw his behavior earlier as well.

When stepping through the front doors, similar to detecting Omega’s expression moments earlier, he didn’t miss the empathetically grief-filled look Hunter gave him as he walked by him.  Omega obviously filled at least Hunter in on his prior… episode.

Then there was Echo.  The ARC trooper had his attention locked on his datapad.  He appeared to be reading something, which wasn’t out of sorts at all.  Crosshair could only assume it was information sent by Rex.  It did catch him off guard though, when Echo acknowledged him with an indescribable look.

Sighing as he closed the room to his room, the sniper stumbled to his bed.  Upon collapsing onto the mattress, much like Lula after Wrecker would toss the tooka doll onto his bunk, he shut his eyes and let the darkness consume him.

Chapter Text

Escaping Mount Tantiss had been the culminating ordeal to the Batch’s seemingly endless list of lifelong hardships.  Stepping foot back on Pabu’s calm soil was a stark juxtaposition to the calamities that so frequently chased them like an undomesticated lurca hound would.

Nowadays… Well to be more specific, still less than a week… Crosshair’s routine was vastly different to say the least.

This morning, he was awoken to the smell of something burning and the sound of Wrecker apologizing.

Through the closed door of his bedroom, Crosshair could make out the demolitions expert.  “Hey!  At least it didn’t explode and make a mess in the kitchen, right Hunter?”

The sniper yanked a pillow from beside him and shoved it over his face to block out the excessive sound and burnt food smell.  Food on Pabu was obviously better than the bland and dry ration bars they used to be subjected to eat.  Ironically, whatever breakfast Wrecker had almost caused a fire making, still probably would have been more palatable.

A few minutes later, he could hear his name being called.

“Crosshair!!” Wrecker shouted.  “You awake yet?!?!”

Well, if he somehow hadn’t been awake before, he certainly would have been now.  With all the excess commotion, it would have truly tested even the deepest of sleepers.

“Yeah, yeah,” he called out, just loud enough so that at least Hunter could hear.

Groaning, he swung his legs over the side of his warm bed.  He rubbed his face to scrub away the exhaustion before he tragically forced himself to stand up.  He had a pounding headache that rivaled the storms of Kamino.

The night before, Hunter had shoved a brand-new outfit into his arms as he was exiting the ‘fresher.  The look consisted of a green colored shirt, accented with some red embroidery, and loose brown pants.  Both were made from a similar breathable material.  To top it off, a pair of slip-on shoes were bought as well.  Lucky for Hunter, he knew Crosshair’s shoe size.  Clones typically had the same shoe size for the most part.  While Hunter shared the same size as Echo, Rex, and every other reg… Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech were exceptions (along with Omega and Emerie).  While Wrecker had the largest size, Crosshair and Tech were identical.

Apparently, his long-haired older brother had taken it upon himself to purchase his first outfit on Pabu.  In fairness, all of Crosshair’s siblings had been urging him to buy something so he wouldn’t be forced to wear his armor everywhere.  He supposed he just never found the motivation to do so.  His armor was familiar and reminded him of the good old days.  Ironic that he was on a paradise island now, and that he found the good old days to be during the war.

Tiredly, he got out of his sleepwear and changed into his new look.

Crosshair dragged his feet until he reached the dining room table, each step feeling like an undesirable chore.  He fell into his usual seat.

Wrecker turned to face the sniper.  “I made breakfast!” he boomed, waving the spatula up in the air like it was a flag.

“I already assumed as much,” Crosshair mumbled under his breath, the potent scent of burning food still unpleasantly lurking in the air.  He stared at the large plate in the center of the dining room table.  The pabucakes had been stacked and were all charred around the edges.

Hunter shut the refrigerator, now carrying a carton of jogan fruit juice.  “We did a quick taste test.  They’re still edible.”

“Terrific,” Crosshair unenthusiastically noted.

After everyone had taken their seats at the table, the siblings dug into the mini feast.

Omega was suspiciously quiet all throughout the duration of breakfast.  From a closer inspection… AKA Crosshair using his enhanced eyes to his advantage… he could make out her bottom lip quivering.  She must have done a pretty good job at hiding it, since none of the others seemed to notice her worrisome behavior.

She wasn’t the only one acting weird.  Just like yesterday, Echo was directing bizarre looks towards him.  When Crosshair would briefly make eye contact, the ARC trooper would instantly break it and divert his attention elsewhere.  These repetitive reactions were irking the already irritable sniper.

The moment the meal was finished, Omega grabbed her jacket and flew out the front door.  Just before Batcher could follow his original rescuer from Tantiss, the door shut.  The lurca hound whined as she was forced to sit in front of the door, trapped inside.  Clearly, Batcher was not the only confused party, considering all the brothers were stunned.  Omega took Batcher just about everywhere she went if she had the option to.

Hunter’s head followed the girl out the house.  “That was odd.”

Crosshair rolled his eyes and stood up.  The chair made an awful sound as it was pushed back.

“Crosshair?” Wrecker asked with a furrowed brow.

Between Echo’s dismissive glances and the fleeing of Omega, Crosshair was extra antsy.

On his walk towards the door, he curtly responded.  “I’m heading out.”  He was sure his narration of his actions was relatively unnecessary, but he felt inclined to give them all a solid answer anyway.

Crosshair had expected to still see Omega within view from their house, but that was not the case.  She must have run off.  Using only his intuition, the sniper made his way down to the rocks, hoping the short blonde kid would be there.

Sure enough, Omega was sitting with her knees drawn up to her face, across the rocks.

Sighing, Crosshair ventured out towards her, cautiously moving so as not to trip on the rock’s uneven surface.

“Omega?”

She ignored him.

How unusual.

“Hey,” he grumbled.  “What is it?”

When Omega finally turned around, her face was red and puffy from waterfalls of tears.

Crosshair winced, instantly feeling guilty.  He feared that his earlier tone of voice might have been a bit too harsh.  The truth of the matter was that he clearly wasn’t the only one of his siblings who was struggling.

“There was nothing I could do after he shot the connection hinge,” she gasped for air in-between sobs.

Crosshair mentally braced himself.  Unsurprisingly, all the siblings shared the same cause of sadness.

“I saw him falling further and further away from us.  The distance between us just kept getting bigger and bigger until the clouds covered our field of view.”

Against his will, Crosshair instinctively couldn’t help but wonder if the clouds were cumulus or cumulonimbus.

Crosshair knelt and sat on the hard surface of the rocks.  He crossed his legs, sitting in an identical position to how he and Omega did while meditating in the same area.  Despite being on the verge of crying himself, Crosshair wrapped his arm around his sister and pulled her closer to him.  Omega buried her face into his chest and wept.  Tears soaked through the thin material of his shirt.  With the lack of armor, he could feel the pain held within each individual droplet, spreading.

“I- I miss him too, Omega.”

Omega peeled herself away from his shirt to look up at him.  “He always believed in you; you know…”

Crosshair gulped.  He’d always believed in him…

“Well, maybe he shouldn’t have.”

If Tech hadn’t believed in him, he would still be here.  He would’ve been tinkering with random items to his heart’s content on the peaceful planet the rest of them had ended up on.  If Tech didn’t full heartily believe in him, the Batch would have never gone to Eriadu.  No sacrifices would have ever even needed to be considered… Life or death decisions that ensured the rest of the squad had the possibility to escape, would have never even have been a thought.  A decision that gave the Batch a chance to escape… That chance inadvertently allowing for Crosshair to do so as well.  But knowing Tech, that decision most likely wasn’t inadvertent or up to chance at all…

Omega gave him a disgusted face.  “How can you even say that, Crosshair?  …Why?”

Her heartbroken and wavering voice broke something inside of him.  Still, the sniper sighed at his sister’s clear ignorance in the matter.  As intelligent as she was, of course she wouldn’t understand that this really all boiled down to his obstinate behavior… To his severe and unyielding tendencies. 

“Back on Kamino,” Crosshair swallowed his guilt temporarily.  “If I had just stepped aboard the Marauder, then he’d still be here.”  He stared at his sister.  “That thought alone eats me from the inside out.  Then he pushed to rescue me from something that could have ultimately been avoided in the first place.”

Omega sat in silence for a moment.  Crosshair took it upon himself to continue.

“I was too stubborn to board the ship.”

“What happened to you after we left?”

“What?”

“After we flew away in the Marauder…” she hesitated.  “What happened?”

In all honesty, he didn’t want to answer that question and disclose the disturbing truth, but she deserved to know the vague idea, he supposed.

“I was trapped on the landing platform for 32 rotations.  When the Empire found me, I was not in the best of shapes you could say…”

“What?!” Omega gasped, a horrified expression covering her entire face.

Crosshair dismissively waved his hand in the air.  “Doesn’t matter.  It’s in the past.  What’s done is done.”

“What’s done is done…” she echoed; eyes glued on her hands that were set in her lap.  “You made the decision that you did back on Kamino based on the information and thought processes you had at the time.”

Crosshair stared at her.  Stars… she looked similar to Tech when he was younger.

“With that logic then, you can’t be so hard on yourself, Crosshair.  You can’t change past decisions.”  She held her pointer finger up.  “Thinking through the lens of hindsight is counterproductive.”

She even thought and spoke like Tech too, having also picked up on his distinct mannerisms.

“I just- I never got the chance to see him again after Kamino was destroyed…” Crosshair whispered.

Omega choked on a sob.  “I know.” 

The two siblings peered out towards the horizon to where the sun was rising.  Silence fell over them like a heavy blanket.

“How am I supposed to navigate life without him?” she sniffed.

Crosshair bit his lower lip, targeting a tiny piece of loose skin.  “I wonder the same thing myself.”

Omega pulled her legs closer to herself and wrapped her arms around them, deflating a bit at her brother’s answer.

But Crosshair continued.  “But we all have each other, eh?”  He rubbed her back, pulling her back into his embrace.

“Uh huh.”

An hour later, the duo returned home.  Hunter and Wrecker were waiting for them both on the front porch.   While Omega retreated into her room, she allowed for both of them to follow her.

Once Crosshair stepped foot inside, he was met with Batcher nudging his leg.  He gave her a pat on the head as he made his way to the kitchen.  

Turning the corner to reach the room, Crosshair spotted Echo sitting at the dining room table.  He was intensely reading something on a datapad.  Upon Crosshair’s entrance, he looked up.

“Cross, I need to talk to you about something.”

“What?  Have I not been chipper enough lately to meet your high standards?” Crosshair asked sarcastically.

Echo stood up and shook his head.  “No.  No, that’s not what this is about...”

Crosshair raised a brow, silently encouraging Echo to continue.  Making his way around the table towards Crosshair, Echo took a deep breath.

“I’ve briefly been skimming the headers of various files from Tech…” Echo uncharacteristically hesitated, casting a glance to the floor.

Crosshair squinted at him.  Truthfully, he had no idea where Echo was going with this.

“Some of the files contain battle strategies, past missions, videos and sounds he’s recorded…”

The sniper clenched his jaw tight.  “And you’re singling me out as opposed to everyone else, why exactly?”  Crosshair stepped closer to Echo, slightly hovering over him due to his taller stature.  “Are you doing it to rub it in my face that I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye?!”  He didn’t mean to snap at Echo…  Really, he didn’t.  Instantly, he felt awful.  That immediate guilt must have bled through his expression, since Echo only sighed.

“Of course, not Cross,” Echo softly spoke, his grip on the datapad in his hand tightening.  He took a deep breath.  “I… It’s just that I found something.”

Crosshair paused; confusion still written all over his face.

“Crosshair… Tech had recorded a letter for you…”

Chapter Text

“Tech recorded a letter… for me…?” Crosshair repeated, letting the words simultaneously sink in.  The concept alone that his brother had pre-recorded a message for him wasn’t outwardly crazy.  Tech always had something or other that he wanted to say or share with the rest of them, and recording just about everything was a favorite hobby of his.  The context of what was potentially inside this letter was what made Crosshair’s heart begin to race.

“Yes.  It appears so…” Echo rubbed the back of his neck with his scomp.  Since returning from the massive rescue mission on Tantiss, Echo had found time to sit, go through, and upload Tech’s shared files onto one of the Batch’s datapads.  The files were transferred from the intelligent clone’s goggles and virtually through the datapad he always had on him.  The others would presumably do the same as Echo later, except none of them could stomach the thought of doing so yet.  This was still too raw, and it was hard to imagine it ever not being so.  “I didn’t open it and read it or anything… I just happened to uncover a file name that had been personally addressed to you.”

Echo held out the device.  Crosshair accepted the datapad, hesitantly reaching for it.

“When did he record it?” Crosshair mumbled under his breath, staring at the screen in front of him.  As Echo had mentioned, the file had yet to be opened.

“Unsure.”  Echo shifted the weight of his body from one prosthetic leg to the other.  “You’ll be able to check when you open the file.  Based on the order of files though, it wasn’t too long before… well, yeah…”

Crosshair aggressively exhaled through his nose.  That detail alone confirmed that the message was recorded sometime while he was still separated from the others.

Unsure of what else to say, Echo rested his hand on Crosshair’s shoulder.  He nodded supportively at the sniper before walking away to give his brother some space.

A million thoughts sped through Crosshair’s mind like a Riot Racing speeder, but he stood still as though time had frozen completely.  The datapad remained clutched between the fingers of his left hand.  Within that very device, held an audio message from a voice he would never hear in person again.  Suddenly, the normally average feeling datapad felt as though it weighed an indescribable amount.  The contents that it held were irreplaceable, just like his toothpick box and Omega’s painted rock.

He gulped.  Listening to the recording was inevitable.  All he had to do was press the start button.  Unfortunately, procrastinating the inevitable was far too appealing sometimes, and in this case, less painful.  But, at the same time, Crosshair yearned to hear the words that had been intended for his ears.  He missed that voice with his entire being.  He missed Tech…

As far as his siblings, everyone was busy.  With Hunter and Wrecker off supporting Omega, and Echo purposefully giving him some time alone, it was quiet.  Quiet was not something any of them were by any means of the imagination familiar with.  Tech always would have taken advantage of a silent room, filling it with his infinite wisdom.

While Crosshair didn’t have his usual armor storage spots, the large pockets of his new pants served as an adequate location to store the datapad.  This came in handy, allowing him to gain access to his remaining hand in order to open the front door and exit the confines of the house.  The room was starting to become suffocating… similar to how the walls of a garbage compactor reduced in size, squeezing everything within.

Back during his prime sniping days, he would often climb up high, retreating into the shadows.  This not only provided a superior vantage point, but also supplied something that he mentally treasured once and a while as well…  Seclusion.

For both those reasons, the branches of the weeping maya tree sounded like the ideal spot to hear what Tech wanted to tell him.  He’d be able to be alone and have the luxury of privacy as he absorbed Tech’s final message to him.  He’d also have the best spot to view Pabu from all the island…  To view the home that his brother had been before, but now didn’t get the chance to bask in.

Crosshair meandered his way to the weeping maya with intentional strides.  Each step he took towards his destination drew him closer and closer to hearing the unexpected and surprise letter.

Once he arrived, he patted the datapad in his pocket to ensure it was secure for the climb.  The sharpshooter readied his left hand to prepare to take the brunt of the effort.  He figured his right elbow might come in handy as well for hooking onto the tree trunk and branches, especially since the stump on his right wrist was still constantly sore.

The masterful marksman scaled the wide tree.  Without his dominant hand, it took significantly more strain, but he still managed at his own pace.  It took longer, but he persevered… Like all the Batch had, for their entire lives.  Each step higher felt as though he were temporarily escaping his predicament…  Pretending that the truth of Tech’s absence was all just a dream.  A nightmare that he would wake up from…  A horrifying figment of his imagination that on the other side, had Tech telling him to… Just. Wake. Up!

Crosshair shot up in bed, panting in horror and covered in sweat from head to toe.  His eyes were as wide open as they physically could have been. 

It was just a dream... 

He was in his bunk in the squad’s barracks.  Everything was alright.  Logically, he knew this, so why were warnings of caution still blaring in his head like persistent collision alarms?

From his position seated upright, the grey-haired cadet could distantly decipher the light pattering of feet coming closer.  The footsteps were too rhythmic to be Hunter’s and too soft to be Wrecker’s, which by process of elimination, only left his goggled brother remaining.

“Crosshair?  Are you alright?”

Already anticipating Tech’s arrival, the young marksman, not yet a man by any standards, turned to face him.

“I’m fine.”

“You do not sound fine,” Tech bluntly stated, his youthful voice still a bit high-pitched and squeaky at times.  “In fact, you sound far from fine to me… given that your standard baseline attitude and behavior is significantly disproportionate to-.”

“Drop it, Tech,” Crosshair interrupted, holding his hand up.

“Fine…” Tech paused.

Crosshair furrowed his brow at his brother’s unusually conclusive response.

But, in classic Tech fashion, he continued.  “…I will just need to approach this differently then.”

Crosshair sighed.  That was more like it he supposed…

Tech gestured to Crosshair’s bed. “May I sit down?”

Crosshair sighed in fake annoyance.  “If you must,” the sniper grumbled, crossing his arms.

“Yes, that would be preferable…” Tech informed him as he sat down on the edge of the bunk. “…Hence why I suggested it in the first place.”  The engineer straightened out the blanket beneath him as he got comfortable.

“Make yourself at home, why don’t you,” Crosshair huffed under his breath.

“Technically, I am already home, considering we share the same room,” Tech cleared up.

Crosshair stared at him.  A lightning bolt lit up the otherwise darkish room, the boom of thunder soon following.  Both boys’ faces were temporarily illuminated.  The prospect of a frighting storm was just another average day for them on their home planet of Kamino.

Tech studied his cynical brother’s expression through the eyes (and goggles) of a considerate lens.  “How are you feeling?”

“Wonderful,” Crosshair drawled out sarcastically.

Tech readjusted his goggles that had been hastily thrown on before he made it over to Crosshair.  “Evidently, that is untrue.”

“Are you Kamino’s shiny resident therapist or something?”

Tech scoffed.  “Clearly Kamino would not see the importance of such a career path.  Although, I would be able to perform that role rather splendidly if I do say so myself,” he added, rubbing his chin.  His mind wandered as he contemplated all the job possibilities he could delve into after the war ended, or if it were an alternate galaxy and he wasn’t subjected to fight.  A farfetched dream perhaps.  “What seems to be troubling you?”

“Nothing.”  Crosshair scowled.

Tech knew better than to judge that scowl at face value.  The youngest Batch member scowled like it was going out of style.  “Well, the nightmare you had was obviously distressing enough to cause you to abruptly wake up in the middle of the night.  I feel as though it is my brotherly duty to guarantee that you are alright.”

“It’s fine, Tech.  It’s over now.  I’m awake.  See?”

Before Crosshair knew it, he had mindlessly and (relatively) effortlessly ascended the tremendous tree.  The wind blew around him, causing his loose shirt to flow with the breeze.  All around him were panoramic views of Pabu, the endless blue ocean, and a sky painted with puffy cumulus AND cumulonimbus clouds.  The contrast of the clouds was stark.

Crosshair placed the datapad’s tiny earpiece into his ears and took a shaky breath in as he pressed the play button.  Immediately, Tech’s voice filled the air, overwhelming his senses with the familiar essence of his brother.

Crosshair-

If you are listening to this, chances are that I didn’t make it.  I evidently didn’t get an opportunity to tell you this in person… which would have been ideal…  Further proving this point, you or the others would likely not have perused through my personal documents if I were still present. 

I felt the need to get some thoughts off my chest, and this recording is to ensure you hear them no matter what.

Currently, I am on this strange island called Pabu along with the rest of the squad.  I refer to it as strange because it is so tranquil… Well, at least when one isn’t living through and escaping a sea surge that is.   It’s quite the peculiar feeling not being actively chased down.  I would define our current situation here as perfect, but logically cannot since you are not here with us.  I sincerely hope that one day you will get to experience this blissfulness too.  You know, you would very much benefit from some calmness in your life.  The simple act of watching a sunset or sitting under a massive tree… the latter of which I am doing right now as I create this letter, is rather extraordinary.  It was a friend of the squad that brought us here.  Well, someone the others and I had met through a trandoshan we did mercenary work for… That woman is particularly intriguing…  I’m not quite sure why though, it’s strange…  Her and I have been speaking a lot lately.  I even tell her stories about you and your, erm… sparkling personality.  I’ve met many others here as well- Oh!  One of the residents also shares a common interest in engineering.

Not a day has gone by where your absence has not deeply bothered me.  Our time away from each other has never gotten easier.  The final toothpick we found scattered on the floor of the Marauder was a poignant reminder that the man responsible for flicking them everywhere was astray.

I miss conversing with you in our free time.  The lack of your unique humor is depressing.

I miss discussing various sniper modifications you and I both researched… To be honest, I still read about the latest upgrade possibilities in the hope that one day we could work on your prized sniper again together.  We still have your Firepuncher, but quite frankly, I do not have the heart to touch it… None of us do.  Assuming you have taken back your rifle at this point in time, hopefully it’s still up to your standards in maintenance quality. 

I miss filling you in on the plethora of discoveries and inventions that I uncover and construct.  You would have found my chip scanner sensational…

I even miss challenging you to a good old game, played on top of Gonky… You are the only person who made the games we had on board the Marauder an actual challenge…

I- I just miss you…

At the end of the day, as a squad, we always have each other.  Through thick and thin, having our brothers to lean on has consistently been the greatest asset in my life, exceeding far beyond any statistic, data point, or tool that I have ever, or could ever, obtain… or invent for that matter.  That is why my deepest regret is not always being there for you when you truly required our assistance the most.

In case I haven’t ever told you this…  We probably have when we were cadets, but that is not the point… I love you, Crosshair.  Always remember that.

Signing off… Hoping this recording wasn’t needed and that I could instead tell you all this face to face -

Your brother,

Tech

Crosshair relished the recognizable rambling.  It felt as though Tech were chatting with him…  Like the good old days.

Crosshair’s eyes welled up, and it felt significantly more difficult to breath.  It was all so unfair.  Why was life so karking unfair?  That voice in the recording should be talking to him here… right now.  Instead, the letter was trapped inside a time capsule.  The message was like a portal that sent him back to the past, transporting him into a moment in history where he was absent.  He should have been with his siblings.  Tragedy would have been avoided if he had been.  Tech should have been able to tell him this to his face, but he never got the chance to deliver his words in person.  The goggled clone’s reason for ultimately recording the message in the first place, had tragically, gut-wrenchingly, and horrifically occurred and become a horrible reality.

Tears cascaded down Crosshair’s face, and as if on cue, the sky began to cry with him.  His body was well shielded, out of sight, engulfed by the leaves of the tree.  He was high up, perched in the tree’s curvy branches, so no one could see him.  Even if they could, the rain masked the physical evidence of his sobs…  The oncoming thunder overriding the pained noises he made.

Thunder rumbled menacingly all around him.  It was lackluster compared to Kamino.

Nestled on a tree branch, Crosshair silently continued to weep.  His tears mixed with the rain; the saltiness combining with plump water droplets from up above.  He stayed still until the rain drenched his clothes and thoroughly wet his shaved head of hair.

The sniper knew that datapads were waterproof.  The sturdy devices could withstand quite a lot of blunt force and all sorts of harsh weather conditions.  Him on the other hand, didn’t feel nearly as resilient as he used to.  Granted, he hadn’t felt his peak since before the war ended, but this… this moment was an all new low that he didn’t think was possible.  On one end, Tech’s words were comforting… He didn’t want them to end.  On the other, it stirred up all of Crosshair’s previous emotions, amplifying them tenfold, and reminded him once again of the tragedy of it all… That Tech wasn’t here.  That he didn’t get to enjoy peace once everything had somehow, finally settled.

Pocketing the datapad again, Crosshair eventually slid down the tree.  The wet bark made the descent particularly precarious due to the added factor of slipperiness.  He got at least a few splinters on his hand from the motion, some on the exposed skin on his right forearm as well.  Climbing down lopsided wasn’t what he was used to after all.

Before he turned away to trek home, he stared at the tree.  The same tree Tech had recorded the letter underneath.  The same spot he had once sat in, unaware at the time as to what was to come…  Unsuspecting to the calamities that would capsize the calm that he had just begun to marvel over.

The walk home felt somewhat surreal.  Rain poured down in buckets, heavily flooding the winding Pabu paths in a flash flood.  Plants in pots outside of homes drooped due to the sudden onslaught of water.  Crosshair’s clothes soaked him, clinging to his skin and highlighting the bones of his still malnourished, recovering body.

Eventually, he reached the small house that belonged to his family.  From the moment he stepped through the door, the rain dripped onto the floor.  Within seconds, there was a sizable puddle forming at his feet.

Crosshair barely acknowledged his siblings silently watching him from the couch.  He saw them, but his brain couldn’t allow for more than that.  They had halted the game they were playing… on top of Gonky, instead their eyes intently focused on Crosshair’s shivering form.  They would comfort him later.  They knew better than to intervene right away when Crosshair was in a state such as this.

Tech’s absence was palpable.  If Tech were here, everything would be as close to perfect as perfect could be.  But he wasn’t, and Crosshair’s world was crumpling apart.

None of them uttered a word as Crosshair stumbled to his room, leaving a river in his wake.

Crosshair missed Tech’s presence.  He missed Tech’s voice.  He missed Tech’s commentary.  He missed Tech’s ideas.  Kriff, he missed so, so much.

Chapter Text

After listening to the recorded letter from Tech, Crosshair didn’t know how to feel.  For the next three days, he spent most of his time locked inside his room.

By now, all his siblings knew about the recording.  None of the others had heard it besides him, though.

The sniper had played the message on repeat as he stared up at the ceiling from his bed.  Hearing Tech’s voice was cathartic.  At the same time, it also made him feel numb.  He had been injured, tortured, and experimented on countless times, yet none of that even held a candle to the indescribable pain he was experiencing now.

His siblings would deliver meals to him, setting it outside his bedroom door and knocking to let him know it was there.  By the time Crosshair had the mental energy to get out of bed and fetch the prepared food, it was usually cold by then.

On the start of his fourth day of isolation, he could hear Omega’s voice calling him.  This was rather unusual, considering that for the past few days, she had intentionally given him space.  He assumed Hunter and the others had worked tirelessly to keep her from sneaking into his room.

Feeling an unusual burst of slight energy, he unenthusiastically rolled out of bed and answered the door.

His sister had on a turquoise sundress and sunglasses that had been pushed to the top of her head.  He could make out the sound of his brothers entering the house, insinuating the rest of them had gone out as well.  Maybe it wasn’t even morning anymore…  His sleeping schedule had been far too irregular to effectively compute the hours of the day and what not.

Crosshair rubbed his bloodshot eyes.  “Yes?” he asked, addressing the girl.  His voice was rough with its recent lack of use.

“We went to go swimming!” Omega informed him, wildly gesturing with her hands.

Crosshair blinked at her.  Why she was so excited about such a mundane activity was beyond him.  Ever since being on Pabu, all it seemed like Omega would do in her free time was swim in the ocean.  Maybe saying all the time was a slight exaggeration, nevertheless, the point was still there.

Must of having sensed Crosshair’s confusion, Omega continued.  “This time though,” she paused giving him a cheeky grin, “I didn’t even swim!”  She fell into a fit of giggles, wiggling her arms in what Crosshair could only describe as unwarranted glee.

If Crosshair hadn’t been confused before, he certainly was now.  “Sounds like it was a productive day swimming for you then,” he drawled sarcastically, now taking note of her dry blonde hair.

“It was!” Omega beamed.  “Odalin has your comm frequency now!  Isn’t that great!”

“She has my what?!” Crosshair sputtered with a raised voice.  His eyes widened as he glared at Omega, absolutely flabbergasted.

“Yeah,” Omega shrugged nonchalantly.  “I took care of it for you little brother.”  She jumped up to pat her stunned brother on the shoulder.  “You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

Still frozen in a state of complete shock and mouth agape, Crosshair’s face slowly morphed into a more outwardly horrified expression.  “She asked for it?!” he asked, slightly panicked.

“Oh no.  I gave it to her.”

“You what?!” he hissed through clenched teeth.

“Yeah.  She doesn’t know yet though.”

“What in the galaxy is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, we ran into her on the beach,” Omega recounted, rubbing her chin.  “She was working on a pretty painting she’d recently started, and I ended up walking over to her.”  Beginning to act out her interaction, she continued, “I was like, ‘Hey Odalin!  How’s it going?’  Then, she turned to me and a huge smile appeared on her face, almost as if she’d---”

Crosshair waved his hands in the air and shook his head, desperate to shorten his sister’s narration.  “Alright, alright, alright.”  He was losing his patience…  Patience that he barely ever had, ever since he was decanted from his cloning tube in fact.  “I don’t need a full-fledged chronicle of your first-hand account!”

“Geez, Crosshair.  It’s called scene building and context, ever heard of it?”

Crosshair stared at her.

“Anyway, Odalin and I chatted about her art and talked about how she was able to make the clouds look so fluffy and realistic looking.  She wasn’t even close to being finished with the painting, and they already looked so good!!!  Then, she invited me to join her while our brothers went swimming!  She even gave me my own little canvas to paint on, Crosshair!  Isn’t that great!  I painted my own cloud!!!”

While Crosshair usually would have further encouraged Omega’s interest in painting, as he himself enjoyed sketching once in a while, the cloud painting was not on the top of his list of current concerns or priorities.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.  “And how exactly does this end up with her getting my comm?”

“Oh!” Omega mimed hitting her head in a forgetful motion.  Crosshair held back the urge to roll his eyes at his sister somehow managing to forget the bantha in the room.  “I wrote out your frequency number on the back of the canvas I painted on and labeled it as yours.  She’ll know it’s yours and not mine, I made that clear, Crosshair, don’t worry.  Your name is literally next to the number.”

Simply being ‘worried’ was not exactly how Crosshair would describe his current state of mind.

“Then I said that she could keep the painting and that I made it for her!”  She exaggeratedly winked at him.  Omega scrunched her lips to the side as she pondered if she was forgetting any other key details of the story. “Aaaaand, yeah.  That’s pretty much it.  Just doing my sisterly duty is all.”

Crosshair’s lip twitched.  Did his little-big sister seriously set him up like that?

“Are you hungry?  We brought back some fruit from the market on our way back home.”

Now that Crosshair thought about it, he was quite famished.  He sighed, exiting his bedroom and following his sister to the kitchen.  The thought of sustenance of any kind was still overridden by the fact that Omega decided to play matchmaker behind his back.

As his sister had informed him, there was indeed a box of fruit on the floor of the kitchen.  Crosshair walked up to it and looked down.  The wooden container was overfilled with a plethora of different fruits, ranging from meiloorun fruit, jogan fruit, jellyfruit, and shuura.

Hunter leaned against the kitchen counter as he munched on a piece of fruit.  “Quite the selection, eh?” he boasted with a grin. 

Crosshair made a disturbed face at the odd air of confidence emitting from Hunter.

“How did you afford all this?”  Crosshair scoffed.  “Did you sell your bandana collection or something of that nature?”

Hunter scoffed.

Omega eagerly decided it was time to hop into the conversation, quite literally jumping into the center of the ongoing discussion.  “Hunter’s holographer friend who works at the market gave them to us for free!  Wasn’t that nice of her?!”

Crosshair shifted his gaze off Omega, instead choosing to slyly stare at Hunter.  “Incredibly nice of her…”  Hunter did his best to avoid his brother’s probing gaze by diverting his attention to a drop of juice that had accidently dripped from his fruit.

Conveniently, for the former sergeant in particular, Wrecker stood up from the chair he had been sitting on, on walked over.

“Pee-ew!” Wrecker exclaimed, slapping Crosshair on the back.  The marksman nearly toppled over, tripping over his own feet to regain balance.  “When’s the last time you went to the ‘fresher to actually use the shower?”

Crosshair rolled his eyes at his performative brother.  Wrecker always was one for exaggerating situations.  Tech used to state that the large clone would be a natural at the Coruscanti Center for Dramatic Arts.

From his seat, Echo empathetically grimaced on Crosshair’s behalf.  The ARC Trooper wasn’t the only one who’s heart broke for Crosshair’s new and unintentionally self-destructive behavior.  It was obvious that the sniper was depressed and hadn’t put much effort into ‘self-care’ lately.  Out of all the brothers, Crosshair used to be the most conscious about taking care of himself physically.  He always used to take great pride in being put together.  Living in the confines of the Marauder with a bunch of fully grown men, was by nature, not the most sanitary housing situation.  Crosshair had always tried to set a precedent among his brothers (minus Echo, who already put an emphasis on the concept of cleanliness on his own) in terms of maintaining extra personal hygiene…  Using the sonic just once every four or so days was not acceptable by Crosshair’s standards.

“How the tables have turned,” Crosshair mumbled under his breath.  He bent down to randomly reach for the fruit that was most continently towards the top of the pile.  Stiffly standing back up with unstretched muscles, Crosshair grumbled as he trudged away towards the refresher to take a long-needed shower.

“He needs smell all nice and fresh for Odali-!” Wrecker began to call out before he was nudged by someone.  Crosshair didn’t know who had shoved him, but it was easy to fill in the gaps of what had happened in his brief period of absence after hearing Wrecker’s ‘oof’.  Of course, his siblings were suspecting something based on nothing.  Word had always traveled fast within his unconventional family unit.  At this rate, the entire island knew about his unidentifiable intrigue with the self-taught engineer.

The shower felt decent he supposed.  Scrubbing off all the built up sweat from the past few days was refreshing, and rinsing the grease out of his short grey hair woke him up a bit more.

Truthfully, he couldn’t completely fathom the fact that his sister had somehow managed to find a way to give his comm frequency to Odalin.  But, if anyone could get away with pulling off a shenanigan as ridiculous as hiding his number on the back of a painting of a cloud, it would be Omega.

And then there was Hunter and the mysterious woman who handed him a kriff-ton of free fresh fruit.  It wasn’t as if the fruit was moldy, and she was put into a predicament where she had to avoid the produce from going to waste.  The fruit was as ripe as can be, all having been recently picked.  Sounded a bit suspicious if you were to ask him, and Crosshair regarded his intuition as being rather dependable.  He doubted that Hunter just happened to be at the right place at the right time…  Clone Force 99 wasn’t lucky like that.  There had to be more.  He would get to the bottom of this.

Sighing, he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower.  He made quick work of drying himself off with his towel and getting dressed in his civilian clothes.

The mirror then ambushed him, hidden in plain sight.  Well, technically it wasn’t concealed at all, he had just been trying his hardest to avoid it.  His reflection loomed ahead of him and his own piercing brown eyes stared back. 

A stream of thoughts flooded his mind all at once, all while the residual steam from the shower lurked in the enclosed of space of the refresher.  What if Odalin thought this was all an elaborate scheme by him to give her his number?  Kark, she probably thinks he’s a weirdo.  He groaned out loud.

He could admit to himself that he was attracted to Odalin to some extent, despite having no prior experience with anything in the romantic regard.  As a soldier, there was never any time for such frivolous things.  Odalin’s intelligence and wit were one to be reckoned with.  Then there was her endless sweetness towards him that stemmed solely from the kindness of her heart.  And yes, she was beautiful… Both inside and out.

He kept studying himself.  It was no secret that he was skinnier than his baseline level of thinness.  Shaking his head, he exited the ‘fresher.  The mirror pissed him off too much.

Emerging once again into the kitchen, Crosshair was met with the sight of his brothers and sister gathered around the dining room table.  Unsurprisingly, they were eating more fruit.  Couldn’t risk it all going bad he supposed.

Batcher whined at the front entrance of the house.  Crosshair turned his attention to the lurca hound who was now clawing at the door.

“Has she been out yet today?” Crosshair questioned.

“Yeah, she went to the beach with us earlier,” Echo shrugged.

“Looks like she wants to go out again,” Omega observed, tilting her head.

Crosshair knew he should go outside himself.  It had been too long since he had experienced the phenomenons known as ‘the sun’ or ‘fresh air’ or whatever…

“I’ll take her on another walk,” Crosshair confirmed to the others.  The rest of them looked absolutely exhausted.  Swimming and matchmaking were tiresome apparently.

After the others nodded their thanks (all clearly trying to conceal their relief that he was finally going outside again), Crosshair stepped outside into the blaring sun.  Thankfully for his sensitive eyes, he had taken the liberty to bring along his sunglasses.

He looked down at the blue hound.  “Where do you want to go, girl?”

Batcher glanced up at him and innocently stuck her tongue out.

Crosshair sighed.  He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he asked the creature for her preference.

Suddenly, without warning, Batcher began to trot off down the rocky pathway.

Crosshair jutted his hip out and crossed his arms.  “And just where do you think you’re going?”

Batcher turned her head around to look at the lanky man.  She confidently lifted her head up and proceeded on her own path.

Crosshair huffed.  He guessed it was his fault for politely asking her in the first place.

Without a real direction to go anyway, Crosshair decided to follow.

Leading Crosshair through the winding roads, Batcher continued to peer back at her human companion to ensure he was following her.  Crosshair raised a brow.  He really was just letting her lead.  It was nice not having to make a decision once and a while in all honesty.

Eventually, it became apparent that Batcher was leading him to the beach.  Rather ironic.

“Oh, so because I didn’t go with you all earlier in the day, you’re making sure I get to experience the joys of the beach as well?”  How touching.

The human plus hound duo arrived shortly after.  Crosshair took his shoes off in a couple swift motions using his feet, before stepping foot onto the warm sand.  He made sure to pick up the sandals before furthering with the unplanned wandering session.  Well, unplanned from his end.  Batcher was calling all the shots and was as self-assured as one could be.  Good for her…

After a bit of strolling, Crosshair paused in his tracks.  In front of him, but still at a bit of a distance, was an easel that had been set up in the sand.  Standing next to it was Odalin, who held a paintbrush between her fingers.  She hadn’t yet noticed him or Batcher due to their further away proximity.  Crosshair watched with keen focus as the painter laid down brushstrokes on the canvas.  The way she sporadically smiled while doing her art mesmerized him.

Against Crosshair’s doing, and with his bizarre ‘luck’ today, Batcher barked and sprinted over to Odalin and the easel.  It was not a hidden talent of the hound that she was fast.  Afterall, she was trained to be on Mount Tantiss.

Odalin paused her activity and faced the creature running towards her.  Her slightly shocked expression transformed into a beaming smile once she spotted Crosshair in the distance…  Crosshair, who was just standing there like a helpless kriffing tooka in headlights… He mentally made sure to aggressively facepalm himself at the nearest convenient time.

She waved.

Gulping, Crosshair accepted his fate and started the nerve-racking walk towards her.  First Omega set him up with giving Odalin his comm, now their pet lurca hound was too?  What the kark was happening today?!  Inevitably, he eventually reached Odalin’s side.

“Hi,” Odalin said while grinning.  Her slightly dimpled cheeks complemented her face perfectly, just like a masterfully painted portrait.

“Hi,” Crosshair awkwardly mumbled, doing his best to maintain eye contact.  Her eyes were expressive.  They were blue with a slight green undertone, just as captivating as looking out the viewport while traveling through hyperspace.

“Didn’t see you earlier today,” Odalin commented, glancing down at the paintbrush in her hand.  The bristles were covered in white paint.  Crosshair hypothesized that the white paint was presumably for the clouds.

“Haven’t exactly let the house in a few days until just 10 minutes ago,” he huffed, casting his eyes towards the sand in slight embarrassment.  Why did he reveal that?  What a slip of the tongue on his part.  Stupid…  Now she’ll think he’s incapable of dealing with stuff productively.

Odalin instead sighed, initiating eye contact as she looked up towards him.  “It can definitely be challenging to find ways to deal with what’s going on in our minds.”

Crosshair bit his lip and processed that before abruptly changing the subject.  “Heard you were working on a painting.”  The painting was of the beach’s horizon.  It consisted of the soft sand, the breathtaking ocean, the crisp sky, among other finer details that were around them.  She had been here all day so far, and her dedication to the piece had clearly paid off.  Before overthinking his additional comment, he continued.  “It looks nice.”

Odalin blushed and smiled as she looked down in an effort to hide her face.  She was visibly shy, for what reason, Crosshair couldn’t decipher.

“Do you make your living as an engineer or as a painter?”  He genuinely asked.  “Or something else entirely?”  He wouldn’t be surprised if she had another talent that he hadn’t discovered yet.

“The engineering stuff is just a hobby.  I make my living as a painter, believe it or not.”

Crosshair gave an impressed nod before rubbing his chin in thought.  “Usually being a painter is a hobby.  You clearly have a knack for art.”

Odalin softly chuckled and looked down at her hands.  “Ah, I don’t know about that… But thank you.”

“Sounds like you’re just trying to be humble.  Others clearly enjoy your work enough to purchase it.”  He thought back to the paintings that adorned the walls of her house.  “If the paintings covering your house are any indication of your abilities, I can confidently say I enjoy all of them as well.”  Odalin’s blush remained after hearing that Crosshair had remembered the paintings from her house.  “Where do you sell your art?

“The weekend market…  In the evenings.  Tiny lights hang from the tree and countless different booths are set up in the square.  I’ll be going later tonight.”  She paused, glancing down at her feet.  Then, she mustered the confidence to look back up at him.  “You ought to come with me while I run my booth.  We can discuss art and grab some food afterwards at one of the vendors.”  She hesitated.  “If you want to, that is.”

“I’d like that very much, Odalin.”

It wasn’t often that Crosshair would startle himself by doing something so completely out of character.  But here he was, instantly accepting an invite from a woman he barely knew.  Maybe it was because he wanted to know more.

Odalin exhaled in what appeared to be relief.  She gave another radiant smile that could rival the loveliest stars in the sky.  “I’ll see you tonight then!”

“Uh huh,” Crosshair murmured.

“I’ll comm you with the exact time and other details,” she smirked.

Crosshair’s stomach dropped.  She had seen what his sister had done...  Upon closer inspection, propped up next to a bag Odalin had on the sandy floor, was the painting of a cloud Omega had created.

Chapter Text

Never in a million parsecs did Crosshair envision himself awaiting a comm message from a woman.  As the minutes ticked by, the more his brain tried to convince himself that he had imagined the entire ordeal at the beach…  That the events that’d transpired had all been an elaborate scheme created by his mind to further remind him just how kriffing depressing his life was.

Time was a strange concept.  One moment, it could feel as though it were going the painstaking pace of a bantha, while another could make oneself believe that they had been thrown into a hyperspace lane.

Eventually though, his comm chirped alive with its rhythmic tone.  Sure enough, the message displayed provided the exact time and location of where Odalin would meet him.  She had instructed him to meet her next to the hospital, since it was on both their ways to the market.

He stared at the words with completely unfamiliar anticipation.  His past experiences essentially all revolved around a war he and his brothers were created to fight in… There were no similar scenarios in his lifelong catalog of past events that could prepare him…  No all telling file that laid out how he should be reacting to all of this.  Kark, he didn’t even know if he was supposed to respond, and if he did, what would he respond with?

Suddenly, his comm beeped again.

Odalin : ‘See you soon!’

Well, at least that was easier to respond to.

Crosshair : ‘Excited’

That was simple enough he suppos-

Odalin : ‘ :) ’

Crosshair blinked at the smiley face that she had just sent.  Was he expected to reply to that too?  Kark.  What do you even say to that?

“Omega!”

His door creaked open.  Having been fully expecting to see Omega, he was caught by surprise when Wrecker barged through the door instead.

“What’s up, Cross?!” he shouted.

Crosshair flinched at the unexpected and jarring auditory input.  Stars, the hinges of his door were really fighting for their lives there.

“Oh hello, Omega,” the sniper deadpanned.

“Bet I can help just the same,” Wrecker pouted, flopping onto the bed next to Crosshair.

Crosshair rolled his eyes, shifting over to make more room between himself and his seemingly spatially uncoordinated brother.  “Alright, fine.  Hypothetically, how is one supposed to respond to a smiley face comm message?”

“With another smiley face of course!” Wrecker laughed.  “Come on Crosshair, it’s basic knowledge!”

“Must’ve missed the class on Kamino,” a peeved Crosshair mumbled.  He had been afraid that would be the answer.  Despite not feeling rather smiley (not now… or really ever, quite frankly), he begrudgingly typed it out.

Wrecker smacked him on the back as he boisterously chuckled.  In doing so, he caused Crosshair’s finger to slip on the send button.

Crosshair : ‘ :0 ’

Horrified, Crosshair stared at the mistake he had just accidently sent, and then back to his clumsy brother.  “Kriff Wrecker!  You made me send out a typo!”

“How do you misspell a smiley face?!” Wrecker countered.

Crosshair’s lip twitched.  Taking in a deep breath to quell his frustrations, he began typing again.

Crosshair : ‘Meant to type :) …haha’

Crosshair really hoped that his ‘haha’ would come across as sincere and not too forced.

Not long after the whole comm fiasco (in his opinion), it was time for Crosshair to head out.  Due to being antsy, he made the executive decision to leave earlier than necessary.

Before he departed to meet Odalin in front of Pabu’s small hospital, he felt inclined to freshen up in the refresher.

Crosshair picked up his soft bristled brush and combed it through his grey hair.  He unintentionally had been re-growing out his distinctive characteristic, though it was not nearly as long as it had been since before Bracca.  He pointedly made an effort to avoid making contact with his scar.  It wasn’t like his hair grew back there anyway.  It was now just a poignant reminder of past events that still felt far too near.

One issue remained.  He had to concoct a reason as to why he was leaving randomly to give to his siblings.  In their eyes, he’d been in such a glum state for so long, and was now bizarrely/willingly leaving the house for the second time in one day… 

As a solider, him and his brothers had to think quick on their feet.  He’d be able to pull something off in this scenario…

“Wanna check out the caves tonight?” Wrecker enthusiastically asked Omega as soon as Crosshair entered the living room area.  “Tech had told me that the glowy fish like to hang out there in the evenings!  He said I’d really like ‘em… so I bet you would too!”

Crosshair didn’t correct his brother’s nontechnical words, but Tech certainly would have.  His largest brother was referring to Pabu’s luminescent green rays.

“Yeah!” Omega cried, jumping in the air, as her face lit up with unbridled excitement.

“I can join for a bit,” Echo agreed, sipping on his caf.  “Can’t stay too long though.  Got another call with Rex later tonight.”

“Hunter?  Crosshair?” Omega questioned, giving them lurca hound puppy eyes.

“Sounds like fun, but I can’t I’m afraid,” Hunter let everyone know.  He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.  “I’ll join you all another night.”

“Wha-? You’re busy?” Wrecker’s eyebrows shot up.

“You can say that…” Hunter smiled looking at his feet.

Crosshair squinted at the bandana connoisseur.  His enhanced vision made it easy to pick up on his slightly flushed cheeks and ears.  How suspicious, he thought.

“What about you Cross?” Hunter diverted, clapping the observant sniper on the back.

“I’ve got some plans of my own as well,” Crosshair shrugged.

“How interesting…” Hunter smirked.

Crosshair scoffed at the utter irony that was unfolding before him.  “Oh, like you’re one to talk right now.”

“I bet Crosshair is going to go hang out with Odalin!” Omega teased, leaning forward into Crosshair’s personal space.

“Ah!” Hunter’s eyes widened.  “A date?”

Crosshair rolled his eyes.  “It’s not a date.”

“So, you are seeing Odalin!” Omega giggled.  Crosshair could tell she was attributing all of this to her matchmaking attempt from earlier in the day.  The timing was comically suspicious… unfortunately.

“Sounds like a date, Cross!” Wrecker hollered out a laugh, most likely connecting this to the comm situation he had helped facilitate earlier.

“I barely even know her.”

“If you say so,” Echo chimed in, sparing a glance up from his datapad.  Crosshair hated the smirk that the man gave him.

“Whatever,” Crosshair huffed.  “Why don’t you all go and interrogate Hunter a bit more while you’re all on such an enthusiastic roll?”

“Oh, Hunterrrrr…” Omega instantly turned her attention towards him.  She gave him a sweet smile and teasingly batted her eyelashes at him.

The new clone under scrutiny eyed Crosshair in an unamused way.

Crosshair patted Hunter on the back, reciprocating the gesture done to him moments before, as he started to head out of the room.  The sergeant rubbed his eyes as Omega bounced in front of him, begging for answers about his love life.  This served as an ideal time for Crosshair to make his grand exit.

Evenings on Pabu were incredibly mellow.  Despite the lack of sunlight, the island was rarely completely dark.  On top of the bright moon, the inhabitants of the area took it upon themselves to brighten up the land with lights of their own.

The distance from the Batch’s domicile to the local hospital wasn’t terribly far.  Since Crosshair had left early, he arrived before Odalin.  Conveniently, the Hospital Gardens, located in the front of the building, had ample seating.  He allowed himself to temporarily relax in a shaded spot under a freshly planted tree.

Crosshair was still antsy, but at least now he was out and about waiting, instead of festering with nerves in the confines of his relatively cramped up room.  Perhaps he could use this time to be productive.  He did have his datapad on him after all.  Maybe he could research prosthetic hands and the logistics around that.  He remembered how enthusiastic Tech had been to assist Echo with his prosthetics…

With ease, Crosshair removed his datapad from his pocket.  After scrolling through a few articles, he found one that seemed rather relevant.

Unlike Tech and his many specialties, being able to fully concentrate on researching was not exactly Crosshair’s strong suit.  His mind often wandered, and he’d tend to quickly lose his train of thought like an escape pod ejecting out of a cruiser.

Crosshair groaned in annoyance, throwing his datapad across the length of his bunk on Kamino.  The prospect of finishing the reading he had been assigned before tomorrow morning… while being expected to fully understand it… seemed entirely too daunting of a task.  He had just been given his rifle, and as a result, had loads of studies that came along with the new addition to his arsenal.

“Do you need assistance, Crosshair?” Tech had wondered, having crept up beside the sniper.  His footsteps were mixed with the thunder outside their barracks, ominously threatening to shatter the viewport.

Crosshair waved his hand in dismissal.  “It’s about sniper modifications.  Don’t worry about it.”

“I have already been researching potential modifications that can be altered onto your brand new, recently acquired Firepuncher rifle.  To an extent, I might be able to ease the burden of your study cramming session.

“It’s not a ‘cram session’, Tech.”

“It’s 4am in the morning, and your exam is at 8am I recall?”

Crosshair’s tired and bloodshot eyes bulged out of their sockets.  “It’s WHAT A.M. in the morning?!?!”

“4am in the morning,” Tech repeated causally.  In hindsight, that really wasn’t an unusual time for Tech to be up anyway.  “Well, technically 4:11am in the morning to be more precise.”

“Oh!” a voice shouted, drawing him back into the present, “Crosshair!” 

Her voice…

Startled by the sudden comment from Odalin, Crosshair shut off the article he was reading.  Looking at his chrono, it was now closer to the time she had originally sent him to meet her at.  Either he got extremely immersed in the reading, or he got lost in his memories…  The latter seemed to be the most likely.

“Hi,” he nodded as he tucked his datapad full of unfinished readings away.

Odalin was pushing a hover cart that was loaded up with paintings.

Crosshair gestured to the cart.  “Allow me.”  Odalin smiled her thanks and let Crosshair push the cart.

The two fell into a comfortable step with one another.

“Have you been to one of these markets yet?  Before you got back from…?” It’s almost like she intuitively didn’t want to say the name of the place from his nightmares… Horrors that he hadn’t even mentioned to her.  Sure, she must vaguely know that his history wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, but still.  She didn’t need to be burdened with the entire truth anyway.

“No.”

Unbothered by his monotonous response, Odalin kept the conversation going.  Crosshair was grateful that she never pushed him or commented on his lack of commentary.  It allowed him to relax and just be himself without the additional worry of pretending…  He was still very much uneasy about all of this, given that it was uncharted territory for him, but she herself didn’t cause his anxiety to flare.  They conversed and bantered effortlessly.

As the pair approached the markets located in upper Pabu, the brightness only grew in density.  Odalin was right…  Lights were already strung around the weeping maya tree, and the number of lit up booths set up were plentiful.  Crosshair sucked in a breath as Odalin’s arm brushed against his while she lifted her arm to point to her specific booth.

With her instruction, Crosshair rolled her cart full of paintings towards her stall.  She began unloading her work onto her assigned market table as though it were second nature.  Crosshair assisted in the process this time, falling into a steady rhythm of handing the art to the artist that she then organized in a display.  Working as one, the duo prepared Odalin’s stand in record time.

Around them, other inhabitants of Pabu were already either set up with their own booths or almost ready.  The flow of frequenting villagers was sure to arrive shortly.

Observing the prices that she had each painting labeled as, Crosshair noticed right away that Odalin didn’t charge as much as she technically could be.  

“You don’t charge more?” he asked inquisitively.

Odalin subtly shrugged.  “I want the majority of people to be able to afford my art if they fancy it…  Don’t want a steep price tag to deter someone from sprucing up their house and making them happy.”

Crosshair nodded at her thoughtful answer.  Her shy smile towards him made his stomach flip out with nerves… Such a foreign feeling.

Without much thought, he rotated his wrist, observing what remained.

Odalin, the self-taught engineer that she was, noticed Crosshair massage his wrist that now lacked a hand.  “I can help you with that, you know…”

He scoffed staring at his wrist.  “It’s too late for that.”

His implications upset Odalin.  Too late?  Did he not realize she was referring to his absent hand?

Odalin’s lack of response bothered Crosshair enough for him to look back in her direction.  He realized that his answer had been misconstrued.  With his dark humor, he had meant it was too late in that the hand had already been cut off.  But the more he pondered over what she had potentially perceived his answer as implying, he wondered if there was any underlying truth towards it.

“It’s fine,” he mumbled, shaking his head.  He hoped that she would excuse his off-putting behavior.  Finding words was a real hinderance to his peace of mind sometimes.

“Well, I don’t know you’re interested in prosthetics, but…” she hesitated.

“You’ve made one before?”

“Erm…” She made an awkward face.  “No, not exactly.”

Crosshair raised his eyebrow on instinct.

“But if you’d like, I could add that to the top of my research list and engineering projects.” 

Odalin smile bashfully at her own proposition.  Little did she know how touched Crosshair really was.

Before the conversation could continue, a Twi’lek man and a little girl, presumably his child, approached the booth.  After greeting Odalin and Crosshair, the father and daughter browsed the paintings.

Crosshair watched as Odalin talked through various paintings, explaining hidden meanings and revealing some of the locations she painted from.

“See anything you like?” Odalin smiled warmly at the viewers.

The man chuckled.  “Your work is stunning.”  He sighed longingly, eyeing one piece in particular.

“I appreciate that so much.  Thank you!”

“I like the moon-yos!!!!” the little girl squealed, eagerly pointing to a small moon-yo painting.  It happened to be the same piece her father had been glancing at.  She must have only been around four years old or so.  As she bounced around, her purple lekku did as well.

“You do, do you?” Odalin grinned.  “Me too.  I think they’re pretty silly… don’t you?”

The child giggled at Odalin and fervently bobbed her head up and down in agreement.  Then, for whatever reason compelled her, she locked eyes with Crosshair.  “I- I once chased a few of them all the way acwoss the beach and… and then they slowed down…” she rambled on and on as Crosshair stood still, unsure what to do with himself, “…then one of them hopped onto my shouldos,” she shrugged.  “We’ya fwiends now.”

Crosshair slowly began nodding as he listened to what appeared to be the end of the small child’s story.  Besides Omega, his experience and knowledge about children was excruciatingly minimal.  This small girl’s rambling was excessive, sort of how Tech would go off onto a tangent and not stop talking.  Tech could pronounce his Rs though…

“That’s nice,” Crosshair responded softly.  The little kid smiled ear to ear.  He must’ve done something right.  Little did he know that Odalin was gazing warmly at him as well.

A woman heavily resembling the girl a couple stalls down, most likely the mother, called out for the kid.  This caused the girl to release her father’s hand and run into the woman’s arms.

Upon confirming that his daughter was being looked after, the man returned his attention to Odalin.  He huffed.  “My daughter loves those little moon-yo fellows, and it’s her birthday today.  I’m still a few credits short unfortunately.  Hopefully, once my next paycheck comes in and the next market day comes around, the painting will still be unpurchased.”

Crosshair watched Odalin’s face soften at the man’s words.  He then watched her glance at the tiny moon-yo painting displayed on the corner of the table.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about the painting being sold.”  Odalin picked up the petite sized painting and extended her arm towards the man.  “I hope your daughter has a lovely birthday.”

The man looked astounded, unable to receive the painting in front of him.  “That is too generous of you.”  He shook his head in disbelief.  “I can’t accept this for free.”

“It’s alright, I insist.”

The man furrowed his brow in contemplation.  “I’m a fisherman… At least allow me to provide the two of you some fresh fish.”

“Oh!  That would be wonderful,” Odalin nodded in agreement.

“I’ll have the fish delivered straight to your door tomorrow!”

Meanwhile, Crosshair watched the exchange in awe.  This was definitely not how he’d expected a sales interaction to play out, but it was rather… touching.

The two traded contact information in regard to how Odalin will receive the fish, and the man accepted the painting for his daughter.

Moments later, Odalin and Crosshair watched the man approach his family, purposely holding the art behind his back.  The moment his daughter heard him, she whirled around.  The father got on one knee and revealed the painting, resulting in her bouncing up and down with uncontrollable glee.  The two of them could hear her squeals from where they were. 

The Twi’lek girl marveled over the small canvas in her hands.  Almost as though she had sensed Odalin and Crosshair watching her, she turned to face them.  Her mouth quickly formed a wide, toothy smile.  With his stellar sight, Crosshair could pick up her the joyous tears in her eyes.

Crosshair and Odalin tended to the art stand for a couple more hours.  Odalin spoke with customers and chatted about her work with passionate delight.  Crosshair remained mesmerized with Odalin’s eloquent explanations of her art.  The fairy lights strung from the tree and pillars of upper Pabu, cast a vivid shine against her naturally radiant face.  The lights reflected in her eyes like crystals sparkling.  Her ability to spread happiness was special.  As cynical as he was, Crosshair could recognize and even appreciate that.

Odalin eventually suggested grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby vendor only a handful of stalls away from hers.  This allowed her to easily keep an eye on her art… not that it was likely anybody would steal anything anyway.  The food stall resembled a miniature restaurant.  There were even a couple of folding tables set out in front of the booth.

The two sat down, facing one another.  Crosshair could feel his cheeks heat up at the brand-new type of proximity.  He used his pointer finger to pick on his thumb… a nervous habit of his, he supposed.

Odalin smiled up at the waiter as he approached the table.  Crosshair’s head was still down, deep in contemplation.  “You know what you want, Crosshair?”

Somewhat caught off guard, his head shot up to look at her.  He appeared confused, eyes shifting from the woman in front of him to the server.

Luckily, Odalin started.  “I’ll just get an order of the seaweed salad, please.”  She aimed her focus towards Crosshair, “If you don’t know what to get yet, I’d definitely recommend it.”

“Just water’s fine,” he answered monotonously.

“Certainly,” the waiter nodded after filling up both of their water glasses.  “That’ll be out shortly.”

After the waiter had left, Odalin’s eyes shot up to Crosshair.  He was slightly hunched over, back to picking his thumb.

“If you keep that up, you’re going to cause it to start bleeding.”

Crosshair didn’t look up, but momentarily paused the assault to his thumb.  “Can’t afford to lose the other one,” his eyes then met hers, “now, can I?”

Odalin stared at the man as he resumed his picking.  She truly didn’t know how to react to that comment, seeing as though she couldn’t decipher his tone.

She huffed out a neutral response.  Hopefully, he would perceive it in whatever way was best.

“You were a solider in the GAR, right?”

He gulped.  “Yes,” he responded curtly.  He had been before the chip lodged in his brain was activated.  That wasn’t a lie.  He and his brothers were the unstoppable Clone Force 99… They used to be that squad anyway…  Not since Tech died though.

“I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have been like.”  Odalin stared off towards the tree located behind Crosshair’s shoulder as she thought.  “What was your specialty?”

“I was a sniper,” he unintentionally glanced down at his newly formed stump.  “Now I’m a former marksman without a shooting hand,” he waved his stump in the air unceremoniously.

Odalin’s shoulders deflated, looking at him sympathetically.  Crosshair could tell she was thinking something more, but ultimately didn’t end up voicing her thoughts.

“Lot of opportunities open for me,” he scoffed sarcastically.

“You’re right.  That’s true,” Odalin responded with sincerity.  “There are tons of options out there for you,” she insisted.

Crosshair rolled his eyes, somewhat sadly.  “Spare me your pity.”

Odalin huffed a laugh.  “I’m not pitying you.”  She stared at him.  “I’m being completely serious.”

“Does this have something to do with why you literally have a pit droid named Pitee as a pet?”  He paused.  “Should spell his name PitY instead.”

“Oh, come on,” Odalin huffed making a face at the ridiculous comment.

He thought back to what Odalin had said earlier.  Even if he could finagle something to do with the rest of his life, what was the point?  If Tech was still here and he had lost his hand, it would have meant that everyone had escaped unscathed.  He wouldn’t be dwelling on the hand as much.  Tech would have designed him a new one at this point already!  The galaxy was finally giving Clone Force 99 (if they could even refer to themselves as that anymore) the luxury of freedom.  No longer were they forced to fight in a war they were bred for, were being hunted down by the Empire, or were sided with the Empire under the control of an inhibitor chip…  If all of them got to experience such an unfathomable end, Crosshair would feel at peace knowing that even though he had lost his hand, they were all at least okay.  But they weren’t.

The waiter reappeared with Odalin’s salad.  After thanking him, she took a bite.  Crosshair took a sip of his water, chewing on a piece of ice.

“Here.” Odalin pushed her plate towards the center of the table, visibly bothered by his lack of food.

Crosshair raised a confused eyebrow.

“Feel free to have some,” she shrugged.  “There’s an extra fork over there… No pressure though.”

“I’d rather not steal your food.”

“It’s not stealing if I encourage it,” she rolled her eyes.  Crosshair respected her eyeroll in the current context.  It was admirable, he’d give her that.

“Are you sure?” the sniper hesitated.  It felt improper to take part of her meal… Not that he was an expert at proper things, but still…  “I could have ordered something myself if I wanted to-”

“I promise you’re overthinking this, Crosshair.  Pick up the kriffing fork,” she said jokingly, gesturing over to the spare fork in front of him.  She was clearly trying to hold in a laugh.

Crosshair’s eyes widened at the sudden comment.  He respected it, but just had not expected it.

“Alright,” he responded, slowly reaching for the utensil.  Unwrapping the fork from where it laid tucked into a napkin was slightly cumbersome with a single hand.  

Crosshair sectioned off a sliver of the dish.  Using his fork, he stabbed the portion and put it in his mouth.

“Well?” Odalin waited in anticipation.

Crosshair raised an eyebrow.  “Well… What?”

“Well, how is it?  Do you like it?”

Oh right.  The food.  “It’s flavorful.”

“Flavorful as in… it’s tasty, or flavorful as in… it’s repulsive?”

Crosshair let the unique flavor consume his taste buds.  “Rather satisfactory.”

Odalin smiled.  “See!  I knew you’d like it!”  She took a bite using her own fork.  “I’ve always enjoyed a nice salad, even before I came to Pabu.  Do you have any favorite meals?”

“Not sure.”  Crosshair knew his answer sounded rather unbelievable, but it was the truth.  He and his brothers never got the chance to widen their palates.  During the war, meals consisted of the thrilling option of either ration bar A or ration bar B.

“Then we’ll just have to discover what it is then” she responded with determination.

Although Crosshair offered to pay, Odalin refused.  She reminded him that he literally hadn’t even ordered anything.  Crosshair tried to justify it by claiming that he did, and that water was indeed something, but she wasn’t having it.

The two made their way back over to Odalin’s booth to collect her yet to be sold paintings.  Once they were gathered and placed back into the transportable hover cart, the two slowly began their walk back.  Crosshair insisted on walking Odalin home, to which she happily accepted.  Both of them were pleased with the extra time to talk.

“You really are quite the popular artist,” Crosshair told her as he pushed the now much lighter cart.

Odalin let out a breathy laugh as she strolled next to Crosshair, both her hands in her pockets.  She would occasionally kick a stone as they walked. 

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they meandered towards Odalin’s house.  Crosshair took pleasure in those moments they often shared.  Frankly, he had determined that any moment with her was one to cherish.

Oh look!”  Odalin quietly gasped, causing the pair to pause their walking.

In front of them was a cluster of fireflies. 

Before Crosshair could properly process the swarm of illuminating bugs, Odalin was already making her way towards them.

Odalin reached her arm out, allowing for the creature to land on the palm of her hand.  “These are my favorite type of bug.”  She cupped her other hand gently over the one holding the firefly, before strolling back over to where Crosshair stood still.  “Here,” she smiled, motioning with her neck for Crosshair to lower his arm so she could transfer the glowing insect onto him.

Crosshair subtly tensed up as the firefly crawled onto his skin.  He felt each step the bug took as it crept along his arm.  With no warning, the insect spread its wings out and started to fly away.  At the same time, the back of its little body vibrantly lit up.

“Joyous little things,” she peered up at him due to his tall height, “aren’t they?”  She huffed out a laugh.  “We could all learn a little from them.”

Crosshair scoffed at the concept. “That sounds like an unrealistic expectation.”

Odalin raised a brow.  “You have a light left in you too, you know?”

Whether Odalin was telling the truth, or if she was just a passionate optimist by nature, Crosshair considered each of her words…  She really did have a way with them.

Chapter Text

Crosshair and Odalin were just about to reach the latter’s dwelling.  Crosshair pushed the stack of artwork in front of him, the hover cart making a soft humming noise.  Odalin strolled with her arms wrapped around her body, as if she were giving herself a hug.  Her gaze was transfixed on the not-so-distant ocean… quite a lovely view.  Instead of sharing the same view though, Crosshair studied his newfound companion’s face… A more marvelous sight in his opinion.  Now, the sniper was not clueless…  The art of subtly was practically ingrained into his highly modified and altered DNA.  He made sure to observe her from his peripheral view only.  From his knowledge, his peripheral vision was just as spot on as a reg’s normal vision.  Then again though, it was hard to compare his mutations to someone lacking them… which was essentially everyone but himself.

Too soon for Crosshair’s liking, they reached Odalin’s familiar house. 

With a satisfied sigh, Odalin faced the retired soldier.  “I had a wonderful night.  Thank you for accompanying me…”  She raised her eyebrows as she pondered her next set of words.  “It’s unheard of for me to actually have anyone to go to the market with…"  She chuckled.  "So- thank you.”

Crosshair lifted his head up from where he had been parking the cart next to the front door.  Her comment almost made him laugh considering the irony of it all.  She was thanking him.  Luckily, for his own peace of mind, he was able to contain any awkward huffs of amusement… Surely if he had chuckled, she’d find him unhinged.  “I enjoyed it a great deal.”

“Good, good…”

The two stood in silence.  To others, it might have been considered an awkward silence, but to Crosshair and Odalin, it felt just right.

Odalin’s concerned voice cut through the quiet, causing Crosshair to spring back into alertness.  “Is your wrist bothering you?”

Huh?  He looked down to where his missing hand ought to have been.  Sure enough, he was subconsciously gripping it in his remaining one.

“It’s fine.”  Crosshair bit his lip, contemplating the future of his stump.  “Although…” He took a deep breath.  “I have been researching potential prosthetics lately.”

Odalin’s eyes brightened in support.  “Can I see?” she asked, gesturing to his arm.

He swallowed nervously.  Besides AZI, nobody had really touched his dominant hand (well, remaining limb) since it’d been brutally severed from his body.  Hesitantly, he stuck out his arm, which she gingerly grasped.  Her hands were warm, despite the evening chill in the air.  Her touch lit his skin on fire in the most pleasant way.

“I think I could figure something out.”  Odalin gently rotated his wrist.  “I’d need to consult with professionals regarding the surgical side of this,” Odalin noted.

“The professionals being surgeons, hopefully?” Crosshair sarcastically questioned.

“Hmm,” Odalin shrugged.  “I was thinking your toothpick manufacturer.” 

Crosshair scoffed at the outrageous and out of pocket comment, until he realized that his toothpick box was, quite literally, visibly sticking out of his shirt’s chest pocket.

Suddenly, as if time itself had snapped its fingers, he realized his close proximity to her.  Kark.  Her face was mere inches away from his.  His heart stuttered in his chest.  It hammered against his ribcage as if it were attempting a prison break.  Curiosity grew in his brain, and he wondered if hers felt the same way.  Against everything he had been taught as a soldier in the GAR, he was tempted to reach out and sweep her soft hair behind her ear, so it wasn’t obscuring her eyes.  And kriff, the way her doe eyes bore into his admiring ones… It made him feel as if he was dreaming.

After saying their goodnights and Crosshair ensuring Odalin (as well as her paintings) made it inside safety, he made his way home.  If only the perfect night could’ve gone on for hours and hours more.

Upon entering, the majority of the Batch were present.  While Omega and Wrecker were playing a goofy game of charades, Echo was comfortably relaxing with his prosthetic legs propped up on Gonky, and Batcher was doing laps around the house trying to release some pent-up energy.

Hunter was notably missing.

“Where’s Hunter?”

The game of charades paused mid game, Echo looked up from the datapad he’d been reading and Batcher halted, surprised.  Evidently, Crosshair’s entry had been rather silent…

“Dunno,” Wrecker shrugged while still acting out whatever he had been assigned to do during the game.  The game of charades they were playing had been custom-made by the Batch a long time ago.

“Crosshair?” Omega piped up.  “What is Wrecker acting out?”

Crosshair sighed, hidden fatigue making itself noticeable.  “He’d have to do it again.  I didn’t have the privilege to see.”  He raised an eyebrow and then jutted his thumb towards the former 501^st member.  “Have you asked Echo?”

Echo scratched the back of his head, being careful to avoid the metal ports.  “Beats me, honestly.”

Crosshair rubbed his face.  He didn’t have the energy to witness Wrecker mess around, but here he was yet again.  For the sake of Omega, he gestured his large brother to get on with it.

Wrecker began moving chaotically.

Disturbingly enough, Crosshair instantly knew what he was acting out.

“He’s a Yalbec Queen whose stinger has recently been severed from her body,” a worn-out Crosshair drawled.

Wrecker clapped.  “Woohoo!  You got it, Cross!”

“What?!” both Omega and Echo questioned in unison.  Gonky waddled back and forth in recognition, disturbing Echo’s leg rest setup.

Crosshair looked up at his confused sister and brother.  “It’s a homemade game of charades that Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and I came up with referencing our experiences during the war… What did you expect the gameplay to center around?”

Echo tilted his head in thought.  “I don’t recall the 501^st ever facing a Yalbec Queen.”

“They were try’n to mate with us!” Wrecker blurted out.

“Huh?” Omega made a disturbed face that scrunched up all her facial features.

“No, no, no,” Crosshair interrupted, waving his hands in disapproval as he walked to stand in between his noisy brother and confused little sister.

“Do you want to join us, Crosshair?” Omega jumped up and down in anticipation.

Truthfully, Crosshair was utterly exhausted, and the mere sound of charades made him impossibly more drained.  He also had a bit of a throbbing headache towards the side of his head.  But, seeing his sister so excited pulled at his heartstrings just enough for him to oblige and ultimately agree to the offer.

After a couple hours of playing and munching on snacks, the crew decided to call it in for the night.  Each sibling made their way to their respected bedroom, Crosshair even deciding to bring an extra one of the snacks they had been eating back to his room.  After sitting down with the fruit, he stopped in his tracks.  He stared at the fruit in his hand, squinting at it.  That’s when it dawned on him…  The snacks they’d been eating all were supplied by Hunter’s lady friend…

Crosshair was tired, yes… But that wasn’t all he was.  If there was one thing the sniper always had been, it was curious… And you best believe he was curious just about now…

Standing up from the bed, he made his way to the front porch.  He took great effort in opening and shutting the front door as quietly as physically possible to avoid alerting his now snoozing siblings.  It was just a matter of time until Hunter would come back.

The chair that always remained on the front porch was currently unusable.  Someone (Wrecker, Crosshair presumed, since he had been the last to lounge on it since the storm the night prior) forgot to bring the cushions inside before the rainstorm, leaving them still partially soaked.

The roof it was then.  Crosshair skillfully scaled the shared home of his family and began his stakeout of sorts.

By the time he heard his brother’s familiar footsteps, it had already been over an hour.  Sleep was unimportant when unsolved matters such as this were lurking about.

It was only a matter of time until Hunter heard him.  His involuntary steady heartbeat and quiet breathes had given him away far too many times before in the past.  His enhancements and specialty as a sniper allow him to go undetected longer than the average human… but when it came to Hunter and the sergeant’s own set of skills, it was another story.

Crosshair jumped down from the short roof, pouncing in the dark like a loth-cat sneaking up on its prey.

Hunter tripped backwards in alarm.  “What the kriff, Crosshair?!” he whisper-yelled through clenched teeth.  “I’m a grown-ass adult!  What are you?  The curfew police?!”

“Cut the kark, Hunter,” Crosshair said with his arms crossed and hip leaning to one side.  “Who are you out seeing this late?”

“Keep it down, will you?” Hunter shushed, already in the process of grabbing Crosshair by the bicep to lead him slightly further away from the Batch’s house.

“What? Afraid the others will hear?”

Hunter rolled his eyes.

“Be careful rolling your eyes too much.  They could get stuck like that,” Crosshair ridiculed.  Boy, did he find joy in irritating his brothers.

“That’s both ironic and hypocritical coming from you.”

“My eyes are immune to it.  Part of my enhancement,” Crosshair deadpanned.

Hunter grumbled something unintelligible under his breath as he quietly pushed past Crosshair and through the front door.  Whatever he said, Crosshair was positive it wasn’t something he’d want Omega hearing.

While Crosshair might not have gotten a definitive answer as to where Hunter had been out of his older brother, he still considered it a success.  Hunter’s response and behavior told Crosshair all he needed to know to confirm his suspicion.  The sniper victoriously smirked as he followed his shortest brother indoors for the night.  On his way past the kitchen, Crosshair grabbed a ripe meiloorun, playfully tossed it up in the air and caught it.  Wouldn’t want the piles of fruit to go to waste.

~ ~ ~

“You received the fish,” Crosshair observed, motioning towards the now empty crate used to carry seafood.  His nose picked up the delivery too.

Odalin nodded.  “Earlier today.”  Her face broke out into a smile.  “We were also gifted a handmade card from the girl.”  Odalin pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Crosshair.

The marksman unfolded the slightly wrinkled page.  Drawn with colorful markers was Odalin and himself.  Both of them were notably in stick figure form.

“She seemed to remember our appearances for the most part, considering it was rather dark out.”  Odalin leaned slightly into Crosshair to point at the drawing.  “See, she even got our outfits right.”

“I’m not that skinny,” Crosshair mumbled under his breath.

“She remembered your tattoo though,” Odalin pointed out.  “Wait right here,” she suddenly announced, gesturing him to the couch.

Crosshair obliged and took a seat.  He hadn’t even been aware of how fatigued his entire body was until he sank into the cushions.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Pitee stomped over and hopped onto the couch.

“What the…” Taken aback, Crosshair scowled at the beady droid eye staring back at him.

Odalin emerged from the kitchen with a plate of food in each hand.  “I made you something with the fresh catch.”

Crosshair looked up from the droid as she made her way towards the couch.

“This is the good stuff that we were given.  Whenever I’m lucky enough to get my hands on this… In other words, whenever I splurge on the fancy stuff here… I make this dish.   The combination of the fish with the other ingredients is scrumptious.”

He hesitantly accepted the plate of homemade food.  The smell permeated through the air, while the sensation of the plate warmed up his hand.  No one besides family had ever cooked anything for him before… Minus Shep and Phee.  He and his brothers had occasionally cooked if they were camping during a mission.  However, a home cooked meal was still a rather new concept.  It was a different ballpark entirely than ration bars.

“I would have made you your favorite food, but since you said you don’t have one, I just made you one of my favorites.  We’ll just have to find yours…  Plus, it worked out perfectly actually.  The fish was the only ingredient I had been missing.”

He was stunned into silence.  It took him a moment to collect his thoughts and to verbalize his gratitude.

“Thank you.”  It meant more than he could say.  A simple ‘thank you’ felt insignificant.

“It’s my pleasure, honestly.”

“You know, this is the first meal someone’s made for me besides my siblings, Shep, or Phee.  It’s certainly the first that anyone has made specifically for me though,” he huffed in surprise.

“Really?  I hope what I made is edible then.”

Crosshair tsked, slightly chuckling.  “Oh please.”

“What?” she questioned, trying to hold back a smirk.  “There’s always a chance my experimental endeavors with various spices and seasonings could go absolutely haywire.”

“Why am I getting the feeling that you’ve taken your culinary experimentation too far at one point or another?”

“Um.  Because I have,” Odalin tilted her head to the side guiltily.  “How could you possibly have guessed?” she asked sarcastically.

“I suppose I’m just that gifted at reading people,” Crosshair cockily shrugged.

Odalin gave him a cheeky smirk.  “That you are, it seems.”

Odalin finally joined him on the couch, leaving Pitee in the middle.  If Crosshair wasn’t peeved by the droid before, he certainly was starting to now…

Crosshair picked on the food, eating it slowly.  Odalin noticed but didn’t comment on the way his eyes shut with bliss over the new flavors melting on his tongue.  She found it sweet.  It was impossible not to smile discreetly behind her napkin.

“At the restaurant we went to the other day, I sort of froze when the waiter came up to take our order.  I had forgotten that was a part of dinning out...”

Odalin draped her napkin over her lap and took a bite of her sandwich.  “I’d imagine you didn’t have many opportunities to casually eat out during the war…” she frowned.

Crosshair let out an amused snicker.  “I hadn’t even realized that was a thing until much later.”

Pitee made an amused noise.  Crosshair’s vision darted to the laughing(?) pit droid.  Was it mocking him now?  Alright, now Crosshair was officially skeptical of the little metal creature.

Before Crosshair could ask the droid’s intentions (if they even had those), Odalin responded.  “Having someone taking your food order must be rather unusual.”  She took a bite of her own sandwich.  

Crosshair nodded, staring at Odalin.  “There’s sauce on your face in case you didn’t already realize.”

“Well, obviously I didn’t, otherwise I would’ve cleaned it off already.”  Odalin grabbed the napkin that was laying on her lap and attempted to wipe the food off her face.  She missed.

“It’s more to the side.”

She tried again.  “Here?”

“No.”

She gave it another go.  “Did I get it?”

Crosshair let out an uncharacteristic bark of laughter.  “Not even close to the target.”  Not even fully thinking of what he was about to do and frankly having enough of Odalin’s failed attempts of cleaning her face, he picked up his own unused napkin.  He leaned closer to her, hesitantly bringing the napkin closer to her face.  He paused once he reached her cheek, momentarily hovering over it, to give her an opportunity to deny his gesture.  When she made no move to put a stop to his action, Crosshair gently wiped the smeared food from her skin.

The two stared at each other for a little longer than a moment.

“So…” she let out, at a loss for words.  “Did you hit target? 

“As I’ve told you before, I very rarely miss, Odalin,”

“Wow.  You really are an elite sniper,” she said softly, trying to keep a straight face yet again.  Her hair fell from behind her ears.

This time, instead of letting her hair be, Crosshair slowly swept a piece of hair that had slipped in front of her face and tucked it behind her ear.  “How touching…”

Chapter Text

“That one’s my favorite,” Omega informed Crosshair as she smiled up towards the sky.  “It’s the brightest star in the whole galaxy!”

Crosshair squinted at the spot Omega’s finger was pointing to.  He didn’t need to squint though.  It was quite obvious what section of the vast sky she was gesturing towards.  One light in the sky did indeed shine a bit brighter than the rest.  “Are you sure it’s not just a planet?  Seems sort of hopeless to claim that a slightly more noticeable dot in the sky is a special star.”  He knew he was being cynical; he just couldn’t help it.  Sometimes he attributed it to just being ingrained into his DNA like his other enhancements.

“Yup, I’m sure!” Omega declared confidently, ignoring her youngest brother’s skepticism.  “Tech told me himself!”

Crosshair sighed.  Just like the constellations above them, it seemed that just about everything connected back to Tech in one way or another.

Omega nudged him with her elbow, knocking him out of his stupor.  “There’s always hope.  It might be hidden, but it’s there.”

Well, that star was anything but hidden.  It was right there in front of him…

“Just look at where we are right now,” Omega trailed off, resting her head on her brother’s shoulder.

When Crosshair laid down to sleep for the night and closed his eyes, instead of darkness, he saw thousands of little stars.  Mindlessly, his head drifted back to thoughts Odalin…

The following morning, after eating breakfast, Crosshair decided to take Batcher on a walk down to the beach.  Batcher had shown them all on plenty of occasions how much she enjoys the water.  She was quite the avid swimmer, in fact.  Crosshair wondered if that was a common Lurca Hound trait.  Back on Tantiss, Lurca Hounds certainly weren’t given that opportunity.  In the context of Pabu, Batcher was similar to him and his siblings in that way…  They were all completely out of their element.  But in this case, it wasn’t bad thing…  Just different.

It had been a few days since Crosshair had last seen Odalin, so on his way back, he decided to stop by her place.  She was essentially the only person besides his family that he spoke to.  Hearing her speak was refreshing.  It made him feel, dare he say, optimistic.  He wouldn’t admit that out loud though…  He could barely even admit it to himself.

As Crosshair rounded the corner to reach Odalin’s house, he couldn’t help but huff out an amused noise at the absolutely absurd sight in front of him.  Odalin stood outside one of her windowsills, tending to her plants… but she wasn’t alone.  Pitee was at her feet holding up what Crosshair could only assume were various gardening tools.

After staring in amusement for a little bit with his hand tucked away in his pocket, Odalin turned and noticed his presence.

“How long have you just been lurking about here?”  She brought her empty hand up to her hip.

“Long enough to learn about gardening.”

Odalin let out an impressed whistle.  “Wow.  An expert gardener already?  You must have been out here even longer than I have.  I barely know what I’m doing.”

“So,” Crosshair raised a brow as he observed the pile of leaves that Odalin had clearly cut off from the plants.  “What exactly are you doing?”

“Pruning the flowers…”

“What?”

“Getting rid of the dead leaves,” Odalin explained.  “It helps the plant overall to grow and stay healthy.  By getting rid of these leaves, the plant can put more energy towards benefitting the healthy leaves and the plant as a whole.”

“Hmm.”  Although Crosshair felt entirely out of his element (yet again), the fact that it was Odalin widening his horizons on various aspects of life that he never really thought about as a solider, made it all feel almost natural.

“Last night when I was trying to sleep, I realized that pruning plants could correlate to life in general.  You know, ridding ourselves of the things that weigh us down…  Once we manage to do that as people, ultimately, it’s for the better.  It’s how we move forward in life- how we grow.”

Crosshair listened and watched as Odalin pointed to a dead leaf, silently urging Crosshair to pick it.  He pinched the dried-out leaf between his pointer finger and thumb, plucking it with ease.  “How poetic,” he mumbled.

“Nature can teach us things…  Be an analogy for life sometimes.  I mean, I thought this little plant on the left here had died, but it rejuvenated with some extra love…. Ooo!”  Odalin perked up as she remembered the pile of withered up leaves at her feet.  “The best part is sprinkling these shriveled up leaves back into the soil.”

Crosshair glanced at her skeptically.  What could he say?  He was a sniper.  Gardening clearly flew over his head… Unlike the precise shots he could (or now- used to) take from 10 klicks away- Those shots never flew over the enemy’s head.  “And why would you do that?”

“It’s organic matter.  Once the leaves decompose, they spread nutrients back into the soil, providing for the flourishing plant.  It’s almost like us shedding off burdens that we’ve accumulated in our life and then using those experiences to teach and guide us.”

Crosshair huffed out a chuckle.  “You came up with this just now?”

“My mind runs rapidly when I’m left to my own devices.  So, to answer your question… kinda?”

“So, flowers have it more figured out than most sentient beings?”

Odalin shrugged with a slight chuckle.  “I don’t know.  But sometimes you just gotta stop and smell the flowers.”

“Metaphorically or literally?”

Odalin paused in thought.  “Well, both… but considering the literal flowers in front of us now, I recommend smelling them for sure.”

Crosshair bent over to smell the flowers in the windowsill.  They were quite pleasant.

Batcher decided to roam back over towards Crosshair from where she had been exploring.  If Crosshair had to guess, the hound had probably been playfully taunting moon-yos.

“So,” Odalin knelt down on one of her knees to greet Batcher and give her a scratch.  “Who’s this?  I never ended up getting her name.”

“Batcher,” Crosshair answered.  “She’s our hound.”  He smirked as he watched the faithful Lurca Hound roll onto her back, demanding belly rubs, which Odalin happily provided.

The two humans, one Lurca Hound, and one peppy pit droid gathered inside.

“I made some caf recently, if you’d like any.”

“Um- yeah thanks.  Caf would be nice.”

Odalin smiled as she left towards the kitchen with Batcher on her heels.  Clearly, Batcher not only seemed to have a good first impression of Odalin, but also a skillfully preceptive nose that indicated a nearby kitchen.

Crosshair sank into the couch in the living room that was becoming rather familiar to him at this point.  A home away from home of sorts. 

Maybe he had to plunge in a bit more.  Embrace how he was feeling.  Open up.  Odalin had become an excellent, trustworthy, good-natured friend of his.  She’d expressed how she’d be more than willing to listen to him if he ever wanted to discuss his past.  Never once did she pry, which he was thankful for.  He carried deep regrets and traumas that he had barely even spoken to his own family about.  Odalin hadn’t told him much about her life before coming to Pabu either yet, but she expressed wanting to share more at a later time. She claimed it was good to talk about the past, no matter how difficult.  Realistically, he knew that she probably had somewhat of a good point.

Ugh.  So much to consider on top of dealing with another one of his headaches.  They were definitely occurring much more frequently.  Just his luck.

Dealing with not only an oncoming headache, but also Pitee trying to evict him off the couch for no apparent reason was getting irritating.

Crosshair hit the nose of the quite literally pushy pit droid, to get it to shut off.  Much to his dismay, the droid placed its little stick arms onto its hips and shook its head.  Crosshair scowled.  “Why isn’t he turning off?!”

Odalin reentered the room carrying two steaming mugs of caf.  “The original programing requires one to hit the nose to deactivate this model of droid, but I reprogramed it so that no punching is involved.  Just give his nose a little scratch instead.  It’s what powers him off and on, actually!”

“You’re kidding,” Crosshair deadpanned, unable to gauge if she was messing with him or not.  Usually, his instincts with that sort of thing were spot on… Apparently not in this case though.

“He actually gets quite offended if you hit him in the face…” Odalin paused.  “I mean, as he should… It’s not a good-natured or kind gesture,” she shrugged as she handed him a cup.

“You were the one that designed him to get offended,” Crosshair deadpanned.

“I guess I was, wasn’t I?” Odalin grinned cheekily, acting like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have.  But in reality, all she had done was reprogram one pit droid to… develop standards on being treated well?

Her gaze was piercing in a delicate way.  The way her eyes sparkled as she smirked at him was electric.  Before he could get electrocuted by her charm, she broke the eye contact and took a careful sip of the hot beverage.

“Is this another specialty of his?” Crosshair asked using her previous wording.  The side of his lip quirked up in amusement without even realizing it.  He went down to blow on the steaming drink in his hand.

Odalin stopped mid-sip to glance back up at him.  “I’d say so, Crosshair.”

“You’re pretty odd, Odalin,” Crosshair teased.  “Programming your own droid to get offended, hm?”

“Says the guy who got a tattoo in honor of his name and profession over his eye,” she smirked.

The two sipped on their drinks.

“Thanks for the caf, Oddy.”

Odalin raised an amused brow and without missing a beat responded. “Anytime, Crossyguy,”

The two chatted for a bit.  Afterwards, Odalin went to collect the empty caf cups.

“Unique name... Crosshair…”

Crosshair shrugged.  “I didn’t pick it…  Could say the same about yours as well.”

“Ha.  Well, joke’s on you.  I didn’t pick mine either.”  She looked at him inquisitively.

Crosshair knew what she was implying in that her parents chose her name.  He belatedly realized that the origins of his name were not as straight forward, considering he was a clone.  A clone with no parents, but millions of “brothers”.

“Tech picked mind. It was back when we were cadets brainstorming ideas of what to call ourselves.”

Odalin smiled.  “That’s really special.”

As Odalin carried the cups away, Crosshair wondered what having parents would have been like.  He wouldn’t say that he necessarily dwelled on the fact though.  It was hard to miss something you never had.  He didn’t miss it per say, but he supposed a part of him subconsciously longed for it.  But for what?  What was the point in mourning something that was never meant to be?

~ ~ ~

“Crosshair?”

With his legs propped up on Gonky, Crosshair continued reading an old unofficial mission report that his brothers had logged while he had been away.  He liked to think that in doing so, he could catch up on all he had missed.  Each brother had occasionally taken notes regarding their time as mercenaries.  The particular notes he was reading was from the after of Eriadu.  While this wasn’t Crosshair’s first time reading it, he still desperately wanted to understand what went wrong…

“Crosshair!” Wrecker shouted again.

Crosshair slammed the datapad down on his lap.  “What!?”  He already had a throbbing headache on the side of his head, and Wrecker’s screaming certainly did not do anything to remedy that.

“There’s a lady at the door and she’s asking for you,” Wrecker giggled.

Crosshair rolled his eyes.  All his siblings knew of Odalin’s existence far before Crosshair had.  Wrecker just got a huge kick out of the fact that Odalin actually tried to engage with the snippy sniper.  Other than his siblings, she was essentially the only one who wanted anything to do with him.  Sure, in group settings Crosshair was invited to stuff, but Odalin went out of her way to spend time with him…

“Why don’t you initiate these little meetups, Cross?  It’s always her doing it!”  Wrecker laughed.

Crosshair scowled.

Echo entered the room with a random fruit in his hand.  He clapped Wrecker on the back using his scomp arm.  “Wrecker, don’t pressure him.”  Echo cast Crosshair a look, sensing his brother’s unease.  “Go on then, Crosshair.  Don’t keep her waiting.”

Crosshair certainly didn’t want that.  He swung his legs off of Gonky and placed his datapad down.

Before Crosshair left, Echo pulled him aside.  Wrecker went back to the front door to chat with Odalin in the meantime.  “Something’s troubling you.”

“Nothing’s bothering me.”

“You’re not as subtle as you think you are.” 

All his siblings had found this unlikely friendship for lack of a better word, fascinating.  Crosshair had always been a solitary man.  Even as a cadet, he was perfectly content with his own company…  Although of course he put up with and obviously loved his brothers… even if he didn’t necessarily say the ‘love’ part out loud.  Afterall, he had a facade to uphold.  When Odalin came into his life, he was uncharacteristically more outgoing, much to his siblings’ surprise and pleasure.  As of late though, Crosshair had been actively more reclusive, even with Odalin.  Now, Echo wasn’t necessarily the first to notice, but the former 501^st member certainly wasn’t going to be shy about being the first one to mention something.

Crosshair gazed over Echo’s shoulder towards the door.  Odalin was laughing at a joke the demolitions expert had said.  “I just don’t get it.”

“You don’t get what?” Echo asked in an effort to get his brother of few words to elaborate.

Crosshair looked down at his shoes.  “Why is she doing this?”

Echo cast a glance at her in that moment.  “Laughing at Wrecker’s comedy?  I don’t know either.”

“No.”  Crosshair rolled his eyes.  “What does she see in me?”  He started to raise his voice just enough so that Odalin wouldn’t be able to overhear.  “I’m a clone with nothing to my name.  I won’t meet her expectations and will just be a kriffing disappointment to her like I am to everyone else!”

Echo frowned.  It was no secret that Crosshair’s self-esteem was less than ideal, but kark was it even more jarring to hear him speak out loud about it.

Crosshair looked longingly towards the door at Odalin, before returning his gaze to Echo.  “I’ll only let her down.”

Before a stunned Echo had time to rebuttal his little brother’s statement, the lanky sniper was already at the front door.

“Have fun, Cross!” Wrecker’s voice boomed throughout the house.  “You too, Odalin!”

Crosshair did his best not to visibly react at Wrecker giggling like a schoolgirl.  He didn’t even spare a moment to see Echo’s crushed face.

Once Crosshair managed to leave his nosy brothers, he and Odalin set off, no destination in mind.

“Something’s troubling you,” Odalin stated.

Crosshair shrugged.  “What’s life without regrets?” he asked bitterly.

Odalin hummed thoughtfully.  “Regrets are an interesting thing.  They have the ability to haunt us.”  She paused to reflect.  “And then sometimes, we’re left wondering if various wrongdoings that others have caused us, haunt them.”

“I performed unthinkable actions.  Ones that I relive almost every night when I go to sleep.  I can’t escape what I’ve done.”

Crosshair wasn’t sure how much Odalin knew about his backstory.  It was probable that she knew at least some bits and pieces of information, thanks to his brothers and Omega.

“What you did wasn’t your fault.  It wasn’t you,” Odalin said gently.  She then gulped, perhaps worrying if she overstepped.

Crosshair scoffed.  Did she know about the inhibitor chips?  “I don’t know what my siblings told you, but regardless of what may or may not have been in my control, I was still the one behind the trigger.”

“Your situation… It’s impossible to fathom.  Not being in control of yourself.”  Odalin grimaced.  “Tech told me about the chips when we were constructing the hoverchairs we designed together.”

Of course he did.

“What else do you already know?”

“I know about the chips that were in all of your brains…  I know the guilt your brothers held for leaving you behind…”  Odalin shared details of what she knew that made Crosshair pause.  Hearing part of his life story be spoken out loud to him was a bizarre experience.  What in the galaxy did she think of him after knowing all of this?  Yet she already knew and still chose to hang out with him…

“It’s my fault.  If I hadn’t stayed on Kamino, if I had just gone with them, everything could have been resolved a whole lot quicker.  Tech would have even been alive.”

“Can I say something?” Odalin hesitantly asked.

“Of course.”

“There is no side that is fully in the right.  Yes, you ‘left’ them, but they also ‘left’ you.”  Odalin paused before speaking again.  “Before,” she swallowed, “before my father chose to leave my family, I used to think that the galaxy was a lot nicer of a place.  But that was before I even realized that those closest could turn on you.  A part of me misses that false sense of reassurance.

“He failed you.”

Odalin shrugged.  “Yes, he did.”  She looked up at Crosshair.  “But your story isn’t as black and white… When somebody wrongs you, you can only hope that they reflect on that action and turn it into a lesson.  That they could grow from it.  From what I can see, that’s happening from both your side and your siblings’…  After forgiveness, sometimes that is all that’s left to do.”

The two walked a while, strolling through the winding paths of Pabu.  Eventually, they made their way towards the massive weeping maya tree.

“According to my brothers, that area by the tree was the spot that they had stood when arriving here for the very first time,” Crosshair mumbled so quietly that Odalin had to strain her ears to make out his pained words.

Crosshair had picked up through stories that the place he and his siblings had collapsed from utter exhaustion after returning from Tantiss Base, had been where Tech had formerly spent time with the others.

Because of Tech, he himself could be here now.  It’s all because of Tech that they even get to have a happy ending…  If a life without him could even be considered a ‘happy ending’

As much as freedom is what they’d been chasing, it all seemed to have fallen flat without Tech here.

“I never got to say goodbye…  He was the one that believed in me.”

Odalin stayed quiet, absorbing the grieving man’s words.

“Has your family held a memorial service for him?”

Crosshair furrowed his brow.  “No…”  Now that he thought of it and the idea was mentioned, it upset him that they hadn’t yet done anything.  Honestly though, his siblings and himself have just been living day by day, navigating this new and free life.  An existence without fighting and the constant fear of bloodshed.  As clone soldiers, it had been instilled in them from the moment they were born that dying in battle was a very likely outcome…  That they should be honored to die for ‘the cause’…  A war that they were forced to fight in…  Although Tech was the only immediate family that he and his other siblings had lost, the idea of death was a curious topic.  Unlike nat-borns, funeral services and other official memorials were uncommon.  He had heard of regs holding impromptu ceremonies amongst themselves if given the opportunity, but typically, there wasn’t much time during the war.  The battle would continue, and the death toll would increase. 

But the war was over.

Only the battle raging in their minds remained steady.

Reading Crosshair’s expression, Odalin wanted to suggest something.  “Would doing so interest you?”

The concept of gathering all together at a designated spot and speaking about Tech and his short life scared Crosshair.  Talking about the loss made it all feel more real.

“It just… It would make everything feel so final- so permanent,” Crosshair whispered. 

Odalin let out a somber sigh.  “I know,” she said quietly, grabbing his hand.

After a beat, Odalin gave his hand a squeeze and then gazed up at him.  “Do you have any holos?”

“We’re soldiers.  Well, we were.  Created to be ones actually.  Taking holos wasn’t a common occurrence.  We have a few I think, all taken in between various missions.  I know Hunter always had one on his datapad… Although, it was taken before Echo and Omega.  There aren’t any holos of all of us together if that’s what you’re asking though.”

“Would you mind showing me the holo at some point?”

Crosshair nodded.  “I’ll send it to you,” he shrugged.

“Let me know how I can help with anything.  I’ll be there.”

Crosshair nodded sincerely.  “Thank you.”

Tech deserved this to happen.  It was because of him that everything fell into place the way it had.

All they were missing was him.

Chapter Text

Crosshair suspected that the body’s natural coping mechanism for grief and depression was to become hollow.  He for one, felt like a hollowed-out vessel that had been forcefully scraped until empty.

A few weeks after Odalin had suggested the idea, the Batch had finally worked up the courage to hold the memorial for Tech.

Within the weeks leading up to the event, Crosshair felt even more distant than he had before.  He hated himself for it, but he had even turned down grabbing breakfast at a caf shop a couple times with Odalin.  She had commed him back, saying that it was alright and that he shouldn’t feel bad at all for staying in.  She even told him to reach out if he needed anything.  While Crosshair appreciated the thoughtful sentiment, he didn’t want to bother her with his heavy feelings.  After all, she was already doing so much to help prepare for the memorial.  She had taken it upon herself to not only obtain floral arrangements, but to also narrow down potential locations to hold the event.

Tonight was the night before the ceremony.  The Batch were gathered around the kitchen counter of their humble domicile, reminiscing a bit before the memorial itself.  They were sharing stories of Tech’s selflessness, brilliance, and of being a good brother.

As Crosshair stood next to his siblings, thoughts of what was going to happen tomorrow consumed his mind.  This was real.  There was no escaping it.

The chatter around him was causing him to reach his boiling point.

“Like I said before,” Crosshair huffed in aggravation over the entire situation, “Clone Force 99 died with Tech.  We’re not that squad anymore!  This all feels wrong.  It’s incomplete and I hate that!”

“The freedom we have now, is thanks to him,” Hunter sighed.  “And he doesn’t even get to experience this life.”

“Tech should be the one here instead of me!” Crosshair shouted.

“Don’t say that, Crosshair!” Omega cried, on the verge of breaking down.  Echo placed a hand on Omega’s back.

Hunter held a hand up.  “Cross, you can’t think like that.”  The sergeant looked at his little sister.  “Besides, now is not the time for that train of thought.”  No one wanted Crosshair to fall even deeper into the hole that he had already mentally dug for himself.

Echo cleverly decided to chime in at that moment and continue sharing memories.  “Without Tech, my cybernetics wouldn’t be nearly as advanced as they are today,” Echo shared, while at the same time sparing what Crosshair perceived as a pitiful glance towards him.  “After I escaped Skako Minor with the Batch, Rex, and Anakin, I felt battered and incomplete.  With Tech’s handywork, my prosthetics are as integrated into my body as seamlessly as they can be.”

“Tech also helped modify Crosshair’s rifle!” Wrecker boomed from Crosshair’s right.  Everyone’s eyes subtly shot to the sniper in question, bracing themselves for his reaction.

Crosshair tensed as Wrecker dropped his large hand onto his shoulder.  Looking to his left, Crosshair was met with the look of his sister.  She peered eagerly into his eyes, almost as if she were hoping for Crosshair to share his own story… A story of how Tech assisted him with the modifications of his beloved Firepuncher rifle.

But no…  Crosshair couldn’t face his sister.   Her face conveyed too many emotions that he wasn’t brave enough to encounter.  He couldn’t face any of them.  He couldn’t even face himself and his own sea surge of emotional turmoil.

With nowhere else to escape to in the house besides the seclusion of his own bedroom, Crosshair made a beeline towards it.  All noises of the Batch’s concerned calls out to him were muted into a dull and muffled haze.

Crosshair’s heartbeat was pounding within his ears as his signature scowl crossed his face.  It was no mystery why his vision was blurring by the second.  Sight didn’t matter anymore… He was at his bedroom door anyway.  As soon as he grasped the doorknob though, his right elbow was grabbed, causing him to startle.  He hadn’t even realized he was being followed, but when he snapped back to his senses enough to comprehend who it was, he wasn’t surprised.

“Crosshair.” Omega’s grip tightened around his elbow.  Her hand was comically tinier than Wrecker’s.  Too bad he had not a single ounce of amusement left inside of him to laugh about that astute observation.

Crosshair attempted to yank his arm out of her grasp.  “Let go, Omega,” he snapped quietly through a clenched jaw, his eyes still facing away from her and focused on his hand.  He needed her to let go of him so he could open his door and get away from it all.

“You’re delaying the inevitable,” she whispered, tears building up in her eyes.

He lifted his chin over his shoulder. “I know.”

Within the split-second Omega let his elbow go, it was almost as if Crosshair had evaporated into thin air.

Omega was left staring at a closed door that led to a room housing her tragically closed off brother.

~ ~ ~

Having fallen asleep in a puddle of his own sorrow and tears, Crosshair awoke at the crack of dawn.  He stiffly sat up, swinging his uncooperative legs over the edge of his bed.  As he stood up, he clumsily threw the sheets behind him, mindlessly letting them land wherever gravity so chose.

Batcher had been sleeping in his bed with him that night.  Somehow, she had managed to get into his room the night prior despite the door being closed.  Realistically, Crosshair knew what must have occurred... Similar scenarios had happened before.  Omega must’ve opened the door once she assumed he was asleep and let the Lurca Hound inside.  It was no secret to anyone that Batcher helped Crosshair emotionally.  While all the siblings were aware of this fact, Omega was hyper cognizant about it.

Batcher patiently watched Crosshair get out of bed.  It always seemed as if she knew when to leave Crosshair his space, and this morning was no exception.  Still, she couldn’t help but affectionately lick his arm and try to kiss his face…  Hounds…

None of Crosshair’s siblings were up yet.  The house was eerily quiet, something the Batch was rarely ever afforded during the war.  Back when the Marauder was their residence as the Clone Wars raged on, finding a moment of silence was an impossible feat.  Beyond the typical blaster fire and explosions that erupted on the battlefield, the ship itself was a cacophony of sounds.  Whether it was the humming of the innerworkings of the ship, the beeping of various alarms, or Tech’s rambling or tinkering, there was always noise.  Crosshair wasn’t sure how he felt about the freshly bestowed quiet of their new lives.  Something about it just wasn’t quite right.

Upon leaving the uncanny dwelling, Crosshair relished in the fresh, outdoor air, sucking in a breath like a man that had been deprived of oxygen for far too long.

Considering the event that was taking place today and knowing just how hard Odalin had been helping to prepare for it, Crosshair could safely assume that she was awake already.  With nowhere else to go, he made his way towards her house.  The walk there was peaceful.  It was almost like the calm before the storm.

To his surprise, Odalin was already standing outside her front door, raring to go.

“Crosshair!  I was actually just about to comm you to see if you were awake yet.  I assumed you would be.”

“Tracking my sleeping schedule now, are you?”

“Oh, you know me,” Odalin huffed out sarcastically.  “Besides, seems to me as if you’re doing the same thing, Crossyguy.”

Crosshair snickered, naturally doing his best to conceal it.

“I have a few of the pieces here,” Odalin continued, pointing next to her.  Leaning against the house was a flat rectangular object, draped and covered in a white cloth.  Next to that were two wooden stands of some sort, one larger than the other.  By the looks of it, one of the stands appeared to be the place where Tech’s goggles would be displayed.  Odalin and the Batch had all agreed that a goggle stand was a must.  The goggles were the last tangible object they had of Tech.  “The rest of the stuff is at your place.  There’s not too much besides the flowers and candles at this point.” 

The other two items, besides the goggle stand, that laid by Odalin’s feet were not previously discussed in the planning process.  Crosshair didn’t have much energy in him to guess what they were or what they were for, anyway.  He didn’t have it in him to do so… Not that he had much energy for anything right now. 

“Can I help carry anything?” Crosshair asked, gesturing to the small pile.  The distance to the rocky seaside wasn’t terribly far, but it was still a walk.

“I can carry this one over here,” she told him, already bending down to pick up the covered rectangular item.  “Don’t worry about the stands.  Pitee here can hold them.  He likes helping out if he can.”

At Odalin’s nod of approval, Pitee raced over to begin gathering up the stands in his little droid arms.

Crosshair skeptically raised a brow at the droid’s frail little stick arms.  “He can manage all that?”

The droid’s head rapidly spun until it was facing Crosshair.  The stare of a Pit Droid was intense… apparently.  Momentarily, Crosshair was confused.  Then he quickly remembered that Odalin had programed the droid to get offended over stuff… or something like that… and it all made sense.

“See, now he’s going to do it just to prove you wrong,” Odalin chuckled.

Crosshair shrugged.  The stands were comically too long compared to Pitee’s petite size.  He looked as ridiculous holding the stands as Crosshair probably looked as a young cadet carrying his Firepuncher in the early days.  From a proportional level, it was incredibly disproportionate.

As they neared the spot for the memorial, Crosshair felt himself slow.  It was as if a tractor beam was pulling him against his will and he was doing everything in his power to stop the movement set in motion.

“Crosshair?”

Before Crosshair could even fully process Odalin calling out to him, the touch of her hand on his shoulder jolted him back into the moment.  He gazed down at her, noticing her concerned expression as she tried to read his grief filled eyes that were filled to the brim with emotion.

“What’s going through your mind?  I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

Normally, Crosshair would have shrugged off such a comment.  There wasn’t a point in telling others how he was feeling.  It wasn’t like they could magically fix what he was dealing with.  But in that moment, he felt like he had nothing to lose.  If it was any other non-family member besides Odalin, maybe his personal dignity… But it was Odalin.  And for some reason he had yet to understand, she made him feel… safe.

“I’m scared,” Crosshair admitted.  He let out a vulnerable shrug accompanied with a huff.

Odalin chewed the inside of her cheek as she stared at her feet.  She lifted her head up to watch his face as she waited for him to continue. 

“I don’t want Tech to become a distant memory,” Crosshair whispered.

With no sufficient words to say, Odalin put down the mysterious item that she held under her arm, and instead wrapped her arms around Crosshair.

“It’s okay to feel scared,” Odalin mumbled into his chest.  “But he’ll never become that, Crosshair.  He won’t be.”  She wasn’t bothered at all by the tears that dripped onto her head.

It was the fact that they were all finally at peace that exasperated the sorrowful grieving of Tech.

They weren’t running away from anything anymore.  They finally were given the chance to settle down and put their blasters, vibroblades, and rifles aside.

At this particular moment though, Crosshair was anything but ‘settled’.  He was antsy.  The thought of sitting still before such an event caused a pit of dread to form in his stomach.

Once the two of them (plus Pitee), reached the agreed upon spot for the memorial ceremony, they paused to look out at the vast sea.  The sun was just beginning to rise.  It peeked out from the horizon, casting an orange hue across the smooth surface of the water.  The water was much unlike Crosshairs choppy concoction of thoughts and worries.

“Crosshair, can you hold this?”

Crosshair obliged, taking the thin rectangular object into his arms despite not having a clue what it could be.

Odalin took one of the stands from Pitee and set it up.  Crosshair raised a brow but said nothing as she ensured the stand’s stability on the slightly uneven rocks.

Eventually, curiosity got the better of Crosshair.  “I suppose what I’m holding is meant to go on that stand?” he piped up.

Once satisfied with the stability, Odalin turned away from adjusting the stand to look at Crosshair.  “Yes…” she replied hesitantly.  “I wanted to get here early with you to see if you wanted it here.  If you don’t like it, I can bring it back to my place before the ceremony begins.”

Crosshair scoffed as he placed the covered object onto the stand.  “I don’t even know what it is,” he chuckled as Odalin nervously fidgeted with her hands.  “How can I make a decision on-”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Odalin slowly pulled away the cloth that had been draped over the painting.

Crosshair’s breath caught in his throat as he stared at what was presented before him. 

In front of him was a lifelike painting of Tech and the entire Batch.  Tech stood in the center, with Crosshair to the right of him.  The two brothers each had an arm around each other.  Omega stood on Tech’s other side.  Hunter was next to Omega, as he fondly looked over his family.  Wrecker was next to Crosshair, a massive smile on his face.  Echo was next to Wrecker, being pulled into a side hug by Wrecker.  Batcher had also been included, sitting in the front at Crosshair’s feet.

Crosshair neared the canvas in awe.  With its detailed brush strokes, it practically resembled a holo.  It was like looking back in time, to a moment that never got to actually happen.  There it was, him and his siblings all on Pabu, living in an alternative reality where everything worked out right.

Crosshair felt tears welling up in his eyes over the magical sight.  His bottom lip trembled.

“It’s… It’s perfect,” Crosshair choked out.  He was quiet, knowing that if he spoke any louder, his voice would crack.  With true gratitude, Crosshair peeled his eyes away from the painting so that he could truly acknowledge the painter.  “Thank you, Odalin.”

If Odalin was surprised by the hug that Crosshair eagerly initiated, she didn’t show it.  Instead, she gladly reciprocated the sincere gesture.

At this point, they still had plenty of time to set up and talk.  Crosshair wasn’t sure if the extra time was a blessing or a curse.  Additional time left more space for drowning in his thoughts.  The goggle stand was set up and the painting was properly secured on the stand so that it wouldn’t fall from the occasional gust of wind. 

Eventually, the remaining Batch, who had all agreed to carry down flowers and other remaining items for the memorial, were now in view as they headed towards the area.  Out of the items, most importantly, Tech’s goggles were carried by none other than Omega.  The head strap of the goggles was worn around her neck like a necklace.

Omega carefully placed Tech’s goggles on the stand in a dutiful manner.  Crosshair watched as his sister soaked in the moment, handling the last tangible item they had of Tech with such love and respect.

Phee, Shep, Lyana arrived shortly after, followed by Mox, Deke, and Stak.

Once the flowers were placed and the handheld candles were lit, the memorial began.

Hunter stepped up to speak first.  Not only was he Tech’s oldest brother within the original batch of four enhanced clones, but he was the sergeant of what had once been Clone Force 99 as well.

“It’s been almost a year since Tech’s been gone,” Hunter sighed.  “So so much has happened within that period of time, and I sometimes wonder if even he could’ve predicted any of it.  Navigating life without him has been hard ever since he made the sacrifice.  Ever since getting back here though, it’s made everything… settle.  Coming to terms with everything just hits differently now.”  Hunter swept his hand across his face.  “There has yet to be a day that goes by where I don’t think about Tech… His personality, his face, his voice…  Though he is not with us physically anymore, he will forever be with us in our minds and our hearts.  He changed the trajectory of our family’s story.”  Hunter paused to swallow back his emotions.  He then looked at the goggles that were displayed next to him.  “Because of him, we live on.”

Before going back to the group of mourners, Hunter nodded to the user-less goggles. 

The waves lapped behind them against the short cliff.

Wrecker was the next to go up.  If everyone in the audience’s hearts weren’t already broken already, Wrecker’s heartbroken expression when he made his way up next to the google stand was enough to shatter even the toughest individual.

“Er… I don’t even know what to say,” Wrecker started, rubbing the back of his neck.  “I tried to plan out what to talk about all of last week, but nothing felt good enough, ya know?”  He sighed and shook his head.  “Tech is- Tech was the most clever guy I’d ever gotten the chance to know.  He taught me so many things throughout the years…” Wrecker’s expression softened and brightened for a moment as he recalled a moment in time, temporarily forgetting that it was just a memory.  “After I got hurt from an explosive on a mission with bad intel,” he said gesturing to the scars on his face, “I had trouble falling asleep for a long time.  Without me knowing, Tech had put a homemade device that he had created into Lula that had a heartbeat rhythm.  He said the sound and feeling would help my stress or anxiety or something…. I told him that it didn’t even look like he had cut Lula open to put the device it!  He then responded that, in his words, that there was a reason he was the best at suturing up injuries!”

Echo was next up.  The former member of the 501^st and first additional member to join the Batch made his way up to goggle stand.

“I’ve served alongside countless of brothers throughout the war.  All were different in their own ways, yet Tech still managed to stick out beyond most.  I can go on and on about what Tech has done for me physically,” Echo said, gesturing to his metal legs.  “But… he gave me and did far more than just help with my mobility and pain levels… And let me tell you, that was no small feat.  He saw me at my very worst, right as I was extracted from the stasis chamber.  I will forever be immensely grateful for all of that… yes.  But above all that, when I think of Tech, I think about who he was as a brother and about the wonderful friendship we had together.  Life doesn’t feel right anymore.  A co-pilot needs his pilot after all.”

Omega glanced around, to see if she was up to speak.  With a nod from Echo encouraging her to take his place up at the front, and a supportive pat on the back from Hunter, she walked up.  The littlest Batcher took a deep breath, squeezing her eyelids tightly before speaking.

“When Echo left, Tech said that this squad existed before, and will exist after,” Omega shared, addressing the mourners in front of her.  “I… I took that comment to heart when he told me that.  It didn’t sit right with me.  We should all be together!”  Omega looked to her feet.  “It’s true that without Tech, we’re no longer whole.”  She then raised her head.  “But we must adapt to change, as it is a fundamental part of life,” she reminisced, reiterating Tech’s wise words that he had once told her back when the two of them were stuck in the cave.  “It’s not the same.  It never will be.  But Tech is right… We must carry on, like we always do… This time, for him.”

As Omega looked out at everyone in attendance, she could see that there was not a dry eye amongst them.  Some tears were better hidden than others, but Omega knew that everyone processed things differently… she had Tech to thank for that.

Once Omega had made her way back towards everyone else to give the next person time to speak, Hunter gave her a side hug.  She allowed herself to bury her face into his chest and silently cry in relative privacy.

After Omega, friends of Tech spoke.  Everyone had expected Crosshair to step up next, but the sniper avoided eye contact when his turn was assumed by everyone.  To lessen the pressure, Hunter had nodded at Phee to go in the meantime. 

Phee solemnly went up, standing next to the goggles stand and looking into the cracked lens in lieu of Tech’s eyes.  She ended her little speech with, “I’ll never forget you, Brown Eyes.” 

After Phee, Shep and Lyana went up together, each sharing a few words.  Shep spoke of Tech’s kind nature and recalled his tremendous help during the sea surge.  Lyana reminisced on a time where Tech had taken her and Omega to study the behavior of a pack of moon-yos from a distance.  Of course, Tech had shown them how to take efficient notes to document the creatures and demonstrated how he recorded unique call sounds to add to his endless archives.

The three former clone cadets didn’t speak, as they never got to meet Tech, but they were all saddened, nonetheless… Grieving a brother they would never have a chance to get to know.

Thus far, Odalin had stayed quiet during the ceremony.  In the early days of planning, she had asked Crosshair and his siblings if her attendance would be appropriate.  They all looked at her in surprise and urged her to go, assuring her that Tech would’ve appreciated her being there.  Crosshair was definitely appreciative.  The fact that others cared about Tech meant a lot to him and his siblings.  Phee, Shep, and Lyana were obviously told about the event and invited to attend as well.  The young clone trio were also welcomed for obvious reasons.

Eventually, eyes darted around to Odalin, encouraging her to speak if she wanted.  Although speaking in front of a group of people was out of her comfort zone, she wholeheartedly wanted to say a few words.  Before she went up though, she wordlessly double checked with Crosshair in case he wanted to go first.  He subtly shook his head in response, studying the rock he was standing on.

As Odalin walked up, Pitee, who had been standing between Crosshair and Odalin reached up to grab Crosshair’s hand.  While it ended up only being a couple of Crosshair’s fingers that the Pit Droid could wrap his teeny hand around to hold onto, Crosshair allowed for it to happen.  Everything was a blur at the moment anyway.

After a deep breath, Odalin began.  “Tech and I used to work together creating various prototypes and models of projects.  I didn’t know Tech nearly as long as most of you,” she said, looking at the Batch, “but… what I’ve gathered from having spent some time with him, as well as his family, is crystal clear…  Tech’s legacy is painted in the ideas and actions that blossom from his grieving siblings’ and friends’ minds.  His very own ideas and inventions continue to spark a light that will forever shine in the galaxy.”

Crosshair had watched as Odalin readied herself to speak.  He could tell she was nervous, that much was clear.  Her words were soothing and lovely, like listening to birds singing in the early hours of the morning.

Crosshair swallowed.  He was the only one left to speak.  There was no more room to push back the inevitable.  Doing his best not to overthink for just one moment, he marched on up to his brother’s shattered goggles.  He could hear his heart thumping in his ears.

Unlike his siblings, he hadn’t left off with Tech on a particularly good note.  He, differing from the others, had chosen a dark and solitary path, straying away from what should have been most important… Family.

“A prisoner can always count on at least one thing to remain constant in their day-to-day life.”  Crosshair stared outward, his line of sight stretching far beyond those he was addressing.  “When you’re confined in a cell for so many countless days and nights, your only companion is your own mind.  One would think that having your mind to resort to would be a blessing… After a long, strenuous day of being tortured, pressed for information, and getting tested on… having your thoughts and memories to fall back on might seem like a blanket of peace in an otherwise freezing space.  In reality, your mind can be the darkest place of all.  Locked away, I had nothing but torture and time.  So much time…. I dreamt of thousands of possible ways things could have gone.  What could have happened if one factor had changed.  What could have happened if I had done something differently… And despite all of that, I never could have imagined living through this scenario.  Standing here before all of you, talking about Tech being dead.”

Crosshair hated the pained looks that his blunt statement had made, but a topic like this couldn’t be sugarcoated.  It was awful all around.

“Whenever the regs would pick on us back on Kamino, I always snapped back.  If one of them tried to punch me, I couldn’t just let them get away with it.  There- there was one night when Tech sat on the edge of my bunk while I was polishing my rifle that always stuck with me.  He said, ‘Don’t retaliate with your fists, as that makes you stoop down to their level’.  For the rest of the night, while myself, Hunter, and Wrecker were asleep,” Crosshair swallowed back the tears forming in his eyes. “Tech stayed up all night writing up a list of comebacks, that as he had put it, were ‘clever quips that would surely make the regs look like the fools.’”

Hunter and Wrecker looked at each other, no doubt remembering the times that the regs bullied them for being different.  They also surely recalled a period in time in which Crosshair stopped physically fighting back.  Neither Crosshair, nor Tech, had ever revealed the bit about a list being created, so that was new even to them.

Crosshair turned to face the goggles.  The goggles that he would never get to see on Tech again.  The goggles of a man who he never got to make amends with.  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, so softy that no one else could hear.  Crosshair then faced everybody.  “I would give anything to see him again… The war is over. This shouldn’t have happened,” Crosshair shook his head, balling up his one fist.  The loss of Tech weighed heavily on all aspects of his being.

The rest of the memorial ceremony was expectantly somber.  Candles were held up to the air in a moment of silence.  The flowers that decorated the rocky floor beneath them were tossed into the sea, each person in a way saying a final goodbye.

After Crosshair had tossed his bunch of flowers, handpicked and collected by Odalin from the weeping maya tree, Odalin leaned into Crosshair, head resting just underneath his shoulder.

Loss was not something the Batch was familiar with.  They subconsciously took pride in not knowing, and it was taken for granted.

The Batch, as well as every clone present, saluted Tech’s goggles while Odalin and the non-clone mourners bowed their heads in respect.

His memory, legacy, and impact were endless, just like the ever-expansive galaxy.

After the memorial was done, the non-family members (minus Odalin), as well as the clone boys departed, sending their love.

The painting was looked at more closely and had all the Batch tearing up even more.

Omega took Tech’s goggles from the stand that they were displayed on and carefully put it on her head so that they were resting on her forehead.

Although none of Omega’s brothers had outwardly spoken about it, looking into those big, wonder-filled, brown eyes of hers, was a mirror image of the late Batcher.  It was a stark but bittersweet reminder that Tech lived through her… Through all of them.

As the group walked back towards the Batch’s house, Crosshair’s gaze floated to his sister.  Omega was looking up towards the Pabu skies where Tech had taught her to fly.

Chapter Text

‘It’s not the same.  It never will be.  But Tech is right… We must carry on, like we always do… This time, for him.’

Life was peculiar like that.  One didn’t have much of choice but to adapt to the circumstances, no matter how kriffing awful they were.

Crosshair groaned at the aching of his head.  His headaches were almost daily.  They were still somewhat beneath the threshold of what he’d consider to be truly debilitating, so he hadn’t complained to anyone.  It wasn’t like anyone could really do that much for a headache anyway.  He’d occasionally mention that they existed, but even that seemed pointless.

Crackling thunder erupted from the storm clouds outside.  For the first time in Crosshair’s memory, the clap of thunder caused him to startle a bit.  Just to his luck, it aggravated his pounding head too.

A week had come and gone since the memorial service.  Life kept trudging by, dragging Crosshair along for the turbulent ride.  The sea continued to lap at the shoreline.  The clouds stayed in the sky… the cumulonimbus clouds currently to be precise.

Crosshair was due to have the procedure that would install the base of where his prosthetic hand would later go.  Even though everything was already planned out on logistically, it didn’t make the marksman any more chipper about going to a medical facility.  He wasn’t actively bleeding out, so causally stepping into a hospital for a surgery that wasn’t preventing him from immediately dying was a new concept for him.

Based on the lovely weather that was currently brewing above Pabu, going to the medical facility wasn’t going to be the only dreary part of the day.  Goody.

Odalin had been in contact with Crosshair’s doctor regarding the implant that would be placed in his wrist.  She had been researching prosthetics as the weeks went by, creating prototypes that would fit with the implant Crosshair was getting surgically attached to his stump.  This piece would allow for Crosshair to have the ability to remove the future prosthesis whenever he wanted.

Before contacting Odalin, Crosshair unenthusiastically made his way to the living room space.  Each second that ticked by made him more and more uneasy.  Hanging above the couch was Odalin’s painting of his family.  Since hanging up the art, every time Crosshair would enter the room, his eyes would lock onto Tech’s.  The fact that they all had identical eyes never really dawned on Crosshair until Tech was gone.

Crosshair grabbed a glass from the cabinet above the sink, filled it up with cold water, and gulped it down.

Echo entered the room seconds after, the subtle but distinct sound of his own prosthetics giving him away before Crosshair even had to turn around to look.

“Today’s the day, eh?  How’re you feeling this morning?”

“Wonderful.”

“You’ll do great,” Echo reassured his brother.

“I won’t be doing anything,” Crosshair corrected.  “I will be laying there, unaware of what the doctor is doing until it’s over.  It’s him that needs the encouragement.”  He refilled his glass and drank from it again.

Echo put a hand on his hip and gave Crosshair a knowing stare.  “You know what I’m talking about.  No need to give me this whole shtick,” he said waving his hand at Crosshair, sipping on a cup of caf that seemed to have magically appeared from thin air.

“You’ll be just fine,” Echo nodded. 

“I suppose,” Crosshair glumly sighed.

“This seems like a familiar trail that you’ve been on before…” Echo commented regarding Crosshair’s depressed way of thinking.

“That I’ve been down before…?” Crosshair reiterated.  He opened his toothpick box and popped a toothpick in his mouth.

Echo rolled his eyes, before sighing and putting his cup of caf down.  “You know, what you told me a while ago about when it came to Odalin… It really stuck with me, Cross.”

Crosshair stared at Echo, trying to wrack is brain at what conversation in particular had gotten Echo in such a mood. 

Then he remembered…  Kark.  He didn’t feel like talking about this.

“I just don’t get it.”

“Why is she doing this?”

“What does she see in me?”

“I’m a clone with nothing to my name.  I won’t meet her expectations and will just be a kriffing disappointment to her like I am to everyone else!”

“I’ll only let her down.”

Crosshair raised a brow and shifted the toothpick to the other side of mouth.  “I’m afraid I’m not quite following.”  His best bet was to play oblivious, when in reality, he did have a pretty good feeling about what Echo was referring to.  If he could dodge his overly perceptive brother’s concerns, he would.

Echo gave him a knowing look.  “What you were saying about yourself before you went out with Odalin that one-time weeks ago.”

“What about it?” Crosshair challenged, crossing his arms.

“I hope that was said in a bout of frustration, and wasn’t a true reflection on how you really feel… How you, you know…?”

Crosshair scowled, waiting for Echo to finish his sentence.  If he wanted to so eagerly say it, he might as well just spit it out already.

“…How you perceive yourself.”

There it was.  Unfortunately for Echo, Crosshair didn’t hold the optimistic answer that he clearly so desperately wanted to hear.  And despite Crosshair’s self-proclaimed excellent lying skills, the sharpshooter wasn’t going to sugarcoat anything.  What was there to sugarcoat?

The silence was heavy.

“How I feel is just a fact of life.  There’s no point in discussing this further,” Crosshair insisted, clipping the wings of the conversation before it could even take flight.

“All that stuff that you said, putting yourself down like that… It isn’t true Cross.  You’re worth more than you acknowledge yourself to be!”

“Nothing you, or anyone else can say will change my mind.”

Echo took a deep breath, lips defeatedly drawn in a grim line.  Anyone close to Crosshair knew that changing his mind on something, particularly when in relation to himself, was futile.

Attempting to change the conversation that had hit a roadblock, Echo held his scomp up.  “Soon enough, we’ll be matching.”

Crosshair frowned.  “Well, I’d say that we’re already matching with the lack of a right hand… Not so sure if you’re implying the scomp link or…”

Echo rolled his eyes.  “You’re overthinking this.”

“No.  I’m making a perfectly reasonable point here.”

“I’m talking about having a prosthetic of some sort in general,” Echo sighed, also motioning to his legs.

“Yeah…” Crosshair held up his existing hand, knowing that he was pointlessly irritating his well-meaning brother.  If anyone could understand what he was going through right now in terms of his hand, it was Echo, through and through.  “Thanks, Echo.”

Echo patted his brother’s back.  “I’ll see you after the procedure.  Are you sure you don’t want us there?  Hunter, Wrecker, Omega, and I would gladly wait at the hospital with you.”

Crosshair held back a fond smile, some of it appearing anyway.  The Batch always made sure to accompany each other in situations involving anything medical.  Old habits die hard.  “It’s alright,” he assured his brother.

Echo raised a brow.

“As I said yesterday, Odalin will be there.  Besides, you all are busy.  It’s a minor procedure.  No need to waste your entire day in a waiting room.”

“Well, at least tell Odalin I say hello to her,” Echo smirked, before turning to leave the house.

“Where are you going?”

“Going to walk on the beach.”

Crosshair stared at him dumbfounded.  “In the pouring rain?”

“Mmm… yeah.  In the pouring rain.”

Crosshair scowled and let out a huff.  “You chose to go outside right now with your own free will, while I have no choice…”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Echo paused by the door, holding his hand up.  “You do have a choice.  You don’t have to get a new hand if you don’t want it.”

Crosshair sighed.  “Yeah, yeah.  I know.”  He shrugged.  “But I do.  I’ve had a lot of time to think about it.”

Echo nodded and wished his best to Crosshair before going out… into the rain… for fun (?).

Crosshair rubbed his tired eyes, simultaneously trying to eradicate the headache.  Pulling out his comm, he messaged Odalin that he was about to head over to the hospital.

Odalin: ‘Great! See you soon! :)’

Just then, a thought crossed his mind.  It spooked him to his core.

Crosshair: ‘Will I see you before I go in for the procedure?’

What if she had other things to tend to first?  What if he’d go straight into the procedure and not get a chance to speak with her to calm his nerves down first and-

Odalin: ‘Of course!  I’m going straight to the hospital right now.  What? Did you really think I had anything more pressing than to be by your side right now? Come on! :0’

Crosshair’s heartbeat settled a bit.  He secretly took note of when she deemed it appropriate to use a :) vs a :0 …

Too soon for his actual liking, Crosshair arrived at the hospital.  After stepping through the doors, he pulled off his rain poncho.  Water droplets were soaked up on the front mat.

Odalin wasn’t there yet.  He had arrived fairly early, so it wasn’t surprising.  With a quick but efficient scan of the waiting room, Crosshair chose the most isolated spot.  Settling as best he could (under the circumstances), Crosshair plopped into a chair.  He swallowed.  Against his will, his pulse began to increase to a point in which he could literally feel it.  A human’s lack of control over their own heartbeat was a major design flaw in his opinion.

A few minutes later, Odalin strolled into the waiting room, pulling off her forest green colored raincoat’s hood.  Water droplets fell onto the mat in a similar manner to when Crosshair had entered.  Next to her stood Pitee.  The droid held a miniature umbrella, which he closed and mechanically shook it out.  Odalin and Pitee instantly located Crosshair in the nearly empty room and approached him.

“You brought him along,” Crosshair observed.

“He’s my little buddy,” Odalin chuckled.  “You know, I was on my own for a while.  Until I made him.  Well, reprogrammed him anyway.”

“Hello, Pitee,” Crosshair said monotonously, feeling a bit silly speaking to a droid in a very public setting.  Crosshair then looked up at Odalin.  “Why does he have an umbrella with him while neither of us do?”

“He sort of just loves carrying it,” Odalin shrugged in regard to her peculiar droid.  “Whenever it’s raining, he gets excited for that sole purpose.”

Odalin gracefully sat down, while Pitee clambered up the chair next to her.

Crosshair sighed.  He eyed some nurses reading from datapads behind the front desk.  “Have I already told you how much I loathe hospitals and anything medical?”

“You have, but feel free to express yourself further if you’d like,” Odalin encouraged, taking Pitee’s scaled-down umbrella from him and tucking it next to her.

Crosshair numbly nodded, staring towards the opposite wall.

Odalin could feel the nerves seeping through Crosshair from the moment she laid her eyes on him that morning.  His trauma in medical-like facilities did not escape her mind.  Her heart felt heavy thinking about all that he had gone through in his lifetime.  The little she knew was already heartbreaking… So much was still unshared though.

The waiting room was decorative.  Well, to Crosshair it was at least.  Odalin quietly whispered that it could use some more accents.  Kaminoan medical facilities were so bland and sterile that literally anything more was admirable to him. 

“You’ll be fine,” Odalin soothed.

Crosshair furrowed his brow at her reassuring tone.  He then looked down at his knee where Odalin had recently placed her hand and realized that he had been anxiously bouncing it.

“Not like they can damage my right hand any more than it already is,” Crosshair sardonically mumbled under his breath.

“Crosshair?”

The man in question and Odalin glanced up.  The doctor set to perform Crosshair’s procedure was standing in the doorway.

The doctor spoke again.  “We’re ready for you.”

Crosshair nervously nodded.

“I’ll be there right when you wake up,” Odalin promised, giving his trembling hand a squeeze.  “I’m sure your brothers and sister will be eager to see you afterwards too.”

Saying bye to Odalin felt like a blur… So did everything leading up to the moment when he drifted off into a medically induced sleep.  When he’d wake up, he’d have the ability to attach his new prosthetic… A hand created just for him by Odalin.

~ ~ ~

Waking up felt rather hazy.  Crosshair groaned and shifted on his back.  The first sensation he registered was the dull throb in his right wrist that was impossible to ignore, despite whatever pain meds he was on.  The second sensation though, was one much more pleasant, and was coming from his left hand.  Crosshair pried his eyes open and through his pain med induced state had to hold back an audible noise of relief.  She was there.  The significance of the moment didn’t fly past his head.  She was here.  Just like she said she would be.

Odalin was curled up on a chair she had clearly pulled up to his bedside.  Her eyelids were closed, indicating that she was half-asleep at the very least.  From the looks of it, it wasn’t the most comfortable position.  Upon Crosshair sitting up in the bed, she stirred.

“Hi,” Odalin whispered.  “You’re up.”

Crosshair huffed in amusement, watching as Odalin yawned.  “I can say the same about you.”

Odalin rolled her eyes, playfully shaking her head.  “You did great, by the way.”

“Doesn’t feel like I did much of anything.”  Crosshair shifted uncomfortably.  “Feels like surgeons have done a deal on me more like,” he mumbled.

“According to the doctor I spoke to, you’ll need to wait some time before a prosthesis can be tried out.  Swelling and what not.  You should be able to go back home tonight though.”

Crosshair lifted his hand up to inspect the surgery site.  Unsurprisingly, a think white bandage was wrapped around his stump.  He groggily observed the tiny drain tube sticking out through the wrap.

“You should rest,” Odalin told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“I am resting,” Crosshair pointed out, motioning to himself in the hospital bed.  He honestly felt completely fine.  The only thing that felt off was the temporary numbing of his wrist.

Odalin shook her head fondly.

Crosshair took a moment to look around the room.  The room wasn’t a stark white, immediately distinguishing itself from a Kaminoan facility.  There was also noticeable seating for visitors.  Back on Kamino, anytime one of the Batch was confined to the medbay, it would be like pulling teeth to get an update about the wellbeing of their wounded vod.  The last time Crosshair had been gravely injured; Tech had hacked into the most up to date medical records to check on the sniper’s prognosis.  Having had the option to sit with each other when one of them was at their most vulnerable would have been unfathomable.  “This hospital is so… different.”

“In what way?”

Crosshair realized the implications of his comment, considering he was a clone and that Odalin had no idea what happened on Kamino.  “It’s nothing…”

She smirked.  “You know I actually like listening to you, right?”

Crosshair hesitated, weighing his options.  Yes, he could tell her about his childhood and overall aversion for medical facilities…  But would that make her think less of him?  Differently of him at least…?

“My siblings and I are experimental clones.  Naturally, the Kaminoans indulged in their fair share of experiments with us.”

Odalin looked horrified.  “Experiments?”

Crosshair sighed.  He had to remind himself that even though this was normal to him, it was completely foreign for her.  “To test our enhancements…”  Crosshair hesitated.  “Being alone on those tables was awful.”  He picked on a loose thread on the blanket covering him, subconsciously unable to make eye contact.

“Look at me,” Odalin softly said.

It was then that Crosshair realize that he had in fact diverted his gaze.  Afraid of her reaction? Horrified to think that she’d see him as less of a human because of his upbringing and origin?  But, when he looked up, he was stunned to find tears welled up in her eyes.

“I- Truthfully, I don’t know what to say.”  A tear rolled down her cheek and dripped onto Crosshair’s blanket.  “I can’t even begin to imagine the horrors you’ve been open to share with me.”  She swallowed and placed a hand to cup his cheek.  “I…”  Before Crosshair could even register what was happening, Odalin pulled him into a tight hug, being extra mindful of his right wrist.  “Come here, you.”

There’re some people who stick out in a sea of despair that can be life.  Crosshair was certain that Odalin was one of those people.

“You know, your doctor did say that you could stretch your legs a bit,” Odalin reminded him.  “He also said that the medications they had you on, besides the localized pain killer in your wrist, should already be fully out of your system.  Do you feel up enough to head over to the garden?  I don’t want you to push yourself.”

“I can manage,” Crosshair huffed out.  Like the doctor had said, mentally, he felt the same as always (…Whether that be a good thing or not, was unknown).  Crosshair was highly amused that she was fretting over his wrist surgery and if he could walk.  Then, he really looked at her… Oh.  She was legitimately concerned…. Interesting.

As Crosshair stood, Odalin clasped her hand in his left one to give him some extra support to gain the momentum.  It was only until Odalin was positive that Crosshair wasn’t going to instantly tumble to the floor that she moved her hovering hands away.  It was touching...  He couldn’t deny that.

The two made their way out into the hallway.  It was mostly empty, a contrast to the overflowing combat medbays Crosshair had seen during his days in the war.  Occasionally, they would pass someone by.

“Is that one of them?” Crosshair mumbled discreetly after a nurse went by pushing a patient in a hoverchair.  She had told him that the hoverchairs her and Tech designed were in use already.

“Ah!  You remembered!” Odalin’s face lit up.  “It is one of them.  Good eye.”

Remembered?  Of course, Crosshair remembered.  And not only was it her project, but Tech’s as well.

“Here it is,” Odalin motioned towards a door that led outside.  “While you were under for the procedure, I explored a tiny bit already.”

Crosshair followed her out the door to the garden, nodding his head in thanks as Odalin held the door open for him to go through.  He protectively clutched his right wrist as he walked through the doorframe.  The two made their way over to one of the few benches and sat down.

“When your wrist is healed up, I still want to take you to that caf shop I’ve been talking about.”

Crosshair turned towards her.  She was sitting inches away from him.  “Does the caf shop require their patrons to have fully healed wrists?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Odalin whispered.  Her line of vision was directed up towards Crosshair’s face.

Crosshair felt as though he was in a trance, captivated by Odalin.  He slowly brought his hand up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Crosshair mumbled without even thinking.  Ironically though, that was a thought he’d had for the longest time…  It wasn’t at all said out of a state of delirium, and by the look on her face, she realized that too.

“Ha,” Odalin shyly giggled.  “I doubt that’s possible… But thank you though.”

Crosshair shook his head, still staring into her eyes as she returned the gesture.  “Odalin, I have traveled across the galaxy, to countless planets, big and small.  Throughout my life thus far, I’ve seen many of the galaxy’s geographical wonders that many dream to one day experience in person.  I have seen more than most as far as what this life has to offer… Yet in my eyes, you remain the most exquisite part of it all.”

Odalin’s eyes glistened at Crosshair’s confession, shimmering in the sunlight.

Before either of them could reflect on the moment further through thoughts, they both acted on it.  In unison, Crosshair and Odalin leaned in closer towards one another and kissed.

Crosshair felt like he was dreaming.

After so much of his new life feeling off, something finally, finally felt… right.

Chapter Text

Here Crosshair was, underneath the weeping maya tree where his late brother once stood… It was almost like he’d shown up too late.

In a shocking turn of events, Hunter had invited his siblings to officially meet his girlfriend.  After enough picking and prodding for Hunter to reveal that the woman even existed in the first place, that mystery finally seemed to be getting put to rest.  Naturally to Crosshair, this evidently proved that overall brotherly nosiness was an effective strategy for information gain.

Crosshair picked on the bandage around his right wrist.  It would still take time before he could get the prosthetic itself.  He shut his eyes.  The feeling of Odalin’s lips on his loomed in the forefront of his mind.

As he reopened his eyes, he could spot from a distance a woman carrying a small basket of fruit.

“Ooo!  Is that her?  Is that her?” Wrecker squealed.

Hunter shushed him as the woman approached them.

“Everybody,” Hunter started, “this is Astri.”

“It’s so nice to finally meet all of you!” Astri told them, shaking everyone’s hand in order of the line they were standing in.

“Nice to meet you too, ma’am,” Echo nodded.

“Yeah!” Wrecker boomed.

“Yes, nice to finally meet you,” Crosshair said through his toothpick occupied lips.  Hunter cast him a side eye of annoyance.

“Echo, Wrecker, and Crosshair…right?” she questioned, pointing towards the correct individuals.

“Woah!  It’s like she already knows us!” Wrecker guffawed.

“I bet she practically already does,” Crosshair murmured under his breath.  It wouldn’t come as a surprise to him that Hunter had already shared details about his family to the woman.

Hunter, who had been the only one to actually hear Crosshair, rolled his eyes.  “Yes, Crosshair.  She already knows all about your toothpick addiction.”

“Is that so?” Crosshair rubbed his chin in an overemphasized and unnatural gesture.  Then he rolled his own eyes…  That was his thing after all.

“And you,” Astri started, kneeling in front of Omega, “must be Omega.”

“Mmm hmm,” the blonde batcher overly-casually confirmed.  Crosshair watched his sister’s suspicious behavior.

“It’s nice to finally put a face to the name,” Astri said, shaking the girl’s hand.

“I would say likewise,” Omega sheepishly began, “but I’ve actually already seen you two together, so I’ve known what you looked like for a while now.”

Hunter did an alarmed double take at his sister.  “You what?!  How did you figure it out?”

Omega shrugged nonchalantly.  “I spied on you guys.”

Hunter stared at her, frozen in mortification.

Astri giggled up at Hunter.  “You were the one that trained her, after all.”

Crosshair squinted.  “I think I was the true one to figure it out first.”

“Quit it,” Hunter sighed, exasperated that this was a conversation.  “It’s not a competition.”

“Aw!” Wrecker pouted.  “If I had known it would be a competition, I would’a tried harder!”

“Well, lucky for everyone involved, that it wasn’t a competition then,” an embarrassed Hunter said through clenched teeth.

“So, what do you do for work, Astri?” Echo maturely stepped in, breaking up the silly sibling squabble.

Astri smiled.  “Well, as you probably have already guessed, I sell fruit at the market.  In my free time though, I’m a holographer.”

“Is that why ya brought fruit for us?” Wrecker boomed, gesturing to the basket of fruit Astri had indeed brought along.  Hunter elbowed Wrecker in the ribs at his bluntness and assumption.  “Hey- Ow!”

Astri laughed.  “You’re right!  This is for you guys!”  She gestured to the basket that she had placed on the ground.  The basket was filled with mouthwatering fruit of vibrant colors.

Turned out, the Batch weren’t the only ones eyeing the fruit.  Out of nowhere, an uncharacteristically aggressive moon-yo scurried past the basket, stealing the sensational looking meiloorun that laid at the top of the fruit pile.

“Hey!” Wrecker frowned, disappointed that one of his favorite fruits was so brutally stolen.

“We’ll get it back, Hunter reassured Astri, before snapping into sergeant mode.  “Bad Batch, Plan 63, split up!”

Crosshair scowled at his bandana loving brother.  “Why are you treating this like it’s a mission?  It’s not valuable intel, it’s a karking meiloorun, Hunter!”

Hunter glared at Crosshair in a, ‘don’t make me look bad in front of my girlfriend,’ sort of way.

Crosshair rolled his eyes dramatically, meaning every bit of the dramatics.

“For crying out loud,” he mumbled under his breath.  Now he not only had to go on a meiloorun treasure hunt, but also nurse a brutal headache.

Astri put a hand on Hunter’s bicep.  “Hunt, really, it’s alright.”

Hunter looked down towards her.  “We’ve got this, Astri.”  Truthfully, Hunter was itching for a good, non-dangerous, reason to utilize the Batch’s plans once again.

And with that, the brothers were off.  Omega lingered behind for a moment longer to get a word in with the holographer.  “He misses this,” she told her sympathetically, patting Astri on the hand.  Then, just like her brothers, she ran off into the distance, the Pabu wind lightly whipping at her clothes.

So far, Crosshair’s search was going terrific.

And by terrific, he meant absolutely dreadful, since he had no real lead on where to search.  Hunter would probably have the best chance of tracking down the fruit thief with his enhanced senses.  He has karking tracking abilities.  Crosshair considered it to be an unfair advantage in this search to be able to touch the dirt on the ground and get assistance, but that was his brother for you.  Why any of the others were subjected to scour the island as well was beyond the sniper.  Hunter would easily appear as the prince charming that he so obviously wanted to be perceived as.  It made Crosshair roll his eyes just thinking about it.

Crosshair had found a cluster of bushes in a grassy open area.  He made his way to the bunch of hedges and batted his way through the greenery until he was in the center of them.

Much to his surprise, he discovered an angry moon-yo.  The creature hissed at Crosshair.  The sniper assumed that the little thing was trying to assert its dominance or some bantha kark like that.  Too bad for the moon-yo though, since it wasn’t phasing the elite former soldier. 

On one side of the moon-yo was a random pile of bits and pieces of unidentifiable metal.  Crosshair tried to figure out what it was, but to no avail.  Crosshair was no scientist like Tech, but he could safely say that those scraps were definitely not compatible with a moon-yo’s digestive system.  Something about the pile made him… uneasy.  Next to the pile was the highly sought over meiloorun.  Kark, all this hassle over a kriffing fruit.  Ridiculous.  It hadn’t been eaten, but did have little claw marks in it, making it look sort of inedible… And that was coming from a man who grew up eating rations on the daily.  Not appetizing, but he’d bring it back anyway.  He didn’t need another reason for Hunter to snap at him.

Crosshair inched towards the moon-yo, hands up in an unintimidating manner.  While he was sure he could beat the moon-yo in hand-to-hand combat, if necessary, he really didn’t want to risk the chance of gaining bite and scratch marks on his skin.  He was quite good at picking his battles…

Unfortunately, this mellow tactic of snatching up the meiloorun and then being on his merry way, was well… fruitless.  As fruit-less as he was right now in fact.  The creature looked rather protective of his items… Perhaps a trade would suffice?  As much as it physically and mentally pained him to do so, Crosshair took the toothpick from his mouth out and laid it on the muddy grass.  Noticing that the moon-yo had taken interest to Crosshair’s compelling new item, both Crosshair and the animal circled around the items until the sniper was in front of the meiloorun.  Taking this as an opportunity, Crosshair grabbed the fruit and ran as fast as his long lanky legs would take him, leaving behind his toothpick and the small pile of scrap metal.

Crosshair commed his siblings, informing them of his victory.  They soon all gathered back up by Astri, most of them congratulating Crosshair on his success.  Hunter on the other hand looked crestfallen that he hadn’t been the one to recover the meiloorun.

“Now this is the type of competition I like,” Crosshair boasted with a sudden attitude shift.

“It wasn’t a competition, Crosshair,” Hunter facepalmed.

~ ~ ~

Munching on a juicy meiloorun on the front porch of their residence was quite the excellent way to relax after a long chase.  While this wasn’t the specific fruit that Crosshair had so heroically rescued (like kriff would be take a bite out of that mutilated thing!), it felt symbolic nonetheless… regardless of what his jealous tracker of a brother thought.

The last person he expected to turn the corner in front of the house was a frantic looking Odalin.  From the moment he saw her wind the path that revealed her running figure, Crosshair instantly tossed his fruit in the dirt.  Every sense he had, his natural and enhanced ones, were immediately on high alert.

“Woah, woah,” Crosshair hushed, leaping up to his feet.  He steadied Odalin with a hand on her shoulder.  He could feel her hyperventilating.  “Easy.  You’re alright.  What’s the matter?”  Crosshair looked behind her shoulder in case someone or something was chasing her.  “Are you being followed?”  He placed a comforting hand on her back.  “Come inside, you’re safe now.” 

Crosshair began to usher her towards the Batch’s front door before she shook her head, chest heaving.  “Nobody’s after me,” Odalin sniffed.  A tear dripped down her cheek.

Having previously disregarded the bundle that Odalin was carrying, Crosshair belatedly looked down.  It took a moment for him to process that she was in fact carrying a blanket.  More specifically, a blanket wrapped around Pitee.

Crosshair’s brow furrowed with sudden confusion. “Why are you holding him?”  Her distressed demeanor didn’t indicate that this was just a preference of Pitee that Odalin had programed into her highly modified droid friend.  Crosshair leaned in closer to Odalin and moved the corner of the blanket covering Pitee’s face away.  The usually chipper droid’s eye was lacking its typical light and was cracked.  “What happened?!” Crosshair questioned, his voice raised.

“He was attacked during an errand I had sent him on…” she recalled.  “When he didn’t return back home during his usual time frame, I used the tracker I have embedded in him… I found him on the rocks near the cliff.  Near the sand where I discovered him were fresh animal footprints…  I think it was a moon-yo that attacked him.”

“A kriffing moon-yo did this?” Crosshair scoffed.  He could barely picture one of those fuzzy Pabu residents destroying an ambulatory droid such as Pitee.

“I don’t know…” Odalin sobbed.  “He’s missing many pieces, but one of them is crucial to him ever working again.  It’s irreplaceable…”

“It stole pieces?” Crosshair frowned at the revelation.

Crosshair felt a pit in his stomach as he recalled the pile of metal next to the kleptomaniac of a moon-yo he had encounter earlier in the day.  He quickly relayed the day’s wacky previous events and informed Odalin that he might just know where some, if not all, of Pitee’s missing parts were.

“We have to check…” Odalin anxiously peered up at Crosshair.  “Unless you’re busy with-”

“Of course I’m going,” Crosshair interrupted with a swipe of his hand.

Crosshair led Odalin to the site of the moon-yo thief.  Upon seeing the pile of parts that Odalin immediately recognized, she gently passed the blanket holding Pitee into Crosshair’s free arms.  The sniper ungracefully took the bundle that contained the limp droid as Odalin raced to the heap of destroyed metal.  She came to a halt, sliding on her knees.  “Kriff!” Odalin exclaimed, picking up an undistinguishable segment of Pitee… at least it was indiscernible to Crosshair.  It was a shocking scene to say the least... Like a gruesome slaughter, but the only victim was a single, helpless droid.  For a man like Crosshair who had no choice but to fight against Separatist droids during the not so distant war, this was the first time he had felt sorrow for a droid's demise.  Pitee was all innocent.  

With closer inspection, Crosshair noted that one of Pitee’s arms was in the pile.  He looked down at the lifeless droid, hesitantly pulling away some of the blanket.  Pitee was crushed in some places…. Had he been thrown off the cliff that he was found near?...  All on top of being ripped apart?

“I’ve never seen a moon-yo act this way.  I really haven’t…  Usually they aren’t aggressive like this,” Odalin commented in disbelief, her voice still shaking.  Crosshair agreed… If Hunter found out about there being violent moon-yos, he’d surely limit Omega’s interactions with them… At least unsupervised that is.  One bad Almakian apple to ruin something for everyone.  The bad one of the batch… But unlike the stunts the Bad Batch pulled, this moon-yo’s actions were literally bad...  The last thing Crosshair wanted was for him and his brothers to be directly compared to an evil moon-yo.

The self-taught engineer continued scavenging the small, but significant pile.

“Here’s the piece!” Odalin gasped, holding up the supposedly irreplaceable one.  “I can try to put it back in right now,” she sniffed, inspecting the part.  “From a first glance though, it does look a bit beat up...”

Crosshair cautiously nodded, wondering how in the galaxy she would be able to do such a thing with just her hands, lacking the proper tools and all.  Nonetheless, he lowered Pitee on the floor.  It was just then that Odalin whipped out a portable toolbox from her small shoulder bag.  Handy, he thought.

As Odalin pulled back the entire blanket, the true extent of the damage was revealed.  It made Crosshair cringe in sympathy for not just Pitee, but mostly Odalin.  He had come to like that little droid’s presence.  Though it was no secret in his mind that he cherished Odalin even more.

While Crosshair kept watch of the area, ensuring the moon-yo didn’t return, Odalin pieced together the crucial parts of Pitee.  With deft fingers, it appeared as though the painter was performing surgery.  With each screw Odalin so meticulously worked on, the more pressure and anticipation filled the already thick air.

Once Odalin had done what she could, she attempted to wake the droid up.  “Wake up, buddy.  Come on!”  She scratched his nose, urging the little thing to wake up like she had programmed it to…  Yet no light streamed back into Pitee’s eyes.

Crosshair watched in sadness as Odalin registered the probable fate her pit droid had.

“No…”

Crosshair placed his hand on her shoulder.  “I’m sure you can find a way to fix him still.  You can…” Crosshair paused to frantically think of a solution.  He hated watching her so devastated.  “Even though the part may be irreplaceable, you can still fix the broken piece.”

“This is beyond my area of knowledge…”. Odalin sniffled.  “At this point, the damaged part needs to be fully replaced.”  She shook her head in defeat.  “And no one on Pabu would have the mechanism.”

“Let’s…” Crosshair glanced at the pile of parts, “…let’s pick up everything we can find and then bring it back to your house.”  The last thing he wanted at the moment was another encounter with that particular moon-yo.

Odalin sucked in a shaky breath, her eyes not leaving the droid in her arms.  “Al-alright,” she subtly nodded.

“Here,” Crosshair said, taking off his linen overshirt that helped rid the chill of windier days.  “We can carry the parts in this.”  He laid his shirt down in the dirt and began to place pieces of Pitee onto what would act as a makeshift pouch.  Together, they gathered every bit and piece of Pitee that they could find.

Prior to Odalin taking Pitee back into her arms and before picking up the makeshift sack, Crosshair pulled Odalin into a hug.  “I’m sorry about what happened to Pitee.”

“It feels so… Senseless.  Why did Pitee need to be what the moon-yo took its anger out on?”

Crosshair sighed.  “I don’t know,” he mumbled into her hair.  “I don’t know.”  He kissed the top of her head.  She had a fair point though.  Why were some people, and droids, subjected to certain harsh experiences over others?

On their way out of the bushes where the pile had been, Crosshair’s precise eyes landed on the toothpick he had traded with the moon-yo earlier.  As they left, he made a point to crush it beneath his foot, causing it to snap in half.

The walk back to Odalin’s house was quiet.  Unlike the enjoyable quiet moments they’d shared together in the past, this one was heavy with sorrow.  As Crosshair held the pieces of Pitee in his shirt, he cast a hesitant glance at Odalin.  His heart broke at her saddened expression.  The weight in his arms felt heavier.

~ ~ ~

Crosshair called it in early that night.  He had stayed with Odalin for hours after she discovered Pitee’s fate, comforting her as they looked upon the pieces of the droid.  The second he arrived at his house though, he had declined to be part of family game night.  He felt too drained, both emotionally, but also physically… He felt off somehow.

Hoping his bed would provide him with sweet relief, Crosshair quickly undressed and hopped onto the mattress.

He’d eventually been able to doze off into a fitful slumber… Not great, but better than nothing he supposed.

He dreamt about Tech.  A seemingly nice dream that soon became a nightmare about losing him all over again.

It was in the true middle of the night though, when everyone else was long asleep, that he awoke from his slumber, thrashing violently in his bed until his eyes fluttered open.  By the time he regained some semblance of consciousness, his sheets that were now soaked with sweat, had already been thrown to the floor.

His head felt like an agonizing bombardment, pounding from within the confines of his skull.

“Argh!” Crosshair grit out through clenched teeth.  Surely this was the worst pain he had ever experienced… It had be…

Crosshair sat up in bed, clutching his throbbing head between his hands.  His entire body, suddenly weakened dramatically, began to shake.  A deeply unpleasant chill ran down to his bones.  He let out a pained groan at the feeling of illness that had rapidly overtaken his now health depleted body.

After a surprise bout of nausea, Crosshair stumbled to the ‘fresher on unbalanced legs.  The pain was just so severe that it had taken the majority of his physical and cognitive abilities.  After shutting the door, to avoid waking up his siblings, he collapsed in front of the toilet and vomited out the entirety of his stomach contents.

His headache was like a blaring alarm that was screaming at him.

Tears welled up in his eyes.  What was wrong with him?

Chapter Text

The pain will subdue.

With time and with patience…

The initial shock of it will dull into a murky water. 

The shifted rocks will settle down and create a new conformity that will with time, become the new normal… the current present.

…No one suspected a thing from last night’s incident.

Crosshair would tell AZI-3 or one of his siblings about it later.  Right now, he didn’t want to ruin the day’s events.  His headache was still bad, but back to being manageable, which by his or any of his sibling’s standards, didn’t really say much.

Odalin had come by nice and early to go over plans she had for Crosshair’s new prosthetic hand.  After the news about Pitee, she needed some distraction, or at least something to keep her hands and mind busy.  Odalin and Crosshair had safety tucked Pitee onto a cushioned shelf in her living room.  Her house certainly felt like it was missing a particular droid-y presence.  Odalin had also been wanting to ask Echo some logistical questions based on the former 501^st member’s firsthand experiences. 

By now, all of Crosshair’s family had figured out that he and Odalin were together.  Considering all the siblings knew of Crosshair’s private nature, none of them bombarded him with questions.  For that, the sniper was grateful.  Luckily, Hunter wasn’t trying to get payback…

There was a fruit bowl centerpiece in the middle of the table they sat at.  Instead of sitting across from each other like they had at the food stand the evening of Crosshair’s first time at the night market, the two lovebirds sat next to each other.

“You know,” Odalin hummed facing Crosshair, her forearms propped up on the table, “I think meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Crosshair almost spit out his caf.  Dumbfounded, he slowly turned his head, so that he was facing Odalin.  “Surely that’s not possible, but I’m touched nonetheless.”

“No, I’m serious.” Odalin pressed.  She brought a hand up to Crosshair’s face.  “I’ve never been around someone who I’ve felt so comfortable and happy with.”

Crosshair blinked.  Every bit of him was screaming that her words were fabricated and that she could not possibly see him under such a light.  Yet when he gazed back into her blue-green eyes, he read nothing but sincerity.  Her current expression and past actions made his reclusive self believe for just a moment, and then some, that maybe what she was saying was true.

Crosshair let his eyes slip shut, savoring the feeling of her fingers splayed above his jaw.  “I feel the same way,” he mumbled before dreamily reopening his eyes.

With Odalin’s hand still cupping Crosshair’s cheek, both of them leaned forward, allowing for their lips to collide… Sparks flew like fireflies in the night sky.

A few minutes later, footsteps could be heard nearing the new couple.

“Heard I could be of some assistance,” Echo announced, strolling into the room.  As he neared them, he stretched out his shoulders.  Echo was set to return to Rex soon so that he could assist with the efforts of the Clone Rebellion, with Rex, Emerie, and the rest of the clone uprising.

“Oh, Echo!” Odalin stood up from the table, pushing the chair she had been sitting on backwards.  “How have you been?”

“Doing well,” Echo nodded.  He glanced at Crosshair, jutting his thumb towards him.  “Hope this one hasn’t been too much.”

Crosshair scowled offendedly.  “Too much what?!”

Odalin strode over behind the chair Crosshair was sitting in and placed her hands on his shoulders.  “Oh no.  This one’s been the best,” she laughed, dramatically rubbing his shoulders.

Echo smiled at her words.  The ARC Trooper hoped someday Crosshair would learn to accept that he meant more to everyone around him than he realized… and that he would soon view himself in the same light.

Crosshair hummed.  “Am I supposed to accept that my new name’s ‘this one’ without any complaint?”

Odalin poked her head from behind Crosshair’s frame and pecked his cheek.  “Yup, since you’re such a great sport.”

Hunter and Wrecker soon emerged from their respective rooms and sat around the dining room table.

“Hi Odalin,” Wrecker waved.  “Didn’t realize you’d be joining us for breakfast today!”

“Hope that’s alright,” she chuckled, unconsciously still wrapping her arms around the sniper.  “I just wanted to run some stuff by Echo.”

“Course it’s alright!” Wrecker exclaimed.  "We're happy to have ya!"

Crosshair’s head pounded by his brother’s booming voice.  He tried to massage his temples to alleviate the pain, to no avail of course.

“Morning everybody!” Omega said, practically skipping into the kitchen and dining room area.  Her eyes settled on the woman standing behind Crosshair.  “Oh!  Hi Odalin!”

“Hi Omega!  How are you this morning?”

“Well rested and ready to start the day!”  Omega smirked at Odalin’s outward display of affection for her grumpy brother.  “Aw!  You two make such a cute couple!”

Crosshair feared he looked as red as a Sith’s lightsaber.  Odalin’s blush wasn’t far off either.

“Can I get a Crosshair hug too?” Omega giggled in a slightly teasing manner. 

Crosshair wasn’t the most touchy of his brothers.  Wrecker was the one that gave the most Wookiee embraces, Hunter would give his regular hair ruffles, Echo would give a solid handshake (or do whatever Omega initiated)… And Tech… Sure he’d give the occasional shoulder pat, but he touched others through his powerful words of wisdom and connection.

Crosshair on the other hand was always naturally more physically and emotionally closed off.  He felt as though his words were an inadequate way to articulate his feelings…  But if not with words or physical actions, how else was one supposed to articulate themselves?

“Fine.”

“Yay!” Omega squealed as she came barreling towards Crosshair.  Nearly all the air was knocked out of Crosshair as they collided in a hug.  “We should do this more often.”

"Mmph," Crosshair huffed, although the hug really wasn't that bad.

“Don’t squeeze him too hard, Omega,” Wrecker warned his sister.

“Why not?” Omega frowned, looking up mid-hug.

“Cuz you gotta let me have a turn at this!”  Wrecker came bolting over.

Crosshair scooched back in his wooden chair, his eyes wide with fear.  “No, no, no.  It’s too early for this.  Please stop, Wrec-”

Wrecker did not in fact stop despite his brother’s pleas.  He crushed his brother in a ridiculously tight embrace, the sniper’s feet leaving the floor.  Crosshair knew better than to fight it at this point.  Once he was up in the air, trapped in his brother’s arms, there was never an escape route.

Odalin watched in slight alarm as her boyfriend was picked up as if he weighed less than a tooka.

Hunter, who had made his way behind the kitchen counter to start on some breakfast, decided to highlight his presence.  “Alright, how hungry are we all feeling this morning?!” he asked like he was trying to hype up a crowd somewhere in the Uscru Entertainment District on Coruscant.  He spun a spatula between his fingers just like he’d do his trusty vibroknife.  Unlike the guest in the house, Hunter was completely unphased by the tomfoolery happening around him.

“I’m famished!” Wrecker cried, just barely avoiding dropping his skinny brother.  Crosshair did his best to regain his footing, his vision slightly blurring around the edges.  Strange...

Echo made a face of disbelief.  “You ate two massive platters of sushi last night.  How are you starving?”

“I’m never full!” Wrecker reminded his usually not so forgetful brother.

“If such a historical moment were ever achieved, for something as momentous as that, I’m sure Tech would have made a note of it for science,” Crosshair muttered into his cup of caf.

Hunter flipped a pabucake on the pan.  “Oh, he did.  The first time we had a traditional Pabu meal, in fact.”

Of course he did.

“Can I continue my flying lessons with someone?” Omega asked her brothers as she stabbed into her pabucakes.  Before Tech’s death, she had been frequently practicing with the skillful pilot.

“I’ll do it.” Crosshair immediately volunteered to mentor in Tech’s stead.  It was the least he could do for his genius brother.  Although Tech was always the primary pilot, during the earlier days of the war, Crosshair would oftentimes be his brother’s co-pilot, a position that Echo took over after Order 66.

Hunter studied Crosshair’s seemingly passive face.  “Thanks, Cross,” he nodded towards his brother right before taking another bite of his breakfast.

It must have slipped his mind momentarily, but Crosshair paused and faced Odalin.  He wasn’t sure how helpful he would be when it came to discussing the logistics of a prosthetic with her and Echo, but hadn’t meant to ditch the conversation entirely.

“You two go on ahead!  Echo and I will keep chatting!” Odalin reassured him.  “Have some fun up there!”

“Oh, he will!” Wrecker promised in advance.  “Kid’s a natural!”  He outstretched his large hand, initiating a high five.  Omega giggled as she slapped the palm of her hand against his.

After breakfast and well wishes, Crosshair was once again led by his self-assured little-big sister to their destination.  In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think back to how she had taken the lead on Tantiss...

Since the Marauder was no longer an option, Phee’s ship it was.  The self-proclaimed ‘liberator of ancient wonders’ had graciously let Omega use her ship, the Providence, for flying practice.  This didn’t surprise Crosshair much, considering the pirate, as he exclusively personally referred to her as, clearly had feelings for Tech.  Of course she would want to help keep Tech’s lessons alive.

The ship’s ramp lowered, allowing for the ambitious future pilot and her dispirited brother to board.  Omega, strolled to the pilot’s seat and turned around to look at Crosshair who was still standing in the entryway of the unfamiliar ship.  Observing the interior of the ship, Crosshair couldn’t help but miss the nostalgia of the Marauder. 

Despite never having piloted Phee’s ship, Omega settled into the chair in a practiced motion, urging with her eyes for Crosshair to sit in the co-pilot’s chair.

Crosshair hesitantly approached the seat.  Sitting down, he felt like an imposter.  This was supposed to be Tech’s activity with Omega, not his.

The longer he allowed for himself to comprehend the sad circumstances as to why it was him there instead of his brother, was too much.

Omega jolted him out of his thoughts before he could dwell too much on the situation.  “So!” she suddenly announced, clapping her hands and rubbing them together.  “Time to fly!”  Omega initiated the take-off sequence.  She turned to her brother with the crosshair tattoo, “You strapped in?”

“Uh huh.”

“Here we go!”  Omega enthusiastically grabbed the steering yoke and got the ship in the air.

For a young teenager, Omega’s flying was rather impressive.  Naturally, she had some pretty extraordinary reflexes.  Her short legs could just barely reach the various pedals on the floor, but she made do.  Crosshair found her overall infatuation with the skill of piloting sweet.  It reminded him of Tech’s instant connection to learning how to fly back on Kamino.  The first time the Batch’s genius flew the Marauder, his eyes had been wide with exhilaration, his goggles magnifying them even more.  Not to mention, Omega’s humming and smiles as she made sharp turns that Crosshair would have felt concerned for his life about had she been taught by anyone other than the late engineer, reminded him that he himself was alive.

In addition to the headache he was dealing with, one thought echoed in Crosshair’s mind repeatedly…  It should be Tech with her right now.  Not him…

The weight of what Crosshair was doing was not lost on him.  If Tech was here, it would be him doing his.  He had to fully face the reality of Tech being gone eventually.  One could run and run from the brutal truth, but one day, it’ll catch up to you.  The encounter is inevitable.

He rubbed his forehead with his padded covered right wrist.  His doctor had told him that he should still wear it when doing anything physical.

Omega flew into a puffy cumulus cloud, metaphorically slapping Crosshair back into awareness.

“Tech taught me how to do the Tech Turn, you know?”

Crosshair whipped his head towards his sister.  “He did?”  Although the name of Tech’s maneuver was new to him, he instantly knew what she was referring to.  Tech had utilized the move countless times, whether it was to evade enemies or to confuse other oncoming airborne ships.

Omega proudly lifted her chin up. “Yup!”

“Of course he did,” Crosshair mumbled, his lip quirking upward.

“Want to see?” Omega asked eagerly, practically bouncing up and down in her seat.

“Sure.”

Omega gained some speed on the ship.  “First step, disable the thrusters.”  She quickly disabled them with practiced ease.  “Next, execute a sharp swing with zero thruster pull.”  The blonde did just that before doing the final step.  “Lastly, turn the thrusters quickly back on just like thi-”

Crosshair’s entire body was slammed back against his seat at the jarring maneuver.  He caught his breath after the stunt, slowly turning to face his daring sister.  “Well, that went well,” he commented, non-sarcastically.

Omega cheered.  “I told you I could do it!”

“I never doubted that.”  Crosshair hadn’t felt that maneuver be done in so long… The last time was obviously when Tech was piloting before Order 66.  The only person he’d ever seen do the move, was Tech.  If he shut his eyes right here, right now, he could just imagine that it was in fact Tech flying.

Crosshair used to be able to say that his sister looked like Tech when he was younger.  Now, Omega was beginning to look like the Tech that would forever be that young man…

Omega brought the two of them back onto land.  With a delicate touch, Omega gently landed the ship, and with a flick of a switch, powered it down.  Before opening the ramp, Omega turned in her seat to face her brother, who was already unbuckling his seatbelt.  “You think one day I could be just as good a pilot as Tech?”

Crosshair took in her anticipatory face.  “I think you can, Omega,” he replied earnestly.

Omega grinned as she unstrapped the only thing holding her back from giving her grey-haired brother a massive hug.  “Thanks for believing in me too, Crosshair,” she whispered into his neck, arms wrapped around him.  Crosshair patted her back as he reciprocated the gesture.

As Crosshair and Omega exited the vessel, his headache flared up again.  He clutched his head in his hand.  Not now, he mumbled internally.  The least his body could do was wait until he was alone in his room.

Omega paused her decent on the ramp and stopped him with a hand on his elbow.  “Are you okay, Crosshair?” she asked, concern dripping from her voice.  Crosshair didn’t respond instantly, which only worried Omega more.  “Crosshair?” she repeated.

“Yeah, kid.  I’m fine…” Crosshair mumbled, holding a hand up to dispel her worry.  “Just a headache is all.”

Omega furrowed her brow at Crosshair in a way that suggested she didn’t quite believe him.

His hand fumbled the side of the ship, attempting to gain some sort to purchase as he lowered himself down the stairs.  Crosshair stepped to the ground, feet and body adjusting to standing once again on solid land.

Only then did he realize that Odalin was waiting in front of the ramp to greet them. “You’re back!  So, how was today’s flying practice?”

“It was great!” Omega turned to look up at her brother.  “I even did the Tech Turn for Crosshair!” she boasted, her face lighting up with passion.

Crosshair wished he could’ve responded differently, but all he was able to muster out was a weak smile and nod.

A hint of unease flashed across Odalin’s features before she looked down at Omega and beamed.  “I saw you up in the sky doing some impressive piloting!”

Crosshair gulped.  His head throbbed viciously like a storm that had been brewing but had just now reached its tipping point.

Omega grinned.  “Thanks!”

As if the stars above had snapped their fingers, Crosshair’s knees suddenly buckled from underneath him.  Unable to carry his weight, he collapsed forward, knees colliding heavily with the unforgiving ground.

Omega gasped in horror as Odalin jumped in to do her best to lessen Crosshair’s fall, catching as much of his weight as she physically could.  Odalin strained every muscle in her body as she braced and supported Crosshair’s weight, sinking to the ground with him.

It was almost like life as they all knew it had paused.  Time was frozen, just like Crosshair’s still form in Odalin’s arms.  With her breath caught in her throat, Odalin patted his cheek to try to rouse him.  “Crosshair?!” she loudly spoke.

“What’s wrong with him?!” Omega frantically cried out, squatting next to her unconscious brother.

Odalin wished upon anything in that moment that she could answer Crosshair’s distressed sister’s words.  But all that came out of her mouth was, “I- I don’t know…”

As Omega began to hyperventilate, checking his pulse, Odalin bit her cheek hard enough until the coppery taste of metal expanded in her mouth.  She needed to focus.

“Omega, go get your brothers and AZI-3,” Odalin directed urgently.

Omega nodded as she shakily stood up.  Before running to get much needed help, her eyes kept being drawn back to Crosshair’s motionless body.  She sprinted off in the direction of the Batch’s house and AZI-3’s location like a ship going through hyperspace.

After Omega was out of sight, Odalin’s head snapped back to Crosshair’s slack face.  Cradling him close to her, she looked in horror at his parted lips and his head lolling against her stomach...  Her blood ran cold as she stared at Crosshair’s unresponsive self.

Chapter Text

Sensations were indescribably potent, yet impossible to comprehend.

He felt like he was floating in the blue sky like a cumulus cloud…

Yet all others were above him at the moment-

Their looming presence lingering-

Like the deep blue ocean waves spraying against his exposed skin-

The chill feeling like a vibroknife piecing his being…

…His soul

A cloud raining down on-

Him…

~ ~ ~

“Please wake up,” Odalin cried to the man crumpled up on her lap.  She was cradling his face while using her propped up knee to support his body weight against her.  “I’m begging you.  Please!”  It didn’t feel real…

Odalin forced herself to pull her eyes away from Crosshair at the sound of multiple distinct footsteps rapidly approaching her.  Behind Omega was Hunter, Wrecker, Echo, and of course, AZI.  Omega was clutching a medpac in her arms in the hopes it could possibly help the situation somehow.

“What happened?” Hunter barked, fearful at the sight of his unconscious brother before him.  He was far from the only one with such a distraught expression.

“He- he just collapsed when we- when we got off the ship!” Omega explained, her words jumbled through her emotions and her delivery extremely out of breath from the run.

“He’s not responding at all,” Odalin panicked.  “I’ve tried everything I could think of!”  True desperation was not something Odalin had faced in a long time.  How horrendous of a feeling it was indeed.

Hunter scanned his surroundings until his gaze lingered on the droid.  “AZI!  Get over to him!”

“Yes.  I will do just that,” AZI responded in his regular cadence.  The floating droid hovered next to and slightly above Crosshair to perform his preliminary medical scans.

“What did I do!?”  Omega cried, her panic rising exponentially as she looked on in horror at her unconscious brother. 

Hunter, who was his own version of a nervous wreck, clasped a hand on her shoulder.  “You didn’t do anything wrong, Omega.”

“I have finished a preliminary scan,” AZI announced, the blue light of the med-scanner disappearing.

“So!?  What’s wrong with him?” Hunter felt forced to prompt.  The Kaminoan droid always seemed to take his sweet time when urgent matters arose.

AZI turned to face Hunter and the others.  He blinked his illuminated yellow eyes.  “The scan results returned as… inconclusive.”

“Bantha-kark!” Hunter shouted angrily.  He snatched the med-scanner from the droid’s delicate but incredibly dexterous hands.  AZI let out an alarmed, ‘woah!’ at the intrusion of space.

Sure enough, when Hunter skimmed the results, he was met with nothing out of the ordinary… At least nothing that would cause such an unexpected reaction from his motionless brother.  Was it such an unknown ailment that even the scanner was stumped?  The sergeant knelt down and put a hand on Crosshair’s forehead.

Odalin, who was still holding Crosshair in her arms, froze.  From underneath Crosshair’s light civilian clothes, she could feel his body progressively becoming more rigid.

Almost as if the involuntary parts of Crosshair’s body were listening to the already chaotic scene unfolding, Crosshair started seizing. 

“He’s having a seizure!” Omega gasped in alarm.

“Clear the area and keep an eye on his airway,” Echo said, already getting on his prosthetic knees to assist Hunter and Odalin who were already at Crosshair’s side.  Luckily, all the Batch, including little Omega, to some extent, were trained in first aid.  “Since he’s unconscious too, let’s roll him into recovery position.  We don’t want him choking and then aspirating if he gets sick.”  Echo set a timer to time the duration of the convulsions.

Odalin’s heart broke once she lowered Crosshair off her lap and onto the solid ground.  Although she was still sitting right by him, she didn’t even want to let go.  This was for his safety though… For his best interest…

“Does he have anything in his pockets?  We don’t want him to hurt himself even more if there’s something sharp,” Omega reminded everyone despite her obvious nerves.

“I’ll check,” Odalin confirmed.  Carefully, but efficiently, Odalin reached into Crosshair’s pants pocket to remove an obvious larger item.  When she pulled the item out, carefully holding it in her hand, her breath caught in her throat.  It was the toothpick box.

While Odalin temporarily froze, Hunter finished rolling Crosshair to his side and arranged his arms and legs accordingly.

The Batch and Odalin painstakingly waited for Crosshair to stop seizing.  Since Odalin couldn’t hold onto Crosshair in that moment, she gripped the toothpick box like a lifeline.

“Movements have stopped,” Echo announced while checking his timer.  “The seizure lasted five minutes and-”

“-and 23 seconds,” AZI interrupted, thankfully also having timed the duration of the episode.  Echo nodded in agreement.

Odalin pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped the saliva off Crosshair’s mouth and chin.  “Sweetheart, what’s happening?” she murmured so quietly that even Hunter would have had a difficult time hearing.  When she pulled away the cloth, she was alarmed to see some blood.

Omega must have noticed, since she piped up.  “He probably bit his tongue.”  She knelt down near Crosshair’s head, carefully opening his mouth to confirm her suspicion.  “Yup.”  Odalin admired the bravery of the girl.  Omega was skillful at compartmentalizing based on what the situation called for.

“He needs full on medical attention now,” Hunter shook his head in disbelief over the entire situation.  “His seizure lasted over five whole minutes.”

The AZ-series surgical assistant droid floated next to Crosshair again in order to scan him.  “That would be most imperative seeing as his stats are dropping… fast.”

~ ~ ~

Light turned to darkness in as little as a blink.

What made sense one moment was incomprehensible the next.

Entire systems powering down…

Suddenly falling, falling, falling-

Dropping down from the clouds…

And just like that, your whole life pauses-

Until a neutral numbness takes over-

Everything…

~ ~ ~

“What do you mean he’s dying?” Echo uncharacteristically yelled, using an accusatory tone that he’d previously only ever used on those he despised.

The Batch had all rushed to the hospital after coming to Crosshair’s aid.  Unfortunately, nobody yet knew what was actually going on.  Wrecker had lifted and carried Crosshair all the way to the medical building, the rest of them closely following.

“I did not phrase CT-9904’s prognosis like that,” AZI corrected.

“You said that his vitals were crashing at an alarming rate!” Hunter burst into the conversation.  “How else are you suggesting we should read into that?!”

AZI blinked.  “That is one way to look at it.  I was trying my best to soothe your nerves.  Studies have shown that when conversing with the family and friends of a-”

“Enough with the studies!” Hunter growled, swiping his hand in dismissal.  “What’s happening to our brother right now?!”

Everyone’s attention was once again brought back to the door that Crosshair had been taken into upon reaching the hospital.  There had been no news regarding the sniper’s status since doctors hurriedly ushered him to be examined and monitored.

“I am unable to give an up-to-date projection on CT-9904’s condition as it has been over twenty minutes since I have last scanned him.”  AZI floated in place, his mechanics humming.  “A lot can happen in twenty min-”

“Then go in and check with the doctor!” Hunter sighed out with antsy irritation dripping from each word.

“I will do what I can,” AZI assured his human friends.  The droid ensured them that he would fill the doctors and nurses in about the inhibitor chips, ion engine incident, conditioning, and any other potentially pressing details that should be listed in Crosshair’s patient chart if it hadn’t been already.

Odalin felt lightheaded.  With breathes more shallow than a puddle after a storm, she stumbled until she reached the nearby waiting room chairs.  Odalin’s hand blindly fumbled until it met the armrest of the seat, her eyes too blurry with unshed tears to have the ability to see.  If only Crosshair were with her right now to guide her not only with his extraordinary sight, but with his caring soul.  He might not be able to see that part of him, but she could.

Odalin still had his toothpick box clutched in her hands.  It was such a symbolic little box.  It was the starting point to their relationship as a whole.  Now, everything was up in the air, the oxygen being replaced with sheer uncertainty.

This ordeal was terrifying, and it was only just getting started.

All of Crosshair’s brothers were restlessly chatting and pacing in the waiting room, awaiting any sort of update.  Luckily, there were barely any others besides them in the space, which allowed for partial seclusion from any strangers as they navigated this sudden ordeal.

Unlike the men, Odalin and Omega were sitting side by side in two comfy teal chairs.  Odalin sat with her legs together and hands firmly clasped around the toothpick box.  Omega was awkwardly slumped sideways in the chair with one leg up towards her chest.

“Is this my fault?” Omega mumbled under her breath.

Odalin’s head lifted up as she faced the girl.

“Did I hurt him somehow?!” Omega’s face was covered in tears.  Odalin couldn’t help but think back to what Crosshair had once told her…. Omega’s eyes were like cumulonimbus clouds.  She supposed that the rain had to go somewhere, so down the girl’s cheeks they went.  Down her own as well…

“It wasn’t you, Omega,” Odalin comforted, placing a hand on her shoulder.  “You did nothing wrong.  Do you hear me?  Nothing.”

“O-okay…” Omega sniffled, still blaming herself for no actual reason.

A Pantoran in a polished white doctor’s jacket pushed through the door that led to the medical bay Crosshair was in.  Everyone’s head shot up to the non-droid medic.

“Hello.  My name is Dr. Vej’ah,” the man introduced himself.  “I am the one who is currently in charge of Crosshair’s patient care.”

“How is he?  Is our brother alright?” Omega sniffed from behind Hunter.  The tracker patted her on the back.

“Much of what is occurring to your brother still remains a mystery,” Dr. Vej’ah admitted.  “Currently, my team and I have been focusing on simply stabilizing Crosshair...  Nothing has been confirmed or denied yet regarding his condition though.  We are unsure as of now.”

Hunter deflated, obviously having been hoping for better news like the rest of his siblings and Odalin.

“What’s gonna happen now?” Wrecker choked out.

“The preliminary scan AZI-3 performed did not reveal a cause to Crosshair’s rapidly occurring and life-threatening ailments.  Currently, AZI-3 is performing more specialized scans to try to locate any potential anomalies in Crosshair.  Once we’re able to target the cause of Crosshair collapsing, we’ll carry on from there.”

Suddenly, as if summoned, AZI-3 floated out of the room that Crosshair was in.  Everybody’s heads anxiously popped up to face the droid.

AZI twiddled his fingers.  “I’m afraid that the scans only reveal so much.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Echo pushed.  “You either found something or you didn’t!”

Dr. Vej’ah raised his arm to prompt AZI to hand him the results on the datapad the droid was clutching.  He scanned them over, peering through his thin framed glasses.  “Has Crosshair been dealing with discomfort in his head?” Dr. Vej’ah questioned.

Hunter wracked his brain.  “I mean, he would sometimes say that he had a little headache, but nothing that would insinuate something of this- this gravity.”  He looked down at his hands guilty.  “I should’ve pressed harder to make sure he was doing alright...”

Odalin shook her head.  “There was no way of knowing…” Hunter turned to look at Odalin, pain etched in his sharp features.  “Even when he’d been with me, the occasional times he suggested his head hurt, what else was one supposed to assume other than him just having a little headache?”

“Cross has never been one to explicitly spell out when he’s hurting,” Echo frowned.  Wrecker, who was next to him, nodded in agreement.

Omega looked distressed, her face bouncing between everyone.  “He complained about having a headache as we exited the ship...”  Hunter placed a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her down as she took in a gulp of uncertainty polluted oxygen.

AZI continued… “Upon scanning CT-9904-”

“Crosshair,” Odalin harshly corrected under her breath.  She would need to argue with the droid later though.  Right now, getting the potentially life or death information/prognosis was more crucial.  She had to pick her battles…

…“I have discovered that the cause of his rapidly deteriorating health is linked to his… brain.”

“The chip?!” Hunter loudly butted in.  “But his chip was removed!”

AZI held his hands up at a riled-up Hunter towering over him.  “Please calm down, human-”

“Calm down?!” Hunter scoffed.  Jabbing his pointer finger into the medical droid, he continued…  “Crosshair is on the brink of death out of nowhere and you’re telling me to calm down?!”

Omega gave Hunter a look, pleading for him to allow AZI to continue.  She grabbed tight onto Hunter’s hand, snapping him back to his senses.

“If you would allow me to finish what I-”

“Yeah, yeah, get on with it, AZI!” Echo pushed.

AZI-3 blinked his yellow eyes. “CT-9904 has previously had his chip removed.  There appears to be an irregularity.  The issue is that the cause for his decline is… Unknown.”

Hunter fired up again.  “That’s not helpful at all!”

At Hunter’s outburst, the Pantoran doctor interfered.  “Allow me to escort you all to a more private room so that we can talk about logistics...”

The room they were all taken to wasn’t the largest, but it had an appropriate number of chairs for Crosshair’s loved ones.  In the space was also a desk with a computer for the doctor, along with a perfectly sized corner for AZI to levitate in.

“According to scan results and as Crosshair’s condition steadily worsens, we’re faced with no other plausible option but to do exploratory surgery.”

The clones’ eyes widened at the word surgery.  The word simply had no good connotation in their identical eyes.  Odalin herself deflated at the term.

“Won’t that be awfully risky?” Echo asked.  “As clones, we’ve all already had brain surgery to remove the chip in the first place.  As far as we know, Crosshair has had even more procedures performed on him during his time with the…” he hesitated, “Empire.”

“Yes, it is riskier as his vitals and overall health are not at an optimal position at the moment.  Truthfully speaking, this seems to be his best bet for survival.  The primary lead we have now is his chip… or where it was to be more precise.”

Odalin shifted back and forth in her seat, fear nearly immobilizing her.

The perceptive doctor turned his focus to the woman’s behavior and nodded as if asking her to speak her mind.

Odalin hesitated.  “Can I, or even one of the others, be there with him while you put him under anesthesia?”  She knew it wasn’t orthodox, but she had to ask.  The thought of him being alone going under for such a serious surgery… a brain surgery, tore her apart.  In hindsight, she wished she had spoken up about doing the same when he had his pre-prosthetic surgery.  Crosshair’s siblings gave her a knowing look, nodding as she continued… “Only if I won’t get in the way or increase the risk of anything bad happening.”  She didn’t want to jeopardize his health.  Even though the sniper was probably not even cognizant of his surroundings at the moment, she didn’t want to take that chance if she had anything to do with it.

Dr. Vej’ah smiled.  “You can be by his side while he’s anesthetized.”

Odalin weakly returned the expression.  Although her chest was tight with fear, she was relieved that she could keep her promise…  That she’d be by his side.

The operating room wasn’t the largest, but it had the basics and the necessities.

Crosshair was prepped for the surgery in a timely fashion.  Odalin was invited into the operating room, given a medical gown to wear over her clothes.

Dr. Vej’ah put a mask over Crosshair’s face, covering his nose and mouth.  To do so, he gently lifted up the sniper’s head to slide the elastic band over.

Involuntarily, Crosshair began hyperventilating, almost as though he sensed being in a hospital setting and being put under.  While he was temporarily sort of awake, he was unsurprisingly not actually very cognizant.

“Shh, shh, you’re okay, Crosshair.”  Odalin placed her hand on Crosshair’s cheek, stroking her thumb up and down his jawline.

Crosshair, who was suddenly and momentarily vaguely aware of outside stimuli, whined at the contact.

“Hi honey,” Odalin whispered.  She brought her head closer to his.  “You’re not alone, you hear me?  You’ll be alright.”

Crosshair weakly leaned into her hand.  Odalin took this as some sort of acknowledgement as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.  She held his hand until he drifted off to sleep.  Once he was under, she gingerly placed his hand back down onto the operating table.  Odalin’s chest hurt as she was given no other choice but to have to walk away to let the surgery begin.

…Her face was the last thing Crosshair saw before going under… her skin the final thing he felt…

~ ~ ~

The sound of Echo’s comm going off pierced through the silence.  “I’ll be right back,” Echo said quietly, standing up from a waiting room chair.

Odalin glanced up at Echo’s retreating figure until he disappeared behind the doorframe.

Omega sat up anxiously, biting her lip.

“Try to get some sleep, Omega,” Hunter said giving the kid a tight smile.

Omega gawked at him in bewilderment.  “Sleep?  Are you kidding me, Hunter?  How could I possibly sleep right now?”

Hunter cringed.  He wasn’t even sure how himself.

The chronometer on the wall that ticked by, indicated the passage of time…  Highlighting the duration of Crosshair’s risky surgery.

Echo reentered the sullen room.

A tired Hunter, who had been leaning on his hand propped up by his elbow, glanced up.  “Do you have to leave again?”  Everyone could see the drained expression from the sergeant.  The dark and heavy bags underneath his eyes didn’t lie about his current state, mentally and physically.

“Clearly, I’m not leaving anytime soon,” Echo reassured his brother.

“Does Rex already know?” Hunter asked.

“Yes, of course,” Echo nodded.  “He understands and wishes Crosshair the best… Wishes us all the best.  Told us to comm him if we ever needed anything.”

Hunter nodded, clearly relieved that Echo would be staying at least a bit longer.

~ ~ ~

Crosshair’s brain surgery stretched into the late hours of the night.

Odalin wandered outside, the confines of the waiting room suffocating her being, stealing the air from her lungs.  The garden was the first place she could think of to go to.  As she pushed open the door that led to the space, she was hit with a light gust of wind against her pale skin, the scent of the land, and the sound of crickets chirping a practiced song.  It was a stark juxtaposition to inside where she had been bombarded with the feeling of cramped up dread and grief, the smell of bacta, and the sound of lifesaving machines beeping.  Besides the plants around her and the stars way up in the sky, the area was empty. 

She numbly walked over to the bench where her and Crosshair had shared their first kiss.  Fireflies were swarming around the seat as she nearly collapsed into it, energy depleted.

“There’s light left in you,” Odalin spoke up towards the fireflies and the stars.  “You’ll pull through, Crosshair.  I just know it…”

Chapter Text

The night was long.  Everyone stayed awake for the most part.  If someone by chance had dozed off, they were promptly awoken by their own mind.  It was as if they were all sleeping on glass and the moment they drifted off, a shard of it would pierce their being.

They all congregated in the private room that they had previously been brought into.

After what felt like a million galactic standard years, Dr. Vej’ah strode through the pneumatic doors.  He was garbed in a surgical gown and an eerily neutral expression.

Everyone snapped to attention, whatever exhaustion they were feeling disappearing in an instant as that same tiredness transformed into alertness.

“Crosshair pulled through the surgery,” Dr. Vej’ah reported.  He sat himself down on the stool in front of the desk as everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.  “At the moment, Crosshair is… stable.  We were forced to remove foreign pieces from the frontal lobe of Crosshair’s brain.”

Hunter sprung up, ignoring Echo who tried to keep him sitting.  “His chip was still there?!”

“Not quite,” Dr. Vej’ah explained, somewhat unsettled on how to go further.  “Crosshair’s so called inhibitor chip was taken out, but it seemed to have been shattered, or at least partially damaged when the previous surgery had taken place.  Although the primary part had been removed, we recovered a couple minuscule pieces of the chip.  Likely, the ion engine accident might have exasperated the deterioration of the chip itself, having made the initial removal process messier.  The excessive experimentation on the chip to strengthen it, along with the conditioning he endured, very well may have altered it too.”

“So, he’s better now?”

Dr. Vej’ah hesitated.  “I’m afraid it isn’t that simple.  The fragmented parts did some damage to his brain, more specifically, his frontal lobe.”

“Can he fully recover?”

“Crosshair has yet to wake up.  We are unsure when he will, considering what he has gone through was both traumatic and… unnatural, in the context of the chip.  Once he does wake up, we’ll be able to properly assess any lasting damage.”  Dr. Vej’ah paused and looked around the room.  “The frontal lobe is in charge of many of the body’s functions… Thinking, personality, self-control, movement, and much more.”

“Hence why the Kaminoans placed the inhibitor chips in that segment of the brain,” Echo shook his head.

“So, you said this could affect his thinking and movement?” Hunter hesitantly asked.

“Among other assets that the frontal lobe oversees, potentially, yes.  There is no guarantee one way or another.  The brain is a highly complex organ.”

“He will wake up though,” Omega quietly blurted out, “…right?

Dr. Vej’ah gave a sympathetic smile to the girl.  “While nothing is ever certain, I remain optimistic that he will.”  He looked at everyone in the room.  “He certainly has a plethora of support to lean on when he needs it.”

“Can we see him?” Wrecker asked hopefully.  The demolitions expert had Lula clutched in his hands.  He’d been desperate to give his beloved doll to Crosshair.  The thoughtful gentle giant reminded everyone multiple times that the heartbeat rhythm that Tech had installed into the stuffy might help Crosshair.

Omega looked eager to dash in the direction of her sick brother’s room.  Hunter practically had to hold her back like a leashed lurca hound.

“You may go into his room,” Dr. Vej’ah nodded.  “Be aware though, that although the medical equipment might come across as scary looking, it’s all aiding in Crosshair’s well-being.  So, do keep in mind that while he isn’t awake yet, he is currently stable.”

As the siblings followed the doctor, making their way to the room, Odalin remained where she was.

Hunter, having sensed her not tagging along, turned around to face her.  “You not coming?” he questioned with a puzzled look plastered on his face.

Odalin shook her head a little.  “You all go first.  He’s your brother.”

Hunter gave a pained smile and nod, before catching up with the others.  There was no doubt in Odalin’s mind that Hunter could sense the various telltale signs of nervousness radiating from each person.

And just like that, Odalin was standing alone in the hallway.

Odalin started to head back to the seat where she and the others had been waiting for so long.  She paused in front of the chair, eyeing it momentarily before deciding to stay standing.  She’d been sitting long enough to last a lifetime.

Her heart wildly beat in her chest.  Every nerve that she could possibly feel in her body was on edge.  It felt like she was dangling off a tower, hanging on with only her fingertips.  She desperately wanted to see Crosshair and to confirm with her own eyes that he was alright…

Eventually, Crosshair’s loving family returned to the waiting area.  Hunter gestured with his head for Odalin to go on in.

The door to Crosshair’s recovery room was shut.  Faintly, Odalin could hear the medical equipment beeping from the other side.  He was right there… Just a door away.  Her hand hovered tensely above the doorknob, just barely brushing it with her fingertips.  Odalin took a deep, grounding breath in, and braced herself for the unknown.  After a moment of hesitance, she opened the door and stepped inside.

Odalin broke down into tears at the sight of Crosshair.  He was wearing nothing but a thin hospital gown.  A large and intrusive bandage was wrapped around his head.  IVs, catheters, and various tubes littered the room and bed, all coming somewhere from different places of his body.  His face was sickly gaunt, and his prone form made him appear uncharacteristically vulnerable.  Lula was snuggled up next to him, courtesy of Wrecker.  The steady rise and fall of his chest was the only indicator that he was still with them.

After running up to his bedside, Odalin was incredibly hesitant to touch him.  She didn’t want to accidently mess up any of the technology keeping him safe and alive.  Instead, she resorted to pulling up a chair and holding his hand tightly.  It was far better than just holding onto the toothpick box…  It was actually him.

~ ~ ~

A few days later, Crosshair still hadn’t woken up.

Dr. Vej’ah previously made the executive decision to put Crosshair on a ventilator to take over his breathing.  Due to his comatose state, Crosshair was also given a nasogastric tube though his nose that supplied nutrients directly to his stomach, and a urinary/Foley catheter.

“What are the next steps?” Hunter questioned; his arms crossed.

“Only once he wakes, will we be able to gauge the long-lasting severity,” the doctor reiterated from one of his earlier speeches to the Batch.  “From there we will design a more individualized gameplan.  This will likely include physical therapy to regain any functions that may have been affected.”

“I see…” Hunter frowned.  Unlike with mission briefings where Hunter insisted he had all the information upfront as soon as possible, right now, the uncharted territory began to consume his mind the more and more he was informed.

“It won’t be an easy path, but he has a wonderful support system,” Dr. Vej’ah nodded.  “Our physical therapist would like to start with some mobility exercises to maintain some range of motion.”

As if pre-planned, a knock from behind the door caused everyone’s head to turn.  The door slowly opened and a Mirialan woman’s head popped out as she peered inside.

“Am I interrupting anything?” she spoke softly.  “I can always come back later.”

“Ah no!” Dr. Vej’ah shook his head.  “Come on in, Inessa!”

The door fully opened in a gentle manner and the woman fully came into view.  She had a duffle bag of items slung across her shoulder.  “Hello!  You must be the family and loved ones of Crosshair?” she asked despite already knowing that they were.

Everyone nodded before casting a quick glance to the man they were all surrounding.

“My name is Inessa Te’nalle, and I am the primary physical therapist on Pabu.”

Sensing everyone’s unease, Hunter stepped forward both metaphorically and literally by a tiny step.  “Pleasure to meet you,” the sergeant nodded.  He did a quick name introduction of the rest of the people in the room.

As Inessa unpacked some items from the bag and started to pick up one of Crosshair’s legs, Omega couldn’t hold back.  “What are those?” Omega curiously questioned, her inner Tech getting the best of her.

“These,” Inessa started as she continued to pull a stocking further up Crosshair’s leg, “are anti-embolism stockings.  They help with circulation, particularly with warding off blood clots.”  She then relatively effortless got the second stocking on Crosshair’s other nonresponsive leg as well.

Inessa dug around in her bag a bit again in search of various items.  “And these right here are splints for his hand and both of his feet.”  She held up the splints so that everyone could have a look.

“What’re those for?” Wrecker piped up.

“Great question!” Inessa said offering a smile to a now proud looking Wrecker.  “These splints lessen the chance of muscle contractures.”

“Muscle… what nows?”

“Muscle contractures.  In other words, the tightening of muscles that are currently not being used,” the physical therapist explained in simpler terminology.

“That makes sense, I guess,” Wrecker shrugged.

Once everybody had a chance to look at the splints, Inessa put them on Crosshair’s hand and both of his feet.

“At the moment, considering the unknown duration that Crosshair will be unconscious, I’d like to schedule an official regiment to prevent bedsores from the constant pressure.  The past few days he’d been moved every so often, but moving forward, it’s imperative that a routine be established.”  She looked at everyone in the room.  “In the beginning, some of the nurses and I will perform the position changes.  Overtime, with observation from y’all, these will be performable by you as well if you’re interested in helping out!”  Inessa smiled.  “Every few hours he’ll be situated into a different position, propped up by pillows.  For example, to either of his sides.” 

Looking around, it was clear that everyone felt a sense of crushing overwhelming anxiety.

The siblings and Odalin welcomed the hopeful energy that all the staff was exuding.  Stars only knows how long a way a little bit of hope could go.

Once Inessa left for the day, the Batch and Odalin sat around watching Crosshair in a silent bedside vigil.

~ ~ ~

The landing platform on Kamino was desolate.

He had long past forgotten how many days he had been stuck here.  All he could comprehend was the cold, the hunger, and the pain that was consuming his body.

Days were either chilly enough to catch a cold, or warm enough to obtain a sunburn.  Nights were freezing without a doubt.  His blacks and armor barley served a purpose anymore as he huddled in the center of the platform.  The closer he was to the edge, the greater the chance of being sprayed with frigid water.

It was as if one strong gust of wind would blow him away into the seemingly endless Kaminoan sea.

He teetered onto what he could to just barely survive.

~ ~ ~

Life prevails, through the darkest of times.

No matter what happens, life goes on.

Much to everyone’s horror, Crosshair had not yet woken up and was still in a comatose state.  Crosshair had been unconscious for just over three weeks.

Within those grueling long weeks of navigating through the unknown, the Batch and Odalin had practically been inseparable from Crosshair’s bedside.  The room the sniper had been lying in had become a home away from home for all of them.  The small lounge chair had been transformed into a makeshift bed every night, and the pillows and blankets on the floor performed a similar purpose.  No one could bear the thought of Crosshair being alone.

The Batch was doing their best to try to try to get back into a normal-ish routine.  The brothers got back to doing their small jobs around the island, Omega went back to school after taking a break, and Echo had been writing up strategies and reading mission reports that he hadn’t been present for.

At the moment, Omega was being picked up from school by Hunter and Wrecker.  Echo was on an important comm call with Rex; the former 501^st captain updating the ARC trooper on what had been going on in Echo’s absence.

Because of everyone else’s schedules, Odalin was left alone with Crosshair a lot. 

Unlike the others, Odalin’s job allowed her much freedom.  She had resorted to bringing a portable easel into Crosshair’s recovery room.  Her latest couple of paintings naturally took on a hospital theme.  One of the pieces was of the bouquet of flowers that she had brought Crosshair that was sitting in a vase on the windowsill.  Despite having bought them a week ago, they were still holding up fairly well.  Her current painting was just about completed.  It was of Crosshair’s hand.  The IV inserted into the top of his hand was held on by medical tape.  A clear liquid flowing through and into Crosshair intravenously was just barely visible.

Although the temperature felt rather pleasant at the moment, hence why Odalin was sporting a tank top, there was a slight chill from the overhead fan.  Feeling this chill, she looked over to Crosshair, who was only wearing the medical gown.  About a half an hour previously, Crosshair received his biweekly bed bath by one of the nurses.  His hair had just about fully dried at this point, but the thought of him being cold jumped into her mind.

“Are you chilly?” Odalin asked, not expecting an answer.  “Let’s at least put your blanket back on.”

Odalin placed her paintbrush down onto the paint palette next to her easel set up.  She walked over to Crosshair’s bed and reached down to grab the blankets at the foot of the bed.  The back of her hand brushed up against his bare foot and her eyes widened.  She gently gave it a squeeze, mindful of the splint on top of it.

“Oh Crossyguy, you poor thing.  You’re as cold as an ice block.”

Odalin pressed her hands onto his skin in an effort to warm him up a bit.  As she did that, she looked around for socks.  Much to her annoyance, there were no obvious pairs in room.  A lightbulb flashed in her mind as she looked down.  She had previously taken her shoes off when she’d been painting, and happened to be wearing her large, cozy socks.

“I have an idea, but you might not like it,” Odalin glanced up at Crosshair’s closed eyes. 

Odalin sat down next to him on his bed and slipped her socks off.  They were light pink in color and had a white fuzzy interior.  Odalin figured that if he could by chance hear her, she might as well not inform him of the sock’s outward appearance.  Making her way towards the end of the bed again, Odalin carefully took off the splints on Crosshair’s feet.  The physical therapist had previously said that occasionally not wearing them wasn’t a big deal.  After pressing her warm hands against his freezing, snow-like skin, Odalin slid her socks onto Crosshair.  When she was done, she reapplied the splints back on over the socks.

“Feel better?”

Silence

“Let’s get you all tucked in.  Don’t want you turning into a popsicle.”

Just as she had promised, the blanket was tucked up to his chin.  One of the things on the forefront of her mind was Crosshair’s strong dislike for hospitals and his fear of being alone, especially when in such a vulnerable position.  Perhaps that was why she then placed a feather light kiss on his temple and whispered, “I’m here,” without having to think about it at all.

Returning to her spot near Crosshair, Odalin picked up her paintbrush again and resumed painting.  Each brushstroke temporarily took her thoughts into a place of peace and tranquility.  Naturally though, they would shortly return to the present moment and become worries and concerns.

When Odalin finished her painting for the day, she carefully lay down on top of the blanket next to Crosshair.  She hoped more than anything that he could feel her and his siblings’ presence… That he knew that he wasn’t alone.

~ ~ ~

Many different voices visited him throughout the seemingly infinite days.

He could tell that someone was constantly by his side.

Odalin’s soothing presence felt different than the others-

Her voice was gentle-

Like a flower petal being carried by the wind…

He could distantly feel the kisses she so lovingly placed on his forehead in greetings and temporary farewells.

She was always back before he knew it. 

He was still trapped-

But he wasn’t alone like he had been on the platform-

Stranded for 32 days out on the seas of Kamino, left fending for himself…

A hand was holding his more often than not…

~ ~ ~

Days were long, and nights seemed to stretch on into oblivion.

A bit over a week later, and everything remained the same.  Although no one was giving up hope anytime soon that Crosshair would come back to them, the lengthened time certainly didn’t settle anybody.

Even though Crosshair was confined to the single hospital room, everyone still made an effort to include him in their day to day lives.  Daily visits were the very definition of consistent.  Someone was truly always with him at all times.

Hunter would come by daily to check in on Crosshair and tell him how everything was back at home.  It was him who took charge of shaving Crosshair’s beard when it became too long.

Wrecker would make conversation, oftentimes challenging Crosshair to a competition of some kind once he got better.

Echo would relax in the room, reading and catching up on mission reports sent to him by Rex.  He also enjoyed assisting Crosshair with his range of motion physical therapy exercises.

Little Omega would sit and do her homework in Crosshair’s room and share stories to him about her day.

And Odalin… She would paint, chat, and hold Crosshair’s hand, ensuring through as whisper in his ear that she was there.  Every day since he’d been ‘asleep’, she’d kiss the back of his hand, lips lingering on his knuckles.  With every kiss she gave, she hoped that her love for him alone, could wake him up… so far to no avail…

“One more round,” Odalin promised an unconscious Crosshair while holding up his right leg.  Methodically, she began to bend Crosshair’s leg so that it tucked close to his chest.  As part of his regular physical therapy to keep his muscles, joints, and tendons active while he was comatose and unable to move anything himself, someone needed to move and stretch various parts of his body for him.  After having watched Inessa perform the exercises on Crosshair for weeks, sensing Odalin’s desire to help care for Crosshair, the physical therapist had taught Odalin how to properly do them as well. 

“There you go,” Odalin grinned, gently placing Crosshair’s leg back down on the mattress.  “And look at that!  You’re barely working up a sweat from all that exercising,” she teased, wiping her hand across his dry forehead.  While her hand was rested against his head, she gave it a little caress.  “Your brothers and sister will be here to see you soon!”

Silence

“I know that seeing you is the highlight of their day.”

Silence

Odalin swallowed back her emotions and produced a smile that although Crosshair couldn’t see, perhaps he’d be able to hear her inflection.  “It’s mine too, you know.”

Silence

Odalin bit some skin on her bottom lip.

“…Has been from the day I met you, if I’m being honest…”

Silence

Silence

The sound of her comm startled her back into the present moment.  Odalin answered the call increasing the volume so that Crosshair could hear if he was able to.  “Hi, Hunter!”  It took every bit of her energy to feign a chipper attitude at the moment.  As much as she hated her pessimistic side’s efforts to attempt to overtake her mind, she couldn’t help but feel a bit hopeless.  Crosshair was still comatose and completely reliant on multiple people, machines, tubes, and wires to stay either alive and/or comfortable.  She gazed up at the wall to where a generic holo of a tooka was hanging.

“Hey, Odalin,” Hunter responded in a similar tone to Odalin’s.  It was evident that he was trying his best to remain upbeat… If not for himself, then most definitely Omega.  “The rest of us just arrived at the hospital.  Mind if we join you both?”

Odalin looked to her side where Crosshair was laying.  His eyes were still closed.  Odalin licked her lips, suddenly noticing how dry they were.  She hadn’t been focusing on herself lately.  Crosshair had obviously been her priority.  “We’d love it!” she spoke for the two of them.

Soon, the rest of the Batch filed into the room.

Wrecker beamed at Lula who was next to Crosshair’s bed.  “Hope Lula’s been taking good care of ya while I’ve been away!”

“Wrecker, he’s literally never been alone during all of this,” Echo reminded him.

The muscle of the squad scoffed.  “Nothing compares to Lula’s love!”

Everyone glanced at Odalin who was entranced as she stared longingly into Crosshair’s still face.  Everyone, including Wrecker, knew just how much Odalin had been caring for and doting on their ailing brother.  Her actions spoke incomparable volumes.

While they all knew the love between siblings was exceedingly strong, in this situation, it was clearly a different type of love that Odalin shared with the sniper. 

It happened to be Omega who piped up to jokingly correct her brother.  “I think Odalin’s got Lula beat, Wrecker.”

Wrecker’s head snapped up to Odalin, who was at this point smirking.  “Well, no kidding!  Lula’s not Crosshair’s girlfriend!”

“Thankfully…” Echo squinted as he tried to comprehend the bizarre comment his brother had just made.

The playful banter continued once everyone got settled in the room.  Some curled up on the various chairs situated around, while others sat on the edge of Crosshair’s bed.  Omega was cozied up next to her grey-haired brother.  Odalin too carefully laid next to Crosshair, soaking in his warmth.  She felt like she needed to be as near as possible.  With her head resting against Crosshair’s shoulder, the painter smiled as she listened to those around her, doing her best to keep her drowsy eyes open.

As Crosshair teetered between life and death, the more and more she couldn’t fathom a life without him.

A gust of wind caused Odalin’s attention to be guided to the window.  It was already dark outside.  “How’s the weather been?

Omega blinked.  “The same as the last few days.  Why?”

Odalin slowly nodded, Omega’s words clearly not having answered her question considering she didn’t even know what the weather had been like the past week.

Echo raised a knowing brow.  “When was the last time you’ve been outside, let alone left this room, Odalin?”

“Erm… I- well…uh…” Odalin stuttered as though she had been caught.

“You should get some fresh air,” Hunter encouraged.  “Cross won’t be alone.”  The tracker nodded.

Although others had constantly been visiting Crosshair, Odalin didn’t use that time to return home.  In total, she had only run back to her house a few times in order to pick up stuff.  Instead, she either stayed in the room, wandered the halls of the hospital, or just sat in a chair near the entrance to Crosshair’s room and picked at her thumb until it threatened to bleed…

After being convinced by Crosshair’s siblings, Odalin made her way to the hospital gardens once again.  Rationally, she didn’t quite understand why she was still hesitant to leave Crosshair’s side.  He was surrounded by his family.  He was as safe as he possibly could be at the moment.  She figured it was for the same reason some people felt a strong need to look out the viewport of a ship when it was flying, mentally telling themselves that they must do so in order for the ship not to crash.

The regular bench was unoccupied, but this time Odalin chose to lay down in the grass next to it instead.  This allowed her not only to watch the fireflies floating around, but to also observe the dark clouds of the night.

“I know there’s hope,” Odalin said softly to the little lights flying around her.  “…I know.”

~ ~ ~

Night turned to morning once again.  Just like the countless days before, everything was routine…

The sunlight reflecting on the sea cast a yellow and orange hue.

The moon-yos screeches could be heard through the open window.

The greetings of villagers were present throughout the island.

Crosshair had been basked in the sounds of his siblings and Odalin the day prior.  Odalin had spent the night with Crosshair.  She slept curled up on the lounge chair facing him.  The others had left the night prior after spending some time with their brother.  While Odalin was the one that stayed with Crosshair most of the nights, the others all had plenty of turns as well.

Odalin sighed as she held Crosshair’s limp hand.  Every ounce of her begged the stars and the fireflies for him to finally just wake up.  Leaning down slightly to place a kiss on his knuckles, she inhaled shakily.  “Please, Cross…”

It was only then, on the 32^nd rotation, that Crosshair showed any sign of waking up for real…

Chapter Text

It was the afternoon of the 32nd rotation since Crosshair had slipped into his coma, that things started to look up.  Odalin had been sitting with Crosshair since morning, kissing his knuckles and willing him to wake up.

The uncertainty filled air happened to be rather dry given the season, so Odalin took it upon herself to ensure that Crosshair's skin was never too dry.  Over the weeks he’d been unconscious, she'd moisturize the back of Crosshair’s hand, his wrists, elbows, and any other dry part, as they were drier than a river in Tatooine.  She recalled stories from her life as she massaged the unscented lotion into the skin of Crosshair’s left knuckles.

“-and then, I kid you not, I was forced to wear the most ridiculous looking outfit for the school play.”  Odalin huffed as she paused her ministrations with Crosshair’s hand.  “I bet I could find an old holo if you’re interested.”  She smiled to herself as she absentmindedly traced patterns into Crosshair’s palm.

Odalin leaned down to press a kiss onto Crosshair’s revitalized hand, willing for him to absorb her love.

The first out of the ordinary thing Odalin noticed, was the faint twitches of Crosshair’s face.  The sudden subtle movement startled her, causing her to involuntarily gasp.  Her heart started hammering in her chest.  Every ounce of her wanted to cry with anticipatory joy, but the rational part of her scolded herself for getting her hopes up too prematurely.

Immediately, she sprung up to go alert and fetch either a nurse or Dr. Vej’ah himself.  Before opening the door, she realized that she could just press the call button next to Crosshair’s bed.  It would probably be faster since realistically, she had no clue where in the building any of Crosshair’s doctors or nurses were located at the moment.  In addition to that, she didn’t want to part from Crosshair’s side.

Odalin stared down at Crosshair with wide eyes.  “I’m not going crazy?  Am I?  Please prove to me that I’m not just seeing things, Crossyguy!”

Sure enough, the call button alerted none other than Dr. Vej’ah himself in mere minutes.

“Is everything alright, Odalin?” the doctor asked.

“Yes… I- I might just be going crazy, but I’m certain I saw Crosshair’s eyelids twitch.”

“That is most certainly something to take note of,” he nodded, hope flashing across his own face.  Everyone was rooting for the former sniper to recover.

Odalin stood by Crosshair’s bedside in anticipation as Dr. Vej’ah performed a few tests.

“You’re right, Odalin.  He’s definitely showing signs of waking,” Dr. Vej’ah announced after a quick examination, flicking off his tiny checkup flashlight.  The doctor carefully closed the eyelid that he had been holding open with his pointer finger and thumb to check Crosshair’s pupil dilation. 

Odalin observed his hopeful demeanor.  “Will he wake up today?!” Odalin wondered hopefully.  Would she get to see his expressive brown eyes open again today?

“It’s impossible to give a ferrocrete answer, but it is possible,” the doctor informed Odalin without getting her hopes up too high.

It was far too late for that though.

Finally, it felt as though a new page in this petrifying ordeal of a chapter could be turned…  Soon, at least…

As soon as Dr. Vej’ah left the room, Odalin sprung from her current spot and bolted to grab her comm.  She needed to tell the others immediately!

“Hunter!  Youneedtogetovertothehospitalfast!” Odalin blurted out so rapidly that it was nearly incomprehensible even to the sharp tuned tracker.  She couldn’t help it though.  The excitement of a positive development was too much to hold herself back.

“Woah… Hang on, hang on,” Hunter paused the excited woman on the other end.  “I didn’t catch any of that.”

Odalin took a steadying breath to hopefully make herself more articulate.  “You need to get over to the hospital fast!  It’s Crosshair!  He-”

“Crosshair?!” Hunter loudly shouted in a worried manner, completely cutting Odalin off unintentionally.  “Is he alright?!”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Odalin reassured Crosshair's nervous brother before he could panic any further.  That was the opposite of what Odalin had intended.   “He’s showing signs of waking up!”

Nothing much more needed to be said before everyone was once again gathered up back in Crosshair’s room.

The Batch and Odalin sat around Crosshair’s bed.  The mood was noticeably different from the time where they had all held a silent vigil in the early days of Crosshair’s coma.

“Well…” Omega hummed as she hovered her face directly over Crosshair’s, “He’s really taking his time.”

Odalin grinned at the comment, letting out a soft chuckle.

“Omega, give him some breathing room,” Echo shook his head in amusement to his sister’s ridiculously close proximity to Crosshair’s face.

“He’s still on a ventilator, Echo.  Me being where I am isn’t affecting that,” Omega corrected. 

It was Hunter’s turn to huff out a laugh at Omega's bluntness.

“What if he decides to open his eyes right when you’re leaning over him like that and gets spooked?!” Wrecker remarked.

Omega rolled her eyes.  “He can’t just decide to wake up!”

Unfortunately for everyone in the room, Crosshair did not wake up in the few hours that they all sat there.  The siblings all went back to their house to get ready for bed.  Primarily, this was for Omega, who had school the next morning.  Hunter had to practically peel her off Crosshair’s bed.  Odalin promised to update them frequently about Crosshair’s hopeful state.

In the middle of the night, still a few hours before the sun would rise upon the Pabu horizon, it finally happened. 

When Crosshair’s eyes groggily fluttered open and were eventually able to focus, she was in his peripheral view.  He shuffled slightly in the bed, taking stock of his body and gathering his surroundings.

Having not been soundly asleep, the soft rustling of blankets had caused Odalin’s eyes to spring open.  Almost stumbling backward and falling out of her seat, Odalin let out an emotional gasp, her eyes going wide at Crosshair’s eyelids cracking open.  “Crosshair?” she choked out in disbelief, tears already forming in her eyes.  “Are you back?” she softly choked out, not expecting a verbal answer.

Disoriented, Crosshair started to reach up to Odalin’s emotion filled face.  Sensing his struggle to fully raise his arm to meet her cheek, she gingerly grabbed it and guided it to her face.  Despite his thumb lacking its typical dexterity, Crosshair still managed to wipe her teary eyes as he relished the feeling of her soft skin.  Odalin let out a wet chuckle while she stared at him.  Crosshair himself let out a content sigh as she kissed his knuckles. 

She was there…

Crosshair attempted to open his mouth to speak, but to his horror he couldn’t.  Instead, a wavering whine escaped his lips through something foreign stuck down his throat.

“It’s alright.  You’re okay, you’re safe.  It’s me,” Odalin comforted him due to his quickly escalating panic.  It broke her heart seeing him so uncharacteristically vulnerable and scared.  She brushed her thumb on his cheek in soothing motions.

As awareness trickled in horribly slow, at a bantha’s typical pace, Crosshair registered it was in fact a tube that had been slid down his throat…  Vague understanding washed over him as his current predicament and everything else began to dawn on him like a Venator-class Star Destroyer crashing onto land.  His mind was still a murky haze from just having woken up, but this wasn’t the first time he’d faced a breathing tube.  He’d think that at this point it shouldn’t have surprised him as much.

With his hand still being held up to Odalin’s cheek, he managed to swipe away at a falling teardrop.  As he did so, he shook his head to the best of his ability, that action alone requiring great effort.  His mind was cloudy, but he knew more than anything that he didn't want to see her cry.  His eyes fought hard to stay open.  The pull of drowsiness still washed over him in waves, threatening to take over.

As he lowered his hand off of Odalin’s face and onto the bed, she took his face in her both hands carefully.  “How could I not cry?”  Another tear rolled down her cheek.

Wanting to reassure her again, Crosshair attempted to touch her face, but his arm collapsed back down, narrowly being caught by Odalin’s warm hands.  The strength to hold it up was simply just not there.  He studied her face, brows furrowed as tears started to cascade down the woman’s face.  She squeezed onto his hand like it was an anchor.  Although the squeeze he had given her back was just barely there… It was there.

With great haste, Odalin sent out messages to Crosshair’s siblings to update them.  Hunter, who had been the one to respond, informed her that everyone else was still sound asleep.  In an effort not to overwhelm Crosshair, Hunter had suggested that they would visit in the early morning.  The sergeant’s tone was noticeably lighter than usual, despite the hour of day.

32 long and treacherous rotations since Crosshair had collapsed coming off the ship to now- when he finally woke up.

~ ~ ~

After an examination by the doctor, followed by a tearful visit from his relieved family in the morning, Crosshair was once again in the company of Odalin.

“I want to slowing start weaning him off the ventilator,” Dr. Vej’ah announced later on in the morning.

After testing Crosshair’s ability to breathe on his own, Dr. Vej’ah deemed it safe to remove the breathing tube.  As he needed to deal with another patient, one of the nurses was tasked with the removal.

The nurse was a Togruta woman of shorter stature.  Instead of plain white scrubs, she wore vibrant yellow ones.  On her left chest pocket was an embroidered seashell.

“Hello!  My name is Ca’sevra,” she smiled as she introduced herself.

Odalin said hello, while Crosshair just stared at her… What else was he supposed to do?  It wasn’t like he could speak.  In hindsight, perhaps he could’ve waved or something… although finding the strength to lift his arm to begin with was insurmountable.

Ca’sevra turned to address her patient.  “Have you ever had a breathing tube removed before?”

Odalin faced Crosshair, curious about his answer.  She certainly wasn’t expecting his bizarre reaction which was a mix between a scoff, a laugh, and a look that indicated that he had in fact indeed… one too many times before.  Odalin bit her lower lip in concern for her boyfriend.

Ca’sevra clearly interpreted Crosshair’s silent answer the same way as Odalin, apparent with the way she continued.  “So, you know the drill I assume.  Are you ready?”

Crosshair closed his eyes and lazily shrugged.  Odalin wondered how much the various medications coursing through his system were affecting his current state.  The poor man looked exhausted despite having been out of it for days on end.

Ca’sevra prepared the required items that she needed on a tray pulled up to the bedside.  She raised the incline of the bed and then draped an absorbent pad across Crosshair’s chest.  The nurse peeled the tape holding the tube steady from Crosshair’s face.  “As I pull the tube out, I want you to take some nice big coughs, alright?” 

Crosshair gave a quick lazy thumbs up indicating that he was ready.  Odalin watched in awe at the calmness exuding from Crosshair.  His eyes were closed as he must have been mentally preparing himself for the (apparently) familiar uncomfortable procedure.  It was just about the opposite of what Odalin was feeling in the moment. 

The nurse began with practiced precision, diligently and efficiently removing the breathing tube as Crosshair coughed through the action.

Odalin had never seen a procedure like this before.  She belatedly wondered if her eyelids would go back to normal with how much she was staring at the scene in front of her.

The second the tube exited Crosshair’s mouth and was placed on his chest, the sniper couldn’t hold back the way his body automatically gagged.  The feeling was terribly unsettling in an unnatural way.

After coughing up some phlegm and mucus onto the pad on his chest, Ca’sevra swiftly suctioned out any remaining secretions in his mouth.

Odalin’s hand was rubbing up and down his back, giving it occasional pats.  Crosshair was overcome with feelings he couldn’t even quite name at the care she exuded.  Because of that, he wasn’t sure whether or not the tears forming in the corners of his eyes were from the unpleasant tube removal or from the touching gesture.

“Oddy?” Crosshair mumbled, voice rough and scratchy from disuse.  His barely audible voice, hardly even a whisper, sounded physically painful to Odalin's ears.

Odalin grinned, her face a quilt of emotions.  “There’s that voice of yours.”

Ca’sevra finished up what she needed to do and swiftly left to give the couple some privacy.

“Miss me?”  Kark, he really did sound pathetic at the moment- literally.

“More than I will ever be able to articulate,” Odalin tearfully breathed out.  She brought Crosshair’s knuckles up to her lips and gently kissed them.

“Seems as though all those kisses were what woke me up, mmm?”

Odalin raised her eyebrows in surprise.  “You felt those?”  Had he been aware of the regular kisses she’d planted on the back of his hand and forehead?

Crosshair weakly shrugged.  “I suppose I did.”

“It took 32 days of kisses for them to go into effect, so I’m not sure about the efficiency of that technique,” Odalin joked.

“Well,” Crosshair exhaled, “I’m lucky that you kept trying and never gave up on me.”

Odalin sniffed.  “No one did.”  She shook her head and looked longingly into Crosshair’s eyes.  “And no one ever will.”

Crosshair’s eyes started to drift close.  Being awake for such a short period of time had still managed to thoroughly tire him out.

Odalin, who was incredibly thirsty for a glass of water, stood up.

In Crosshair’s pained haze, his head shot up in alarm at her getting out of her seat.  “Don’t leave me,” he whispered, his throat still sore.

“Hey, no no no.”  Odalin crouched next to his bed, grabbing his outstretched hand.  “I’m not going anywhere,” she reassured him.  “I’m just going to refill my water cup.  Alright?”

“O-ok.”

Odalin squeezed his hand and then brought it up so that it was pressed against her cheek.  She kissed his palm before getting back up.

~ ~ ~

A few rotations had passed since Crosshair had finally woken up.  He was still bedridden, but constantly had visitors.  Truthfully, neither of those two facts surprised Crosshair in the slightest.

Earlier in the day, he had been encouraged to try to eat food by mouth but hadn’t been able to keep anything down.  The nurse explained that they would try again another time.  Crosshair’s feeding tube was still in place, so getting him to eat by mouth wasn’t as urgent.

The scene surrounding Crosshair’s bed was a familiar one.  Just like countless times before in the past recent weeks, everyone was cluttered around him as he laid out on the cot.

“What could a possible treatment plan entail?” Hunter asked Dr. Vej’ah.

“Yeah, are there aspects that we can help out with to make everything go smoother?” Echo chimed in.

Crosshair couldn’t help but lift an amused brow at his older brothers’ eagerness to assist in his recovery.  By now, the sniper had been informed of his condition and what had probably led to it.

Dr. Vej’ah smiled.  “Right now, we’re looking at some physical therapy to aid with Crosshair’s mobility.  Every cognitive test we’ve performed thus far has been positive, suggesting that his thinking and recollection have not been affected.”

“He won’t experience any more issues from this down the line, will he?” Echo questioned.

“That would be highly unlikely,” the doctor responded.  “Future complications arising from this particular issue are slim now that we successfully operated.”

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.  This would be the final step in his physically healing at least. 

Dr. Vej’ah left them all to their own devices after the quick info session.

As everyone chattered around him, Crosshair felt his eyelids steadily begin to close.  He must have only drifted off to sleep for under a minute, since when he came to again, the same topic of conversation was happening around him.  Crosshair slowly managed to pry his eyes open, noting that his eyelids felt glued together and held down by the weights Wrecker would use to train...  Almost like he had a Gonky on each eyelid, he drowsily thought.

That wasn’t the only observation he had the pleasure of taking note of though…  The medications that Crosshair was on made him nauseous.  One of the nurses had explained to him that this was just a common side effect.  Great…

As much as he would never admit it out loud, Crosshair was thrilled whenever he had company.  And as far as the closeness of others went, someone had always been with him lately.  He loved the chaotic energy that pretty much everyone he knew seemed to possess.  Unfortunately though, at the moment, he just wanted peace.  He felt incredibly sick and wanted nothing more than to curl up into a pathetic little ball and wallow in his own pain and misery.

Surprisingly, Crosshair hadn’t even needed to be the one to break up the ‘in hospital room festivities’…  Well, not directly at least.  It was his absolute silence and lack of involvement in the conversation that caused everyone to question his relative well-being.

Thankfully, everyone naturally got the hint and filed out of his room with a promise to visit as soon as he was feeling better.  Just before Odalin could get out of reach, Crosshair snatched her wrist and pulled her onto the bed as much as he could with his depleted energy.  Technically, he had only managed to tug her just enough so that her thigh pressed against the side of the bed, but nonetheless, she got the message and stayed.  With a calm energy, she sat on the edge of the mattress.

“How do you feel?” Odalin quietly asked as she soothed the side of his face with her thumb.

Crosshair breathed in shakily.  “Nauseous,” he mumbled, eyes still closed.  He felt like a helpless sick cadet.

“I’ll let one of your nurses know so they could give you something.  Does that sound okay?”

Crosshair weakly nodded.  “Mmhm.”

Odalin gave his hand a squeeze as she stood up.  Her entire chest felt tight at the sight of Crosshair.  Crosshair looked absolutely miserable.  His face was pale and his lips were chapped.

After Odalin left the room to fetch some help, Crosshair attempted to open his eyes.  When that task felt too tiresome, he just decided to give up for the time being.

Crosshair was then suddenly coaxed awake by a gentle hand on his forehead.  Luckily, his eyes cooperated this time, and he was met with two faces.  Odalin had returned with a nurse.

“There you are,” Odalin hummed with a twinkle in her eye.  Crosshair’s entire being felt overcome with emotion at the pure kindness and love she was giving him.

“Hiya, Crosshair,” the nurse greeted.  Crosshair couldn’t seem to recognize this particular nurse.  He was unsure if she was a new nurse or if it was just his pain muddled brain clouding up his recognition skills.  “Heard you’re not feeling too good.  Is that so?”

Crosshair blinked in her direction.  It must be a rhetorical question.  She most certainly could see with her eyes alone that he was feeling lousy.  He might not be in the possession of a mirror, but even he knew that he must look like kark.

“This is for pain,” the nurse continued in a chipper voice as she administered the medication, “and this one is for the nausea I heard you’re experiencing.”  The nurse finished delivering the dosages and gave him a sympathetic smile.  “Unfortunately, the nausea is a common side effect, I’m afraid.”

“Terrific,” Crosshair moaned.  He had already gathered that much, if his rolling stomach was anything to go by.

Shortly after the unnamed nurse departed the room, Crosshair felt his mouth watering up with saliva in the tell-tale sign that he was going to vomit.  He gave Odalin a desperate and frantic look, and that was all it took for Odalin to spring into action.

“Hey, it’s alright.  Let’s sit you up.”  If Crosshair hadn’t been so out of it, he would have blushed at her loving tone.  Odalin wrapped her arms around him and guided him into an upright position.  His core muscles barely worked, and he truly had to rely on Odalin’s impressive strength to sit up.  “That’s it,” Odalin encouraged.  From a nearby table, Odalin grabbed an emesis basin, that had been left there for this very purpose and held it under his chin.  “You’re fine.”  She quickly pressed a kiss onto the top of his head.

Crosshair gave her a miserable look.  Instantly, Odalin’s free hand was against the side of his face.  He once again leaned into her warm touch.

And then he started…

Throwing up alone is no fun by itself, but throwing up in front of others was Crosshair’s definition of a nightmare.  To some extent, he had been forced to get used to it once in a while when it was around his brothers.  The Marauder didn’t offer a sense of overwhelming privacy by any means of the word.  Simply put, the act of throwing up was just messy, putrid smelling, audibly atrocious, and overall disgusting.  But the thought of vomiting in front of Odalin of all people?  Kark, on top of his already terrible string of misfortunes, this seemed to really just be the cherry on top.

“You’re alright,” Odalin’s reassuring voice broke through his stream of horrified thoughts and retching.  She held the bin steady underneath his mouth and rubbed his back at the same time.

Crosshair would have felt more embarrassed at his helplessness… It was just that pure pain and exhaustion clouded his mind instead…  Unfortunately for him though, he was just cognizant enough to feel a tad bit of shame, despite Odalin providing nothing but support.

After disposing the bin, Odalin crouched down next to his bed.  As Crosshair nearly collapsed back into his all too familiar pillow, with two different cloths, Odalin swiftly wiped his mouth off as well as his sweaty forehead.

“You feeling any better?” Odalin asked as she rubbed the top of his head, thumb drawing patterns up and down.  “I know getting all that stuff out tends to make me feel loads better afterwards whenever I get sick.”

Crosshair blearily looked into her caring eyes.  It was like there was not a bad bone in her body.  He cautiously nodded, not willing to risk another episode.  “Yeah,” he mumbled, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“You should get some rest.  You need it to get better.”  Odalin leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead, wishing that she could transfer health his way.

Crosshair didn’t need to be told twice.  Just like a light switch had been flipped, he was asleep.

~ ~ ~

The following day, Crosshair felt a bit better.  The medication provided to combat his nausea had worked surprisingly well.

Inessa had just entered Crosshair’s room to start on some physical therapy sessions with him.  Odalin was settled comfortably in the lounge chair as she watched in on the session with curiosity.  Echo was also in the room, standing near Odalin.  The former 501^st member wanted to provide some encouragement in this challenging new stage in Crosshair’s recovery, seeing as he underwent physical therapy himself after being rescued from the Techno Union.

“Alright, Crosshair!” Inessa enthusiastically announced.  “Are you feeling ready to begin?”

“I suppose…” Crosshair sighed.  “Not like I have much of a choice,” he mumbled underneath his breath.  It felt like Omega forcing him out of his cell on Tantiss all over again.  He didn’t have much of a choice then either, but that ended up working out…  Maybe this could too?

Acting like she didn’t hear Crosshair’s internal dialogue that just so happened to be spoken aloud, Inessa gave a supportive thumbs up.  “Wonderful!  So, first I’m going to have you raise one of your arms into the air and try your best to tap the pillow behind you!  Let’s try having you do that about five times.  Sound good?”

Crosshair shrugged nonchalantly.  “Yeah,” he huffed.  “Seems simple enough.”  Crosshair raised his arm a few inches off the mattress.  The masterful sniper, who had been trained as a soldier since his youth, felt his breath catch in his throat as his arm limply flopped back onto the bed.  All he could do was look in defeat at his arm that was failing to do what was usually a simple command.  “I- I can’t even do it once…” he gulped.

“Don’t worry,” Inessa reassured him.  “It takes time!”

Time was not something Crosshair wanted to waste.  He’d already wasted so much of his life.  And as a clone with accelerated aging, it wasn’t like he had endless time to throw around like a healthy natborn.

The same results occurred on his other arm.  After the experience with the first arm, it came as less of a shock, but it still crushed him just the same.

Odalin watched on, her heart breaking for Crosshair.  The pain was evident in his face, painting the features that she loved so much.

“Let’s move onto your lower body,” Inessa smiled, keeping an optimistic outlook on the otherwise gloomy ambiance of the room.  “Can you wiggle your toes for me?”

Crosshair stared at his feet as if his focus alone could force his toes to move.  The splints that he used to wear had been taken off previously, and due to the warm temperature, Odalin had deemed it acceptable for him not to be wearing socks.  Luckily, in regard to wiggling his toes, he was successful in this endeavor.

Inessa nodded.  “Great!”

Crosshair didn’t feel great.  He had simply wiggled his kriffing toes.  It wasn’t that worthy of a ‘great’ in his humble opinion.

The exercises Inessa had him do with his legs were slightly more productive than the ones she had him do with his arms.  Still though, there was generous room for improvement.  His lower body was simply weak… so much so that he couldn’t even fathom bearing any weight on his legs and feet.

After Inessa left the room and Crosshair was left defeated sitting up in his bed, Odalin stood up and strode over.  She crouched down to the side of the bed and grasped his hand.  Echo watched Crosshair empathetically.

“I’m proud of you, you know,” Odalin said, trying her hardest to make eye contact with the low-spirited man.  Eye contact was tricky when one of the two people 'participating' tried his best to avoid it.

Crosshair’s upper lip twitched before he glanced up at her.  “Nothing for me to boast over.”  He frowned, tugging his hand away from Odalin’s loving gesture.  “That was a speeder-wreck,” he deadpanned, doing his best to make a joke despite feeling conquered.

Echo hoped Crosshair could move past his deepest irrational insecurities and finally see how much Odalin cared for him, just the way he was.  Wanting to give some space to the couple, Echo decided the best course of action was for him to leave the room and give them some privacy.  He would have the chance to talk to Crosshair about recovery later.  The energy in the room was so heavy that Crosshair and Odalin hadn’t even noticed Echo’s departure until the noise of the door closing behind him occurred.

“You were very sick, Crosshair,” Odalin reminded him, hoping to knock some sense into his line of destructive thinking.  “You have to cut yourself some slack, sweetheart…”

A tear rolled down Crosshair’s face, prompting him to do his best in curling to the side, purposefully facing away from Odalin.  It was as if he was trying to alleviate the mental and physical pain somehow. 

Odalin’s couldn’t hide her downcast expression.  “Why are you pushing me away?”

“I can’t get close to more people,” Crosshair choked out, already beginning to hyperventilate.  “The thought of losing someone I love again haunts me, Odalin.  I can’t lose you too!” he said, his voice cracking.

There was a pause of silence.

“That’s the oftentimes the tragic part of caring for others… for someone,” Odalin sadly smiled, reaching out to hold his hand again.  “Now, let’s get some socks on you and a cup of cold ice water.  The air is dry, but the ceiling fan is beginning to make at least me feel a bit chilly.”  She had been very diligent in making sure he felt comfortable and hydrated at all times.

Crosshair was baffled.  He just needed to know one thing.  “Why are you doing all this?!” he exclaimed.

Odalin paused halfway in pulling up the second sock and looked up towards Crosshair with a confused expression, eyebrows furrowed.  “What do you mean?”  Maintaining eye contact now, she finished pulling the sock over his heel.

“Taking care of me, sitting with me for days on end… Why do you care so much?  I-I’m just a cl…” Crosshair gulped, unable to finish his sentence.

The furrow of Odalin’s brow grew deeper and the lines on her forehead more pronounced.  “What… Crosshair?”  Her mind might have known where he was going with this, and for that, her heart broke.  It ate her up inside hearing that he viewed himself as anything less than an amazing man.  She had to hear him say it out loud though, as painful and untrue as his perceptions about himself might be.

“Just a clone…” he mumbled, sinking impossibly further into the pillows.

Odalin stared at him with wide eyes, completely stunned.  “Crosshair… you’re not just a-”

“Don’t you get it?!” Crosshair shouted, causing Odalin to flinch with the sudden level of his voice.  She had never heard him raise it like that.  “I have nothing to give you.  All I am is a product that was created to fight a karking war!  At least during the war, I could follow orders and serve a purpose… Now what?  Look at me!  I’m a walking, impractical, military asset that serves no purpose anymore.  I- I can't even walk at the moment!" he bitterly laughed.  "I can't let you waste any more time on me.  I’m a lost cause.  I’ll only disappoint you.  You’re too blinded by whatever your brain is telling you right now… You’ll see what I’m saying one day…”  He was spiraling but he just couldn’t hold himself back anymore.  “Leave me, Odalin,” he choked out, tears and mucus streaming down his face through his eyes and nose.  “You can do so much better than a defective clone like me!”  She’d already seen him at his most vulnerable when he’d been unconscious.  To him, he had no dignity left anyway.  Nothing mattered anymore anyway.

Odalin was left deeply disturbed and in a state of shock.  It felt like her mind was short circuiting.  Unlike Pitee though where she could futz with a couple of wires, there wasn’t a simple solution to this.  “Crosshair.  I’m not blinded by anything regarding you.  For the first time in as long as I can remember, my brain finally feels crystal clear about something!”

Crosshair’s head was slumped over, his eyes looking anywhere but Odalin.  She clearly did not get his message.

Odalin could tell he was still listening… at least to some degree.  “I’m more certain than I’ve ever been in my life when it comes to my feelings for you…”  She paused in an attempt to collected some of her racing thoughts.  It was like trying to catch a purrgil before it blasted into hyperspace and would be gone for the foreseeable future.  “My entire life, I never could’ve imagined meeting someone who would see me for who I really am.  I’ve always felt like an outsider, unable to find someone who truly just got me, you know?  When I’m with you, I can just be myself.  You make me feel seen, despite my typically shy and awkward personality.”  She grabbed his hand like a lifeline.  “I want you to know, and to feel comfortable, that you can be yourself in front of me as well,” she whispered.

Odalin hoped more than anything that her words somehow stuck in his brain.  That they both sunk in and that he accepted them as the truth.

A familiar stream of silence stretched on for a few minutes.

Tired of being immobile, Crosshair tried to sit up on his own, only to groan at the discomfort.

Odalin gently eased him back down into the mound of pillows, her hands planted against her shoulders.  “Easy there.  Don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“Haven’t I spent enough time trapped in a bed?” Crosshair asked sardonically.

“Recovery takes time.  There are so many people, including me, that will be by your side to help you until you’re back to feeling yourself… okay?”

“I’m sorry…” Crosshair weakly mumbled, completely defeated.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I’ve been nothing but a kriffing burden on you lately.  A hassle that everyone’s had to coddle and deplete their energy on.”

“Cross… The last thing you are is a burden.  You realize that everyone’s been acting that way since they care about you.  Value you.  Love you.”  Odalin laughed wetly between her own stream of tears.  “I know I do… I would do it again and again if it meant being there for you.  And I know you’d do the same for me if the positions were reversed.”

A tear rolled down Crosshair’s cheek as he absorbed Odalin’s words.

Odalin desperately wanted to smother Crosshair in her embrace.  In the back of her mind, she knew he still might push her away as he was currently in a very dark mindset…  But she so eagerly wanted to show him that she was there for him.  It was a risk she was willing to take.  She had to take the chance.

Odalin decided she couldn’t take it any longer, and unable to hold herself back, she lunged into Crosshair’s arms.

She shut her eyes in thankfulness when he held on back, clinging to the back of her shirt.

As they embraced one another, faces touching, they cried allowing for a cathartic moment to transpire.  Their tears fell simultaneously, indistinguishably mixing together.

Despite the emotional heaviness of the situation, both were finally able to bask in the mindset of knowing that they truly had one another.

“I almost forgot about this,” Odalin perked up at a sudden thought.  “I’ve been holding onto it until I could give it back,” she said as she shuffled through the contents of a bag near her. 

Crosshair frowned in confusion until he saw what Odalin pulled out… The toothpick box.  She was returning it to him yet again…

“Thought you might want one just about now,” Odalin emotionally smiled, already sliding open the box.

Crosshair nearly was able to pick out a toothpick, but his arm collapsed back onto the bed just before he could manage… the motion being too strenuous.  He sighed in frustration, momentarily squeezing his eyelids shut.

Without drawing attention to Crosshair’s current lack of mobility, and ability to take one by himself, Odalin picked out one of the toothpicks and held it near his mouth.  Crosshair accepted the toothpick with his lips and gave her an appreciative nod.  The corner of Odalin’s mouth quirked up.  She shrugged as she popped one in-between her own teeth as well.

Chapter Text

It had been five minutes since Odalin left the room.  She had to pick up a few items at her house but promised to come back shortly.

The quiet was rather strange…  After preferring solitude for a solid duration of his life, Crosshair was finally beginning to understand the appeal of being around others for extended periods of time.  He embraced it… In fact, he was even starting to thrive on it.  These people were not simply making his life better and more meaningful… They were his life. 

Crosshair couldn’t remember the last time he was alone like this…

He sighed… Or, well, he started to sigh…  Before he could fully exhale, loud footsteps racing towards his room could be heard outside the door.

“Guess what?!” Omega announced, bursting through the door to Crosshair’s recovery room.  “On my way here, I helped a moon-yo mother reunite with her baby!”  Omega had just finished school for the day and clearly had come straight to the hospital.  If he needed any proof of that, he needn’t look further, since she still wore her backpack.

“Such a model citizen” Crosshair huffed out.

“Well, Tech said that in a galaxy filled with many bad people, there were also tons of people like us… Good people.”  Omega shrugged.  “It’s up to each and every one of us to be the light in the dark.  With light, there is hope.”  She smirked as though an epic thought had come to mind.

“What?”

“It’s just like those little fireflies you’re obsessed with!  You know… How they light up in the darkness of the night,” she elaborated, using her hands to paint a picture in the air.

“I’m not obsessed with them.”

Omega gave him a side eye, not quite believing him.  “Mhmm. Yeah…  Not like I caught you and Odalin marveling over them a couple of times.”

Crosshair rolled his eyes.  “Don’t you have schoolwork to do or something?”

“Yup,” she nodded.  “That’s why I came here.”

“That’s- why you came to the hospital?” Crosshair repeated in the hopes she heard the ridiculousness of what she had just said.

“Well, yeah, considering the chair in the corner of this room has become my homework spot,” she said like it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy.

“Since when?”

Omega raised a brow.  “Um, weeks ago.”

Crosshair hummed.  Ah, right.  He hadn’t been awake for 32 rotations.  Sure, he could sometimes hear voices, but it was all a blur for the most part.  Crosshair wondered when his bright little big sister had begun choosing his hospital room’s lounge chair as her study spot.  All he knew was that this was the first time she had done her homework here since he woke up.

In a familiar motion, Omega flung first her bag and then herself onto the lounge chair.  Crosshair observed from his bed as she rummaged through her school bag with one of her hands.  Finally, she pulled out her datapad that she used for her classes and began humming as she scrolled through whatever folders cluttered her device.

“Want to help me with my homework?” Omega asked, tilting her head as she awaited her brother’s response.

Crosshair initially wanted to say no.  He was tired and frankly, reading through a child’s schoolwork sounded dreadful.  Ultimately though, he caved in once he internally acknowledged that he owed her this…  Here she was, keeping him company for weeks on end, picking his recovery room of all places, as a hangout spot.  Not only that…  She had been the one to rescue him not just physically from his Tantiss cell, but also mentally.

“What’s the topic?” Crosshair questioned.  He figured basic ‘kid math’ would be simple enough.  Sure, he and his brothers might not have gone to real school, but he was a fantastic improvisor.  He was part of Clone Force 99 for kriff sake…  Well, he used to be anyway.  He’d just formulate a comparison to a blast radius, or the angle of a blaster shot…

“Human reproduction!”

Crosshair blanched as a sense of panic flooded his system.

“So,” Omega continued, unbothered by her terrified brother’s expression, “there was one thing I didn’t quite understand from the lesson in class today.  Pretty much all the other kids seemed to get it, so I was too embarrassed to ask.”  Her blonde head shot up to face Crosshair.  “So I figured, why not just ask you!” she shrugged, still clueless to Crosshair’s inner turmoil.

Crosshair was as silent as Lula herself.  This did not seem to deter Omega in any way, shape, or form.

“What’s pregnancy?  It’s the equivalent to Kaminoan growth tubes that we all were decanted from, right?  I figured I was confused since… you know…” she pointed to herself, “I’m one of only four clones in my class.”

After an uncomfortable pause, Crosshair found his voice to speak up.  “Um… You have any math homework you need help with?”

Suddenly, helping out with ‘kid math’ sounded like a real treat.  Kriff if Crosshair knew any better than Omega regarding this stuff.

~ ~ ~

Focus…  Complete and utter focus.  Odalin supposed that being focused and then successfully maintaining it, was more attainable when the task was something that stemmed from passion...  That’s how Odalin felt when she tinkered with the prosthetic hand in her grasp…  A work in process.

Tongue poking out slightly of the corner of her mouth, Odalin maintained laser focus as she fiddled with the interface of the mechanical hand.  Sure, there was still a lot to be done for this to become a flawless hand, but it would soon be at least useable… And for that, Odalin was grateful.  She hoped more than anything that it would lift Crosshair’s spirits up at least a tad, despite its relatively primitive design.  She had tried her absolute best to learn about building a hand like this, and so far, her hard work was paying off.

“Tech would’ve loved helping you out with that hand, you know,” Crosshair raised a brow as he looked up from his datapad.

“Yeah?” Odalin smiled, happily losing her concentration from her project momentarily.

Crosshair huffed laugh.  “He would have found researching the latest galactic updates in prosthetics to be a blast.”

“That certainly does sound like him from my limited experiences as well.”  Odalin was glad Crosshair was reminiscing about Tech.  Speaking out loud about the late engineer was definitely a step in the right direction when it came to dealing with his grief.

Crosshair returned his focus to the datapad resting on his propped-up knees.  Like Odalin had been doing, Crosshair had taken to his own form of an activity.

Every time Omega would sit with Crosshair and complete her homework, she explained her assignments and various subjects that she had.  One exercise that she had though, stood out to him.  She had to write a letter to someone.  The prompt had been centered around reaching out to someone or something that you no longer could in person.  Omega had obviously picked Tech.

His sister had recently offhandedly suggested he try the exercise out too.

And who else better for him to write a letter to than Tech as well.  Tech immensely enjoyed reading.  He would have loved to have more stuff to analyze… His siblings’ hearts poured into a letter included…

There’s so much stuff I want to share with you but can’t since you’re not here. Oftentimes, when I think of or hear something that I know would have amused you, I look up towards the sky.

I want nothing else than to see how you would react to certain things.  A peaceful life, the girlfriend you never got to fully have… My girlfriend.  The woman is Odalin… You two had known each other-  Created that neat hoverchair together…

Ironically, my doctor and physical therapist recently told me that I’ll be able to use it soon to take my first real shower post coma... As far as cleanliness, that’ll certainly beat those sponge baths I’ve been subjected to have lately.

Funny odds, huh?

Grief like this is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.  It’s soul crushing.

What’s the meaning behind everything?  What’s the bigger picture?  Is there one?  Does everything just go dark?  Do all your thoughts, memories, emotions, and experiences that you accumulate throughout your lifetime just disappear into thin air?  Surely not?  Right?

You never got the chance to enjoy a peaceful life.  Instead, you sacrificed everything so that your- our family could.

No matter what, there will always be people that exist in our lives for only a portion of it. Nonetheless they will remain in our hearts and memory forever…

I hope you’re proud of me…

See you in the clouds,

Cross

Crosshair let out a shaky exhale as he placed his datapad down on the bed beside him.  It was cathartic writing to Tech.  At the same time, it felt a bit strange writing a letter that nobody besides himself would read.  He sighed, settling his head back into his pillow.  Despite not having done much today other than brushing his teeth (albeit assisted) and having written this letter, he was drained.  Odalin wouldn’t mind if he just dozed off for a bit…  So dozed off he did.

~ ~ ~

A couple days later, Crosshair was finally strong enough to get out of bed to do a walking trial.

Beforehand though, in one of his few moments by himself, Echo had managed to privately sneak in a few words with Crosshair.

“You know, when I started my journey towards recovery, I too didn’t see how things could go back to being the way that they were… Go back to being normal, I guess you could say.”  Echo sighed.  Crosshair silently watched him.  “When you boys had rescued me from the Techno Union, I had just been running on adrenaline and whatever karking chemicals remained in my system from Wat Tambor’s experimentation.  I bounced back relatively quickly at first, but then I plateaued.  Shortly after I joined the Batch, I began to experience pains all over my body.  I thought I had to hide my weaknesses in front of you lot.  The irrational side of my mind was telling me that you’d all kick me out once you realized how damaged I’d truly become.”

“You’re a war hero, Echo,” Crosshair prematurely rolled his eyes at the comparison he knew Echo was about to make.  “No one faulted you for needing time to take it easy.  In fact, you barely even took it easy anyway.”

“That’s because I hid it, vod.  And quit trying to put me on a pedestal in an attempt to make your recovery different or any less important than mine.”  Echo looked directly into his brother’s eyes, making Crosshair feel scrutinized.  “Don’t forget that you too were manipulated against your will.”

How could he forget that?  Crosshair scoffed.  “If your recovery was so important, then why did you keep it under wraps?  I mean, sure we all gathered that there were moments you needed time to adjust, but you didn’t highlight it at all.”

Echo gave Crosshair a look.  “You’re not getting it, are you?”

“No.”

“I’m telling you to learn from my mistakes, Crosshair.  Don’t carry the burden alone.  Recovery isn’t something that magically evaporates with the snap of your fingers.”

“Technically, I only have one hand to snap with now, so trust me… I wasn’t that delusional to think that it boiled down to magic.”

“You know, you’re talking to someone who happens to have a scomp instead of a hand on one of his arms.  You’re lack of a hand isn’t as original as you’re implying.”

“What a pity.”

Echo chuckled before turning serious again.  “The hardships you’re facing now are just another hurtle you’ll get over.”

In a moment of silence, Crosshair let those words permeate through his head.

“Then why does my life just feel like endless hurtles?”  Crosshair mumbled so quietly that Echo had to strain to hear.  “…A bumpy road with no smooth sailing in sight…”  The sniper scoffed at his own words.

Echo sighed.  “I have yet to understand life’s hurtles, but at the very least, we can usually grow from them.  They strengthen our resolve.”

Crosshair hesitated before speaking again.  “Odalin said that no matter what, she will always be there if I need her.”  He shook his head in disbelief.  “I still find it mind-boggling that she cares enough about me of all people, to make that promise.”

Echo finally had a reason to smirk after the previous bout of seriousness.  “You two have developed a strong connection with one another.  Don’t let it slip your mind that a bond like this runs mutually both ways… flowing between the two of you.”

Judging by the contemplative silence that arose from Crosshair, he was surely mulling over it.  Echo smiled.  At least Crosshair was starting to recognize that Odalin did in fact love him for who he was…  That love evidently being reciprocated by him as well.

Crosshair couldn’t bear to think about a life without Odalin in it now that he had crossed paths with the woman.

It’s funny…  When you first meet someone, you don’t know how close or not you’ll become with the other person.  But one must know that when they look back in time, they may just marvel at the fact that those closest to them now, were once just strangers.  It’s impossible to predict what could happen if you hadn’t done something in the past.  One interaction could change the trajectory of everything.  For all one knows, they could meet someone who might drastically change the course of their life for the better.

~ ~ ~

It had been about five seconds since one of the nurses exited his room after checking his vitals.

Crosshair absently wondered if all Pabu medical personnel had cheery attitudes naturally or if it was slightly an act of sorts.

“Do you think it’s a facade?” Crosshair hummed in question. 

Odalin raised a brow.  “Is what a facade?”

“The cheery attitudes that everyone who works here seem to have,” Crosshair further explained.  “I don’t get it.  It can’t be their baseline demeanors when they’re not at work.  Being like that simply isn’t natural.”

Odalin smirked at his cynicism before shaking her head.  “I don’t understand where some people seem to gather up all that optimism either.”  She huffed a laugh.  “You ready to get some laps in?”

Crosshair’s first time walking a few days ago was successful.  Perhaps it had something to do with Echo’s pre-session pep talk…  He didn’t know.

After demonstrating to the Batch and Odalin, Inessa deemed it alright if the others helped Crosshair take a few steps around his room daily.  They all had watched the proper way to do it during previous walking sessions and felt confident in assisting Crosshair.

“I reckon by next week I’ll be fit enough again to run the Coruscant Marathon,” Crosshair deadpanned while beginning to sit up in his bed, his motions still stiff.

Odalin hummed with mirth as she wrapped the gait belt around his waist.  “The other participants might need a head start if they’re going to go head-to-head against you,” she noted sarcastically, nodding with a serious face.

“They might as well hand me the trophy now,” Crosshair declared as Odalin set the hoverchair she and Tech created in front of where Crosshair was sitting.  The hoverchair could double as a walker to assist in the steps that he took.  A clever addition to the already helpful mobility aid… One that Tech had suggested they should add on to it… Here Tech was, still managing to find ways to help him with that genius brain of his… Odalin still held her hand on the gait belt as Crosshair stood up and started his trudge towards the other end of the room. 

After a couple laps, Crosshair was already winded.  He felt pathetic, but there wasn’t much he could do if even his own body wasn’t cooperating on any matters.

The Coruscant Marathon would have to wait at least another two weeks.

“Do you need more pain meds?” Odalin asked with a hand touching Crosshair’s shoulder.  He had just returned to a seated position on the edge of the bed.

Crosshair waved his hand in dismissal as Odalin helped in lifting and swinging his legs back onto the mattress.  “I’m fine.  Feel like I’m already on a lot.”  He found it cute how much she was fussing over him.  Truthfully, he still wasn’t quite used to having someone other than his brothers actually give a kark about him…. It- It was a special feeling.

“You did well.”

Crosshair scoffed.  “Hardly.”

“You have to admit that it was better than last time.”

“Last time should barely be counted as an attempt.”  The previous walking session ended with him having to sit down on the hoverchair mid-session to catch his breath and deal with the ache in his back.

“Crossyguy,” Odalin said, interjecting his thoughts.  “I know you’re discouraged right now… But hey, you have all of us.  You’re not alone.”

Crosshair sunk into the pillows of his bed.  He knew he could be vulnerable around her… It didn’t mean that it came easy to him though… that it didn’t come without its hardships and mental struggles.

“How do your legs feel?”

Crosshair rolled his head to the side so that his cheek was now smushed against the plush pillow.  “Everything feels like kark.”

Odalin gave him a sympathetic look.  “Do you want to get some rest?  I can leave if you’d like some peace and quiet.”

Crosshair huffed.  “You don’t need to leave for either of those things to be accomplished.  Besides, I’m not tired…”  The thought of being by himself made him feel sick.  It had already been well established that he could barely move on his own, so the thought of being stranded-  No… He wouldn’t be stranded per say.  He wasn’t on that kriffing Kaminoan landing platform.  “I’d prefer if you’d stay,” Crosshair admitted.  He knew he sounded pathetic... What?  Now he couldn’t be on his own?  Can’t even take care of himself in the state that he was in?  Needed help walking and assistance in the fresher…?  Embarrassing.  But she never made it seem like it was…

“Well, that’s a relief… since I have plans for us,” Odalin expressed as she shuffled around in a large duffle bag that she had mysteriously brought to his room that day.

“As long as it doesn’t involve moving,” Crosshair deadpanned.  This was all unusual to him.  The sniper was used to being constantly on the move.  This forced… stillness, both literally and metaphorically, was eating him up the longer he was primarily bedbound.

“Well, just a tad,” Odalin confessed.  “I’ve had this idea for a while…  Been wanting to do this with you for quite some time…”

The anticipation of whatever Odalin was hiding in the bag across the room on the lounge chair was making him go crazy.  Or maybe it was also because he knew he couldn’t easily get up and check for himself.

Setting the items up as she removed them from her bag, Odalin pulled out two canvases, paint, paintbrushes, and a couple palettes to put the paint on.

“What do I do?” Crosshair stared at the blank canvas propped up on the bedside table pulled in front of him.  He was seated up, leaning on a bunch of pillows to support his weight. 

Odalin smiled at his genuine confusion.  She was sitting off next to his bedside, facing towards him so that neither of them could see the other person’s work.  In lieu of a table in front of her, she placed a chair, that of which she had her feet propped up on so that she could use her thighs as a makeshift table.  “Think about something you want to paint,” she told him, patting her small canvas that was positioned in front of her.

Crosshair hesitated.  He never had the opportunity to flourish his creativity.  As a young boy, every activity Crosshair had been encouraged to do was dictated somehow by the war effort… And as an adult, all he ever got to participate in was the war itself.

Sensing his indecisiveness, Odalin came up with an idea.  “Sometimes, I like to give myself a prompt.  Like something that is elegant or something that is peaceful.”  She scanned the room with her eyes.  “Hmm…”

Crosshair blinked.  “Beautiful, perhaps?”

“Sure!  That’s a great prompt idea!  Just look for stuff in the room that you find beautiful, and paint that.  For example, the flowers next to you are pretty, I might paint those.  And remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, if you want to paint your toothpicks, that’s fair game too.  Same goes for any prompt you go with.”

Crosshair raised an eyebrow.  With some struggle he lifted his left hand to grab the paintbrush Odalin had set out for him to use.  Odalin placed a pillow underneath his elbow to support his arm.

Seeing as his prosthetic was yet to be completed, Crosshair had no other choice but to use his non-dominant hand.  Even if it was ready, it would still take quite a lot of time and practice to get accustomed to.  Using his non-dominant hand would unfortunately make painting even trickier, but nonetheless, he persisted… like he always did.

“How’s it coming along over there?” Odalin asked, trying to position herself so she could peek at his work.  Her blue-colored blouse was draped perfectly over her body and her face was framed by her smooth hair.

Crosshair quickly angled his canvas away from her field of vision before she could see anything.  “Slow…” Crosshair admitted.  “Yours?”

Odalin shrugged and gave one of her signature shy smiles as she continued to paint.  “Going alright, I reckon.”

“That’s very vague.”

“And 'slow' isn’t?”

Crosshair hummed.  “Fair point.”

“Yup.”

After some comfortable silence, interspersed with brief conversations here and there, the two both finished up their pieces.

“Ta-da!” Odalin laughed as she flipped her canvas around.  Much to Crosshair’s surprise, she had painted his toothpick box with toothpicks spilled on the table they were placed on.

“You told me you were doing flowers.  You changed your mind.”

“I did… But then, as you yourself just said, I changed my mind.  Those little things that you carry around with you all the time are starting to grow on me, I guess.”

Crosshair subtly chuckled.  “If you want one, it’s yours.”

Odalin placed her hand over her heart theatrically.  “I’d be honored.”

“Wait,” Crosshair called, stopping her hand’s movement towards the toothpick box.  Odalin froze, curiously.  “Allow me.”  Odalin lovingly smiled.

Crosshair slowly but surely began to reach for the toothpicks.  Moving wasn’t simple yet like it used to be, making the motion a journey in and of itself that he had to work for.  Being able to hold out a toothpick for Odalin to take by mouth made it all worth it though.

Odalin chuckled.  “You didn’t give me any hints on what you were painting at all, so you can’t be too mad that I changed course early on,” she spoke as the toothpick balanced perfectly between her soft lips.  “Now come on.  I’ve been so curious about your artistic style,” she giggled.  “Show me yours!”

“It’s not… it’s not very good…” Crosshair sighed.  “I tried.  Don’t be too appalled.”

“Oh, come on.  You’re being just a tad bit dramatic… don’t you think?”

“I am not.”

You followed the prompt, right?”

Crosshair nodded, a hint of shyness leaking through his body language.

“Then I’m sure whatever you painted will be beautiful by default then!” Odalin joyously supported him.

Crosshair reached up to turn around his painting.  With a mental count to three in his head, he revealed his art.

Odalin’s sweet smile turned into a stunned expression.

On Crosshair’s canvas was a surprisingly well executed portrait of none other than Odalin herself.

After taking in the gesture and blushing an excessive amount, Odalin gathered up her thoughts.  “It’s so intricate…” Odalin marveled as she studied the fine attention to minuscule features captured through the brushstrokes.  Crosshair had painted Odalin painting, so she was focused on her task in the depiction.  He made sure to include particular quirks that she had such as the way she bit her lip when deep in concentration.

“I pick up on details,” Crosshair admitted.  His superior eyesight made such a task even easier.  He could pick up on the most subtle idiosyncrasies in a person that allowed him to analyze on a whole different level.

“I didn’t expect this…” Odalin laughed out a huff, dumbfounded that Crosshair had wanted to choose her as his muse.

“Just like you instructed, I stuck to the prompt,” Crosshair shrugged.

Odalin smirked as she shook her head in amusement.

Crosshair chuckled.  Finally, in such an unexpected way, the solace he never thought he’d experienced was beginning to settle in.

After such a tumultuous and unexpected ordeal, everything finally seemed to be falling into place. 

But... in nobody’s wildest dreams could neither the Batch nor Odalin begin to comprehend what was in store for them all in the near future…  A discovery so monumental that it would shake them all to their very core…

Chapter Text

Much to the man himself and everyone else’s delight, Crosshair was discharged from the hospital one morning.  After 32 rotations in a coma and a few additional weeks, Crosshair was finally allowed to leave the confines of Pabu’s trusted medical building.

With steps slower than a bantha and a cheer squad made up of family and Odalin, Crosshair walked outside himself.  Of course, someone at all times was always insistent on being practically pressed up next to him to ensure he didn’t trip.  In fact, the chances of him fully falling onto his face were slimmer than Mustafar having a rainstorm. 

Kriff, the sun on his face felt nice…  Although he had taken short, supervised trips out to the hospital garden, this felt incomparable in the best way possible.

Given instructions by Dr. Vej’ah and Inessa to take it easy above all else in the upcoming weeks, everyone agreed that Crosshair would benefit the most if he stayed with Odalin.  With Odalin, Crosshair would have someone to look after him and be his temporary caretaker of sorts, since she worked from home unlike the others.  Crosshair was still very much in recovery; Inessa even having given him physical therapy routines to do at home by himself or with the help of others.

~ ~ ~

Later in the day, Crosshair found himself beginning to rouse from one of his midday naps.  It was nice to be in a bed other than the one at the hospital.  Odalin’s bed in particular was extra comfortable.  Having her to lay next to was the jogan fruit on top.

Crosshair hauled himself into a sitting position, letting out a not so subtle pained groan in the process.

Apparently, Odalin had either been sleeping lightly or had not been sleeping at all, since she shot up in bed.  “Are you alright?” she pressed with a furrowed brow.

“I’ll be fine,” Crosshair lovingly hushed her.

Odalin sniffed.  “I know… Regardless though, I don’t want to watch you suffer. I hate seeing you hurt.”

“I don’t want to burden you or my brothers.”

“For the millionth time, you’re not burdening anyone.  What did you tell me Echo recently told you?  This is just another hurtle that you’ll bounce back from.  You don’t need to do it by yourself.”  She rubbed his arm.  “You don’t have to.”

After everything he had done in his past, how lucky he was to have been given such a life.  He felt a tear fall down his cheek.  “What did I do in my life to ever deserve you…”

Odalin scoffed as she blushed.  “You know, I ask myself the same thing all the time.”  She leaned into Crosshair’s offered embrace.

After a moment of silence, Crosshair spoke.  “Hunter commed me earlier.”

Odalin pulled her face away from where it was settled in Crosshair’s chest.  “Is everything alright?”

“Yes.  Everything’s fine.”  Crosshair sighed.  “They wanted to invite both of us over to have a group dinner tonight.”

“Oh really?  That sounds nice!”

“I suppose.”

“Is it to celebrate your discharge from the hospital?” Odalin asked excitedly.  “It must be, right?!”

“Unsure…”  Crosshair subtly hoped it wasn’t since that would imply he’d be the center of attention.  “I should shower beforehand though.”  He felt like his skin had been infused with a permanent bacta smell…  That and the lingering sweat attributed from living on a planet with such a warm climate.

“Sounds good!” Odalin smiled, patting him on the shoulder.  “I’ll be in the bedroom if you need or forget anything!”

Crosshair chuckled.  “Good to know.”

The sound of the water running indicated that Crosshair was in the midst of his shower.  Odalin took the time to rummage through her closet for something special to wear for the dinner.  This was most likely meant to be a party of sorts for Crosshair, so she wanted to dress up a bit fancier than usual.  While her closet wasn’t particularly packed to the gills with options, she still managed to pull out a light red dress with sleeves that covered the tops of her shoulders.  While the top of the dress hugged her figure tight, past her hips it hung flowy, the fabric stopping halfway down her shins.  The waist of the dress was adorned with a silky pink belt-like cloth that fell down towards her side.  The bottom hem of the dress was embellished with dark red embroidered flowers.

Odalin laid out the dress on her bed, intent on beginning the process of undressing.  She had only just finished taking off her shirt, leaving her just in her bra, when a startling cacophony of sounds erupted from the nearby fresher.  The noise hadn’t only been of items clattering to the floor… The distinct sound of a body slipping and falling could be heard as well, accompanied by a string of curses.

Odalin’s eyes widened in horror as she sprinted to the fresher, which was luckily right next to the bedroom.

Odalin was about to smash the door down, but then promptly remembered the state of undress Crosshair was surely in.  Kark, she needed to make sure he was okay though.  That exceeded everything.

“Crosshair?!” Odalin urgently called out from the other side of the door.  “I’m coming in.  Is that alright?”

For all she knew, he could be gushing blood everywhere.  He could have hit his head, the fall rendering him unconscious and-

Crosshair groaned.  “Erm…” he clearly hesitated.  “I guess…”

“I won’t look,” Odalin suggested.  “If you want, I can close my eyes.”

Crosshair was silent for a moment.  “And how exactly would that work?  You’ll just feel your way around the room?”

Odalin hummed deep in thought, tapping her foot with anxiety induced impatience.  Neither of them had seen each other in such a state before, so Odalin and her overthinking brain really pondered for a moment.  He seemed to be alright.  Surely, he would have informed her if he was bleeding out in the bathtub/shower unit… Right?

“Just come in,” Crosshair stated, putting an end to Odalin’s treadmill of a mind.

Before the door opened, Crosshair sighed.  He was somewhat sprawled underneath the shower head.  The water was still pathetically streaming over his naked body.  He had just managed to miss the control panel to shut the water off, slipping like an uncoordinated, clumsy, poorly wired droid.  He knew Odalin was his only realistic option in getting out of his current predicament.  He had no energy reserves to use in aiding with the act of standing at the moment, and sleeping overnight in the fresher sounded unpleasant.  Plus, he’d miss out on the party his family was very likely planning on hosting… He surely didn’t want to miss that… right?  No, no, he definitely didn’t.  He loved the odd bunch that they were.

Odalin had promised to look as little as possible, but truthfully, Crosshair didn’t really care about that.  More than anything, he just felt embarrassed due to his lack of independence.

Doing her best to maintain Crosshair’s privacy, Odalin turned off the water and then handed him a towel to cover himself with.  After haphazardly wrapping the towel around his waist, Odalin bent down to grasp Crosshair’s forearms to help pull him up to his feet.  He grabbed hers in return, thankful for the assistance in his current predicament.

Before letting go, Odalin made sure Crosshair was steady while standing up.  She went to lay a towel down on the closed toilet seat first, before leading Crosshair over to sit down.

“Are you alright?”

“Fine.”

Odalin nodded, knowing that this was the best answer she was probably going to get.  “Is this what you plan on wearing?” she asked as she pointed to the clothes Crosshair had clearly set out for himself prior to his shower.  She grabbed an extra towel and dried his hair.

“Yes.”

Odalin continued to stare at the pile, clearly trying to choose her next words carefully.

Finally, Crosshair sighed.  “What’s wrong with it?  I like that shirt.”

Odalin smirked at him.  “Crossyguy, you wear this shirt all the time.”  She playfully rubbed his back.  “Don’t you want to dress up a bit?”

Crosshair looked puzzled.  “What for?”  Dressing up was a foreign concept to him.

“It’s a party, sweetie,” she laughed.

“You pick it then,” Crosshair rolled his eyes in pretend annoyance.

Crosshair wished he could have taken a holo at the way her eyes lit up.  “Deal!” she giddily responded.  Before Crosshair could even blink again, she had run out of the fresher to find a shirt… Well, a more suitable shirt that is.

Once the shirt was picked out, Odalin helped pull it over his head and loop his two arms through.  While Crosshair was getting stronger day by day, little tasks such as getting himself dressed or showering, were draining.  The shirt she had chosen for him was his black, collared, and button down one.

She then finished dressing herself in the outfit that she had already picked out.  Her healthy brown hair was pulled into a lovely braid, with strands of hair delicately framing her soft face.

The pair slowly but surely made it to the front of Crosshair and his siblings’ domicile.

Despite knowing the code to unlock the door, Crosshair opted to knock to let his siblings know that they were here without barging in.

The two were left waiting outside as the door continued to remain shut.

Crosshair’s brow furrowed.  “I live with wonderful hosts,” he mumbled to Odalin.  She laughed in response as Crosshair unlocked the door himself, rolling his brown eyes in the process.

“Is anyone home?” Odalin frowned as she turned the lights on.  Sure enough, there was nobody in sight.

Crosshair sighed with lack of amusement.  “They’re probably hiding in another room, or they’re behind the couch or counter,” he muttered, gesturing lazily with his arm at all the major hiding spots.  Truthfully, at this point, he had already accepted his fate here.

“Aw man!” Wrecker unsuccessfully whispered, very clearly hiding right around the corner of one of the walls.  “He knew already!”

“Told you he would,” Echo groaned with a tone that suggested that he’d been roped into this surprise.

“Guys!  Be quiet, will you?!” an exasperated Omega scolded.  “He probably heard you!”

Odalin looked up in amusement at Crosshair as the two of them stood in place.  Crosshair had the blankest and most unimpressed expression written on his face as he listened to his siblings bickering.

After about 15 more seconds of awkwardness that consisted of Crosshair and Odalin standing in place, and the rest of the Batch ‘hiding’, the sniper’s siblings finally jumped out from their hiding spots.

“Surprise!!!” they all shouted.  Well, technically only Omega and Wrecker shouted that.  Hunter and Echo just did their own awkward version of standing.  Echo gave Crosshair a shrug.  Hunter went above and beyond in his own way though…  He threw a few leaves into the air.  Crosshair squinted at the sergeant as he wondered if that was Hunter’s attempt at throwing makeshift confetti.  Wow, that was anticlimactic.

Crosshair brushed off the crumpled leaves from his head.  His hair was starting to grow back around the scar.  Cleaning leaf debris would have been simpler if he still sported his bald/buzzcut look.

“Welcome back home!” Omega joyously shouted.  “Well, I know you’re staying with Odalin right now, but you’re finally out of the hospital!”  She sprinted towards Crosshair and lunged herself at him as she went in for a hug.

Crosshair’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the unexpected contact due to his already unsteady stance…  That and the way he practically tipped over like a baby fathier with unreliable legs.

“Easy, Omega!” Hunter winced as Crosshair barely held himself up.  Odalin did her best to support his weight and was visibly thankful when Echo jumped in to assist her.

“Phee and Astri will be here soon too!” Wrecker revealed.  “Phee said she’ll bring dessert and Astri said she was bringing fruit!”

“All of this wasn’t necessary,” Crosshair coughed as he steadied himself.  He finally had caught not only his breath, but also his balance… with the help Odalin and Echo.

“Aw, come on!” Omega good-naturedly teased with a roll of her eyes.  “Of course it was!  We wanted to celebrate you, Crosshair!”

“How… touching,” Crosshair murmured under his breath.

“I wish Pitee could have joined us too,” Omega sighed with a crestfallen expression.  It went unspoken amongst all of them that Tech was included in that sentiment.

Odalin gave her a sad smile.  “Me too, Omega… Me too…”

Phee and Astri both arrived just in time for dinner. 

The meal they shared left them all feeling stuffed.

“Well!  I’m full!” Wrecker announced, slamming his fork down and dramatically patting his stomach.  “And I’m never full!” he boisterously laughed.  This was a common line for Wrecker now.  Ever since officially moving to Pabu after Tantiss, Wrecker and the others had never gone hungry.  It had become an inside joke that the demolitions expert would make, referencing his famous quote from the first time the Batch had been on Pabu.  Tech had written it down in his datapad, so the time and date would be everlasting.  Crosshair of course had to be filled in on the humor, although having known Wrecker his entire life, it didn’t take much effort for him to comprehend.

Hunter hummed at the noteworthy comment.  “That’s a documentable achievement!”  He clapped his hands and turned to face his sister.  “Omega, why don’t you record the time and date.”

“Already on it!” Omega replied, her hand in the middle of snatching her datapad from the nearby counter.

After eating, Echo turned on a song that he recently discovered from conversing with a local baker.

The tempo of the music was rather peaceful… While the rhythm could certainly be interpreted in many ways, Crosshair and Odalin both stared at each other with the same thought in mind.  This music was very slow, dare they say… romantic?

As most of the occupants in the room started dancing for fun once Hunter and Wrecker moved the living room’s coffee table aside (primarily Wrecker doing the heavy lifting since he didn’t understand why lifting a table was considered a group effort to some), Crosshair and Odalin awkwardly looked at each other.  While Crosshair had no clue what the woman in front of him was thinking, he knew for certain that he, at least, had no clue how to dance with a romantic partner.

“You- You know how to dance?” Crosshair mumbled.

“Erm… No.  Not really,” Odalin admitted, totally out of her comfort zone like he was.  “You?”

“Oh, absolutely not.”  And with that, plus a sudden surge of confidence, Crosshair pulled Odalin close against his chest, causing her to let out a gasp.

“Where’s all this strength from?  You stumbled at least three times on our walk here!  Be careful, will you?!” Odalin playfully slapped him on the back.

“Just feeling surprisingly good right now,” Crosshair shrugged.  “Of course, that’s a relative statement to how I felt before all of this… My legs are aching, and my energy level is kriffed- But still.”

“But still indeed,” Odalin beamed up at Crosshair as the two of them swayed back and forth slowly.

Dancing with Odalin, his family all around him, was a soothing experience.  Crosshair realized that his body would force him to sit down in a minute or two, but for as long as he could persevere, he would.

Everything felt hopeful.

As Crosshair slowly spun around in a circle with Odalin, his eye caught on Phee.  The self-named liberator of ancient wonders was standing by herself… The man she longed to ask for a dance with, no longer present.

A poignant and stark reminder of what had been so tragically lost.

Maybe in another universe, everything could have turned out just right…

 ~ ~ ~

The next morning came quickly.  Both Crosshair and Odalin had crashed the moment their heads hit their pillows.  Crosshair could tell that Odalin must at least be subconsciously happy to be back in her own bed too, considering she practically lived at the hospital with him.

Inessa had suggested swimming as a way to get his body strengthened up.  Odalin had grinned at the idea, claiming that it would be a fun way to spend the day together.

The couple packed everything they would need for a beach day, got dressed, and headed out for a day in the sun.

Once they arrived at the sandy beach, Odalin slipped off her sundress exposing her swimsuit.  Crosshair’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor when he laid eyes on her.  She wore an emerald green one-piece bathing suit that accentuated her waist and thin legs.  The straps holding up the swimsuit allowed for her incredibly toned arms to be on display as well.

“Do you like it?” Odalin huffed out a laugh, clearly self-conscious for reasons Crosshair couldn’t understand.

Crosshair mentally hit himself for so openly gawking.  “You’re beautiful.”

She blushed.  “Not too bad yourself, Crossyguy.”

Crosshair sat with his legs out on the beach towel they had laid out.  Odalin had her head resting on his thighs, creating the perfect position for Crosshair to run his fingers through her luscious hair.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Odalin began tentatively as she nervously twiddled her fingers, “…in the hospital, you implied that that wasn’t the first occasion you’ve had a breathing tube.”

Crosshair furrowed his brow.  “Of course it wasn’t.  I’m a solider, Odalin… Well,” he looked at his feet, “I was…”

“Were you alright?” Odalin wondered out loud.  She hated picturing him suffering and loathed her mind for imagining the most brutal scenarios he might’ve gotten himself in during the war.  For all she knew, those scenarios could be true.

He shrugged.  “Clearly, since I’m sitting talking to you right now.”

Odalin shook her head at his dismissal.  He was a master of both sniping and downgrading serious situations in order not to worry others.  “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“You want to hear a story?” Crosshair smirked, causing Odalin to roll her eyes at his tone.

“Sure.  Tell me the story.”

“Which one?”  Crosshair asked with raised eyebrows and a hint of amusement in his voice.  “I’ve been in and out of medbays more times than I cared to count.”

“Mmm, surprise me.”

Crosshair sighed, brushing some sand off his swim trunks.  “Well, one of the very first serious injuries I sustained on an assignment left me out of commission for a bit.  Early on in the war, we were sent on an undercover mission to gather valuable intel from a shady Separatist.  While I had been laser focused on keeping an eye on the others from my sniper’s nest, a rogue probe droid took a lucky shot at me.  Hit me right here and here in two rapid succession shots,” Crosshair sighed with annoyance as he pointed to his stomach and then near his neck.  “Bastard got me good… Twice.”  When he focused his attention back to Odalin, he was met with a look of pure alarm.  “It’s in the past.  I lived.  Only scarred a little… you need to really search to see it.  As much as I hate Kamino and the Kaminoan’s, they were top of the line in medicine.” 

Odalin still looked disturbed and saddened.  “I see you lived, obviously… But you were hurt, badly.”

“It’s part of the profession,” Crosshair replied nonchalantly as he dug around in his pocket to pull out his toothpick box.  “It’s fine.”

“Why can’t you understand that hearing about this makes me upset?”  Odalin frowned.

Crosshair popped a toothpick into his mouth as he pondered her question.  After a beat of silence, he responded.  “That stuff is normal to me, I guess.  It’s how I grew up.  I don’t know any other life besides one filled with war, violence, and ugly Kaminoans.”

Odalin knew this was the case.  Regardless, she didn’t want to think about his list of injuries, even though she had prompted this conversation to begin with.

Sunny days on Pabu were unforgiving in the sweating department.  Naturally, the two drifted towards the cool water to escape the harsh and glaring sun beating down on them.

Laying on his back with Odalin supporting his head, looking up, besides Odalin, all he could see were cumulus clouds filling the vast blue sky.  Crosshair felt like his body weighed nothing, as if he were a passenger on one of those clouds.  The buoyancy of the sea made him feel lighter than air itself.   Speaking of air, the breeze caused Odalin’s hair to blow in the most delicate but constant way.  He shut his eyes in peace.

“Mmm,” Odalin hummed as she brushed some water droplets off Crosshairs relaxed face.  “You look so relaxed.  It’s nice.”

Crosshair opened his closed eyes to look up at Odalin, only to end up squinting at the assaulting light from the sun.

Odalin laughed and moved her face above his to block the rays of sun, some of her hair falling on and tickling his face.

Her laugh was the most beautiful sound.  Everything he’d been through throughout his challenging life had all led to this moment.  In the past, he’d thought that the end of the war meant that life had no real purpose anymore…  He had his family, yes, but what was he meant for?  Staring at Odalin’s gorgeous face and devoted eyes made him pause for a moment…  Maybe, in some crazy way, there really was a reason for everything.  He had been led to this…  Bliss after a thunderstorm…  Crosshair wanted nothing more than to be devoted to Odalin.  He had both an amazing family and a wonderful woman to share his life with…

As Crosshair made his way back to the sandy beach, he cast a look at Odalin behind him.  The waterline was at her thighs as she gracefully trudged out of the sea.  Her long brown hair was soaked, clinging to her shoulders.  The sun shone in such a way that she appeared more exquisite than any goddess imaginable.

Having caught his glance, Odalin gave him a shy wave and smile.  Not even realizing he had been staring, yet being caught no less, Crosshair’s eyes bulged out of their sockets.  As he shut his partially parted lips to hide the fact that he was studying every inch of her, he ungracefully tripped backwards, landing shebs first into the water.

Odalin’s sweet chortling as she rushed over as fast as she could while wading the water, was music to his ears.  He shut his eyes and chuckled as well.  Nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of Odalin leaping into his arms, pushing both of them slightly deeper into the water.  He flipped her over, causing her to shriek as they momentarily spun around, giggling with content.  He kissed her as fast and passionate as a diver launching off a diving board.  He went all in, and she reciprocated with pleasure.

Later that night ended in a way that was momentous and unique to both of them…

Pure ecstasy…

As Crosshair held Odalin in his arms as they laid with their bodies pressed against one another, he could barely believe that this was his life now.

They finally fell asleep, shortly after an extra passionate kiss…

~ ~ ~

The next morning started out like any other.  The bright sun shone through the window, peeking out from Odalin’s yellow curtains.  Moon-yos could be heard screeching from outside.

Crosshair opened his eyes to be greeted by Odalin who was still sleeping soundly, snuggled up against his side.  He sighed in bliss.  It really was hard to believe that this was his life.

Eventually, Odalin’s eyes fluttered open, revealing her expressive eyes.  “Hi,” she yawned.

Crosshair stared back at her with equally intense, yet sleepy eyes.  “Hi.”

After they disappointedly accepted that it was time to get out of bed, the two parted from the other’s embrace.  Crosshair instantly missed the contact.

Breakfast was made like it would have been any other day…

Crosshair stabbed his fork into his pabucake, watching the prongs easily pierce through the doughy texture.

“We can take a stroll by the dock,” Odalin suggested as she tidied up the dishes accumulated from making breakfast.  “The terrain will be pretty flat, so it should be easy enough for you to get around.”

Crosshair swallowed his bite and washed it down with a gulp of water.  “I should be fine.”

The island wasn’t too crowded when they made their way to the dock, but it definitely was far from deserted.  Early morning vendors were already up and about getting their stalls set up to sell fish and other items they caught or made.  

The smell of the ocean became more and more pronounced the closer they got to it, until eventually, it was only mere steps away.

Crosshair and Odalin kicked off their shoes, leaving them next to the wooden boardwalk.  While it was slightly uncomfortable at times to walk on the rocks, feeling the ground directly beneath their feet without any barrier allowed for a certain sense of connection with nature to take place.  The majority of the stones littering the floor were smooth, but the occasional jagged edge was always bound to sneak up with certain steps.

“Check this one out!  Bet you can’t find a crazier one than this,” Odalin laughed, holding up a lumpy rock.  “It looks like a Hutt!”  She involuntarily snorted, slapping her hand over her mouth in horror before laughing even more.

Crosshair bit back a cackle.  “Is this some sort of competition?”  Crosshair approached the water’s edge a bit more and scoured the rocks at his feet.

Odalin tucked the unsightly rock away in her crossbody bag.  “Anything could be made into a competition if you want it to be.”

Crosshair glanced up from his search, instead choosing to walk back towards Odalin.  “Honestly, I think you found the rock of the day.  I can’t beat that gem of a-”  Crosshair winced as a sharp rock sliced open the bottom of his foot.  “Kriffing kark!” he groaned as he saw the steady stream of blood leaking from his skin.

“Oh my stars!” Odalin gasped, speed walking over to Crosshair’s position.  “Are you alright?”

Crosshair crouched down and turned over his foot in order to get a better look at his injury.  “One would think I’m purposefully trying to get myself hurt these days,” he scoffed in annoyance.  Lifting his foot off the rock responsible, Crosshair’s brow furrowed.

Odalin picked up on his expression.  “What is it?”

“This rock looks different than the majority…”  And he had a point… The rock, now stained with a few droplets of his blood was- peculiar.  It definitely wasn’t a rock that was local to the planet Pabu.

Odalin crouched down next to him.  Before Crosshair could stop her from reaching for the rock, she spoke.  “Well, looks like this rock chose you, Crossyguy.”

As Odalin picked up the rock to look at its back, Crosshair huffed in amusement.  “I even painted it with my blood.”

Odalin was silent as she stared at the side of the rock that had been facing down.

“What?  You’re telling me now that you’re squeamish about bloody jokes?” Crosshair teased.

Breaking her focus from the rock, she stared at him.  Without another word, she held the rock out for him to examine for himself.

“I don’t want to touch it.  I know it’s my blood, but still, why would-”  Oh…

On the other side of the rock, with actual paint and not blood, was a beautifully painted design.  It was composed of intricate red flowers with green stems and perfect line work.  Omega and Tech’s work, no doubt… Just like the other stone Omega had found a while ago near where the wreckage of the Marauder was.

There were so many things Crosshair wished he could tell his genius of a brother.  So many joys of life, and events he’d missed out on…  Growing old with his family, life on Pabu, finding love…

A lone storm cloud passed over them, covering the sun in what felt like a foreboding way.  Crosshair and Odalin looked up at the same time at the dramatic shift of light being provided by the sun… or really, lack thereof.

“Is that a storm cloud?” Odalin questioned out loud.

“Potentially,” Crosshair mumbled, squinting at it.  He returned his focus down to the rock once again and hummed in curiosity…  The ethereal sun still radiantly beamed down solely on Tech and Omega’s former art project…  Strange.

Odalin easily stood up from where she was knelt next to Crosshair and held her hand out for him to grab.  After tucking the painted rock into his pocket, he took her hand, thankful for the assistance she provided in helping him back up on his feet.

When he spared a glance down to where the rock previously was, the cloud had already covered the surrounding area, shielding it in a gloomy shade.

It was probably a blessing in disguise that they had to cut the outing prematurely.  Crosshair was in moderately severe pain from overexerting himself.

Once the two returned to Odalin’s house, Crosshair laid out on the bed to rest his sore body.  Odalin laid next to him, reading an article on her datapad.

Shortly after they had gotten comfortable, a knock could be heard from the front door.  Judging by the strong thumps, Crosshair could already predict who it might be.

“It’s probably one or more of my brothers,” Crosshair sighed, slowly sitting up.  As he pushed himself into a seated position, his face contorted with discomfort.

Odalin splayed her hand against his chest and eased him back down.  “I’ll get it.”  She pressed a kiss to his forehead.  “You stay here.”

Just as Crosshair had predicted, it was some of his siblings.  Hunter and Echo to be precise.

Hunter and Echo shifted on their feet in an awkward manner.  Odalin knew there was something up right away, and it made her uneasy.

“Hey, boys,” Odalin hesitantly waved.  “Do you need anything?”

Hunter stepped forward slightly, coughing into his clenched fist before he spoke.  “We- we need to talk to Crosshair about something… It’s important.”

Odalin furrowed her brow.  “Of course, come on in.  He’s resting in the bedroom,” she ushered them inside, holding the door as the two entered.

Once directing them to the correct door to find their brother behind, Hunter nodded in appreciation and Echo gave her shoulder a pat.

Something was up and it was really making Odalin’s skin crawl.  Was everything alright?  It could be anything.

Meanwhile, Crosshair’s head lifted as his two brothers walked into the bedroom.  Hunter looked distressed and Echo had a somber expression.  Both carried themselves in such a way though, that there was a hint of… Hope?  Shock?  Relief?  Crosshair had no clue.

“Hey Cross,” Hunter sighed.

Crosshair hummed.  “What did I do to deserve such a spontaneous meeting?”  He started to swing his legs to the side of the bed, only to be stopped by Hunter.  Everyone knew Crosshair had been pushing himself too far lately.

“No need to get up,” Hunter scrubbed his face as he addressed his little brother.

The sniper raised a suspicious brow.  “What’s this about?”

Hunter and Echo both looked on edge… A demeanor Crosshair hadn’t seen them be in since Omega’s rescue from Tantiss.  It sent an alarmed chill down his back in response.

“Crosshair,” Hunter said, rather urgently.  “We recently received intel that…” the usually stoic sergeant choked on the last word, causing him to look at Echo for support.  The ARC trooper placed a comforting hand on Hunter’s shoulder.

Crosshair’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper as the seconds dragged on.  Something was amiss and he hated being out of the loop.

Echo pulled a datapad out of his pocket, passing it over to Hunter.  Hunter hesitantly accepted it.  Seeing Hunter so unsure was an unsettling sight to behold.  The sergeant typed a few things out on the device, evidently pulling something up.  Before handing the datapad to Crosshair, the sniper couldn’t help but notice both his brothers appear to brace themselves.

Crosshair skimmed the contents of the datapad, his breathing picking up with every word he read.  “That’s impossible!” Crosshair shouted in disbelief, shoving the datapad back into his brother’s hands.  “He’s dead, Hunter!”

Huge big mega shoutout to @kallielef for drawing these wonderful pieces of Crosshair and Odalin (+Pitee).  I’ve never received "fan art" for anything I’ve written before (and never expected I ever would), so this made me so incredibly excited/happy.  It’s so surreal looking at the two of them together in a visual format… by such a talented artist on top of it! 

Seriously!... Go check out @kallielef on Instagram, Tumblr, etc.!

Chapter Text

Odalin stirred a bit of sugar into her steaming cup of meiloorun tea.  She had pulled out Pitee to tinker with, as a part of her still hoped for a magical solution to fix him.

While she knew on one hand that whatever Crosshair’s brothers were going to tell him was bound to be important, she was not ready to hear the usually quiet sniper shout.

“That’s impossible!”

Odalin immediately went into an alert state.  She tried to decipher what would elicit such a response.

Then the next part of his outburst was spoken and everything Odalin could have predicted this was about, was thrown out the window into the Pabu sea.

“He’s dead, Hunter!”

Odalin’s head shot up towards the closed door that separated her from the intense discussion that was being housed in the bedroom.  Furrowing her brow, Odalin tried to wrack her brain on what that statement could possibly mean…  Could possibly logically mean…

Within the four walls of Odalin’s bedroom, Crosshair was also wracking his brain.  But, instead of like Odalin who was wondering what he had meant by his words, Crosshair was trying to figure out how it was possible… How what the datapad read was real.

After having thrown the datapad into his brother’s arms, Crosshair stared at his lap.  His mind was moving all too fast, while at the same time, was frozen still at what the findings could mean.

“I know this is all a lot to digest,” Hunter agreed.

Crosshair glared up at him, shaking his head with understandable skepticism.  “Tech died, Hunter.  This isn’t possible.  He fell from a height that was impossible to survive from.”

“If anyone could have survived the unsurvivable, it would be Tech,” Echo pointed out, crossing his arms.

Crosshair shook his head, still not comprehending the words and intel being provided.  “How long have you all already know about this?” he stuttered out.

Hunter shook his head to dismiss Crosshair’s concern.  “Rex and Echo recently found out.  Both just touched down back on Pabu early this morning.  The rest of us just found out a little under an hour ago back at the house… Trust me, it’s brand-new information for us too.”  Hunter’s voice was hesitant.  It was as if he could hardly believe what he was saying.  Shock was still infused in his and Echo’s body language, tone of voice, and reactions.

“We know things have been tough lately, and with you recovering, we wanted to have a sort of gameplan before discussing it with you,” Echo spoke slowly.

“Gameplan?” Crosshair scoffed.  “What gameplan?!”

Hunter steadily sauntered over to Odalin’s bed that Crosshair was occupying.  He slowly sat down on the edge of it, earning himself a glare from Crosshair.

“According to Echo and Rex’s intel, Tech is… He’s still being held prisoner.”

“Prisoner from what?” Crosshair shook his head in disbelief.  His heart started racing.  Alarm slammed throughout his chest and inched its way towards occupying every morsal of his body.  “An ally of Hemlock?!”

Echo stepped a bit closer.  “Not necessarily.  From what we gathered, after his fall on Eriadu… Tech was in fact taken to the same Tantiss base that you and Omega were confined in.  Even in hindsight, we had no way of predicting that of course…”

Crosshair’s heart nearly stopped.  Tech had been there the whole time?!  But-

Echo continued.  “It appears that weeks after the destruction of the base on Tantiss, the ruins of the facility were raided.”  Echo paused.  “It seems as though Tech was found by a local gang of thugs from the planet Wayland and taken for whatever reason.  We’re assuming it was because he was alive, and they hoped that they could perhaps gather information of some sort out of him.  The hidden location Hemlock must’ve kept Tech in was evidently secure enough that he survived the Zillo Beast as well as everything else.”

“How do you know all this?” Crosshair questioned suspiciously.  It still made no sense in his eyes.  Tech was dead.  He and the others had mourned him.  Cried over his death.

“The group that kidnapped Tech missed a major oversight…” Echo revealed.  “They somehow gave Tech an opportunity to get his hands on a comm device.  Tech was the one who sent us an encrypted message using his specific comm channel.  They unintentionally gave Tech the upper hand…  A chance to call for help that he didn’t have the resources to do in the destroyed Tantiss base-  All power and ways of communicating must have been down there… Even he couldn’t seem to remedy that.”

“They weren’t as smart as our Tech,” Hunter shook his head, giving a fond smile still mixed with shock over the current situation.  The fact that he was speaking about Tech in the context of him still being alive was baffling.

“So, he waited until he could contact us before finding a way to escape?  Why didn’t Tech just leave the base himself?” Crosshair pushed.  “That doesn’t make sense!  Tech would’ve known not stay put in that hellscape!”  Whether it was his doubtfulness of the whole situation that caused him to question everything or if it was his deeply rooted, but hidden, excitement that was steadily growing, Crosshair wasn’t certain.

“That’s the part that we don’t quite understand as well, but we can analyze his course of actions later.”  Hunter swallowed down his rising emotions that threatened to bubble to the surface.  “Right now, our mission objective is to bring him home.”

Crosshair strained himself as he started to urgently sit up in the bed.  “If there’s any chance Tech is out there, we can’t keep him waiting.  He’s our brother for kriff sake.”  Crosshair hissed in pain as a muscle cramped in his back.

Hunter and Echo shot each other a remorseful glance, making Crosshair assume that this was where the so called ‘gameplan’ came into play.  Ultimately, it was Hunter who knew he had to break the tough news to his still recovering little brother.

“Cross…” Hunter started, shifting uncomfortably from where he still sat on the bed, “You best stay here…”

Before this very moment, Hunter had never seen his brother give him such a devastated, pained, and hurt face.

“You can’t keep me from going with you!  I need to see this through!  I’m responsible for all this!” Crosshair shouted.  He had no doubt now that Odalin could hear him.

Hunter shook his head at his brother’s last statement.  “You’re still too unwell.  You recently woke up from a month-long coma and even longer overall stay in the hospital!”

“The doctor said I’ll be ready to return to normal activities soon!”  Crosshair futilely kicked Hunter with his leg from under the blanket.

Hunter took that as his cue to stand up.  “He said you’ll be free to go back to normal activities, normal not including our type of normal.  It was highlighted that you still have to take it easy.  Extracting Tech will be nowhere near taking it easy.”  Hunter paused.  “If it makes you feel any better, Omega won’t be going either.”

“Feel any better?!” Crosshair scoffed, stumbling over his words.  “Omega is still a child!  The fact that she has as much experience in dangerous situations as she does is ludicrous!”

“It’s final, Cross,” Hunter sternly spoke, shaking his head in a definite manner.  “I cannot in good conscience permit you to go.”  He sighed.  “I’m sorry, Crosshair.  I really am, but I can’t let you put yourself in physical danger right now.  It’s too big a risk.”

In the kitchen, Odalin grasped onto her cup of tea.  The half that was left had long gone cold. 

It had been approximately 30 minutes since Hunter and Echo had left her house… Probably close to 32 minutes since they had left her room, shutting behind the door and leaving Crosshair to his own devices.  They had stayed a couple extra minutes to brief her on what had happened, leaving Odalin in stunned shock.  They told her that Crosshair could fill her in on the details, they just thought she should be somewhat prepared.  The two brothers also told her to give him some space for a moment while he processed everything.

Odalin was still shaken from the news.  It was a wonderful, worrisome, and an unbelievable turn of events that she never could have seen coming.  Her heart ached for all the emotions she already could sense Crosshair would be experiencing in this moment.

Although Odalin was tempted to burst through the door and give the sniper a hug, she knew he needed his space to process everything.

So, she waited.

It was only when a sudden and uncharacteristic sob tore out of Crosshair’s throat and through the door, that her daydreaming ceased to carry on.

Before Odalin could direct her legs to stop, she was already standing in front of the door.  Her only target was to get to Crosshair.  She wasn’t expecting herself to be in such a situation like this again, especially so soon after the fresher incident, but here she was…  A door being the lone barrier to her desired target.

“Crosshair?” she spoke up a bit, shoulder pressed flush against the door.  “Can I come in?”

Without her even having to open the door herself, much to her shock, it opened.

When she entered the room, now puzzled, it dawned on her that Crosshair had thrown his own shoe with so much precision towards the door handle, that it opened.  Picking up his shoe, she set it aside in a neater manner.  As she slowly approached the bed, she could feel the heavy emotion oozing from Crosshair.

Odalin went in for a hug as she slid into the bed next to him.  She held him as he wailed, the sound being unfamiliar coming from his lips.  His face contorted as he ugly cried into Odalin’s chest. 

Nothing made sense to him at the moment…  The news of Tech.  The fact that he was sobbing like a tubie or a cadet.

“I’m karking useless,” Crosshair silently sobbed.  “After everything that’s happened, I can’t even be one of the people to rescue him?  If it wasn’t for me in the first place, Tech and the others never would have even been on Eriadu.  I need to do something!”

“You’re absolutely not useless,” Odalin corrected him.  “It’s not as though you’re actively refusing to go out and help.  You’re recovering from the aftereffects of having had a chip implanted into your brain against your will.  That’s not your fault!”

Crosshair felt even more pathetic as he sniffled into Odalin’s shoulder.

“It looks like Tech is alive though,” Odalin whispered, soothingly rubbing his back.  “That is something.”

“I- I can’t get my hopes up,” Crosshair choked out between his quiet cries.  “I can’t make myself believe that he’s back, only to lose him again.”

Odalin hummed sympathetically, wrapping her arms around him a bit tighter.

~ ~ ~

Planning for Tech’s rescue was meticulously thought out, but succinct in its creation.  Keeping Tech waiting any longer was unacceptable to them all.  The Batch (including Crosshair) and Rex formulated a precise plan that should go as smoothly as a lightsaber slicing into a B1-series battle droid.  They knew they had to account for unexpected variables.  Not only did they barely know anything about who they were going up against, but Tech’s physical and mental condition was uncertain too.

Omega was given the option to stay with Odalin and Crosshair or to stay with Lyana.  She ultimately chose her friend, begging that Batcher go with her too.  Crosshair internally cringed since his perceptive little big sister didn’t make it subtle that her reasoning behind this choice was largely in part to let Odalin and himself have ‘their space to be alone together’…

Before Omega left for what was probably going to be a multi-night sleepover, Crosshair had to do something first.

Crosshair peered through the door to his sister’s room that had been left ajar.  She was humming as she stuffed a few clothes and toiletries into her small bag.  Shep and Lyana lived close… If she needed to run back to get a forgotten item, it was no big deal.

“Omega…” Crosshair softly called out, announcing his presence in the process.

Omega’s head immediately glanced up at the sound of her name.  “Yeah?”

Crosshair slowly entered the small room, being careful where he was stepping so as not to trip on the kaleidoscope that had been randomly placed on the floor.  He didn’t want to slice open his other foot.  One of his hands held tightly onto the rock that he had found.  “I cut my foot on this when I was by the dock with Odalin.”  He had the bandage wrapped around his current injury to prove it.

With no more explanation, since he knew words were insignificant when displaying an item as valuable as this, he held it out.

Omega, who had been about to curiously take the rock, paused as she crinkled her face with disgust.  “There’s blood on it, Crosshair!  Why are you giving me a rock with your foot blood on it!?”

Rapidly, doing a double take, Crosshair looked down at the rock in his hand.  Kriff, he had forgotten to turn it over to the side with the painting!  He’d tried to get the blood off, but it still had left a mark.  Quickly correcting his mistake, he flipped it over.

The expression that crossed little Omega’s face was enough to make him emotional.

Without a care in the galaxy about the blood, Omega gingerly accepted the rock as though it was as sought after as ipsium. 

Omega cradled it between her two hands and looked up at him with teary eyes.

Crosshair spread his arms open just in time for her to spring into his embrace.

~ ~ ~

“Hate to be a buzzkill, but you really should get some physical therapy in,” Odalin mentioned.

Crosshair sighed.  She was right.  He had been rather slacking on keeping up with that.  Especially since the news of Tech…  He couldn’t blame himself for that really.  Everything happening right now was bizarre.

“I was thinking this time though, we could make it a bit more fun.”

Crosshair blinked in a stupefied manner.  “Fun?  Physical therapy?”  He spoke the words aloud, hoping they would make more sense if he sounded out each individual letter.

“We could incorporate something you like into it!” she grinned as she curled up next to him on the couch.  “I was picturing you practicing shooting with your rifle again.”

Crosshair felt his heart start to race, and he looked down at his stump of a hand.  “I- I don’t know if that’s a wise idea.”

“Not a wise idea?  What?  The galaxy’s best sniper picking up his trusty rifle again?” she raised a brow.

He sighed.  “It’s just… I don’t know.”  The marksman licked his lips as he pondered his next words.  Finally, he met Odalin’s eyes.  “I’m not the man I used to be.  I’m even more defective now than I was from the moment I was created.”

Odalin deeply hummed in a disapproving manner.  “The word defective is so… harsh.”

“It’s the truth,” Crosshair shrugged in a motion that emphasized he had somehow accepted his fate in a way.  “We’re not standard clones.  We’re enhanced clones.  Enhanced is a synonym of defective.”

“Different isn’t a bad thing…. Defective has a negative connotation.”

Crosshair gazed down at the woman snuggled up against his side.  “Sweetheart, on a planet like Kamino, different is equivalent to having a target plastered straight on your back.”

Odalin was quiet for a second before intensifying her stare into Crosshair’s eyes.  “Good thing we’re not on Kamino then,” she whispered.

After a few more beats of uninterrupted studying of the other’s face, the two simultaneously sunk their lips together.

The particular cove that Crosshair preferred over the others was a bit of a journey to get to.  First, the two traversed through winding paths as they headed closer to the sea.  More than once, the two were stopped and greeted by other inhabitants of the island.  Then they got to the rocks, some of which they had to hop across depending on how spaced out they were.  Eventually, after a scenic journey, they arrived at their intended destination.  Looming cliff faces surrounding them on multiple sides, providing a semblance of privacy (especially since Hunter and Wrecker weren’t there to spy on him from up above).

Just like Crosshair had previously done, he told AZI to hover a distance away as the droid held up fruit for him to shoot.  The fruit was provided by Astri this time though, who had left tons at the Batch’s house during the party.  Crosshair had been carrying the fruit in a light backpack.  Prior to arriving, Crosshair had told AZI to meet the two of them there.  As usual, the droid was promptly on time.

Crosshair readied his rifle, assembling various bits and pieces in a dance that had become second nature to him… as simple as tying his own boots.

Without his dominant hand, the task was a bit more cumbersome, but he managed, nonetheless.

Fully prepared to have to shoot with his left hand, balancing the rest of his rifle with his stump and leaning it against the rock, Crosshair began propping the weapon on top of the boulder.  He had done this before obviously, shooting with his left hand, when he and Hunter had narrowly been able to save Omega from the clutches of Hemlock on the stormy bridge on Tantiss.

“Wait,” Odalin suddenly announced, pausing the skilled sniper from his craft.

“Yes?”

Odalin rubbed the back of her neck.  “I- I actually have a bit of a surprise for you.”  She slipped her bag off her shoulder.  With an excess amount of care, she revealed the prosthetic hand she’d been working on for weeks.  The prosthetic had obviously been put on the back burner for quite some time, seeing had Crosshair’s health had taken precedence.

Crosshair set down his rifle, raising a brow.  “You finished it?”  Of course, he had known she’d been working on this for him for quite some time...  He just wasn’t expecting to be as excited as he was about the finished project. 

Odalin nodded.  “It’s about as ready as I could make it.  Here,” Odalin motioned for him to give her his wrist, “try it on.”

Crosshair let Odalin slide it onto his wrist.  The mechanics of the hand fit like a glove when connected to the site where he had previously had the procedure on his wrist done.

“Can you move your new fingers?” she asked, eager for this to work.

Crosshair concentrated.  Both him and Odalin watched in anticipation as the prosthetic fingers twitched to life.  The sniper then rotated his wrist.  He was successfully moving his new hand!  Odalin beamed.  Crosshair marveled at the piece of technology that she had provided him.

“I was worried the bag I was holding would give away the surprise, you know?  That you’d be suspicious or something.”

He had honestly thought that the bag she was carrying had just been filled with snacks or something.  “I had no clue,” Crosshair whispered, slowing turning his wrist to inspect the new hand.  He studied everything… the palm of his hand, down to each individual finger.

“Thank you, Oddy,” Crosshair said, looking her in the eye.

“My pleasure,” she smiled.  “It will still require some tweaks here and there.  Also, it’ll take some time to adjust to the feeling perhaps… But it should still be workable.”

Getting used to an unfamiliar device that was now meant to be his hand, took some getting used to at first… And what better way for a legendary sniper to get acclimated to his new shooting hand than to practice taking shots with his trusted Firepuncher rifle?

The sniper peered at the crosshair as he lined up his shot... The symbol being his own namesake...  So integral to his very being.

After missing the first few shots that in his past life would have been effortless, Crosshair heard Odalin cheer from behind him. 

“You did it!”  Odalin watched… proud of him in more ways than one.

Taking his eye away from the scope, Crosshair slowly set the rifle down.  She was right.  He had hit the fruit perfectly.  A dead center shot, much to his own surprise.

Odalin’s arms engulfed him like a wave.  “I’m so proud of you!” she grinned; her words muffled from having her mouth pressed against the crook of his neck.

“I am impressed!” AZI commented after the two humans seemingly forgot he was hovering not too far away.  “You have finally hit your target with your expected precision.”

Crosshair nodded to the droid while still hugging Odalin.

Odalin lifted her head up.  “What’s on your mind?”

Crosshair huffed.  “The real question is what’s not on my mind.”

Odalin settled down on a low, flat rock.  “Fair point.”

After a moment, Crosshair propped his rifle down against a rock.  “Up until the unexpected news, I was under the impression that everything was my fault…  Not that I still don’t believe that I’m to blame for things… I still believe that.”  Crosshair exhaled as more confessions sprang to mind.  “I had sent out a warning message to my siblings that they were being targeted… Plan 88, or The Seeker, as we call it.”  He rubbed his eyes.  “I had done it to protect them… To keep them as safe as possible under the threatening circumstances.  I always knew that I would be caught again… that my brief escape from my cell was only temporary.  But I had also expected that my message would help them… Not that it would result in the very opposite of what ended up happening…”  He shook his head as he continued to ramble.  “I went to sleep, locked up back in my cell, hoping that my own little sacrifice would ensure their safety.  After Omega showed up and then told me of Tech and his sacrifice… I couldn’t help but berate myself and wonder if everything would’ve been better off if I had just kept my mouth shut.  They had done fine without me before, then when I try to intervene and help, I kark everything up!  Tech was given no other choice in his mind but to sacrifice his life to save the rest of the squad, while my message caused nothing more than a rescue party mission where the very opposite of everything I had wanted, would happen…”

Odalin nodded once Crosshair seemed to have concluded his thoughts.  She knew that he needed this cathartic release and that staying quiet while listening was the best thing she could do in the moment.

“Now, he’s meant to come back…” Crosshair bitterly laughed.  “If he’s still alive even…” He shook his head in disbelief and tearfully looked at Odalin.  “He had been alive after the fall and we’re only now finding out he’s still out there?!  What if it’s too late and we missed our opportunity to get him back?  What if he’s hurt?  What if he’d been waiting day in and day out for us to find him, and we just never showed up?!?!”  Crosshair choked on a sob.  “And now, I can’t even go to help get him back!”

Odalin wrapped her arms around him.  Her own heart broke over everything that was going on, and she knew she could barely begin to scratch the surface of what Crosshair was experiencing.

Crosshair huffed out a laugh of disbelief.  “I’m so unbelievably happy… But at the same time, I’m nervous about everything that might suddenly arise.”  He swallowed.  “I’m just kriffing scared…”

Odalin rubbed his back affectionately.  “It’s only natural to feel that way.”

How was he supposed to pass the time, when time was the thing separating reuniting with his brother, who up until recently was thought to be dead…?

Later that night, as Crosshair and Odalin slept, right before the sun rose, the rest of the Batch returned. 

The ship made contact with Pabu soil, forever changing the trajectory of their lives once again.

Chapter Text

Crosshair woke up like he would have any other rotation on Pabu.  The moon-yos shrieked from outside the window, the sun poured in through the blinds…  He was now even blissfully getting used to waking up next to Odalin…

But today was nothing like a normal day.

Today, the unimaginable was dawning.

This morning, Crosshair was awoken by the comm message that he knew would undoubtably change everything.

“We got him, Crosshair,” Hunter’s voice came through muffled on the comm device.  “We got him.”

Crosshair tucked his comm away in the bedside table and stared at the ceiling in disbelief for a couple of minutes.  He then proceeded to sit up in bed.  His restless mind was racing a trillion thoughts a second.  So, this was it…

Such a major, life altering revelation was not easy to digest.  Frankly, Crosshair barely had time to process the implications of what “Tech’s rescue” even meant.  It was ironic though, because ever since he’d heard of the groundbreaking possibility of Tech maybe being out there, all he could do was think about it.  Even in his dreams, ever since escaping Tantiss, somehow saving Tech from his presumed fate was the unrealistic goal…  But every element of his brain had seemed to refuse to truly get its hopes up… He- he just couldn’t bear to think of the possibility of losing Tech yet again. 

The galaxy as he and everyone around him had come to know, had shifted yet again.

Odalin had woken up shortly after hearing the shuffling of the bed sheets.  She too had been going to sleep each night anxious in an anticipatory way, awaiting any potential news.  

The lack of contact that they had with the brothers that went on the trip was more extreme than Crosshair had anticipated.  It was practically non-existent.  Crosshair hated going into anything blind.

As the two of them got dressed, Odalin kickstarted a conversation with the suspiciously silent sniper.

“They landed recently I presume?” Odalin questioned on her own accord as she cinched her pants around her waist and tied the excess fabric so that it flawlessly fit her.

Crosshair kept his head in place, only moving his brown eyes to look at her.  Her ability to read him was uncanny… in the best of ways, of course.  He nodded, pulling his top over his bare torso.  “They arrived shortly before we woke up.”  He blew out through his nose as he buttoned his thin shirt.

“Is Omega aware yet?”

Crosshair nodded.  “Apparently, Hunter was on his way back from picking her up from Shep and Lyana’s when he commed me.”

“I’m assuming Tech is in the hospital… Hunter took her there to see him then?”

Crosshair nodded numbly over the entire situation as Odalin once again hit the nail straight on the head.  This all felt dream-like.  He knew it wasn’t, but it still felt too good to be true.  When the kriff did things ever work out for him and his siblings?

Instead of eating anything elaborate, each of them snatched a fruit of their choosing from the ceramic bowl on the kitchen counter.  Omega had been the one to make and then paint the bowl during an art unit at her school.

Before Crosshair could even think about taking a bite out of the shuura fruit in his hand, Odalin was already locking the front door behind them.  The inevitability of their destination was creeping closer and closer as the heavy seconds whisked past like tumbleweeds on Tatooine.

Each step drew him nearer and nearer to the hospital building.  Mind blank from overthinking, yet excessively running due to the nature of the situation, Crosshair tilted his neck back to gaze at the sky.  Strangely, there were no clouds to be seen… only a vast blue blanketing the heavens above.

Soon enough, Crosshair and Odalin made it to the front of the medical center.  It felt like only yesterday that Crosshair had been the one confined behind those very walls of healing.

Just before Crosshair could push through the double doors, Odalin grabbed his right hand, wrapping her own fingers around his prosthetic ones.  Crosshair turned to give her his undivided attention, furrowing his brow in confusion.

This prompted Odalin to speak.  “You go in first.  I’ll stay outside a bit.”

“But-”

“I don’t want to intrude on this private moment, Crosshair.”

Crosshair sighed.  “I suppose…”  He understood where she was coming from.  This was a moment that he really needed to have on his own… with- with Tech and the rest of his siblings.  Just because it was the right thing to do, didn’t mean that he liked the idea of parting with the soothing presence which was Odalin.

She squeezed his hand, the prosthetic allowing him to obtain some semblance of feeling through her tender touch.  “Comm me if any of you need anything… I’ll be close by at the market.”

Upon going inside, Hunter was already awaiting his brother’s arrival.  According to one of the comm messages the sniper had received earlier, Wrecker was apparently at home dealing with an overexerted calf muscle but was doing just fine otherwise.  Echo was somewhere in the building, presumably getting something from the food court.  Omega was supposed to be around as well.  With uncharacteristic hesitance in his steps, Crosshair approached the sergeant.

“He’s here?” Crosshair reiterated despite already knowing the answer.

Hunter nodded, relief prominent on his face.  “He’s here.”

Crosshair knew that his brain would only truly believe it when he saw it.

He had to face this new and sudden reality of Tech being back…  No matter how daunting it may be, the encounter was inevitable.

“Is he alright?  You weren’t exactly answering my comm messages, and when you did, your responses were less than informative.”

Hunter slowly gave a tense nod.  “Apologies.  We were a bit overwhelmed…” he gulped.  The sergeant then started to lead an anxious Crosshair through the halls of the hospital to get to Tech’s room.

“If you would have let me go with you, I could have helped provide cover fire, or… or something!”

“You’re still in a weakened state, Crosshair.  What if you had collapsed suddenly?”

Crosshair rolled his eyes as the two began walking up the stairs to the second floor.  He knew his brother had a point, but it still didn’t make him feel any better.  “I don’t know.  Worst case scenario, Wrecker would just flop me over his shoulder or something.”  Crosshair pictured Hunter, Wrecker, and Echo ensuring Tech escaped the premises safely.  Perhaps they had surrounded him as they all ran for cover together…  Like the old days.

Hunter swallowed nervously, finally stopping in front of a specific door that must have been Tech’s.  Of course, Crosshair observed and could pick up on every emotion his older brother leaked through his tough exterior.  Hunter slowly shook his head.

“Crosshair,” Hunter slowly started, “Wrecker already had his hands full...”

Crosshair’s brow furrowed.  “With what?  A bag of explosives that he used to explode the base Tech was held captive at?”

Hunter shook his head again, visibly concealing something from Crosshair.  Crosshair hated being out of the loop.

“Hunter!”

“Look,” Hunter said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture.  “When you go in there, just remember that we got Tech back and that he’s alright.”

“You already said he was,” Crosshair mumbled, starting to push past Hunter to enter the room Tech was in.  Hunter caught him with a hand on his shoulder.

“He’ll be okay.”

Crosshair blinked.  Why Hunter was acting like this, was beyond him.

The sniper had all his attention drawn to the closed door.  It was quite literally the only barrier separating himself from the brother he thought he’d lost months and months ago.  The same brother he’d wept for, grieved, and did his kriffing best to come to terms with the fact that he’d never see him again… The fact he’d never have closure with him-  To say sorry and that he loved him…  But as it was, right now… only a door stood in his way.

Steeling himself for whatever he would find behind the closed door, Crosshair placed his new prosthetic hand on the doorknob.  With closed eyes, he let his lungs fill with air.  Crosshair exhaled purposefully, allowing for a rush of memories to hit him.  He was going to see Tech again.  The brother who would list off random fun facts as an eager to learn cadet.  The brother that rambled on and on about topics that sparked unbridled joy within him, filling the Marauder with his voice.  The brother he chatted with for hours.  The brother who understood and took Crosshair’s silence not as disinterest, but as perceptiveness- his own way of caring for those closest to him and observing the world around him.

…The brother he wrote a sorrowful letter to while he grieved with a heart heavier than the Marauder itself.  The brother he thought he’d lost forever…

With a simple turn of the knob and a gentle push of the door, Crosshair entered.

Miraculously laying on the bed, like a figment of his imagination, was Tech.  He looked so peaceful as he napped, despite having gone through anything but.  Omega was in his arms, cuddled up next to him, tear tracks still present on her face like stains.  She slept with a sense of relief and true thankfulness that Crosshair hadn’t seen in her since the last time Tech was around.  Tech had played such a monumental role in her childhood.  It was no wonder that she’d be emotional over the brother she thought she’d lost coming back.

Hanging on the wall behind them was a large handmade sign with the words ‘Welcome Home Tech!’ written in Aurebesh.  Around the message were little doodles evidently made by Omega as well.  Underneath it was a colored in drawing, also from Omega, of her and all her closest brothers.

Tech was obviously wearing no goggles… his primary pair being shattered, and his spare ones having been in the Marauder when the ship exploded.  This only highlighted his facial injuries.  The rest of his body too was marred with wounds…

But he was there… The subtle rise and fall of his chest giving proof of life.

Time stood still as Crosshair stared at his sleeping brother.  He felt like he was about to faint.  Before he could though, Hunter braced his hand supportively on Crosshair’s bicep, stabilizing him.

“Got you,” Hunter mumbled. 

Kriff, Crosshair hadn’t even realized Hunter was behind him.  Looking at Hunter was interesting.  His neutral face juxtaposed Crosshair’s stunned one in the most dramatic manner.  The sniper wondered just how forced the sergeant’s expression was.  The long-haired clone was a master at remaining stoic when the situation called for it.

Everything was quiet… So tranquil.  It felt like a dream.  Was this a dream?!  He knew it wasn’t, but kriff did it feel like one.

Tech was right there.  He was back home in one piece…

“And we’re sure it’s him?” Crosshair wondered out loud.  He needed the verbal confirmation just as much as he required air to breath.

Hunter gave him a bewildered look that quickly morphed to sympathy.  “We may be clones, but there’s only one of us out there that shares the face of this one,” he responded, nodding towards Tech.

There were multiple scars littering Tech’s body, but for the most part, he looked the same… extraordinarily, relatively unscathed looking.

“I’ll be in the hall,” Hunter said, patting Crosshair’s back.  “Take your time.”

Crosshair didn’t want to wake his sleeping brother up.  The man had obviously been through quite the ordeal.  But, at the same time, Crosshair wanted nothing more than to run into his brother’s arms.  He felt the need to hold him, to feel him in his embrace to prove that this was real.

Observing the monitors and wires that all led back to various places on Tech’s frail body, Crosshair stumbled on uneasy legs to the seat that’d been pulled up to Tech’s bed.  This time, his own recovery wasn’t the only cause to his unsteadiness.

Bouncing back from such a profound loss was one challenge.  Witnessing that loss come back to you like an answered prayer was another ballpark…  Another mental maze to navigate.

In rhythm with his jittery headspace, Crosshair’s leg bounced up and down.  He couldn’t take his eyes off Tech’s tranquil face.  Despite being sound asleep, the poor man looked like he’d been through the wringer though.  His normally clean-shaven face was scattered with stubble.  The engineer’s right eye was swollen, presumably swollen shut if he would attempt to open it.  His nose looked as though it had been painfully broken on more than on occasion and had been improperly set… probably in a haste by the goggled clone himself.  Crosshair hated how his mind went directly to that image, but he knew it was likely what had occurred.  On top of that, his cheeks and forehead were filled with cuts all in different stages of healing.  Bruises bloomed in all shades of color over any visible skin on his malnourished body.

Crosshair felt like he was going to be sick.  What had they done to his brother?  If only he could have gotten his hands on them…  He would have made them pay!  He would have had them wishing that they’d never been born as they pleaded desperately for their meaningless and pathetic lives.  How dare they bring harm to Tech…  The sniper’s jaw clenched in anger at the thought.

On the other end of the room was a wheelchair… the same model of wheelchair that Tech and Odalin designed… sleek in appearance and having undoubtably high functionality.

After some time to process, Crosshair existed the room in a daze to find Hunter and Echo quietly chatting amongst themselves.

“He’s still sleeping, isn’t he?” Hunter wanted to confirm.

Crosshair slowly nodded, body and brain still in complete shock.  “Yes,” he mumbled.  “And Omega’s right next to him.” 

Hunter smiled at that.  His smile was mixed with another emotion that Crosshair couldn’t quite pinpoint… Like he was hiding something still.

Instead, of remaining standing with his brothers, Crosshair nearly collapsed into the chair next to them.  He wasn’t sure if it was because of his weakened state or the purely, miraculous twist that had just occurred in all their lives.

“Crosshair,” Hunter started, “you need to know something…”  The sergeant sank into the seat next to Crosshair, his movement heavy and his posture somewhat rigid with an anxiety of sorts.  Crosshair, with his superior eyesight could make out a thin layer of tears coating his eyes.

“What?” Dread was already creeping its way into his body.  He didn’t even know why.

“It’s about Tech…”

Crosshair rolled his eyes as he tried to mask up his rising panic.  “I figured that much.”

As Hunter gained the guts to speak, Echo seemed to shrink in his own skin behind the sergeant as a solemn front washed over him.

“Tech… Tech is paralyzed from the chest down,” Hunter said quietly, not able to maintain eye contact for the final couple words.

There was a pause.  A moment for the information to settle into Crosshair’s head.  The implications of it… The trauma, hurt, and devastation that came along with it.  But Crosshair could never process data like Tech… This new reality didn’t sink in right away.

The first question that escaped Crosshair’s lips was to the point.  “Does Omega know?” he asked, still stunned by this unforeseen news.  He knew all his brothers knew already, but Omega?

Echo nodded.  “She found out not too long before you,” he confirmed.

Crosshair took a shaky breath in before peering back up at Hunter and Echo.  “How did she take the news?”

Hunter and Echo gave each other a look.

“About as well as she could have,” Echo spoke up first.

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose.  He wasn’t surprised that his so called ‘unyielding’ brother seemed to be excluding something vital to the equation here… Himself.  “Crosshair…  How are YOU taking all of this?”

Crosshair’s lip twitched.  “How do you think I’m taking it?!” he snapped, bolting up into a standing position as swiftly as his weak legs would allow him to.

His instincts drove him to flee to the hospital gardens.  Hunter and Echo’s calls followed him until he could hear them no more.

The garden was peaceful as it always was.  Flowers were blooming on some exotic looking plants.  The birds chirped gracefully, unaware of the inner turmoil inside the man visiting the garden sanctuary.

After lowering himself onto the bench, he quietly cried into his hands.

This was all his kriffing fault.  Tech was beaten and abused all because he stepped in.  What he perceived to be helping his brothers out, turned itself upside-down.  Everything he touched seemed to wither away like a deteriorating flower.  What he had a part in only ever seemed to lead to calamities.

What if he had done something differently?  What if an alternative path of some sort was taken?  What if he never involved himself and willingly allowed himself to be forgotten by his family?  How much better off they all could have been…

“Crosshair!” Omega’s near but distant voice called out from up above.

Crosshair whipped his head towards his sister’s suddenly appearing voice.  He was stunned to realize that Omega was sticking her head out of a nearby window on the second floor…  Tech was given a room overlooking the garden it would seem.

“Hunter said you were just here!  Come back up,” she called, waving her hand in a welcoming motion, “Tech’s asking for you!”

Tech was awake now…  Crosshair gulped.  That meant that Tech definitely knew of Crosshair’s own return.  What would he think of him?  Would he even want to see him?  Well, Omega insinuated that he did, but was she just fabricating things to make him feel better?

The wind softly howled for a moment.

Crosshair might not have the enhanced hearing of his sergeant brother, but even he could hear the second voice making its presence known and heard from within the room...

Faintly, coming from the welcoming window, the sniper could hear Tech’s unmistakable voice calling Crosshair’s name from the bed…  Tech’s voice…

Crosshair did his best to maintain a neutral face as he looked back at his sister in the window.  After giving her a nearly expressionless nod that she correctly perceived as an, “I’m on my way”, she disappeared back in the room.  Crosshair could just make out Omega’s next four words before they trailed off into the distance… “He’s coming back, Tech-”… Only then did Crosshair’s mask of neutrality shatter into a million pieces.  He scrubbed his eyes with his hand to compose himself before heading back inside the building.  His eyes and the bridge of his nose throbbed at the aggressive contact.

Just like he had earlier in the day, Crosshair reached the outside of Tech’s room.  There were three main differences though.

First, Hunter and Echo were nowhere to be found.  Crosshair had every reason to assume that they were somewhere in the facility, lurking about.

Second, Omega was standing outside the closed door to Tech’s room.  It very much gave off the appearance that she was keeping guard of her brother’s temporary quarters.

And lastly, the third difference.  Perhaps this was the most major of them all… No- It was most definitely the most significant.  Before entering this time, Crosshair already knew for sure that Tech was unquestionably awake and awaiting his visit.

The time for the reunion was now…

This was it.

Crosshair craned his neck upwards so that he was gazing at the ceiling.  Besides some chipped off paint that was to be expected with age and potential water leaks, it was a smooth surface…

Kriff, he was a master of distracting himself when he ought to be doing something else…

Crosshair swiped his hand over his short hair.

“You look good,” Omega encouraged him, grabbing his elbow and giving it a little shake.

Crosshair gave her a confused expression.  “I look good?” he repeated.  Was she being sarcastic?  He looked like a speeder wreck.  Then it dawned on him that she must have mistaken his anxiety ridden head rub as him preening himself.  Glancing down at her, he sighed.  “That’s the least of my concerns, Omega.”

Omega sheepishly drew a small circle with the tip of her shoe on the shiny and sanitary floor.  “He wants to see you, you know.”  She gulped, hesitant to continue for a split second.  Then she looked Crosshair in the eyes.  “He’s been saying how much he’s missed you.”

The day Odalin had returned his toothpick box to him that one, memorable afternoon…  Crosshair had seemingly lost the ability to formulate speech.  Verbal communication became trickier to tackle than untying a steadfast knot.

For the first time since that day, Crosshair had no words.

Before he could do anything to prolong the inevitable, Omega took matters into her own capable hands.  With a turn of a doorknob, Tech’s door was opened, and Omega had already scurried off down the hallway-  the pattering of her feet down the hallway becoming fainter and fainter.

When Crosshair peeped his head to peer inside the room, his eyes immediately connected with his long-lost brother’s.  Instantly, whatever tension built up by uneasiness and anticipatory nerves, vanished into the fresh Pabu air.  Instead, the astronomical astonishment of a reunion once thought to be impossible, flooded the space.

With hurried steps, Crosshair approached his bedridden older brother.

“Tech,” Crosshair choked out.  It was like his shaking body didn’t know how to respond.

Tech stared at Crosshair, just like the sniper was looking at him… like the stars had all finally aligned.

“You’re back,” Crosshair and Tech said in unison, both in awe of the others spectacular presence.

This image/collage is sort of a combination between the scene where Omega is cuddled next to Tech (both still sleeping at that point) and when Tech makes eye contact with Crosshair for the first time since the rescue.

Chapter Text

Crosshair sat slumped over in a chair pulled up to Tech’s bedside, his face in his hands.  “I can’t believe this,” he muttered, shaking his head.  His body was tense with uncertainty.  Him and his brothers may have stepped foot on many unfamiliar planets in the past, but where he was treading right now, was pure uncharted territory.

Tech drew out a long breath. “Neither can I.”

A bizarre silence filled the air.  The longer the silence stretched on, the more eager Crosshair was to fill it.  In the past, being in a room with Tech never equated a lack of noise.  Kriff, how he missed and craved that very sound just about now.

With nerves higher than the tallest building on Coruscant, Crosshair awkwardly spoke.  “How was your ride over here?”  What a dumb question.  Here he was, miraculously able to speak to the brother he thought to be dead, and he asks that?

The silence that stretched in the air returned due to the unusually long pause the engineer created as he thought.  For a moment, Crosshair worried if Tech had even heard him to begin with.  Maybe his brothers failed to mention that Tech had suffered hearing loss or some sort of brain injury.

“A staggering combination of emotional stimuli, that I frankly was too tired at the time to properly process.”

Knowing his smart brother and his social quirks, Crosshair could tell Tech had more to say, so he kept quiet.

Sure enough, Tech continued.  “I was laid in a cot during the duration of the flight.  It was disorienting not being able to possess sensation in the lower half of my body, all while experiencing the rough turbulence of space travel.  My core strength has significantly decreased given my current state.”  Tech sighed, staring down at his lap.  He picked a loose piece of string on the blanket covering him.  “The most jarring part was their faces though…”

“Their faces?” Crosshair frowned.

Tech looked up, pausing his futzing with the blanket fabric.  “The others… They found it difficult to look at me.  It was quite apparent, although they sought to hide it.  Hunter tried his best to act as though I was just coming home after an extended holiday… He was determined to appear as professional as he could, removing the emotions so as to be able to focus on the mission at hand.  While this quality has always made Hunter a good leader, I fear that in this scenario, it broke his psyche.”  Tech furrowed his brow.  “Echo was the calmest… the others being more frantic, as I’m sure you can imagine.”  Tech paused to give Crosshair a knowing look.  “Echo was the first to assess my injuries and made an effort to keep me from panicking on our trip back to Pabu.  I was still in a state of fright at the time, my body experiencing its fight or flight response.  Luckily, Echo knew just what to say and do.  Normally, I’d be able to self-regulate my emotions… though this was undeniably not a routine occurrence.  Wrecker on the other hand was outwardly distressed, not concealing his horror and ultimate relief.  I believe that he was the first to properly process my return… It took the others a bit longer to absorb the new piece of information.”

“I wish I could’ve been there,” Crosshair mumbled, rubbing his face in a manner that would suggest he was trying to scrub away all his regrets.

Tech shook his head.  “It would not have been a practical or wise decision.  With your weakened state I was informed about on my way over, if you had been there, the stakes would have impossibly increased.”

“What if- what if I could have helped…”

Tech boldly cut his brother off mid-sentence.  “You are allowing for your emotions to override your ability to view this objectively.”

Crosshair’s jaw snapped shut at his brother’s words.  He swallowed, eyes widening at Tech’s perfectly rational verbal slap of reality.  It was what Crosshair needed.  It was one of the many things about Tech that he had missed oh so dearly.

Crosshair took a moment to reset his awakened mind.  “By now I’d assume you pieced together that the Marauder is gone.”  Crosshair figured it wouldn’t have been difficult to come to that conclusion by now.  The fact that the rescue ship hadn’t been the trusty Marauder was evidence enough.

“I may be unaware of much of the timeline that has taken place between Eriadu and the present, but I have been informed of the Marauder’s fate.”  Tech cast an unsubtle glace down at Crosshair’s missing hand before swiftly meeting Crosshair’s uncomfortable face.  “I was not filled in on the fate of your right hand though.”

Crosshair sighed at the subject change.  Like himself, considering his older brother was never one to miss an observation, Crosshair could practically feel the lingering gaze on his new prosthetic hand without even having to watch or track Tech’s line of sight… Truthfully, he’d felt it since the moment he first stepped forth into the room.  Before Tech could even directly ask, Crosshair filled his brother in.  “Vibroblade to the wrist during our mission to rescue Omega on Tantiss.”

Tech frowned, not saying anything, but clearly racking up the words to formulate a bombardment of questions. 

Before the engineer could speak though, Crosshair held up a hand.  “We now have all the time in the galaxy to fill you in on what you’ve missed.  Now is hardly the time.”

“But-”

“Everyone is fine now,” Crosshair interrupted.  He hesitated.  “Or… We will be… Including yourself.  We’re all alive.  We can figure the rest out later.”

Omega had once told him that he’d ‘missed a lot’…

Sure, Crosshair had indeed missed a lot.  He had missed the harrowing adventures his siblings went on… both while trying to flee the wicked Empire and while working for that slimy Trandoshan, Cid.  He never saw the direct aftermath of Tech’s heroic and love-filled sacrifice, nor had he witnessed the heart stopping fall itself.  He wasn’t present when Omega was captured for the first time.  But his family had filled him in on everything…  Welcomed him back with open arms, albeit with a bit of hesitation from some of them at first.  He was now where he was meant to be.  He’d already lived through new experiences… Those experiences having already become memories…

It was no apparent that Tech had missed a lot now too…

Tech never saw how much it crushed his siblings to adapt to a peaceful life without him being a part of it.  Tech was never around to have seen that Omega was captured by the Empire twice.  Tech wasn’t there when Echo would sit in horrified silence in the cockpit of the Marauder as he tried to process the engineer’s loss.  Tech didn’t watch Hunter constantly place blame on himself for what he perceived to be his failed leadership.  Tech hadn’t witnessed the Marauder be blown to bits, nearly taking the life of their largest brother.  Tech hadn’t seen Crosshair cry over Tech’s loss and inconclusive ending they had with one another, as he polished his rifle in disbelief over what their lives had become.

Now, it was Tech who needed to be caught up on all he’d missed.

Crosshair looked down at his stump.  “I’d do what I did again if it meant keeping Omega and the others safe.”

Tech studied Crosshair.  “Likewise with my course of action.”

Crosshair furrowed his brow at the heavy direction the conversation was inevitably taking.  “So…”  The sniper didn’t even know how to comment on Tech’s capture or injury.  What was he supposed to say?  Was he even supposed to bring it up?  This wasn’t a matter that could be eased with gentle and supportive words.  This- this was life altering… both from a trauma and physical standpoint.

Despite never having been the best at reading social cues, Tech picked up on his brother’s hesitance and put an end to it.  “In case you wanted to acquire more information about how I got to my current state, I will provide you with an abridged synopsis.”

Crosshair held up a hand.  “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“I will merely be relaying a series of events,” Tech clarified while staring at his brother impassively.  “It will not be an issue.”

“I’m not insinuating that you physically can’t tell me, I’m saying that if talking about it makes you feel uncomfortable, then we don’t need to discuss it right now.”  Crosshair sighed.  “I don’t know what you’ve been through, but I know better than to assume anything.”

Tech’s face softened.  “I see…  While I appreciate the sentiment, I can assure you that I’ve had ample time to process my condition and mobility.”

Crosshair gave his brother an unimpressed look and crossed his thin arms.  “Surely being stranded on Tantiss to then being consecutively kidnapped by thugs, weren’t the most effective times to actually process anything.”

Tech lifted his shoulders casually before letting them fall back into a resting position.  “After my fall on Eriadu, I spent a great deal of time calculating the odds of my survival as well as coming to terms with the prognosis I now have.  While in captivity, I played out each and every scenario that my future could hold… both in the chances that I’d be rescued or if I’d remain where I was.  Every theoretical factor that could take place, I took into account.”

Crosshair bent his head in shame.  “I’m sure I was the last person you expected to see here once you returned.”

Tech furrowed his brow, wincing slightly at the way his skin pulled uncomfortably against his bruises.  “Crosshair… I always-”

“It was my fault!” Crosshair exclaimed, his own shame overshadowing whatever Tech was about to say.  “You didn’t just sacrifice yourself for any random mission, you were after me, despite my warnings.  You just need to look at the bigger picture!”

“It is not a matter of fault,” Tech said, steering away from his upset brother’s tangent.  “I stand behind my decisions that day on Eriadu, Crosshair.  It was what needed to be done.”  The genius paused, trying to find the correct way to continue his stream of thoughts.  “While I can understand that the outcome of my actions and seemingly final decision bothers you, it was still my choice… And I would choose it again if necessary.”

Crosshair exhaled as he processed the meaning behind his brother’s words.  Tech had come to terms with the events that had transpired.  The real question now was… did he?

“To get by each day while continuing to stay sane, I had to assume Hunter, Wrecker, Echo, and Omega were all already okay… that my sacrifice had indeed kept them alive long-term.”  Tech met Crosshair’s eyes in such a way, that it almost appeared as if he were looking into his brother’s soul.  “It was you who I didn’t have definitive closure with.  The hope of returning to my old life and the others being there was already what I pictured based on memory… Being greeted by you was what I could only have dreamt about.”

Crosshair felt his throat tighten up with unprocessed emotion.  He felt tears prickle in the corners of his eyes.

Tech chose to continue with his relaying of events, despite the brewing hurricane his brother was fending off within the confines of his own mind.  “Wrecker carried me out of the facility I was being kept in, while the others ensured a swift exit.”

Crosshair frowned at his brother’s downplayed choice of words.  “You mean the facility you were brutally being held prisoner in all while already being in a perilous state?”

Tech raised a thoughtful brow.  “That is also correct terminology, yes.  While I do not disagree with your choice of words, I also know you are approaching this subject with fueled, pent-up emotions.  You always have been rather severe at times when you have a set opinion.”

Here Tech was, both reassuring and validating Crosshair’s emotions and feelings.  Up until this recent revelation, that was only something Crosshair could unrealistically wish for. 

This felt like a freakish dream. 

He started hyperventilating. 

Or- or maybe a nightmare… the scariest part of which would be waking up only to realize that none of this was real in the first place…

“Crosshair?”

But it was.

“Hello?”

Tech was here.

“You do realize it is rude to ignore an individual attempting to converse with you, much less your own brother, right?”

This was real.

The feeling of the palm of Tech’s hand gently smacking his cheek finally pulled him back to reality.  Flabbergasted, Crosshair stared at Tech.

“Oh, good.  You’re back.”

Crosshair rolled his eyes.  “I didn’t go anywhere,” he mumbled under his breath.

Tech raised a brow.  “That’s one way to describe dissociation.”  He sighed.  “Are you alright?  You were experiencing signs of an oncoming panic attack.”

Crosshair waved his hand, “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”  Here Tech was, wasting energy being concerned over him.  In Crosshair’s opinion, which in his head he believed as the obvious truth in this situation, only he should have the right to worry over his brother at the moment.  The sniper gulped.  “So, Hunter and Echo told me about…”  He paused, unsure on how to continue the delicate topic.

“I suppose I didn’t delve into that portion of my current condition,” Tech sighed, already knowing what Crosshair was hinting towards.  “I’m assuming the others didn’t provide much detail.”

“They told me that you’re paralyzed from the chest down.”  Saying those words out loud felt heavy as they left the sniper’s lips.

Tech nodded.  “My thoracic spine was severed at the T10 vertebra, causing a complete spinal cord injury.  From my lower ribcage down, I have no sensation or control of my body.”

Crosshair let that sink in.  On top of the additional detail, hearing it spoken by Tech himself hit even differently.  He tried to process all the unspoken implications and additional hardships such an injury would have (and have had) on his brother’s life, besides just not being able to walk.  The more he thought about it, the more he began to realize the extent of what his older brother was going through.  An instant wave of fresh guilt washed over Crosshair.  Had he been so relieved that Tech was simply back that he had been ignoring this huge portion of what Tech was living through?  Was he being selfish in his instant, immediate, and no questions asked relief?

“As you have already seen, I still possess full mobility and functionality of my arms as well as everything above the point of injury,” Tech noted, flexing his fingers.  “This is known as paraplegia.”

Crosshair slowly nodded.  His brother was alive though.  His relief that Tech was alive- was valid.  Everything that Tech would experience after this point in time would be with the continuous support of his brothers, sister, and friends… No matter what condition he could have been rescued in, had he been hurt either physically or mentally… or both, that promise of support stayed the same no matter what.  They would have taken care of him without a doubt. -  And that’s what they’ll do.

“As I was falling from the railcar, I managed to direct myself just enough towards a small body of water.  I knew that my only chance of survival at that point was to reach my intended target and simultaneously hit it in such a way that I wouldn’t die from impact.  As you know, the gravitational pull of a body landing on the water’s surface is comparable to landing on ferrocrete.  Thus, I knew that if I didn’t enter the water in a very calculated way, I’d instantly be dead.”  Tech took a deep breath, shutting his eyelids as if he were recalling everything… Like he was watching a holo video in real time of the events that had transpired.  Crosshair wouldn’t have been surprised.  Tech might not have the actual footage anymore, since the camera on his goggles were destroyed… but, with a photogenic brain like his, such technology wasn’t necessary.  “From the fall, I sustained a break in my spinal cord, a severe concussion, a broken arm, multiple rib fractures, and countless scars, contusions, and hematomas.”  Tech absentmindedly rubbed one of his arms.  Crosshair could only assume that was the location of the break.  “I was swiftly found by Hemlock and taken to Tantiss.  Unsurprisingly, I was hanging on to life by a thread,” Tech huffed as he picked on the thread of his blanket again in an unintentionally symbolic fashion.  While Crosshair found the symbolism stem from Tech’s recent words and the blanket string… Tech vividly remembered hanging from the thin cable stretching from his grappling hook all the way up to the railcar from which he dangled. 

“And then he took you,” Crosshair growled bitterly.  The evil man had held him and his sister captive for so long, tormenting and torturing them like they were some sort of entertainment… Like their lives didn’t matter in the slightest… That they and the other clones were nothing more than experiments to tinker with for the fun of it.  Now, the sniper had to fathom the fact that the man did the same to his older brother too.

“If Hemlock had not found me, I would have surely died shortly after my collision with the water,” Tech pointed out.

Crosshair had nothing to say to that.

“Ironically, he ultimately provided the initial lifesaving treatment to keep me alive after such a traumatic fall.  If I had been stranded on my own, I reckon I wouldn’t have lasted more than a few hours.  Subtracting the lack of food and water I had on my person, the internal bleeding I was experiencing would have caused me to perish long before I would have been in dire need of proper sustenance.  That was the true imminent concern.”

“Omega had pushed for the others to go back for you.”  Crosshair shook his head.  “If they had, then they might have foun-”

“You’re doing it again.”

Crosshair lifted his sunken head and cast his brother a questioning look.

“You’re not thinking objectively.  The chances of me having survived that fall were close to zero percent.  From what I’ve gathered through the brief conversations I had with the others, it doesn’t sound like they were in a position to go back and stage a rescue mission.”

“But if there was a- a chance…”

“Was there truly a reasonable chance?”

There was a pause.

“I wasn’t kriffing there, so it’s hard to say,” Crosshair said through gritted teeth, his words seeping with guilt and regret.

“While I don’t fancy boasting about my own intellectual abilities,” Tech started, earning him an eyebrow raise from Crosshair, “had it not been for my quick thinking and quite frankly, extraordinary mind, I would not have survived,” Tech casually explained in a rather lovingly boastful manner.

Crosshair stared at him.

“On Tantiss, I was experimented on.  Hemlock’s unorthodox tests were grueling, yet as time passed, I was able to drown out my surroundings to an extent.”  Tech licked his lips as he recalled the bitter memories.  Crosshair’s fists clenched with rage.  “I was kept in a hidden, but rather secure room.  When Tantiss was destroyed, and the Zillo Beast ran rampant, I was unaffected due to my strategic isolation.  A gang of imbeciles from the planet later discovered me in the room I was kept in.  They had evidently been raiding the ruins of the facility and happened to stumble across me.  Instead of just leaving me be, I was brought against my will to their rudimentary base.  They did their best to interrogate me to gather who knows what intel, but it was futile since I was way ahead of them… naturally,” Tech shrugged nonchalantly.  “Realistically, I would have eventually run out of food and water, so similarly to Hemlock finding me, this ironically led to my survival long-term.”

“Did you fight them?”

Tech huffed in amusement.  “The odds weren’t in my favor.  Before my injury or if I had any sort of mobility aid, I would have felt much more confident in eliminating the threat.  They would have been feeble opponents due to a lack of sufficient training.  Considering my state and countless afflictions though, I had to be more strategic.  As you and the others are aware, I was able to get my hands on a comm device to send you lot an encrypted message.  My only chance of escaping and seeing the light of day again at that point, was to wait for you all to receive my message and rescue me.  Escaping by myself was… not an option,” Tech stated, glancing down to his lower extremities.  Despite already conquering so very much, Tech was never one to shy away from believing he could solve everything… Even when it simply wasn’t the case all the time.

“You all are in the possession of my goggles?” Tech asked out of nowhere.

“Yes. They’re at home.”

“Home…” Tech muttered, allowing for the letters to settle on his tongue.  The concept of home was few and far between for a clone trooper.

Crosshair gave him a sad smile.  “Your goggles though…  They’re destroyed, otherwise we would have brought them here for you.”

Tech scoffed.  “I’d be surprised if they weren’t dismantled.”  He paused, before looking up at Crosshair with a lost expression.  “How exactly did they get into your hands?”

Crosshair sighed.  “I hadn’t been there, since I myself was still being held prisoner,” he gulped uncomfortably, “but the others… Before Omega was captured, erm, the first time… Hemlock had paid a special visit to the bar you all were working at…”

Tech shot his brother a disturbed face.  “First of all, we weren’t directly working at the bar.  We were merely working for Cid, the Trandoshan owner of said bar.”

Crosshair rolled his eyes.  “I figured you all, including our child sister, weren’t bartenders.”

“An astute assumption, Crosshair.”  Tech sighed, getting serious once again.  “My apologies for interrupting.  Please continue,” he quickly said, giving his brother the floor again.

“I was informed that Hemlock had busted into the bar with loads of backup.  He threw your goggles onto the floor of this so called ‘Cid’s Bar’ as he informed the others that you were dead… supposedly.”

“Cid betrayed us then?”

Crosshair raised a brow.  “Although I never had the honor of meeting this charming Trandoshan,” he sarcastically spoke with resentment, “based off what I’ve been told, that betrayal was hardly a surprise.”

“Knocking us down at our weakest…”  Tech shook his head in disappointment.  “A typical play for both the cruel and the cowards.” 

Crosshair wondered if his brother was at all surprised by this news.  Before he could ask though, Tech continued.

“Issues inevitably arise when credits are perceived as possessing more value than life, kindness, and empathy.”

Crosshair shrugged, letting out an apathetic hum.  “We live in a galaxy where that is the reality.  No surprises on that front.”

Tech lifted his head and met eyes with Crosshair.  “Indeed.”

“May I ask you something now?” Tech raised a brow.  “So far the conversation has nearly been solely about me.”

Crosshair let out the loudest scoff he could.  His eyes rolled in its sockets in an impressive display as well.  “How shocking,” he huffed sarcastically.

Tech scoffed as well, though not nearly as exaggerated as his dramatic brother.  “Do you truly believe that I have not wondered about you the same as you have about me?”

As Tech spoke, Crosshair gave a pained smile.  “Well, in case you forgot, up until recently I thought you were dead…  So, no.  I have not been up at night pondering over what you were actively thinking.”  He failed to mention that instead, he was wondering what his older brother would be saying if he could.  Turns out, now he can…

“You turned on the Empire.  What-” Tech cringed, “what did they do to you, Crosshair?  Did they hurt you while-”

Crosshair tensed and waved his hand in a dismissive nature.  “That’s beside the point right now.”

Tech shut his mouth.  He was smart, and that meant knowing when to stop pressing a subject.  Poking a riled-up rancor could do more harm than good, even when the intentions were sincere and out of love.  And Crosshair did have it in him to go off the deep end if the setting was right. 

The sniper and engineer conversed for a few more hours.  With an endless stream of thoughts and built-up feelings to emotionally express, they could’ve remained there for days on end.  They were eventually cut short by a comm message from Hunter.

“Well?” Tech prompted with a raised brow.

“Hunter is outside.  He said that apparently the nurse needs to do something with you...”

Recognition flashed through Tech’s bare, goggle-less eyes.  “Periodically, I must change my position while bedridden to prevent bedsores.  The medical personnel here will be inclined to ensure this is routinely done, especially since I do not have the capability at this time to perform these shifts myself.  Until I regain the required muscles, I will need assistance.”

Something in Crosshair’s gut sunk.  He hadn’t even though about that…

Tech frowned.  “You’re hiding something else.”

Crosshair smirked.  “Oh yeah…  I almost forgot to mention.”  He began looking impossibly more suspicious to the engineer.  “Phee’s waiting for you out there too.”

Tech’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

~ ~ ~

Odalin leaned her head against Crosshair’s shoulder.  The feeling of her presence and weight of her head felt supportive to the sniper.

Currently Phee was in Tech’s room.  Although the wall blocked what was obviously a long-awaited conversation between two romantic interests, Crosshair and Odalin both heard Phee’s first words to the clever clone before the door shut-  “Glad to have you back, brown eyes.”

Odalin was next to visit Tech, but not wanting to unintentionally rush the interaction that was currently happening, Odalin suggested the two of them head back to her house for a bit.  Right before they left the hospital waiting room, Crosshair made sure to send his intelligent brother a comm message informing him of his and Odalin’s gameplan.  Tech would surely get the hint of what the intention of this was… Well, Crosshair hoped Tech would anyway…

The two strolled down the winding paths towards Odalin’s dwelling.  As they walked, their hands were clasped together, in a way signifying the bond they shared…  Their looped together fingers similar to the way their lives had intertwined with one another, ever since Odalin had returned the toothpick box Tech had made for Crosshair.

“The weather is nice today,” Odalin smiled, initiating a swinging motion with her and Crosshair’s arms.

“As it usually is,” Crosshair hummed in agreement.

Odalin intentionally bumped her shoulder into his bicep before glancing up at him.  “True, but today feels extra special.”

Crosshair couldn’t disagree.  The temperature was perfect.  The sun was shining in such a way that it wasn’t unbearably harsh.  And the cumulus clouds that spotted the sky were picturesque to the point where it appeared that someone took the time to individually place them there.  Then, there was the added fact that now the entirety of his family was back together.  Couldn’t get more perfect than that he supposed.

After a more than pleasant walk, filled with each other’s lovingly soothing silences, they reached Odalin’s place.

Crosshair mentally smiled at the familiar little house.  His smile transcended just the house though.  It was for his family.  For Odalin.  For this life that he now got to live… 

He had to remind himself to outwardly smile sometimes… So, he did.  He let the corners of his lips perk up.

Odalin liked to see that.

He did it for her. 

Perhaps for himself too.

Upon entering the main room, Crosshair could see that Pitee was still tucked away, lifeless on a shelf.  It made Crosshair frown.  How could it not?  Although the sniper knew that on a rationality level it was impossible, the unresponsive droid appeared lonely in the little nook.

Odalin stood on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek.  “I’m going to cut us up some fruit, alright?”

Crosshair coughed into his fist at the sudden offer.  He nodded.  “Yeah.”

Just as Odalin exited the living room, she flipped on a switch.  Music started playing.  It sounded different…  Like it was from another time...  From a galaxy that was far, far away.  It was slow, rhythmic, and Crosshair questioned if he even perhaps fancied the unique tune.   As Odalin turned the corner, body swaying back and forth, dancing while walking, Crosshair’s lips turned up again.

There really were many things to smile about now.

Chapter Text

“It is wonderful seeing you again, Odalin,” Tech expressed with sincerity.  “Although, I must say, I am rather enthralled to witness you dating my younger brother.”

“I’m right here!” Crosshair huffed out, exasperated, but unsurprised at Tech’s bluntness.  

Odalin covered her mouth to conceal a giggle. 

Tech on the other hand, chose to ignore his brother, instead turning to face Odalin.  “Has Crosshair lectured you on his fondness for observing wildlife?  Due to his enhanced eyesight, he can view creatures from far away so as not to frighten them.  He even has a particular soft spot for baby animals such as-” 

“Alright, alright, enough!” Crosshair waved his hands in the air in an attempt to silence his brother’s chattering before he revealed too much. 

The sniper paused before actually getting annoyed.  It was a gift in itself that Tech was still here talking in the first place. 

Besides, it made Odalin giggle.  And nothing bad could be partnered with that sweet sound. 

So, when Odalin gave him the loveliest smile of admiration, he returned it with ease.  

Perhaps Tech was intentionally trying to help strengthen his relationship.  He was the first one with a romantic interest after all… and there must be a reason behind that somewhere.  Truthfully, Crosshair found it beyond comprehension that any of his brothers have found anyone. 

~ ~ ~ 

While Crosshair, Hunter, Wrecker, and Omega would stay with Tech, Echo invited a very curious Odalin along with him to get the recovering man a new set of eyewear.  The typically goggle wearing clone used them for more than one reason, but truly did require them for sight as well.  Currently, all the siblings were conversing with Tech, everyone curious to see how he’s been faring. 

Before Echo left with Odalin, Crosshair pulled her outside the room, giving them some distance from the others. 

“See you soon?” Odalin smirked, raising a brow.

Crosshair gestured at his entire body.  “I’ll be here.”  He nodded.  “This will be a nice surprise for Tech.  Just don’t take too long,” Crosshair warned.  He was painfully aware of his super hearing brother, Hunter, striding up next to them with Echo in tow.  The sniper lowered his volume even more as he continued.  “Tech will catch on that something is being kept from him.”

“He’ll only catch on if you make him suspicious that there is something happening in the first place,” Odalin hummed, booping Crosshair’s nose, causing the sniper to scrunch his face up.  “Just act natural.” 

“Yeah Cross,” Hunter smirked, “just be yourself.” 

Echo chuckled.  “Mm-hmm.  Don’t be too joyous.” 

Crosshair scoffed at the playful mocking directed towards him. 

Echo chuckled at his brother’s annoyance, choosing to look at Odalin.  “You ready?” 

“You bet I am.” 

Echo and Odalin set out while Crosshair and Hunter went back into the room. 

“Ah,” Tech blurted out the moment his two siblings reentered the confines of the bacta scented enclosed space.  “Care to fill me in on the significance of having a conversation right outside my room, just out of earshot?  Seems rather intentional.” 

Hunter gave a guilty chuckle as he walked over to Tech.  “Nothing to worry about,” he reassured Tech, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

Tech peered down at his brother’s hand. “That sounds like an admission of truly hiding something from me,” Tech pointed out, casting both the sergeant and sniper a skeptical glance.  Wrecker and Omega, who were also in on the surprise, tried their hardest to feign uninvolvement and remain as inconspicuous as possible…  Whether that effort was helpful or more suspicious remained unclear. 

Crosshair felt himself internally facepalm.  It had been less than a minute, and Tech already suspected something.  Classic . 

Meanwhile, not too long after, a tiny bell strung up to the corner of the door alerted the local optician that customers had entered.  Sure enough, an older woman slowly appeared from a small back office. 

“Ah!” the elderly Tholothian woman smiled, making eye contact with both Echo and Odalin.  “The name’s Vyrelott.  How can I help you two fine young adults today?” 

“Hello, ma’am,” Echo politely bowed in greeting.  He stepped forwards toward the glass covered front desk and carefully placed down Tech’s destroyed goggles.  “We were hoping to get these lenses repaired for a dear brother and friend of ours,” he explained, gesturing to himself first and then Odalin.  Odalin nodded kindly in agreement.

The older woman took the mangled goggles in her hands to look them over.  The wrinkles- or as Omega would say, the lines - on her face as she studied the item relayed an untold story of the knowledge she held within.  Along with her species’ distinguishable scaled skullcap and fleshy tendrils, the near-human woman also had expressive indigo eyes. 

Echo hesitated.  “They were my brother Tech’s goggles.” 

Realization, and perhaps recognition, dawned on the woman’s face as though memories were flickering across her wise mind like shooting stars.  “Tech?” Vyrelott gasped, her eyes softening in sorrow.  “I remember Tech.  He was a clever fellow…  He helped me carry my groceries home one afternoon after noticing me struggling,” she reminisced.  “Tech even went out of his way to fix my broken-down pushcart that I’m usually able to utilize to transport items.”  Her face went somber.  “I was deeply saddened to hear of his passing…”  News evidently spread fast in a community centered island such as Pabu.  “…But if-”  Her face became puzzled, darting from Echo to Odalin, understandably not quite putting the pieces together. 

Sparing her from any more confusion, Echo took a deep breath and told her of the shocking news.  Clearly the entire island hadn’t been filled in on Tech’s return yet.  “We found him alive.  He- he had survived…” 

Vyrelott gasped, holding her hand to her mouth.  “Oh my!  Thank the Maker!” 

“Indeed,” Echo wholeheartedly agreed. 

Vyrelott studied the goggles, turning them in her hands.  “The lenses are obviously shattered, the frame bent… but the strap on these goggles would need a tremendous amount of care as well.  That will take some more time… which I’m inferring you don’t have.”  She rubbed her chin.  “Perhaps I can send you home with a pair of new frames so Tech can use them right away.” 

Echo grinned.  “That sounds excellent.  Thank you, ma’am.”  The ARC trooper gave Vyrelott Tech’s information so that she could create something custom for the technician himself. 

“Would you like to hold onto the goggles in the meantime?” she asked, placing Tech’s damaged eyewear on the counter with care. 

“That would be ideal,” Echo nodded, taking them back into his possession.  “This way, he can be the one to determine what’ll become of them.” 

“I will do my absolute best to create new spectacles for your beloved brother,” Vyrelott pledged, bowing her head in promise.  “Come back in an hour.” 

A few minutes later, Echo pointed to a rock that sat to the side of the path.  “Want to sit over there?” he suggested once the two left the shop.  Odalin nodded and the two approached it.  Due to the rock’s height, Odalin had to find a secure edge to place her foot on before climbing up to get to a seated position… Echo used momentum and arm strength to press himself up.  Odalin found it impressive how he did all of that essentially using only one arm. 

Odalin peered down at her feet as she swung them back and forth.  “How do you think Tech will adjust to being back on Pabu?”  The wind blew some of her hair into her face. 

Echo sighed.  “He’ll acclimate.  Tech’s always been brilliant at adapting to new situations.  It won’t be easy, but he’s got all of us to stick by him.” 

The corner of Odalin’s mouth rose up.  “I don’t doubt that for a second.” 

A stretch of quiet tranquility ensued.  Odalin studied her surroundings.  The sea could be spotted in the distance.  It was quite the beautiful sight to behold.

“You and Cross are similar, you know…”

Odalin’s ears perked up at the comparison.  “In what way?” 

“You both know how to create peaceful silence that doesn’t feel forced.” 

Odalin softly chuckled, glancing down at her lap.  Her long white skirt fluttered in the air around where she sat on it.  “I was never a master conversationalist." 

Echo returned the laugh.  “Sure… but I know that for both you and Crosshair, that doesn’t mean that either of you lack anything insightful to say.” 

Odalin grinned at the compliment. 

After some more banter, it was finally time to pick up the glasses. 

“Thank you, Vyrelott!” Odalin said, gratefully placing her hand over her heart. 

“My pleasure,” the woman remarked as she handed a glasses case to Echo. 

Echo took out his wallet to pay.  The adult members of the Batch all had small jobs around the island, so they had collected some credits by now.  What was a better use of those hard-earned credits than on glasses for their cherished brother Tech? 

“On the house,” Vyrelott smiled, shaking her head as she waved her hands in a dismissive manner. 

“No no…” Echo chuckled.  “While my family all appreciates it, I cannot allow you to have worked for free.” 

“I insist.  It would be a great honor to gift this to someone who deserves it as much as Tech does.”  Vyrelott bowed her head.  “Wish him my best.  I hope to see him again soon.” 

Echo and Odalin arrived back at the hospital at just the right time.  Crosshair was about to lose his marbles at how close Tech was to guessing exactly where his ARC trooper brother and engineer partner were. 

Sensing the situation’s vibe correctly, Echo handed Tech the glasses case with no pretext. 

“My goggles,” Tech gasped like a child on Life Day.  He pointedly took a moment to look at everyone individually.  “That was my next assumption.” 

“Sure it was,” Crosshair mumbled, fondly rolling his eyes. 

Before the genius clone could open the box to reveal his eyewear, Echo chimed in.  “Your actual goggles themselves were either too damaged,” Echo lowered his voice for the next part before returning to a normal volume, “or, as for your backup pair, had been completely blown up in the Marauder…  Repairing your main pair of goggles would take much longer, so these are simply regular glasses.” 

“Regular glasses,” Tech repeated as if he were trying to comprehend using anything but goggles that strapped around his head.  Regardless, he hummed in curiosity and slid open the case. 

Tech inspected his new eyewear as best he could.  It was a known fact that Tech could still see a bit without aid, albeit quite blurry.  Eventually, Tech slid the glasses onto his face.  He blinked a few times as he got acclimated once again to being able to see clearly.  The sniper studied Tech’s reactions intently, noticing the subtle lifts of the corners of his mouth when he got a quick glimpse of his siblings standing around him, all waiting with anticipation. 

“Well?  How is it?” Echo eagerly asked. 

Tech turned to face Echo.  “Rather exemplary, I must say.  Nearly as good as my goggles, in fact.  It is gratifying to have proper vision again.” 

Tech turned back to Crosshair, blinking owlishly as he got his first clear look at his long-lost brother.  He chose to keep his gaze there. 

Crosshair returned the eye contact that his brother was giving him.  Looking at Tech’s expressive brown eyes from behind familiar lenses was something he was sure he’d never see again.  Months ago, when Omega had viewed him through her swimming goggles, Crosshair had assumed that that would be the closest he’d ever get to experiencing Tech’s stare again.  The imprint the swimming goggles had left on her still chubby face, reminded him not only of when Tech had his goggles off, but also of Tech as a young boy, eyes full of hope. 

Tech stared at everyone a bit longer through his new personalized specs.  Given the familiar lenses in front of his eyes, the old version of Tech was obviously still there.  This even older version of Tech though, had lived through, and seen so much more. 

To avoid choking up at the plethora of memories, Crosshair diverted his attention on something less deep.  “Will you add a camera to these like you did your goggles?”  Maybe Crosshair could even gift Tech a strap to add to the back of the glasses so that they more closely mimicked the feeling and security of his goggles.  Until Tech got his goggles fixed that is… if that was something he was even interested in.  They all had time to think about that in the future though. 

“Perhaps once I have something compelling to record that isn’t AZI dressing my wounds and badgering me about medical information I am already properly educated on.” 

Everyone chuckled at Tech’s humor.  Crosshair on the other hand, felt perturbed. 

Eventually, some of the group had to leave to go about the remainder of their day.  Hunter had date night plans with Astri.  Echo had to touch base with Rex.  Wrecker was meeting up with a few friends he made at the local bar.  That left only Omega, Odalin, and Crosshair with Tech. 

The three adults chatted softly for close to a couple of hours as Omega had fallen asleep pressed up against Tech.  It warmed something unexpected inside of Crosshair’s chest. 

Although Odalin would’ve found hanging out longer with the siblings fun, she knew that the two brothers needed time to be alone.  Well, sure Omega was still there, but the girl was out like a light. 

Odalin said her goodbyes… first waving to Tech, followed by giving Crosshair a peck on the cheek.  Tech did his best not to smirk at that. 

A mellow silence came to fruition.  About 10 minutes after Odalin left, a new scene took place in the confines of the room.  Tech’s focus bounced back and forth between lovingly watching his sister sleep next to him and perusing his datapad.  Crosshair, though, was currently just pretending to read on his datapad.  The sniper was far more interested in the sight before him.  Every so often, he’d strain his superior eyes to catch a glimpse of his siblings.  

It all just seemed too good to be true for people as unlucky as him and his family.  But perhaps even the unlucky eventually got their chance at happiness in the end.

Minutes before Omega had fallen asleep, she was giving Tech the longest hug the galaxy had ever seen.

Even Crosshair had gotten one of her famous hugs.  It was long overdue that their genius brother got his turn.

One of Omega’s arms was still draped across Tech’s midsection.  Tech was returning the gesture as best he could… His arm closest to his sister was wrapped around her small frame, his hand holding his datapad.  His other hand rubbed soothing and repetitive motions on his sister’s skinny arm that was covering his stomach.  Crosshair wondered what it was like for Tech to see Omega so much older.  She was still petite in relativity to her brothers, but she had grown dramatically- both physically and mentally. 

Crosshair hummed as he continued feigning interest in his pretend article that was really just his datapad’s home screen.  In his opinion, he was doing a rather superb job of selling it.  That all proved to be wrong of course when Tech sighed, shaking his head from side to side.  “Crosshair, if you’re done impersonating somebody reading, can you kindly remove Omega from my person temporarily?”  He double checked the time on the chrono on the wall.  “It’s time I use the refresher.” 

Crosshair scoffed.  “Who says I’m pretending?” 

“I did,” Tech sweetly reminded him.  Crosshair stared at his brother with his mouth agape.  “If you’d prefer to act a bit more realistically the next time you attempt to portray an intellect, you could’ve just asked me for tips.  Rule number one- don’t glance up at me and Omega every four seconds.  Glance up is actually generous… More like stare at us quite frankly.”

Crosshair made an offended face as he dropped his charade.  If that came from anyone other than Tech, oh how he’d-  “How did you even see me do that?” Crosshair accused his brother, placing his datapad down and standing up.  “You’ve either been looking down at Omega or reading from your own datapad.” 

“It’s called peripheral vision, Crosshair.  I possess the functional ability to multitask.” 

As Crosshair bent down to lift his little-big sister up off the bed, she stirred.  Before he could even take her weight in his arms, her eyes sprung open like a lightsaber activating. 

“W-w-what is it?” she stammered; her voice discombobulated due to her recent nap.

Crosshair speedily pulled his arms away.  “Tech needs to use the ‘fresher.  You need to-” 

Omega’s eyes lit up in recognition.  “Oh!!” she interrupted, her head spinning to look back at Tech.  “I’ll leave.” 

“I apologize for evicting you during your peaceful slumber,” Tech frowned. 

Omega chuckled, shaking her head.  “You know,” she started as she sat up and stood up, “I thought the best sleep I ever had was on the Marauder when Crosshair and I made it to Pabu the first time I was held in Tantiss.”  Crosshair outwardly cringed at his sister’s blunt wordage.   Sparing a glance at Tech, the engineer also found it troublesome.  However, both kept their mouths shut and tried their hardest to school their expressions.  “Finally hugging you after you got rescued though…?  I think this has even that beat!”

Tech reached out his arm to lovingly mess his sister’s blonde hair up a bit.  Crosshair carefully studied his brother’s seemingly composed face.  He’d known him long enough to see the weight Omega’s comments had on him.  Omega said her goodbyes and told him she’d be back to visit later tonight once she’d completed her school assignments.  It was already somewhat late, but Omega was both a morning and night person, depending on what a particular situation called of her.

Almost immediately after Omega left, Tech pressed his hands against the mattress shakily in order to sit himself up.

Since Crosshair hadn’t yet seen Tech out of the bed without any assistance, he ultimately decided not to intervene, instead watching his brother like an ice vulture.  Although it appeared as if he were casually observing what was going on, the sniper was prepared to pounce in the chance his injured brother needed help.  As much as Crosshair wanted to anxiously fold his arms tightly together, he knew that having them down made him more ready to assist at a moment’s notice. 

Tech reached his hand out and placed it onto the hoverchair situated and pulled snug right up next to his bed.  In the past, a nurse of some sort had always been hovering over, supporting his weight as he shifted from the bed to the chair. 

Just as Crosshair was about to let out a pleasantly shocked huff at his brother’s new milestone, Tech’s arm buckled.  Along with his arm falling under the pressure, the rest of his body collapsed on top of it, leaving Tech in an awkward tangle of torso and limbs.

Tech let out a startled cry, a shout laced with both pain and fear.

For Crosshair, the noise of his brother in distress was like a punch to the gut by a commando droid's metal fist. 

“Kriff!”  Crosshair raced over like a speeder to his brother, practically diving next to him.  The sniper carefully gathered the engineer in his arms.  Crosshair slowly helped situate Tech back into the bed, the slightly older clone gasping for breath as he regained composure.  Once the sniper was satisfied to the best of his abilities that Tech’s limbs appeared to be in a comfortable position, he snapped.  “What in the galaxy do you think you’re doing?” he bit out in a scolding manner clearly stemming from worry. 

“No need for that,” Tech panted, trying to weakly push him away. 

“Quit it,” Crosshair growled in a slight state of horror himself as he dismissed his brother’s excuse.  His chest was pounding.  For someone as intelligent as Tech, Crosshair couldn’t believe how stubborn his brother could be when calculating the risks of what could have happened had Crosshair not been there. 

Despite Crosshair’s aggressive tone, Tech knew that Crosshair acted this way since he cared so much. 

Crosshair on the other hand knew that Tech was acting the way he was since he was scared and didn’t know how to accept help.  The Kaminoans engrained that needing help was a weakness… A flaw that should have been bred out with each generation of the clones. 

There was once a time where Crosshair had thought that way too. 

“Let me help you,” Crosshair offered. 

“That won’t be necessary, Crosshair,” Tech assured him.  “The only way I will be able to adapt is to do all activities by myself .”  He let out a strained exhale, his face red with all the effort from his prior attempt.  “That includes transferring to my hoverchair.”  He attempted to heave himself up into a sitting position.  The exertion was agonizingly evident on his face as his inability to fully utilize his core muscles made itself apparent. 

“Take it easy, will you?!” Crosshair scolded with pure worry and no malice whatsoever.  He helped Tech lie back down. 

Tech let out a defeated sigh at his loss of ability, doing his best to catch his breath.  Crosshair could hear the underlying frustration.  Sure, Tech had technically been in this state for quite some time, over a year at this point, but now being back in the presence of his siblings made the adjustment more blatant for him.  Unlike most others, his brothers and Omega knew full well who he was before his injury. 

“Give me just a moment to catch my breath, then I shall try again,” Tech panted. 

“You’re not by yourself though,” Crosshair said softly, repeating Tech’s isolating words.  The words were burned into Crosshair’s brain like an excruciating brand.  It pained him so deeply that his brother was forgetting such an important factor.  He stared earnestly into his brother’s eyes and on his neutral face. 

“What?”  Tech squinted through his glasses. 

“You just said that you needed to do everything by yourself.  You and your exceptional mind seem to somehow be forgetting the most important thing of all.” 

Tech stared at him from his position lying down. 

“You’re not alone.”  The sniper shook his head.  “I understand that you want your independence back.  I do, and trust me, Tech, there’s nothing I want more than for you to have that.  But while you recover, you need to understand that your family is here by your side through every bit of it. Ok?  Through the ups and downs, through the highs and lows,” Crosshair’s voice cracked. 

Tech continued to stare at Crosshair through his glasses.  Crosshair noted how they made his brother look much more… civilian.  A far cry from his days as a soldier.  Tech had explained his choice of eyewear before based on practicality… That in the field, it made more sense to have the goggles as they were more secure on his face.  Living a quiet life on Pabu didn’t necessarily call for that so to speak.  Crosshair wondered what his brother would choose to wear in the future. 

Crosshair gestured, silently asking if he could help Tech to sit up.  Tech nodded minutely, stunned into silence at his brother’s rare and unusual show of vulnerability.  The engineer was certainly not used to Crosshair rambling that much… that was surely supposed to be his thing after all.  Crosshair leaned forward and wrapped his arms underneath Tech’s armpits, the goggled clone wrapping his own around his brother’s neck.  Crosshair gently lifted him up so that he could lean against the stacked-up pillows behind him.  

Fluffing up his pillows, Crosshair continued.  “Please let me help you…  In whatever way you feel comfortable with.  I’m here.  I always will be.  Whether you need help with something physically… position changes so you don’t get those bed sores, getting something out of reach… I don’t know… getting to and from the 'fresher here or once we get back home… Seriously, whatever.  If you want to talk when you’re bored about how you feel, I’ll always be available.  Or if you just want to have someone sit by your bedside while you rest… Please don’t be afraid to ask.  You have a wonderful life ahead of you, and I believe in you with everything I got in me.” 

The intellectual clone slid his glasses off his face and placed them in his lap.  For someone who typically always processed information at rapid speeds, his mind took its time in absorbing his brother’s speech.  In a rare show of emotions, he felt tears uncontrollably flowing down his cheeks before he even realized; his face maintaining its usual stoicism though as he drank up Crosshair’s words. 

Crosshair’s eyes, already having been welled up with tears, shed quite a few of their own. 

There was a thoughtful and meaningful pause before Tech spoke. 

Tech grabbed Crosshair’s hand.  The sniper looked softly at his brother, patiently awaiting his words.  “I always believed in you , Crosshair,” Tech whispered with veracity and conviction as indestructible as beskar. 

Crosshair looked down at his lap, his hand still being grasped by his brother.  He let Tech’s words settle in. 

“After reading those transfer records and seeing your name among other clone prisoners captured by the Advanced Science Division,” Tech’s brow raised as he thought for a split second, “your designation number to be more accurate…” 

Crosshair hummed, unintentionally interrupting Tech.  “I inferred.  Thanks for the clarification.”

Tech shrugged.  “As I was saying, at that point, I knew for sure you had officially turned on the Empire.  But that did not come as a surprise to me...”  Tech glanced up at Crosshair’s face.  “When Kamino was attacked and we were escaping the rising floods, I described you as severe and unyielding.  While those qualities could refer to being serious and inflexible, they also have the potential to portray your steadfast nature.  You were bound to find your way back at some point.” 

Crosshair thought back to that culminating day on Kamino.  It had been the last time he saw Tech before his assumed passing… What a cruel galaxy for almost making that be the case. 

“After hearing you were a prisoner of Hemlock who infamously used unorthodox methods for clone experimentation, this made the situation even more urgent.” 

It had been Tech who’d encouraged the others to attempt a rescue.  The rescue that ended in tragedy beyond comprehension.

But to hear that Tech always believed in him on some level? 

Another tear slid down Crosshair’s face.  He gently grasped the back of Tech’s neck and leaned his face closer to him.  “You better not disappear again.”

“I do not plan on doing so for the foreseeable future.”

Crosshair knelt so that he could hug his brother.  “I promise that I’ll always be here when you need it,” Crosshair mumbled into Tech’s ear.  “You hear me?  I promise.”  He didn’t care about the occasional sniffle he let out while he finally got the chance to speak his heart.  In addition to that, he was certain that Tech didn’t mind the patch of soaked fabric on the collar of his medical gown from Crosshair’s continued blubbering.

Tech tilted his head so he could see Crosshair.  “I do not doubt that.  You have always been unyielding towards matters you care deeply for.”

“Hm… Who’s being the unyielding and stubborn one now?” Crosshair teased.  “For kriffs-sake, would you please just let me help?” he practically begged, gesturing between Tech and the hoverchair.

Tech studied him.  “I give my permission,” he nodded.

Crosshair carefully lifted Tech out of the bed.  “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

“You are doing an adequate job,” Tech reassured his fretting brother.

The sniper gave him a quick smile before setting him down in the hoverchair.

If there was one thing Crosshair had learned throughout the years, it was that healing took time.  Having brothers to lean on might not speed up that time per say, but it certainly made the grueling moments more palatable.

Chapter Text

Waking up never before felt as good as it did these days.  Odalin’s arm was wrapped around his stomach, her head pressed into the crook of his neck.  On a regular day, Crosshair would have zero interest in getting out of bed.  The sniper had promised Tech that he’d pay him an early morning visit today though.

The night prior, Crosshair had stayed up for hours hand-sewing a strap for Tech to attach to his new glasses.  He did his research reviewing how to make proper stitches, with Odalin even getting involved by demonstrating some techniques.  Considering his military upbringing and career, the sniper was no expert at sewing or arts and crafts in general.  He did, however, have past experience fixing up Lula when she’d tear occasionally.  His brothers claimed he was the best person suited to perform such touch-ups to the tooka doll since his eyesight was so precise… Crosshair found this to be a ridiculous correlation.  Hunter was just coming up with an excuse to… focus on his hair or whatever.  Wrecker’s hands were too big and clumsy; threading a needle would take him the same time a trip around the galaxy would.  Truthfully, Tech was the best at efficiently suturing up wounds in a true medical emergency… Although, the brainy clone’s sutures apparently didn’t translate well into fixing a toy.  According to Tech, his primary focus when treating his brother’s gashes was on, “keeping you all from bleeding out rather than artistic aesthetics.”  Nevertheless, if Tech was available to suture the others up, he’d be the one to provide that care.  Crosshair was also proficient in this area, taking over the responsibility if Tech was out of commission for whatever reason.

Crosshair pressed his lips to the crown of Odalin’s head.  “Oddy?”  He hated to wake her, but knew it was inevitable.

Odalin stirred, wiggling a bit in Crosshair’s embrace.  “Hmm?”

“Tech’s expecting me.”

Odalin stretched her drowsy body, separating herself from Crosshair’s warm side.  The sniper immediately missed the contact.  Much to his delight, she placed her hand on the side of his face so that she was cupping his cheek.  He leaned into the touch like one of the plants in the dwelling’s windowsill would have had it been deprived of water too long.  “You better not keep him waiting then,” she smiled, her voice still groggy from sleep.

Crosshair leaned over so he was once again close enough to Odalin to give her a kiss on the cheek.  “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Crosshair collected the gift he had made and said his farewell to Odalin before leaving the house to head towards the hospital.  He practically lived at Odalin’s house as of late. 

When he entered Tech’s room, Inessa, the physical therapist, was sitting in a stool next to Tech’s bed. 

Crosshair leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, and lifted his chin up in greeting.  “Am I interrupting something?” 

“Well, if it isn’t the man himself!” Inessa gasped in excitement.  “Crosshair, you look amazing!  You’ve healed up wonderfully I see!” 

“He does have a girlfriend to impress,” Tech stated, inserting himself into the unexpected reunion. 

Crosshair glared at his brother.  Tech seemed to be forgetting that he had one of his own. 

Inessa chuckled.  “Odalin has certainly played a crucial role in your recovery, for more reasons than one.” 

The sniper pushed off from where he was leaning and nodded in agreement.  That was very true.  Odalin had been his rock.  “I had many people, including my family, Odalin, the doctors, nurses, and yourself, to lean on.”  He shot a pointed look at Tech, hoping he’d get the message that it takes a village to recover. 

“While I don’t know the finer details encompassing your stay at the hospital,” Tech frowned, giving Crosshair a look that suggested he better fill him in sooner rather than later, “a grand support system is advantageous.” 

“We’re just about finished up here,” Inessa smiled, taking Tech’s ankle in her hands and moving the joint accordingly.  Crosshair’s heart hurt at the fact that Tech didn’t have the sensation to feel it.

Setting down the light-weight fabric bag he’d been carrying with his gift inside, Crosshair made himself as comfortable as possible in one of the chairs that had accumulated in the room.  Considering his brother’s frequent stream of visitors, often groups at a time (primarily consisting of his brothers, sister, Odalin, and Phee), a comical amount of additional chairs had amassed.

True to her word regarding leaving soon, Inessa said her goodbyes and headed out.

Crosshair stood up, snatching the present along with him as he strode over to Tech’s bed.  “Got you something.”

“A gift?”

Crosshair shrugged. “Sort of…” Before removing the item from the bag, he paused.  “Don’t get your hopes up.”  Tech gave his brother a look of curiosity.   Finally, Crosshair handed Tech the piece of fabric he’d spent hours sewing into a strap to attach to the pilot’s glasses.  Tech examined the item, his hands feeling the cloth as though he were engraving each thread of it to memory.

Although Crosshair knew better than most that his brother’s expressions didn't always necessarily correlate to his feelings on something, the sniper felt the sudden urge to clarify his thought process.  “It’s a strap,” Crosshair explained, “to put on the back of your glasses.”

“This is quite a clever addition.” Tech smiled softly as he attached Crosshair’s homemade solution to the back of his glasses.  “They will now mimic my goggles even more.”

“Your goggles,” Crosshair started, feeling the need to inform his brother of their location.  “They’ve been on the living room mantel back at home with flowers beside it… Your favorite type, switched out every couple of weeks once they’d decay too much.”

“A memorial,” Tech solemnly named at the description.

 With no way to sugarcoat that statement, Crosshair nodded.

“We lost so much time.”  Crosshair glanced vaguely at the wall, avoiding Tech’s expressive eyes.  “I mean, between me going down a path I can’t quite fathom.. To you…” he looked at Tech, eyes glossy.

“That line of thinking is not productive. While I agree with your sentiment, there is nothing more we can do than to move forward.”  Tech’s attention drifted towards the window, his head pivoting on the pillow it had been leaning on.  “The rapid passing of time is just one of the galaxy’s cruelest lessons.”

Crosshair’s mouth scrunched up in disapproval at that inevitable factor of life.

To conclude the thought, Tech continued with one last sentence.  “It is a fundamental part of life, Crosshair.”

While the sniper knew his brother’s statement was correct, of course, it didn’t make the fact any easier to process. 

~ ~ ~

Almost a week had passed since Tech’s return.  It was currently rather early in the morning.  The Batch had come to give Tech some company.  While it was true that the intelligent clone could keep himself thoroughly preoccupied with simply his datapad or some items to tinker with, considering the duration of time in which he’d been gone, socializing with his siblings topped everything else. 

“We’ve all already started the process of making the house accessible for both you and your hoverchair,” Hunter revealed. 

Echo nodded.  “We installed a ramp going into the house, as well as various modifications in the ‘fresher and what will be your bedroom.” 

“That was thoughtful.”  Tech gave his brothers a grateful look.  “Thank you.  I very much appreciate it.” 

“Aw, it was nothing!” Wrecker told Tech with a swipe of his hand.  “Omega’s coming with Batcher soon!”  Wrecker informed him.  “She’s been excited to meet you.  Every time your name is mentioned, she wags her tail!” 

Tech had already been filled in about the Batch’s newest and furry member along with her origins. 

Tech rubbed his chin.  “Unless you’ve somehow stolen my translator whilst I’ve been absent, I find it difficult to comprehend how you would gather that Batcher is excited over making herself acquainted with me.  Unless my name has been positively associated with getting a treat perhaps-” 

Hunter rubbed Tech’s shoulder with a massive grin on his face.  “Glad to have you back, brother!”  Yes, Tech’s character and cadence had been missed dearly indeed. 

“That’s good, since once again, you’re stuck with me for the long run.” 

Hunter gave Tech a serious look.  “And we wouldn’t want it any other way.” 

Echo decided to elaborate on the topic of the family pet.  “We’re anticipating that Batcher will be able to assist with your recovery in multiple facets.”  The cyborg took a moment to focus on Crosshair, silently trying to make sure he had his approval for the next part he was about to say.  The sniper gave a vague but agreeing shrug.  “Batcher helped Crosshair throughout his healing journey.”

Crosshair had to hold back a cynical laugh.  Healing journeys plural, would be the correct way of phrasing that really.

“She’s really smart.  You two will get along just great!” Wrecker promised.
Tech rubbed his chin.  “And the medical facility has given permission for a large lurca hound to enter the premises? 

“Of course,” Hunter laughed.  “Look, we might not have been the best at following orders in the field, but when it comes to following orders pertaining to the health and safety of patients, we do just fine.” 

“Fair enough,” Tech shrugged, knowing that although his brothers weren’t at the same intellectual level as him… few in the galaxy were… they were far from being unintelligent. 

An expectant knock drew everyone’s attention towards the door.

Hunter, who must’ve heard the girl and lurca hound coming from a mile away, let out an audible “ah!” as he stood up to greet the two. 

Sure enough, Omega strode in with the hound pressed up right against her leg.  “Tech!” Omega smiled.  “Meet Batcher!  Crosshair and I rescued her from Tantiss!”

Crosshair huffed in amusement, sticking his thumb out at the kid.  “It’s Omega who deserves all the credit on that front.”  

Omega rolled her eyes, but she technically couldn’t argue there.

Crosshair absently thought about how strongly of an effect his sister and the hound had in rescuing him… Not only from Tantiss, but himself.

“Nice to meet you, Batcher.  I hear you’ve been looking out for everyone whilst I’ve been away,” Tech nodded at Batcher as he patted her slightly awkwardly.  

Crosshair felt his heart plummet in his chest at his brother’s words.  ‘ Been away ’ was definitely one way of viewing his prolonged absence.

Batcher on the other hand enthusiastically began to lick Tech’s face, startling the engineer until he attempted to form some sort of arm created barrier from his skin and the rambunctious lurca hound. 

“Aw!” Wrecker cooed.  “She loves you already, Tech!” 

“While that-” Tech dodged Batcher’s tongue before it hit him square in the face again, prompting him to restart his sentence.  “While that is one of the reasons hounds lick their human companions, there are a plethora of other potential motives,” Tech bluntly stated, sticking his pointer finger up towards the ceiling.  Batcher then proceeded to lick his finger, causing Tech to furrow his brow and retract his digit before it could get any more slobber on it. 

“Ask her to bring you something,” Echo suggested, still smirking at his brother’s comment. 

Tech scanned the room in search of a grabbable item.  “What do I ask her to fetch me?” 

“How about Lula!?” Omega gasped in awe of her own great idea.  Lula was currently sitting flopped over on a chair across the room. 

Tech frowned.  “What practical medical assistance does Lula provide?”  Crosshair gave him a subtle, pointed look from where he was standing, causing Tech to continue.  “Well… besides the heartbeat feature I added.  But Crosshair, I wouldn’t necessarily categorize that component as being medical per se."  Crosshair nearly slapped his forehead at being so obviously called out. 

“It’s a good start,” Hunter chimed in.  “Why don’t you go ask her?”

“Batcher,” Tech said with an authoritative but friendly voice.  The blue lurca hound’s ears perked up at the sound of her name.  “Fetch me Lula,” he commanded.  Batcher blinked at him with her blue and red eyes; her tongue hanging out as she panted.  Tech blinked back at her.  “The tooka doll… Lula,” Tech repeated for clarification purposes with a point in the right direction.  Tech turned to his siblings.  “Does she even know what or who Lula is?”  Before anyone could answer his valid question, Batcher sprang into action.  The lurca hound carefully snatched Lula in her mouth between her teeth with a surprising amount of gentleness.  

Crosshair sighed in relief since this level of gentleness hinted towards there being no rips made to the doll’s already worn and loved upon fabric.  He’d probably be forced to fix the tooka if anything happened.  He reckoned that things hadn’t changed too much since the olden days… 

Joyfully, Batcher jumped onto the bed Tech was on and dropped the toy on his lap.  Tech glanced around at the gleeful faces of his brothers and sister.  He enthusiastically pet Batcher, scratching her behind her ears.  “I see that she does in fact know what ‘Lula’ means.”  Tech returned his attention back to Batcher.  “I’m curious to discover the full extent of her mental and physical capabilities.”  He naturally reached for his datapad to write a reminder note for himself, not that he even required one given his photographic memory.

~ ~ ~

Later that afternoon, Tech told the others to get lunch downstairs and that he’d be perfectly content with getting some additional rest while by himself.  After some pushback, Tech agreed to at least let Batcher stay with him.

Odalin had met up with them, keen on the idea of getting lunch with her boyfriend and his family.  The food at the hospital cafeteria was pretty good; most of the ingredients were fresh, coming directly from Pabu.

Currently, Omega was in the midst of explaining all the things she already had planned for Tech to experience with them. 

“Then, I can take Tech to my school, and he could even sit in on one of the lessons!” 

Crosshair raised a brow.  “He’d probably try to correct and then teach the teacher,” Crosshair mumbled under his breath in fond amusement.  Hunter, who easily heard the murmur, shot him a grin to show his agreement. 

The series of events that happened next all went down in quick succession. 

First, out of nowhere, Hunter’s hand flung to his head; a pained expression crossing his face. 

“Hunter?” Echo immediately noticed.  “What’s wrong?  Are you feeling ill?” 

The troubled sergeant in question just raised his hand up to silence his brother.  Of course, everyone at the table was hyperfixated on him now. 

Then, almost as though on cue, Batcher sprinted into the mess.  The lurca hound just nearly dodged herself from tripping nurses on their mealtime break. 

Batcher whined, coming to a swift halt in front of the table seating her sought after family.  “Batcher!” Omega gasped, springing out of her seat.  “Calm down girl!” 

It was a bit of a looping maze to get here.  Not only were they on a different floor, but the layout of the medical building was not intuitive.  Crosshair often wondered what di’kut was the architect.  Why Batcher was so determined to go all the way downstairs by herself was troublesome. 

Batcher howled in a very uncharacteristic way.  Her coming up to them by herself was enough to cause an investigation.  Crosshair felt dread seeping through his skin. 

“Isn’t she supposed to be with Tech?” Wrecker frowned.  “That’s where we left her.” 

Crosshair began to feel a pit form in his stomach.  “That was the intention,” he frowned.  Batcher had been excellent in staying by his own side when his mental health was working against him.  It made little sense why Batcher would run from Tech unless the hound reckoned she’d exhausted all her other options.  

What were the chances of both Hunter and Batcher acting so strange?  They all knew that Hunter had the unique ability to sense those around him on an unnatural level.  He had even trained himself to hear his family’s heartbeats with ease, being able to distinguish theirs out of a lineup of strangers.  And Batcher had just come from Tech’s room.  It wouldn’t have been surprising if Hunter was actively listening to Tech.

Clearly, everyone had the same train of thought, considering how they all turned their attention back to a perturbed Hunter. 

Crosshair was the first to spring up in his seat, not even needing the confirmation from his long-haired brother about the root cause of this sudden onset of unease.  He swung his legs over the cafeteria table.  All while desperately trying to push down the sinking feeling building up inside, the sniper bolted towards the door that Batcher had entered from. 

Odalin stood up shortly after Crosshair, placing a worried hand over her heart as she watched him flee the room. 

“Hunter!” Echo shouted, nudging his brother who appeared to be in an uncomfortable trance.  “Is Tech alright?” 

“I- I’m unsure,” Hunter mumbled, inhaling sharply.  “His heart rate is elevated.” 

As Crosshair left the cafeteria, he could hear his siblings raise their voices as they determined what to do.  He was sure at least a couple of them would follow him eventually.  Crosshair didn’t have it in him to wait.  There was something amiss, and he wasn’t leaving anything to chance. 

The journey to Tech’s room proved to be even more of a hassle than usual.  Sure, Crosshair had memorized the layout of this questionably designed building a long time ago.  The current issue stemmed from getting upstairs to the second floor. 

The most efficient means of getting upstairs from where he was located was the surprisingly efficient elevator the building had.  But, since the galaxy had something brutally against him, the elevator was currently out of order.  Of course it was , Crosshair’s internal monologue bitterly hissed. 

Stairs it was then.  Crosshair raced to the door that led to the stairs, practically skidding past it if the obnoxious sound his shoe rubber made was anything to go off of.  The stairs were not nearly as high-tech as the elevator.  Crosshair attributed this to the hospital not allocating their funds appropriately or fairly.  Carefully, but still with great urgency, he pushed past two human children playing some monotonous game that he thought looked ridiculous. 

Finally, Crosshair bolted into Tech's familiar room.  The sight he was met with made his stomach drop.  The brightness of a room, or in this case, lack thereof, was futile in preventing Crosshair from witnessing Tech’s distressed form.  

Tech appeared to be in the midst of a horrible nightmare.  He squirmed dangerously near the edge of the bed, concerning the youngest brother of the batch that he’d fall off and hurt himself even more during his restless sleep.

With purposeful and large steps, Crosshair strode into the room, hovering his hands over Tech’s shoulders as the poor engineer writhed on the bed.  After a moment's hesitation as to what the best course of action would be, the sniper settled his hands on Tech’s biceps.  Crosshair frowned at how his brother’s hospital gown was drenched with sweat.  Tech didn’t appear to have a fever, but in his panic induced state, it seemed as though he’d worked himself up to an insurmountable level.  Crosshair’s head bounced back and forth about getting his brother into dry and comfortable clothes… Should he inform Tech’s nurse to bring a fresh gown?  No… Well, later.  He’d be surprised if Tech’s spike in heart rate wouldn't attract medical personnel to investigate any moment now.  Hunter and Batcher had evidently predicted and sensed this unexpected episode before it escalated out of proportion… Was it unexpected though?  Tech was bound to suffer nightmares after everything he’d endured.  Focus .  First, Crosshair had to soothe his brother from his rising panic attack mid-sleep. 

“Tech!” Crosshair called out, rubbing his brother’s shoulder.

No response…

Crosshair tried again.

“You’re alright!” Crosshair hushed.  “Calm down!  Udesii!”

Slowly Tech’s eyes cracked open.  He had barely stopped hyperventilating, to the point where Crosshair was concerned that his brother wasn’t getting enough oxygen. 

“Crosshair?” Tech groaned, blindly reaching up towards the ceiling, brain addled.  

Crosshair grabbed his brother’s hand, clasping them together and giving it a firm squeeze.  “I’m here, brother.”  The sniper gently placed his flesh hand on the upper side of Tech’s sweaty face.  He rubbed his thumb up and down in a soothing motion.  “I’m here.” 

Tech stared, wide-eyed into Crosshair’s own.  His mouth was slightly ajar, as if he had something he wanted to say, but couldn't.  He looked not only vulnerable, but scared.  Truly, deeply afraid.

Crosshair acted on instinct.  He sat directly next to Tech, pulling his brother to his side into a grounding embrace.  After a few moments of determining that Tech was responding well to this physical stimuli, Crosshair took his hand not wrapped around Tech’s back and placed it on the side of his brother’s distraught face.

“ Breathe , Tech.  You need to breathe .”

Tech shook his head slightly as though he were incapable of following such a tumultuous task.

“Yes, yes you can.  You can do it.  You can literally do just about anything you put that brilliant mind of yours to.  Follow my breathing,” Crosshair guided, taking one of Tech’s shaking hands and placing it on his own chest.  “That’s it,” Crosshair whispered into his brother’s hair where he was resting his head at the moment.  “You’re doing good.”

After a few minutes, Tech’s sporadic breathing evened out.  No nurses had burst through the doors, and Crosshair was honestly grateful for that.  He had this under control.  Tech always responded the best to his brothers’ comforts as opposed to others. 

Tech sniffed.  “Tha- thank you, brother,” he whispered in his still partially dream-like state. 

Crosshair hushed him.  “You’re alright.  You hear me?”

As predicted, the others eventually all piled into the recovery room. 

The sight they were met with was Crosshair laid side by side next to Tech in the bed.  Tech was finally peacefully asleep.  Crosshair, on the other hand, held his gaze on the opposing wall.  The enhanced clone felt lucky that the others lacked the vision he had, especially in a dark room such as this.  It was the only reason they couldn’t make out the sniper’s tear-stained cheeks as he held Tech to his side. 

Crosshair hoped he’d never have to witness his big brother suffer like that again… 

Stars knew the engineer had been through enough already.

Chapter Text

Not too long after the brilliant engineer’s return, Tech was deemed well enough to continue the rest of his recovery in the comfort of his own home.  The doctors all agreed that Tech would benefit more from not being stuck in the hospital.  Especially after his horrific string of nightmares, Tech’s siblings all vowed to be there for him emotionally, as well as to give him a physical hand with anything and everything he might need. 

Every night since the first time it had happened since he’d been rescued, Tech suffered from debilitating nightmares.  The time Batcher came to alert them seemed to be a non-isolated event. 

Crosshair hated this. 

It was for that reason that the sniper had been granted special permission to stay past hospital visiting hours to be with Tech.  Well, he had been the one to really urge for that to happen, practically begging Tech’s nurses to bend the rules for not only him, but also on behalf of his still weakened brother.  One could say he metaphorically held the staff at blaster point…(rifle point?) for them to allow this… major emphasis on the word metaphorically. 

It was finally Tech’s final night at the hospital though.  He was to be discharged from the medical center the following morning. 

The nighttime crickets could be heard through the shut window.

Crosshair had just assisted Tech in settling into his hoverchair.  He wanted to take his brother to the garden that he had become so accustomed to.  Though it had been some time since he was a patient here, the sniper was practically a frequent visitor at this point.

The brotherly duo made their way down to the first floor, silently striding towards the lift.  The only noises were Crosshair’s soft footsteps and the mechanical whir of Tech’s hoverchair.

Eventually, they made it to the garden, where Crosshair led his brother to his favorite spot.  The sniper sat down in the familiar garden bench, and Tech followed by positioning the hoverchair snug next to it.  

Fireflies danced and lit up around their heads like dozens of unspoken conversations that had yet to be shared….

Crosshair broke the silence, his typically chatty brother’s quietness causing a disturbance like a premonition in what the Jedi called the Force.  “You’re not saying something…”

Tech sighed, visibly amused in a way though.  “Leave it to you to notice…  Can I discuss something rather pressing with you?” 

“Always.”  Crosshair paused, allowing for his brother to elaborate.

“The others don’t yet know…”  

Something in Crosshair’s chest tightened with emotion at the fact that still, after so long away from another, Tech still wanted to confide with him.  It was just another string that stayed unsevered throughout all those grueling, painful, and confusing months.

“My primary doctor brought up potential cybernetics,” Tech said with an uneasy look in his eyes.

The sniper raised his brow while Tech lifted his gaze up towards him.  Truthfully, cybernetics for Tech hadn’t even occurred to him.

“According to the doctor, undergoing surgery to- for lack of a better word- install these cybernetics into my body would give me the chance to function closer to how I once was…  There would be mechanisms added to assist my spinal cord’s functionality.  Other devices would then be put in place to restore more proper usage of my lower internal organs that were affected as a result of my paralysis.”

Crosshair studied his brother's face, trying with every morsel of his eyesight’s capability to get a read on what Tech was currently thinking… or unknowingly trying to convey.

His findings came up blank.  Just as neutral as Tech’s face.

“The operations would be terribly invasive.  With the extent of my injuries, it could take months- or even years- more of recovery and rehabilitation, even with bacta, which is a scarcity on Pabu.”  The engineer bitterly shook his head as if simultaneously ridding traumatic memories.  “That is if it even turns out to be a success… Due to the excessive scar tissue and overall damage throughout my body, it is unclear if the cybernetics would even be able to work properly.”

Tech always seemed to know the answers to just about everything.  It was an ongoing joke in the brains of all who knew and held Tech close to them.

“It’s ironic,” Tech scoffed.

“What is?”

“I’m the one that tinkered with Echo’s cybernetics the most.  I understand the inner workings of the machinery part of Echo like the back of my hand.”  Tech rotated his hand, studying his scarred flesh like a painting.  “Consenting for this operation would involve going under the knife.”  A visible shudder wracked though Tech’s malnourished frame.  

Crosshair’s heart beat with empathy.  He could definitely relate to that trauma based fear.

Tech spoke more quietly when he continued.  “I can live a wonderful quality of life without undergoing any of that.”

Crosshair steadily nodded in agreement.  Pabu would definitely need to work on some accessibility issues that he would personally see to himself, but why was Tech so bothered?  As a squad, they’ve always managed to overcome hardships as a family.  Adapting to this would be different in many ways, of course… this itself was uncharted territory, but the principle of conquering the galaxy’s most daunting hurdles was a tale as old as time for the unique batch.

It seemed like Tech already made up his mind and that was enough reason for Crosshair to support him all the way.  Crosshair placed a hand on the man’s shoulder.  “Tech, if you don’t want to go through with getting cybernetics, it’s completely understandable.  That’s an informed choice you must be the one to make.”

Tech whispered his following sentence with an uncharacteristic amount of self-doubt.  “I don’t want the others to disapprove of my decision.”

That was not at all what Crosshair was expecting.  His face morphed into one of bewilderment, while his back tensed with unease.  “Tech, the others will support whatever you choose to do.  This decision is up to you...  Whatever you feel most comfortable with.”

“I am still in the hospital.  Everyone has only seen me here since I’ve returned.  Once I head back… home, they might realize that I am not who I once was…”

Crosshair’s mouth twisted in disgust… Disgust stemming from none other than the absurdity of Tech’s irrational fear.  What bothered him even more was that Tech’s feelings were parallel to what he had thought not too long ago about himself…

Instead of attacking and defending Tech from his own cruel words about himself, Crosshair simply responded, “Are any of us?”

Tech looked down in shame.

“If you really think that any one of us will disagree with whatever decision you pick, you’re tremendously mistaken,” Crosshair stated, subconsciously shaking his head in disapproval… The only disapproval he actually sided with in this ridiculous argument.  “All we care about is that you’re here, with us.  Back where you are meant to be.”

“Day to day life will be different…”

Crosshair scoffed.  “That’s why it's called day to day… You know just as well as I that each and every day can change in the blink of an eye.”

Tech stared at the fireflies and their sporadic light show.  He slowly nodded.  At that moment, Tech confidently came to terms with his decision.  “I will not undergo the procedure...” he mumbled.

Crosshair hummed, proud of his brother for carving out his own path… No matter how difficult the decisions along the way might be.  “You’re stuck with us, Tech.  For the long run.”

~ ~ ~

The stroll homeward was nothing short of another family gathering.  While Crosshair escorted Tech out of the confines of the medical building, all of his siblings, as well as Odalin, Phee, and Astri, cheered as he made his way outside.  Wrecker was holding a sign that everyone had pitched in to help create.  Omega held a bouquet of flowers; a combination of Tech’s favorites as well as local ones (including some from the weeping maya tree).  The others tossed petals into the air that acted like makeshift confetti as Tech rolled past them in his sleek hoverchair.

“Pabu’s managed to rebuild quite nicely,” Tech observed as they all headed in the direction of the batch’s home.

Crosshair hummed in acknowledgment. “You had a big part in that.”

A couple of moon-yos scurried in front of Crosshair and Tech.  Tech managed to abruptly halt his hoverchair.

“Good reflexes on that chair,” Hunter noted.

“Well, considering I very personally know the man who designed that aspect of it, that feature shouldn’t come as a surprise to neither me nor you,” Tech commented.

Crosshair huffed in amusement.  “Humble as ever.”

Tech scoffed. “It’s not a matter of being humble or not.  I’m simply relaying facts.”

Phee smirked as she snuck up behind him.  “Sure, brown eyes.”

Batcher whined, attempting to climb onto Tech's lap.

Crosshair hummed.  “Appears the hound is jealous of all the attention the moon-yos received."  Odalin giggled, interlocking her elbow with Crosshair’s.

Just as the siblings had promised, there was indeed a hoverchair ramp built next to the few stairs that led to the front door of the family dwelling.

Tech easily navigated up the small incline and entered the house.  Despite the addition of the accessibility, thoughts about what he no longer had, or rather what he no longer was physically capable of doing, crept into his mind.  

Upon entering through the front door, those thoughts temporarily evacuated his head like clouds clearing up after a storm once he noticed something.  The engineer’s eyes were immediately drawn to the painted family portrait hanging above the couch that Odalin made.  

The batch all watched in anticipation as Tech studied the painting of all of them standing side by side together.  But, Tech didn’t say anything as his eyes traced each detailed figure on the canvas.

Tech’s eyes then drifted to the mantel which had his broken goggles resting.  The shattered glass of the lens reflected the light of the room in an eerie way.  To think of what had become of the once so frequently used eyewear…  Just as Crosshair had described, Tech’s favorite flowers were indeed decorating the ledge as well.

Tech gulped.  The configuration really did resemble an in-house memorial… Well, that’s truly what it had become after all he supposed.

Much of what they’d all yearned to say, now that the designated pilot of the once existing Marauder was back, lingered in the air.  Compelling conversations composed of in-depth recollections commenced.  By now, most of what Tech had been absent for, had been fully explained to him… as best as words could articulate, anyway.

After another lengthy chat, Hunter offered to pick up some dessert from a local vendor.

Crosshair stood up as well.  “I’ll go with you.”

Hunter gave a nod, obviously clocking that his youngest brother had something to discuss with him in private.

Sure enough, on the walk, Crosshair spoke.

“Tech said it was difficult for you to look at him.”

Hunter shifted his head to glare at Crosshair in mild surprise.  This had clearly been an unexpected conversation starter.  He then grunted.  “Well, facing a brother’s countless untreated injuries as he moaned in agony is… upsetting to say the least.”  He huffed.  “A brother we all had reason to presume was dead on top of all that...  We slathered as much as we could with the limited bacta we had in our possession but…”  Hunter shrugged in defeat.  “It was rough, Crosshair…  I mean, knowing the extent of everything now amplifies it all even more.  Not only did Tech lose the ability to walk, he also lost all sensation below a certain point.  He now experiences nerve pain, and he’s lost most of his bladder and bowel control too.”

Crosshair vehemently exhaled through his nose while taking long strides in his steps.  His hands fumbled around in his trouser pockets.

The two brothers stopped in front of the baked goods vendor.

“Now, what do you say about a dozen mini jogan fruit tarts?”

“Tech does love those,” Crosshair agreed, accounting for the engineer’s soft spot for a tasty tart.

Hunter went up to order.  “Hello,” he greeted the man behind the stand.  The tracker pulled his wallet out to count his credits.  “Can I have two dozen mini jogan fruit tarts?”

Crosshair glared at his brother.

Hunter shrugged.  “Wrecker inhales anything resembling a dessert.”

“Wrecker inhales anything that is edible,” Crosshair corrected.

Now that, on the other hand, was something that Crosshair had forgotten to account for in the moment.

~ ~ ~

Although Crosshair didn’t want to be away from her, he and Odalin had agreed that it would be nice for him to spend Tech’s first night at the batch’s house all under the same roof.

While everyone else got ready to go to bed, performing the nightly rituals such as tooth brushing and showering, Crosshair sat out in the living room with none other than Tech.

After remaining silent on the painting up until now, Tech spoke.  “That’s a nice painting of us.  Quite a dimensionally accurate portrayal.”  He observed the painted version of himself, standing tall next to his brothers and sister.  “This depiction of me appears rather strikingly captivating,” Tech noted.  Crosshair slowly turned to face his brother with a confused look on his face.  Tech rarely, if ever, discussed his physical appearance, much less directly commented on his looks.  In all honesty, Hunter and Crosshair were typically the only two to care for such trivial things, and that was still occasional.

Tech straightened himself up as much as he could in his hoverchair.  “I am no longer that man,” he stated with a sort of stoicism that had the power to shake the galaxy to its very core.

Crosshair cringed at his brother’s implication.  “You’re not no longer him.  You are him, just… a bit older and a lot wiser.”

Tech huffed out a bitter laugh as he gazed down to his legs before turning his head towards Crosshair.  “Among other newfangled characteristics, may I note.”

~ ~ ~

The first part of the next day went by normal for the most part.

While Odalin prepared for the next night market, getting her newest paintings ready and such, Crosshair attended an appointment.  It had been awhile since his brain surgery at this point.  Although his health had been getting increasingly better, the routine appointment was nothing out of the ordinary.

Calmness erupted into chaos that evening though.  Tonight, Crosshair had gone back to staying with Odalin.  Tech had seemed to settle in well the night before, and he’d personally joked that his brother ought to get back to Odalin.

Hours past midnight, but before the sun had begun to contemplate its scheduled rising, Crosshair awoke to a phone call.

Well, really Odalin had.  She had been the one to gently nudge Crosshair awake.  

It was shocking to Crosshair.  Back during the days when the brutal Clone Wars war raged on, Crosshair would have awakened to the sound of a pin dropping.  He supposed this was just a testament to how safe and secure he felt on Pabu…  Surrounded by his family.  Surrounded by Odalin.

Crosshair dragged himself out of the bed, removing himself from Odalin’s plush and cozy mattress and away from the wonderful woman herself.  To pick up the call, in order to give Odalin the opportunity to doze off again, he half-asleep stumbled into the ‘fresher… the closest room.  The tiles were cold on his bare feet.

When the sniper picked up the transmission, Hunter’s voice rang through.  “Cross, we need you here.”  His voice appeared to be calm, but Crosshair was no fool.  He could easily pick up on the underlying urgency in his older brother’s husky voice.

“Right now?  In the middle of the night?” Crosshair squinted despite knowing his brother couldn’t see his face.

“Yes, right now.  I wouldn’t be calling you in the early morning if it wasn’t urgent.”

“What is it?” Crosshair asked, doing his best to remain calm.  Oh, how he hoped it was something as simple and ridiculous as a moon-yo having broken into the house and Hunter just needing an extra set of hands to capture and release it.

Hunter sighed over the comm.  The slight static-y nature of a transmission such as this, distorted his voice ever so slightly.  “It’s Tech.”

Crosshair’s heart plummeted into the depths of his acidic stomach.  

Hunter continued.  “He just woke up from another nightmare.  A bad one by the looks of it.”
“Kriff,” Crosshair grunted, already exiting the ‘fresher in order to pull on his jacket and outside shoes.  Odalin watched on from the bed, sitting up as she nervously watched Crosshair’s outward distress.

“Wrecker’s in there with him right now…” Hunter sighed.  “But- but he’s asking for you, Crosshair.”

As Crosshair finished slipping on his shoes, he felt emotion rise to his face.  After everything that had happened, Tech still trusted him… still wanted him…  Without hesitation, Crosshair spoke.  “Tell Tech I’m on my way.”

After Hunter’s confirmation on telling Tech of his whereabouts, Crosshair hung up the transmission and dashed to his brothers’ and sister’s house.

It was stormy outside… a torrential downpour.  A scene reminiscent of a day on Kamino had it not been for the beauty of Pabu that juxtaposed the water planet’s dreary ambiance.  The moment Crosshair’s foot stepped through the front door, it was already drenched.  

He was already a few steps out the door at this point.  Going back to Odalin’s to grab an umbrella would be a waste of time.  His brother needed him…  Not later…  Now.

Dashing through the familiar and puddly Pabu streets while the rain simultaneously soaked his body, was enough to fully awaken Crosshair.  Despite his halted sleep, the chill of the droplets of water mixed with his anxiety, meant he was now fully alert.

Hunter was the one waiting for his arrival, the door already open.  From far away, Crosshair could spot his brother’s figure standing expectantly in the wooden doorway.

Hunter immediately ushered Crosshair inside, preemptively handing his lanky brother a warm towel to dry off.  Crosshair nodded his thanks.

The tracker shut the outside door.  Instantly, the sound of the storm outside softened into a background noise of sorts.  “He’s in his room,” Hunter stated, gesturing with his head towards the correct door.  His hair was tangled from presumably his own battle in the land of dreams.  Or perhaps that was just a result of sleeping with long hair.  Crosshair personally couldn't relate to such a characteristic.  Recalling his old days with his squad, back when life on the Marauder was the norm, he supposed Hunter would sometimes wake up with a porg’s nest of hair.

Realistically, Crosshair predicted that the nightmare Tech had must have been traumatic.  By the time he stepped into Tech’s room though, Wrecker had clearly done a lot already to calm the engineer down.  The moment Tech registered Crosshair, he tried to sit up further by grabbing onto Wrecker’s shoulders.  

Crosshair briskly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.  “What can I do?” he softly asked.

Wrecker lowered Tech back onto his back and exited the room with Hunter.  Crosshair assumed the other siblings were purposefully giving Tech some space to breathe.  There was no way Echo, and least of all Omega, would have slept through this level of commotion.  Omega was likely champing at the bit to fling herself into Tech’s arms.

“I,” Tech paused to suck in some more air, “I apologize for the inconvenience.  After- after I mentioned your name, Hunter left- left the room to comm you.  Instantly I- I felt guilty.”

“No reason to feel guilty,” Crosshair shushed, shaking his head.

“It’s not the most,” he coughed to clear his throat, “-most convenient time.”

The marksman scoffed.  “You should’ve seen me when I was recovering right after we rescued Omega and the other prisoners.”  He squeezed his eyes shut immediately as he processed that what he had just mentioned would have been impossible.  Tech had simply been thought to have been dead…  Tech must’ve picked up on that as well, but didn’t bring it up.

As Crosshair’s hand shifted onto another part of the mattress as he stabilized himself, he felt the dampness of the sheets.  His eyes traveled down to meet his brother’s.  The goggled… now glasses wearing clone… returned his gaze, clearly registering what Crosshair was noticing.

“Apologies for-”

Crosshair lifted his prosthetic hand up in dismissal as he shut down his brother’s unnecessary apology.  Waking up drenched in sweat was never a flattering moment for anyone, but Crosshair hated that Tech was apologizing and most of all that he somehow felt… bad?  In his current state, there was nothing he could’ve done to deal with the situation privately… First, it was Hunter who had heard and felt his discomfort, literally from another room.  Then, there was the fact that his room was not set up terrifically for a hoverchair user…  While Tech’s siblings had tried their very best to research and make proper accommodations, there was sure to be a lot of trial and error once Tech officially moved in.

Crosshair wracked his sleep-addled brain to think of a gameplan.  “Want to take a shower?”

Tech sighed.  “A trip to the ‘fresher would be beneficial.”  He cast a glance down at himself.

Purposefully, for easier access, Tech was given the room directly across the hall from the refresher.  Originally, it had been Hunter’s room, but given Tech’s miraculous return, the tracker moved his quarters to an extra large closet they had converted into a new bedroom while Tech was in the hospital.

Crosshair aided his brother in stripping off his current shirt and pants.  As for his boxers, those were left on for Tech to deal with by himself in the secluded shower.

Instead of utilizing the hoverchair, Tech gave his permission to have Crosshair carry him into the newly turned accessible shower.  The shower was now equipped with a seat that Tech could sit on, as well as stability bars.

While Tech showered off all the sweat and nightmare fueled stress, Crosshair left him to his own devices as he changed all the soiled sheets, exchanging it for a new set.  Right as he was dumping the sweaty sheets into the future laundry pile, he heard the water shut off.

Once Tech had dried himself off and securely wrapped himself in a towel, he called Crosshair back inside the ‘fresher to carry him back to his room.

“I’m going to grab you some new sleep clothes, okay?” Crosshair asked.

“That… would be appreciated,” Tech slowly nodded, fluffing up one of the pillows he was leaning against on his bed.  The new sheets were nice and cool…  They not only smelled fresh, but also most importantly, weren’t wet.

Crosshair moved swiftly to Tech’s drawer and picked out a new sleep shirt, sweatpants, and boxers.

Crosshair turned around so that Tech could pull on his new boxers in privacy.  Physically, Tech was able to dress himself for the most part, but it was an incredibly strenuous endeavor that took a few minutes.

“Alright, I’m ready,” Tech sighed, catching his breath.  Crosshair turned back around to face him.

“Shirt or pants first?” Crosshair asked.

“Perhaps pants.” 

The sniper nodded and got to work sliding each of Tech’s legs into their respective pant holes.

While his older brother helped him dress, Tech spoke.  “I apologize.  This is not an ideal situation.”

Crosshair, who was now reaching for the still folded sleep shirt that he had just laid out, paused.  “Tech, you know nobody minds.”

Tech frowned.  “Before I severed the connection hinge and fell, I went through every possible scenario in my head.  Although not ideal, I chose the best option given the circumstances and the limited time that I had.  My choice was the only one that would give everyone else a fighting chance to survive- although even that was still unguaranteed.  One thing was for sure, and that was if I hadn’t disconnected the cable, we would all fall.  As I plummeted through the sky, I could only hope that the others made it to safety.  Not having that confirmation before what I thought would be my death had been… terrifying.”  Tech looked up at Crosshair with well masked fear.  “I just hoped you all were still out there when I sent my encrypted message out.”

Still processing what Tech had shared, Crosshair shrugged as he picked up Tech’s shirt.  “Idealiality is not a privilege we always have, but the circumstances change.”

“The violent wind assaulted my body from all angles as it whipped on by, and despite the severity of the grave situation, the peaceful clouds amongst me juxtaposed it all,” Tech recounted.  Sure, Tech and the others had hurtled through clouds countless times before, but never like what Tech had experienced… Falling airborne through the clouds without the security of a ship was its own ballpark.  Suspended in the air, he had become one with the clouds.  “While the odds of my survival were astronomically minimal, I did also account for that slim possibility.  The chances of surviving from that height and walking away unscathed was unrealistic.  Obviously, my body did in fact take a beating.  It was an excruciating pain… A pain like no other I’d experienced in my entire life…”  He laughed bitterly.  “I thought of it all.  Except for one thing…” Tech looked up at Crosshair with a dull haze covering his eyes.  “That I would end up being a hassle.”

“A- A hassle?!” Crosshair barked out.  “Are you kidding me?  You went through kriff and back, Tech.  Of course you’re going to need some help getting back to your old self.  It’s my karking honor helping you!” Crosshair huffed, baffled that his brother could think anything different. 

“Those memories stick with you, like particularly adhesive tape…”

Crosshair sighed, unwillingly recalling his own list of past occurrences.  “I know…” he replied darkly.

Crosshair watched as Tech’s fingers twitched and moved as he figured out what to do with them.  It was almost as if his fingers were yearning for activity.

Tech hummed, shifting the heavy subject, “the Marauder’s absence saddens me.”

“I share the same sentiment,” Crosshair sighed.

Tech frowned.  “Honestly, the moment I laid eyes on the unfamiliar ship we were fleeing in during my rescue, I knew something was amiss.  I must admit, I was not expecting to be informed about the loss of my ship post returning.” 

Crosshair raised a brow at Tech’s familiar wording, but kept his mouth shut.  Afterall, the Marauder was essentially the goggled engineer’s passion project anyway.  All the special modifications the ship had were provided by none other than Tech.  

“I desperately have the urge to tinker with mechanics again.”  Tech revealed, his hands falling into his lap and his head leaning back so that he could stare up at the ceiling.  “Just to feel a sense of normalcy again…” he yearned. 

Suddenly, Crosshair had a splendid idea that might conciliate his brother’s lingering desire to tinker.  “I might have a solution…” 

~ ~ ~

Not long after that conversation, after they had gotten through that rough night, Crosshair was helping Tech navigate his hoverchair over the bumpy terrain.  The paths to Odalin’s house were relatively smooth, but bumps were still present. 

“Crosshair, I assure you that my hoverchair can withstand a few minor divots and jagged protrusions on the trail.” 

Crosshair looked hesitant to back off and let the hoverchair do its job.  “Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure.  I designed that feature personally.” 

What a weird twist of life that Tech’s own invention would end up benefiting him like this…

Upon reaching the correct house, Odalin answered the door.  She was dressed in lounge pants, a yellow crop top, and pink fuzzy socks that Crosshair found looked cute on her.

“Oh, what can I help you boys with?”

Crosshair coughed, realising they were dropping by unannounced.  “Well, actually we were hoping to see if we could help you with something…”

Odalin raised a brow as a smirk grew on her face.  “Help me out with something?” she slowly repeated with underlying suspicion… Amused as she was by this unplanned visit, she was also incredibly curious.

“Yes,” Tech fervently confirmed.  “Concerning a particular DUM-series pit droid that Crosshair has informed me about.”

Odalin’s eyes shot from Tech up to Crosshair.  

Crosshair couldn’t help the way the corner of his lip lifted in response based off of her flabbergasted and hopeful reaction…  A reaction built from the new notion that her little droid buddy might come back after all…  Now, there was an active chance that could happen.  And sometimes, a bit of chance is all it takes to spark a flicker of hope.

Odalin eagerly nodded, stepping aside in the doorway from where she momentarily stood frozen.  The two men entered as she further filled Tech in on the situation.  “There’s a piece… One that I don’t have access to in order to fix him…”  She led the two brothers into the dining room, yanking away one of the wooden chairs so that Tech could slide his hoverchair into place instead.  “I just- I only know so much…”

As Tech and Crosshair got comfortable at the table, Odalin exited the room to retrieve Pitee.

“I am admittedly curious as to the state of this pit droid,” Tech hummed, cracking his knuckles in preparation.  The man had evidently been craving to get his dexterous hands on a new project.

Odalin carefully picked up the droid into her arms and brought him over to the dining room table.  “Tech,” Odalin started, the droid still cradled in her arms, “meet Pitee.”

Tech adjusted his glasses on the top of his nose.

Odalin laid out Pitee’s limp, unresponsive body on the kitchen table.  “Can you fix him?”

Tech leaned forward in his hoverchair, studying the pit droid as well as the broken and irreplaceable mechanism.  After a few beats, he spoke.  “Why of course I can,” Tech huffed with a signature head tilt to the side.

“Really?” Odalin gasped.

“I thought it was obvious,” he shrugged.  “All I need to do is develop an alternative device to the one that had been demolished and integrate that into the inner workings of Pitee’s hardware.”

“Will that work?”  Odalin whispered, dumbfounded by the new revelation that her beloved droid could potentially be saved.  “You make it sound so… simple.”

“This is the most plausible opportunity to give the droid its functionality back,” Tech stated as he adjusted his glasses.  “The original part that is technically needed to repair your droid companion is outdated and not manufactured anymore.  On top of that, Pitee has since been updated and changed, so much so that that part would not integrate or function in him anyway…” he gestured towards Pitee with one arm while he leaned slightly on the armrest of his hoverchair with his other, “…seeing as Pitee is an enhanced older model pit droid.  Thus, inventing an entirely new device that shares the properties of the old, while also incorporating the new requirements, is the ideal course of action.”

Odalin swallowed back her thrilled anticipation.  “So… you really can fix him?”

“If anyone could do it, it’s him,” Crosshair shook his head fondly.

“I don’t doubt that for a second,” Odalin whispered, nudging the sniper in the arm.

Tech accepted the well-deserved praise by thoroughly continuing his thoughts.  “Although the chances of this procedure providing us with the optimal outcome is high by my calculations, there is no guarantee that it will be successful.  There very well might be undetectable complications that could hinder the overall-” 

As Tech continued to relay various probabilities, Odalin cast a glace Crosshair.  The sniper’s face was focused on his genius brother.  Odalin teared up watching Crosshair’s entire face and body language soften with gratitude towards the galaxy.  For once, the stars aligned, and his dreams came true…

Tech was back.