aftermath: life debt | the bad batch

xxiv. enigma

╭ ─┉───── • ─────┉─ ╮

xxiv.

enigma

╰ ─┉───── • ─────┉─ ╯

•••

"Retreat," Crosshair ordered. "Send any remaining troopers to Ord Mantell. That's where the girl said their 'base' is. If they escaped, they're probably going there. And make sure most of the troopers go to Cid's Parlor. They'll be there."

•••

"We're fucked," Tech muttered, letting his comm link fall out of his hand and onto the floor. The pain only increased since the squadron that Crosshair sent had left. Not because of the poison, that was a separate issue. But the injuries he sustained from the fighting had been enough for him to be in immense pain. And what was worse, he was in so much pain that he couldn't fix the pain that he was in. He lay down on the bench he was sitting on in the main area of the medical bay, and through his peripheral vision, he saw a shadow standing in the doorway. He adjusted his goggles, and sat up halfway, to see that it was Omega.

"Oh my god" Tech muttered, sitting up. "You're alive?"

"What made you doubt that?" Omega said, entering the main area and sitting in a chair by the door, hugging Lula to her chest.

"You had no pulse, that's why. What are you doing up?" Tech asked, frustratingly putting his comm link away. "You should be in bed."

"Just be happy I'm not dead," Omega replied.

"Yeah and I'd like to prevent that from happening ever again," Tech continued. "You scared me back there, kid. I thought I lost you."

"What are you trying to do?" Omega asked, sensing that Tech was frustrated.

"I was able to intercept a radio transmission from the empire. One that I need to warn the others about immediately. But Hunter isn't picking up."

"Maybe he got hurt during their escape," Omega said, hoping that she was wrong.

"That is a possibility," Tech replied. "However, since Hunter is the best at stealth, I highly doubt he was the one to get injured."

"Maybe they haven't fully escaped yet?"

"Who knows. Maybe this, maybe that. Maybe they were captured. Maybe they're all dead. Who knows."

"Don't say that," Omega said. "They had to make it out alive. They just had to."

"Yeah, well things don't always go as planned, kid," Tech responded harshly. "Sometimes things are going to go wrong and we have to deal with the change, no matter how great or small the change in question is."

"I understand," Omega said.

"Tech?" Tech heard Hunter say through his comm. "Were you trying to reach us?"

"Hunter, wow, you're alive," Tech said. "I was trying to reach you, yes. But first, how did the escape go?"

"Not very well, but I would prefer not to speak about it right now," Hunter continued, his voice cracking.

"Oh, what happened?" Tech replied sarcastically, not reading that what had happened was serious. "Did Crosshair say something mean to you?"

"Wrecker's dead, Tech," Hunter said, so quietly that Tech almost couldn't hear. Tech's face went blank, trying to process what Hunter had just said.