We Are Forever

Chapter 2 - Drowning

Author's Note: Hunter is having a very rough time. Like that's a surprise. :') And Crosshair shows up. :D

~ Amina Gila

Omega directs them to Nala Se's private landing platform which she apparently knows about. Hunter didn't even know it existed, and neither did Tech. She knows a lot about this, which is definitely a good thing, considering they're sneaking onto Kamino. That half the fleet isn't even here strikes Hunter as even weirder. Something's off, and he doesn't know what. It's definitely a trap, though why they're taking Wrecker here, Hunter doesn't know. Can't imagine. All he does know is that he's scared. He's terrified to know where this might lead back to, to who it might lead back to, and Hunter isn't ready to see him again.

Omega's definitely unhappy about being here, and Hunter tries his best not to drown under the crushing failure he feels. He should've seen it coming on Ryloth, should have gotten out. He never asked what happened there after he – but he isn't ready to talk about it. Doubts Echo is, either.

Did they even get Hera's parents out?

If he'd been here, Wrecker would be safe right now.

Omega takes them through the underwater tube system to Nala Se's lab, where they run into a medical droid who Omega apparently used to know or was friends with. Or something. Hunter doesn't ask. Doesn't care. He just wants to find Wrecker and get out of here. This is a trap, and there's no way it's not going to go downhill fast even if they all somehow make it out.

Actually, his mind is still reeling from the "Your mutations were enhanced in this room. Experimental Unit 99 began right here. I was there" because it makes perfect sense, but also none at all.

That's why Omega cares about them so much. He thought it was for... well, Hunter actually never really thought about it. He thought it wasn't for anything, but of course, it was. She knew them. That's why she seemed so, so familiar.

"All clone troopers were reassigned and transferred off-world, with the exception of CT-9904," AZI says, and Hunter stops breathing.

He can't breathe at all.

It feels like air froze in his lungs and the lab is freezing and his hands are numb and he can't – can't –

Force.

Crosshair's here. Crosshair has Wrecker, and Hunter has no idea if they're trying to find a corpse or not or if Crosshair hurt him or if – he's going to walk right into a blaster shot again here, isn't he?

He wants to cry again. Feels it building in his chest.

"Crosshair's here," he breathes.

That changes – oh, Force, Crosshair's here what are they supposed to do they can't just go in there he'll kill them –

People are talking and he's shaking and it feels like he'll fall but he can't because he has to be strong for them and he doesn't know what to do.

Not now.

Not now.

Focus.

Stay.

Focus.

AZI's currents are flickering and flowing, maybe not as charged as he ought to be. Omega's at his left. Echo is at his right. Tech is behind him. The blaster Hunter took from their stray stash is charged. Its holster feels too big for him. Its power cell is pulsing.

The room smells like a lab – cold and stinging and chemical, burning his lungs.

"Hunter," Tech reports, walking up to him, "Wrecker's comm is pinging from the central platform."