ᴄʟᴏɴᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ꜱʜᴏᴛꜱ

Transparency Part 2 (Tech x Reader)

Having met minimal conflict and none of these traps by the time you reach the hangar doors, Echo turns to Tech and says, "I guess we've been pretty lucky, huh?"

"Please don't jinx us, Echo," you pout. "We're so close."

"Jinx us? That would require luck—which doesn't exist, according to the likes of you." Though you can't see him, you know that he's winking at you. You stick out your tongue, knowing, of course, that he won't see it, but the intention is the important part.

A crash sounds from just ahead followed by a loud curse and the boys freeze but you instinctively move to action. The door ahead is slammed closed on Wrecker. He groans beneath the weight. With an outstretched arm, you usher the force to wedge the doors open and Wrecker lurches free on the other side. Your mind isn't as strong as it once was—with having little opportunity to practice these skills. You shout at the other two to get through as you hold the huge doors ajar, and Echo rushes through. Tech is shooting at more pirates.

Portia's forceful voice calls from the hangar, "You two need to get in here!" You huff and shoot her a glare. Your arms begin to shake from exertion, the doors weighing more heavily on you each second.

"We cannot leave anyone alive who has seen y/n's abilities, Portia. This wave is almost complete," Tech says, firing several more rounds.

"Use the force against them, then!"

"That would seem--rather difficult at the moment," You strain, keeping every last bit of mindfulness on those blasted doors.

"Tech, fall back so y/n can shut the door. We'll cover you--" From nowhere, Portia rushes forward, cutting Echo off, to grab the backs of both Tech's and your armor. You try to hold your ground but lose your footing and weariness hits you in a wave.

"Portia, don't break her..." With a burst of exhaustion, you fall to your knees, giant doors slamming shut. "Concentration," Tech finishes, voice low. The annoyance in his eyes flashes before he refocuses and continues firing on the opposition. "We need to regroup three corridors to the left, where another entrance to the hangar is, but that seems to be where most of the pirates are coming from. Follow me--this way."

Tech takes off, informing the others of his plan over the comms. You gather your strength as quickly as possible, head beginning a torrent of pain. As you reflect while jogging directly behind Tech, you make a mental note to quit ignoring opportunities to meditate. Your group meets few pirates along the route Tech is taking you, but the issue is that his directions are leading you in the exact opposite way you need to be going. Years of experience in the Bad Batch gives you trust in the genius clone, but you worry Portia will be feeling uneasy with this path. It doesn't take long for her to voice her doubts.

"I have studied this ship's schematics rigorously. If I am wrong, this path will lead us directly to the cargo bay which might easily be opened to jettison us into the vacuum of space, should the pirates locate us." Tech pauses to spare a glance at the bounty hunter and concludes, "But I'm rarely wrong."

After a few turns and a lot of stray pirates, your group reaches an empty hallway. Tech stops and turns to you, saying, "Now that your secret is out, would you please remove the cover for the air intake?"

"As you wish," you nod, grimacing at the exhaustion in your own voice. You gently set the vent cover against the wall and then launch those two up and into the ceiling, following them shortly after.

The maze of air ducts is large enough for you all to crawl through, but as evidenced by her hesitation, it takes a special kind of faith for Portia to follow Tech through the confines. "Hey Tech, I realize that this is a sound plan and all, but how much of this are we going to have to go through?"