Sucker Punch
Echo and Hunter are usually pretty steady but here's an example of them being chaos merchants when the other Batchers aren't around.
Fox lovers please don't come for me! I don't hate him, but I do love Fives and wanted a little sliver of justice for him and Echo.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Echo strode down the hallway with purpose. He hadn’t been back to coruscant since he’d recovered from Skako Minor, but his feet remembered his way through the corridors perfectly.
“Are you sure about this?” Hunter asked again as he followed behind him, his gruff voice tinged with concern.
“It’s just something I’ve got to do, Hunter.” Echo replied. “You didn’t have to come with me.”
“What are brothers for?” Hunter said, clapping him on the shoulder and followingly slowly behind.
Clone Force 99 had been called to the capital by Rex who needed Tech’s assistance on some intel and data retrieval. While the rest of the Batch caught up with their favorite captain, Echo and Hunter were on a separate mission, one that could potentially get them in a lot of trouble if it didn’t go right.
As Echo rounded the corner, he saw Hunter hang back, his black and red armor failing miserably at making him look like he belonged there amongst the stark red and white of the Coruscant guard.
A group of red and white clad troopers stood to attention by a Commander who Echo knew was Fox.
Echo felt his insides clench as he noticed the two blasters in holsters at his side. Had one of those been the blaster that killed Fives? The one that seared a hole in his chest, sending him crashing to the floor.
Echo didn’t have the benefit of first-person perspective, having only heard a brief summary from Rex, after begging for it for months. His own brain had filled in the blanks, including a picture of his dying brother that swam before his eyes whenever he thought of it. Blood seeping out of his mouth as he lay prostrate on the floor, the life draining from his eyes until they stared, unseeing into the nothingness.
All of this swirled in his mind as he took one final look behind him at his new brother and strode to meet the commander.
“Commander Fox?” he asked, standing to attention, hands clasped at his side.
Fox had just dismissed his troops and turned around, his head rebounding in surprise at Echo’s presence.
“Ah, yes. Echo isn’t it? I saw the holos of when you were…found.”
“Yes, Sir” Echo said, awkwardly fidgeting with his scomp arm.
“What can I do for you, Corporal?” Fox asked, tucking his datapad under his arm.
“I was hoping to talk to you for a moment. About my brother, Fives.” Echo said, his name catching slightly in his throat.
Echo noticed the commander stiffen.
“I’m sorry, Corporal, I’m not able to discuss a classified mission.”
Echo removed his helmet, lifting his amber gaze to the commander. “Please, Sir. I wasn’t able to help him. I just need to know what happened.”
Fox sighed and looked around the hallway, pulling Echo to the right side of the hall, removing his own helmet and tucking it under his arm.
“I understand, Echo. And I am sorry. But I can’t discuss it with you. I could be court martialed. The file was sealed by the Chancellor, himself.”
Echo felt his shoulder’s slump. He looked at the face of the man who could have been his brother. He had the same haircut, the same eyes, but lacked the jaunty smile and sense of bravado that made Fives, Fives.
Echo nodded his head in understanding. “Thank you, Sir, Sorry for asking.”
Fox laid his hand on Echo’s shoulder, and Echo felt himself bristle, “We have all lost brothers. We just have to move on.” he said gruffly.
Echo turned to walk away, glancing at Hunter, leaning on the wall at the top of the corridor. The Sergeant’s head was cocked to the side in question.
“We just have to move on,” the words reverberated in Echo’s head. He felt a fist form in his left hand and before he knew what he was doing, turned around, throwing a punch at the commander, but not with his fist, with his scomp.
He heard Hunter’s heavy boot falls as he tore down the corridor.
“Echo, there you are,” Hunter said, streaking over to his brother, arms on his shoulders and starting to steer him away as the commander recoiled from the sucker punch. “I’m sorry, Commander. He’s been having trouble with his cranial interface. Hit me so hard this morning I blacked out. Echo, can you hear me?”
Echo, shook his head as though coming out of a trance. He noticed a slash on the commander’s cheek, blood seeping from the wound, as scarlet at his armor.
“Hunter? Where am I? he asked, looking down at his scomp, “What’s that?” he said, seemingly alarmed at his own appearance.
“I better get him checked out,” Hunter said, pushing Echo forward. “Sorry again commander,” he threw over his shoulder as he marched Echo out of the area.
“Er, yes. Better get him looked at,” Fox said in a daze.
With final look back Echo saw Fox touch his gloved hand to his bloody face, mouth agape, brow furrowed in confusion.
“I said kriff him up, Echo, not permanently scar him,” Hunter said with a chuckle and distinct pride in his voice. “Did you hit him with the scomp?”
“Yeah. I think I forgot it was there,” he said with a chuckle.
“Are you okay? Did you get your answers.” Hunter asked, his smile fading into a concerned look.
“No,” Echo said, “but I do feel better.” he said with a smile.
Hunter laughed and clapped him on the back, “Well, glad to hear it. Remember that when you’re under observation. ‘Cos there’s no way you’re getting out of a health review after that performance.”
Echo grinned, “You know what? it was worth it.”
