#death trooper crosshair

[tending-the-hearth]

god but if echo was part of this episode and he realized that it was ventress??? echo, who held 99 as he died on kamino?? echo, who was on kamino as ventress led the invasion?? echo, who saw the destruction firsthand??

sure, crosshair, hunter, and wrecker were suspicious and unwilling at first, but echo would have been adamant on not trusting or working with ventress, because the batch has read about what she's done, but echo's seen it. he's lost brothers to what she did. he'd be furious.

[arctrooper69]

Eyes Like Champagne

"I got a Girl in the War, Paul. Her eyes are like champagne. They sparkle, bubble over and in the morning all you got is rain."

~ "Girl in the War" - Josh Ritter

Warnings: Reader death. Mentions of blood and violence.

--------------------------------------------------

"I can't wait to see you!" You spoke softly into the flickering hologram. The blue light illuminated your smile. Jesse loved that smile.

"I know, me neither. Just a few more days though. I'll be back on base soon."

You shifted, settling into a more comfortable position. Jesse could see the shelves stocked full of medical supplies behind you.

"Are you hiding in the supply tent again?" He asked, unable to keep from cracking a grin.

The guilty smile on your face was all the answer he needed. He sighed and shook his head, still trying but failing to look stern. "You really shouldn't be in there, you know. Someone could see you."

It was your turn to roll your eyes. "Well, no one's here right now. And besides," You winked at him. "If anyone asks, I'm just taking inventory."

Jesse pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yeah, but you love me anyway." Your breath hitched as you realized what you just said.

Jesse looked down. The dirt beneath his feet had suddenly become very interesting.

"Jesse?" You questioned, eyebrows pulled together in concern. "What's wrong?"

He looked back up at you, "It's nothing...it..." He paused and opened then closed his mouth as if he was going to say something but changed his mind. "It's been a long day for both of us. You should get some sleep."

You were quiet for a moment. Jesse mentally kicked himself. Say something! Tell her!

"Yeah." You replied softly and smiled at him. "See you when we get back? Drinks are on me."

"Same booth at 79s?"

"Of course." You nodded with a smile. "Stay safe till then."

"Yeah," Jesse replied. "You too."

The call ended and Jesse groaned. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! Jesse cursed to himself quietly. Why hadn't he said anything? Maybe it was just playful banter between friends, but, maybe it was more. Maybe you actually meant it. Maybe you were actually in love with him. What if you felt the same way about him as he did about you?

"Next time." Jesse resolved quietly to himself. On Coruscant in the corner booth of 79s where he first met you. That's where he'd tell you.

***

Jesse sat beside you on the rooftop under the nighttime glow of the city planet. You were wearing the dress he liked - the red one that hugged you in all the right places. Jesse reached into his pack, procuring a small bottle of champagne. You laughed as he regaled to you what Kix had gone through to find it. That was the moment when he realized that he loved you. The bottle refracted the glow of the street lights, sending crystals of light that danced across your face, sparkling like the golden bubbles spilling from the glass.

Suddenly you sat up, lifting your head from his shoulder as if you'd heard something. Jesse's hair stood on edge. You turned to him slowly, face drawn in a sad smile as you placed a hand on his face.

The smooth fabric of the gloves felt cold on his skin. The drab grey of your surgeon's uniform replaced the crimson fabric you'd been wearing just moments ago. Had the dress just been a figment of his imagination?

He stared into your eyes - they still held that champagne sparkle that warmed his heart, but sorrow clouded the other features of your face.

"Jesse." You whispered, lips barely moving. He shivered as a breeze fluttered through the air and you laid you head on his chest.

"I'm scared Jesse, will you hold me?"

He held you tightly, feeling your body shiver against his own.

"Tell me it'll be okay." He looked down at you and nearly screamed. You lay there in his arms with a smouldering hole in the center of your chest. Blood trickled from so many different cuts and scrapes across your body, staining the grey uniform as red as the dress he'd imagined you wearing before. Terror rose in his chest as you grasped his fingers, but somehow you didn't seem to be afraid anymore. You didn't seem to notice how your blood spread across the floor, turning everything it touched into a heady crimson. You were wearing the dress again, but this time the fabric flowed around you, pooling like blood on the ground, dripping through his fingers.

"Tell me I'll be okay, Jesse."

***

Jesse woke with a start, heart thudding against his ribcage.

"Jesse get up! We're gonna be late!" Kix was suddenly beside him, shaking his shoulder. He looked around, the barracks were nearly empty. His best friend and brother frowned down at him, hand still resting on his shoulder as he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"You okay?"

Jesse blinked and took a deep breath, trying to shrug off the cold, heavy feeling of terror that still gripped his waking body.

"Yeah. I - I think so." He stood up, rubbing a hand over his head.

"You sure?" Kix cocked his head at his brother's odd behavior.

"I'm sure, Kix. I just had a really weird dream."

Kix nodded in understanding. They all had odd dreams or even nightmares from time to time. "Well, we're still going to be late for roll call if you don't hurry up."

Jesse shoved a bite of a ration bar in his mouth as he hurriedly threw his armor on. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

***

It had been almost a full rotation since Jesse had woken up from the nightmare, yet he still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something wasn't right.

He entered the small medbay looking around for his friend. "Kix?" Jesse called. "You wanted to see me?"

Kix sat silently on a stool in the corner taking stock of the medical supplies in front of him. Jesse frowned, "You ok, vod?"

Kix turned to face him, pulling his lips into a tight line across his face. He stood up, "Jesse, which Rimsoo is your girl stationed at?"

Jesse rolled his eyes. "She's not my girl, Kix. At least not yet." He paused, taking in Kix's serious demeanor. "Why?" He asked hesitantly, thinking of the dream he'd had the night before. "What's wrong?"

Kix shook his head. "Just answer the question."

"RMSU 14 on Scipio. Sector 1. Why?"

"Our troopers on Anaxes were overrun." Jesse jumped to attention as Captain Rex entered the room.

"At ease, soldier."

Jesse's posture relaxed but his mind still whirred about. Why had he been called here? Had he done something wrong? Both Kix and the Captain knew about the close relationship between the two of you, but had someone else seen something and assumed the worst?

"Captain," Jesse started, then paused when he saw the defeated frown on his face. "Rex, what's wrong? What happened?"

Rex shook his head. "The 401st Battalion was losing Anaxes so their general decided to cut their losses and retreat to Scipio. They took on reinforcements to cut off the supply lines running to Anaxes. In retaliation, the seppies bombed them. Specifically the rimsoo where they knew most of our wounded were being treated."

Jesse felt cold.

"I'm sorry, vod." Kix stepped up to him, "There were no survivors."

Jesse's heart dropped. He could almost hear it shatter. He'd lost brothers before. Hell, it was programmed into them to accept loss and move on. So why did this feel so different? Why did it feel like he'd been kicked in the chest? He stood stiffly, jaw clenched, desperately trying to channel whatever foreign emotion it was that he felt, into rage. Jesse could handle rage. Jesse knew anger. It was familiar. This pain - this kind of heavy grief wasn't something he could suppress and lock away, so he willed it to become something else.

Rex held out a datapad. "I received the message this morning. I assume she rigged it to send once the signal could reach. She recorded this for you, Jesse." Rex's voice sounded far away.

Kix put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. "It may be hard to watch, vod. These are probably her final moments."

Jesse held the datapad with shaking hands.

"Do you want me to stay?" Kix asked gently. Jesse shook his head. "No that's ok. I...I need to do this alone."

Kix nodded. "We'll be right outside."

Rex placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I can cover your absence for a few hours," he spoke hesitantly, "But then I need you back in the field."

Jesse could only nod his head as Rex left the room, numb to everything around him save for the datapad in his hands.

Jesse gripped the datapad until his fingers were white. What was so important that you'd send him a message with your last efforts? And why him? He stared at the screen for what seemed like hours until he finally drew up the strength to hit play.

"Hey Jesse." Your voice was weak as you took a shaky breath. "I hope you get this." The light from your headlamp dimly illuminated your face and Jesse could see the blood caked with dust smeared across your face. A tear escaped your eyes and you wiped it away quickly, leaving more blood smeared across your cheekbone. You sniffed, "S-sorry."

Jesse wanted to reach through the screen and tell you that there was no reason to be sorry, and that even the best soldiers cried sometimes.

The image shifted slightly as you gasped, letting out a barely audible whimper. Jesse felt his heart crack.

The screen centered back onto your face. You looked around you and then back at the screen.

"Everyone else is dead, I think." You paused and took a breath, wincing in pain from a wound that Jesse couldn't see. "I'm buried under two tons of rock. I'm not gonna make it outta here, Jess. I'm so sorry." You choked. Despite your attempts to remain strong, more tears flowed down your face carving paths through the bloodied grime.

"I...I dunno how long the charge'll last on this thing but I hope that if someone finds my body, they'll give this to you."

You paused to catch your breath, leaning back against a rock. "I guess you'll have to find someone else to share that drink with at 79s." You chuckled weakly, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. Jesse wanted to jump up and shake you. Yell at you. No, no no! Eyes open, Mesh'la. Stay with me. He begged silently.

You seemed to respond to his demands as you groaned and took a shuddering breath. Your eyes were glassy.

"Do you remember that night on the roof? When we got stupid drunk off that champagne that Kix smuggled out of Felucia for you?"

You smiled, closing your eyes again.

"I meant what I said by the way." You slurred drowsily. "I love you Jesse. I think....I think I was just too scared to say it before."

Your eyes screwed shut in pain as the screen shifted again. Jesse's heart thudded against his ribcage. He felt so helpless, watching the pain drain the life from your skin.

"I...I was gonna kiss you in 79s," you said with a quiet chuckle. Jesse almost couldn't make out your words. You raised your head, looking through the screen, and smiled. There it was - that bubbly sparkle in your eyes that Jesse knew so well. For one timeless moment, he could forget the current circumstances and lose himself in them just as he had so many times before. This time he knew you loved him. But this time he couldn't say it in return.

"You would've been my first kiss." The words came as a mournful whisper.

"I don't wanna die, Jesse." Your voice cracked. "But maybe it won't be so bad. It won't hurt anymore." You let out a shaky breath, fingertips brushing the screen. "I'll see you around, yeah?"

The holovid cut off and Jesse was left sitting alone in the dimly lit barracks, staring at the blank screen. He felt numb, watching as his own fingertips took on a life of their own, brushing the screen of the datapad where yours had been only a few seconds ago.

The door opened and Kix silently entered the room. Upon entering, he scanned his brothers face and knew that his worst fears had come to fruition. Sitting on the bunk beside Jesse, Kix could only muster a heartfelt apology. Not even the best medic could fix a shattered heart.

"I'm so sorry, Jesse."

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[thecoffeelorian]

"Republic..."

"...Empire..."

"...What's the difference...?"

If Crosshair's just going to get shot down either way...not much!

[kybercrystals94]

Haunting Failures

By KyberCrystals

Read here on Ao3!

Whumptober 2023|Day 23|Alternative Prompt: Aftermath of Failure

Rating: T

Words: 745

Summary: Hunter has a nightmare.

CW: Some disturbing images…nothing too graphic, but I just thought I’d mention it.

Hunter is running, boots pounding into packed, dry earth. Ashes drift like snowflakes against a blood red sky, the sun blotted by dense smoke. Hunter is alone, weaving through a battlefield devoid of life, but reeking of death. Bodies, machine and flesh, litter the expanse of land. Hunter tries to ignore them, tries to focus on the one sound that matters, the one thing that matters.

The one person that matters.

“Hunter! Help me!” Crosshair’s voice. Frantic, desperate. “Please!”

Hunter runs harder. He scales another obstacle, nearly loses his footing.

“I’m falling! Hunter!”

“I’m coming!” Hunter calls out, “Hold on, Cross. Just hold on!”

He sees his brother, panicked movements, hands clawing at the ground, searching for a hold on the barren terrain. The sniper is being dragged over the edge of a ravine; his body tangled in the wires of something pulling him over.

“Crosshair!” Hunter dives for him, catching his wrist just as his brother falls. “I’ve got you.”

“You’re going to let me go,” Crosshair gasps.

Hunter shakes his head. “No, I won’t, vod. Just hold on, I’m going to cut the wires away and pull you up.” Hunter reaches for his blade.

Crosshair stares up at him, eyes wide. “You gave up on me. You didn’t even try.”

“I’m trying right now, Cross, just hold on.”

“It’s too late, Hunter. You let me go.”

“That’s not true,” Hunter grits out, the blade of his knife finding the thin edges of the wires wrapped around Crosshair’s armored body. “Just hold on.”

“I thought we don’t leave our own behind,” Crosshair says, but his voice has changed. His expression has changed. He looks enraged, a fiery glint to his eyes. “I trusted you!”

And suddenly, Crosshair falls.

Hunter blinks, horror clouding his mind. “Crosshair!” he screams into the abyss.

“You let him go.”

Hunter turns and Tech is standing there, holding Crosshair’s helmet. The helmet has a crack near the right temple. Hunter scrambles shakily to his feet. “No. No, I didn’t. I tried…”

“Not hard enough, obviously,” Tech tells him. “Because now he’s gone.”

Tech drops the helmet, and it rolls toward Hunter, stopping at his feet. He stares at it, at the crack, at the familiar visor. He looks back up at Tech. Tech’s goggles are shattered on his face, his armor broken. He is barely standing, swaying.

“I couldn’t save him, Hunter,” Tech says. A thin trickle of blood escapes the corner of Tech’s mouth, and his eyes roll back. He starts to fall backwards.

“No!” Hunter lunges forward, catching Tech’s forearm.

But Tech is gone, and Omega is struggling in his grip, trying to pull away from him. “Let me go! We have to save them!” she shrieks.

“Omega!” Hunter cries, “Listen to me, it’s too late. They’re gone.”

“They’re not gone! You are giving up on them! You’re going to leave them behind!”

Hunter pulls her close to him, kneeling to look her in the eye. “Omega, please…”

“You failed them! You failed all of us!”

“Omega…”

“No! Let me go!” Omega thrashes against him, fists pounding against his chest. “You failed us! You failed us!”

“No, please,” Hunter begs.

Omega snarls. “You never cared about Crosshair. That’s why you left him, isn’t it? You let Tech fall. You let Hemlock take me.”

“No, no, no…” Hunter shakes his head, closing his eyes so he doesn’t see the fury in his sister’s face.

“Hunter!”

Hunter wakes with a panicked sob, sitting upright so fast his head collides with the bunk above him; however, the pain of the impact feels like nothing compared to the turmoil of emotions making his heart pound and eyes sting with unshed tears.

“Easy, easy,” Echo’s voice soothes. “You were having a nightmare.”

Hunter turns to look at the clone sitting beside him. “It felt real…” he pants out, his breaths shuddering in his lungs. “I lost them all, Echo…it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t let Crosshair go…”

“No, you can’t think like that,” Echo says firmly. He takes Hunter’s hand, squeezing it so tight it hurts.

“And Tech,” Hunter continues, “he wouldn’t have died if we had gotten to Crosshair sooner…we should have made him come with us at Kamino. We should never have left him behind.”

Echo shakes his head. “Hunter…”

“And Omega…I promised to protect her.” Hunter begins to cry, the voices of his nightmare whispering in his memories. He failed them. He failed all of them.

END

Tag List: @isthereanechoinhere96 @followthepurrgil @amorfista

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[bibannana]

I'm not saying that Fives would do everything in his power to piss off Crosshair. But Fives would do everything in his power to piss of Crosshair.

"Accidentally" bump into him? Yes.

Get his name wrong? Yes

"What do you mean your name isn't Crossmare?"

"Of course Crossmare is a name. It's yours."

Throw hands at any chance? Also yes.

Is Echo horrified that they kinda do but also kinda don't get along.

[im-no-jedi]

I completely forgot to write this up after watching The Outpost but I have Theories™️ about what’s going on with Crosshair 👀

to start off, I think he’s been at Mount Tantiss longer than we think.

the end of The Solitary Clone involved Rampart assigning Crosshair to a new commander after Cody went awol. and the beginning of The Outpost takes place on Coruscant, where Crosshair has been staying ever since being rescued from Kamino. I think The Outpost takes place right after The Solitary Clone, despite it airing later in the season. the new commander Crosshair was assigned to was Mayday, and Nolan was simply escorting him there.

this makes Crosshair’s actions make even more sense considering he’s just “lost” Cody. he’s still reeling from that, which makes him bond with Mayday faster.

and Cody’s words fresh on his mind about living with the consequences of your actions? as he’s pointing his gun at Nolan, ready to shoot him? yeah…

another thing is the Clone X problem we’ve already seen. show of hands, who else thought he was Crosshair when we first saw him? I certainly did! and I think that was deliberate. even more so than we think.

again, going off the thought that the timeline is weird here. but… seeing as how Crosshair is on Mount Tantiss now, and there’s clearly some weird experimentation going on with him… what if he IS the Clone X program?? what if the Imperials, who’ve already witnessed him surviving over a MONTH on that platform on Kamino, also saw him return to that base, knowing full well he just survived TWO DAYS out in the cold tundra, helmetless, AND carrying another body with him the entire time??

I think they’d want to study that guy! maybe possibly even try to replicate that somehow!

I theorized that Crosshair had something to do with Clone X back when we first saw him, and now I’m even more convinced. what if the Empire is brainwashing Clones and enhancing them with Crosshair’s abilities to try and create advanced soldiers?

ALSO! I’m definitely not the first to notice this but! there just so happens to be advanced soldiers that already exist in canon! ones that have VERY similar armor designs to our beloved sniper! 👀

y’all, I think the “Clone X” project is the early stages of the Death Trooper program. they’re using Crosshair as a template for this and testing it out on their now useless Clones. and it’s only going to get worse once Nala Se gets involved…

[inky-for-a-bit]

The Bad Batch creators making Crosshair suffer more every time he appears:

[books-are-my-life]

I HATE THIS STUPID STUPID FRANCHISE.

I HATE HATE HATE HATE WITH A PASSION HATE STARWARS

I HATE HOW THEY KILL OFF ALL MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS

By the way I’m watching rouge one (I have claimed Andor as my husband and I’m regretting my attachment)

(Also bad batch season 3!!!!)

[raevulsix]

The Bad Batch Spoilers

[differentfandomsandthings]

(Tbb s2 e12 spoilers down below)

CROSSHAIR!!!!

Some Clones are being forced to retire. They are not happy about it.

Dang, they can't even keep their helmets off now or it's out of uniform 😕

Lieutenant Nolan. Already hate him. He doesn't like clones, had the nerve to say they are used equipment. EQUIPMENT! How many clones is he going to get killed...

The music!

Lol I can't tell if the clone tripped him or Nolan slipped. I think he slipped, either way it was funny.

Long haired clone! And he's a Commander but Commander who? There's also Hexx and Veetch...think they are going to survive this episode..probably not.

I like this new Commander already! He don't take no crap. " In my experience, respect is earned. Tell me lieutenant. How many missions have you commanded?"

Nolan: 😠🤐🙁

New Commander: that's what I thought b*tch.

Clone Commander has a name it's Mayday..I like it.

Crosshair was hesitant to give his name...kinda understandable

They've been on that planet for about a year. Protecting "precious cargo " with no backup or approved equipment request. Why do I feel like that cargo is going to be worthless and Mayday's whole squad was killed for nothing.

Ice vultures

Hexx is down

I love the way they showed that explosion affecting Crosshair' s eyesight because of his helmet!

Oh, Veetch was killed too😔

Commander Mayday: the raider didn't get far. His cohorts just left him here.

Crosshair: no point in carrying dead weight

Mayday: 😐remind me not to die on your watch...

Crosshair just stepped on a mine!!

Mayday is doing his best to help.

Crosshair mentions clone force 99, said they're gone..he hurting.

Yay! Crosshair didn’t get blown up!

Lol I'm loving Crosshair's little Mm-hmmms this episode 😆

The music!

The cargo was Stormtrooper gear...

Mayday: we're good soilders, we followed orders and for what?

That's right Crosshair, get to thinking. For what? All for nothing. " All you'll ever be to them is a number." It seems not even that now..just used equipment 😔

Crap, avalanche!

Crosshair lost his helmet and Mayday doesn't look so good😟

Clone cuddles..poor Crosshair I can feel how cold he is through the screen.

I'm glad he's not leaving Mayday behind.

If Crosshair is left on this planet I'm going to riot..

Lieutenant asshole isn't helping them at all but what did I expect.

Crosshair's voice when he was begging for help for Maday "but he'll die"🥺😭

I can not stand this lieutenant Guy!! Such an absolute asshole!!🤬Something kill him please!

Again with the vulture. What does it symbolize? Breaking free? Or death?

OH MY GOODNESS!!!HE DID IT!! CROSSHAIR HAS HAD ENOUGH! HE SHOT THE LIEUTENANT!! This is not good for him. He doesn't have the strength to run.

OH MY GOSH!!!! HE'S ON MT TANTISS!! THIS IS NOT GOOD AT ALL!! "cooperate and you just might survive". Ummm what is that? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??!! Is that mad scientist Hemlock going to expirament on him!!?? Oh my gosh I'm sooo scared for Crosshair😬😬😨😨😭😭😱😱

This episode was great and heartbreaking 💔 seeing how the clones don't matter to the empire. I mean, we know but this episode really drove it in. Even Crosshair reached his breaking point. I just wish he could have stolen a shuttle and gotten out of there. Now he's at the mercy of those mad scientists.

I feel like they might try to turn him into one of those Assassin clones we saw in episode 7 or maybe the first death trooper. Then he'll be responsible for hunting down the batch and kidnapping Omega. Oh man, that's to much heartbreak, I hope I'm wrong. They might just torture him and force him to tell them everything he knows about clone force 99.

Maybe when Omega gets taken by the empire they will be able to rescue him too. If it's not to late😔

[omegas-spaghettios]

❌️TBB S2 E12 Spoilers!❌️

Y'all I'm just saying

Y'ALL I'M JUST SAYING-

[pockafwye]

Crosshair in an AU in which the Empire gave him a squad of death troopers and his own ship. Because the multiverse is big enough for a happy Imperial Crosshair.

[a-lil-perspective]

Hunter: Let’s review our objectives.

Wrecker: Kill the droids!!!

Crosshair: And don’t die.

Tech: “Don’t die” is just something you want to do everyday.

Crosshair: It’s still an objective.

[uwingdispatch]

Crosshair girlies, I know have your favorite clone in both Republic and Imperial flavors. And, don’t forget, I made all y’all Bad Batch stans some cute hoodies for cosplaying “I stole this hoodie from my clone boyfriend.”

As always, shop is here. And thank y’all for being so enthusiastic about the silly little things I make. It always makes my day. 💜💜💜

[kybercrystals94]

To Fight Another Day

By KyberCrystals94

Read on Ao3 here!

Whumptober 2023|Day 6|Prompt 6: Made to Watch | “It should have been me.”

Bad Things Happen Bingo: Grief / Mourning

Rating: T

Words: 592

Summary: “Surviving can hurt like hell, but it is a privilege to have fought alongside the heroes that have marched on ahead of us.”

When they lost Crosshair, it was different. Hard. Impossible. Heartbreaking.

But different.

In the beginning, they thought he had made a choice. Turned against them. Betrayed them. Then they found out about the inhibitor chips, and Crosshair went from traitor to victim, a prisoner to a power outside his control. They would get him back. Someday. Somehow.

And even if they didn’t, at least he was alive. Breathing. Living.

Then they lost Tech, and it was different. Because he was lost with no hope of being found. And they watched him fall, watched him die.

All through the war, clones either cheated Death or died. The Bad Batch made a habit of not only cheating Death, but flirting with it, taunting it, inviting it to get just close enough to feel the icy coolness of its breath down their necks...and then they’d laugh in its dark, formless face and walk away. Perhaps scathed, but alive.

This time, Tech didn’t walk away. He grabbed Death’s hand, held it back, pleaded with it to leave his brothers and sister be, to take him instead.

Death accepted the offer.

Hunter sits at the nav computer, eyes drifting over information without absorption. He doesn’t notice Wrecker at his shoulder, hesitating to interrupt him from whatever spiral of thoughts he’s allowed himself to fall into.

“It should have been me that fell, not Tech,” Wrecker says. His voice is so quiet, he doesn’t even sound like himself.

Hunter’s eyes snap up to meet his brother’s, horrified. “Don’t say that,” Hunter growls, voice hoarse with checked emotions. “Don’t ever say that again. Don’t even think like that.”

“Why not?” Wrecker asks, unaffected by Hunter's reaction, “If it had been me, I might have survived, right? If anyone could have survived that fall...that’s what I was made for. To take the hits no one else can.” Wrecker sniffs and looks away, but not before Hunter sees the tears forming.

“Maybe,” Hunter says, “Maybe you would have survived that fall, but that doesn’t change that Tech sacrificed himself to save you. To save all of us. He made a choice.”

“And we have to live with it.” Echo’s voice is gentle but firm.

Hunter and Wrecker turn to where Echo has suddenly materialized. The cyborg looks worn, expression haggard, probably mirroring that of his younger brothers.

“How?” Wrecker asks.

Echo sighs. “You live to fight another day. To honor them. To honor their sacrifices.”

Hunter swallows, and he can hear Wrecker’s breath shuddering.

“Domino Squad,” Echo continues, “Our first assignment was an outpost on Rishi Moon. Of the five, only two of us made it off that moon alive. Fives and I.” Echo smiles ruefully. “We honored the sacrifices of our brothers in our own ways, but we both lived to fight another day because of them. And when he thought I had sacrificed my life to save the team at the Citadel, Fives continued to fight in my honor too. And now I fight in his, and Tech’s, and all the brothers I’ve lost before. Surviving can hurt like hell, but it is a privilege to have fought alongside the heroes that have marched on ahead of us.”

Hunter nods, but he doesn’t try to speak, and words strangled in his constricting throat.

Death might have claimed one of his brothers, but Death will have to go through him to get to anyone else in his family. And Hunter is ready to face it, to stand his ground. To follow Tech's example.

If that’s what it takes.

END

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[donut1642]

I fear for his future