THIRD PERSON POV
Tech pulled the unconscious Fern out of the water and collapsed on the pebbled shore. After throwing off his helmet, he turned her over on her back and shook her shoulders. "Fern? Fern, can you hear me?" he called, suppressing the urgency in his voice. When the female clone did not respond, he viscerally readjusted her, tilting her head slightly back, and performed CPR, blowing deep breaths into her mouth. He avoided chest compressions since she was still freshly injured, but it may come to it if—
Fern's body jolted upward then curled over on her side, and she began hacking out the water in her lungs. As she coughed and heaved slowly intermittently, Tech patted her shoulder blades from behind. "Alright, alright," he coaxed. "That's it."
"Tech?" she inhaled deeply and sighed with relief. "Thank the Force... I wasn't sure where you landed when we fell out of that tunnel... I feared I'd lost you. Jeez, I can't see a thing..." Fern blinked her eyes repeatedly, attempting to adjust them to the blackness.
"One moment." the intellectual clone said, retrieving and slipping on his helmet. He activated his night vision and scanned their surroundings. "It seems we are in sort of a cavern with an underground lake. This room is massive, but there aren't any obvious egresses. I suggest we walk along the water—there's bound to be cavity where the water is filtering from." He looked down at his friend. "Fern? Are you alright?"
She was holding her chest and continuing to catch her breath. "I hit the water on my bad shoulder... I'm fine, I'm—Ow..." She attempted to stand up, but quickly crippled back to her knees while applying pressure to her injury. The chilled cavern air bit at her wet skin; her tunic crinkled up as the soft fabric began to freeze stiffly. Her whole body shivered, though she tried to hide it.
Tech witnessed this and was hesitant on what to do. From his heat signature scan, Fern's body temperature was dropping dramatically. He himself was top-notch condition due to his body suit and armor. He sighed, perceiving if he didn't do something, Fern's state would worsen. "Unfortunately, Echo has the first aid in his pack. We must keep moving and locate an exit point, or at least a path... We also need to get your body temperature to normal levels, and the best way to do that is movement. Take my hand."
Fern obeyed, her teeth chattering, and the two of them trudged along the soft river bank using Tech's night vision. She clung onto his shoulder as a guide. Along the way, the spectacled clone became fascinated with the natural layout of the cavern. "The walls have a natural blue-gray hue; a mineral must be blended in with the rock to create a spectrum as such. And the stalagmites are like towers. They must be fifty meters tall or more."
"Tick, as much as I love the envisioning commentary," Fern groaned. "how about you start searching for a way out?" Her knees were growing weak from the chill, but she pushed herself to maintain his natural pace. When he realized walking was not warming her up, he scanned the area ahead and saw the river thinned out into a shallow creek. "Up there. We can rest for awhile." They travelled another thirty yards and paused at a dry spot against the cavern wall.
Fern, after collapsing her back against it, hugged her knees close to her while Tech leisurely rested with his helmet set aside. "Are you still cold?" he inquired.
"What gives you that impression?" She rolled her eyes, which were at last beginning to adjust. She could discern the shimmering blue light he had admired before along the cave's floor and ceiling. It was a fascinating sight -- one she would enjoy more if she wasn't freezing to death. The throbbing in her shoulder had ceased, at least.
"Here," Tech ignored her sarcasm and began unhooking his chest plate and gauntlets, exposing his dry, black sark. "My bodysuit has thermal regulation." He waved her over. "Come."
At first, Fern hesitated at the suddenly kind, yet uncharacteristic, gesture, then scooted herself in between his legs. When she awkwardly leaned into his chest, she instantly felt better. The warmth from his suit spread through her spine and her organs. She had the urge to rest her head back under his chin, but she managed to resist.
"T-thank you, Tech..." she breathed. "Are you sure about this? This is quite..." She searched for the right word. "thoughtful, for you." When he didn't reply, she feared she offended him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just, out of the rest of the squad, you always seem so..." She did it again. "forward-minded, and frankly, don't showcase a lot of emotion."
"Fern," Tech finally spoke. Obviously, she couldn't see his face since her back was to his chest, but she could hear the oddly-composed tone in his voice. "I suppose I never explained what my enhanced trait actually entails, correct?"
"You have an exceptional mind." she mimicked the intellectual clone's accent.
"Yes, well," he cleared his throat. "while that is true, it's a bit more complicated than that."
"How so?" Fern asked softly, suddenly intrigued with what he had to share. She'd never been a situation in which he would open up about anything personal...
"Essentially, my brain chemistry acts on a different spectrum than the average individual, enhancing my intelligence. Consequently, it also affects my capability to...handle changes. Unforeseen changes, in particular. It is as though it requires me longer to comprehend outcomes as such."
"So, when the war ended, and the Republic fell... We were all forced to leave Kamino."
"Yes," Tech nodded, the tip of his chin brushed her scalp. "And when you and Omega joined... and when Crosshair left..."
"Oh..."
"I eventually adjusted to Echo joining, and I felt content with the five of us during the last quarter of the war." he proceeded. "Furthermore, I've grown accustomed to you and Omega. However, something about Crosshair's misleading departure from the squad feels—"
"Incomplete." Fern finished his thought.
"You and I do operate on a similar spectrum, don't we?"
"You've said that before." she scoffed. She had gradually grown warmer and more relaxed against his torso, to which she sank down so the crown of her head could tuck underneath his chin. At some point, Tech's arms had awkwardly wrapped across her chest; Fern fixed that feeling by hugging his arms closer. His natural warmth surged everywhere in her body.
"Hey, Tech... I have a slightly -- um -- random question, since, you know, we're opening up and everything..."
"What is it?"
"I've been feeling...emotions. Ones I didn't know clones could feel. Especially, defected clones."
"What sort of emotions?"
"Well, not emotions, per say. More like an affection. For someone... Is that possible for clones like us?" Fern expected a long biological/psychological explanation on how they could or couldn't, but instead she received silence...
Oh no... She squeezed her eyes shut. I just made it so awkward... No worries, you can still salvage it. Just pretend it doesn't matter and move on.
"Have you told him?"
"I..." The female clone was appalled. "I-I mean, obviously not. Look, I just want to know if I'm crazy or not. That's all."
"Fern, while you are unique in your replicated design, we are all formatted from an individual host, who were living creatures. All living things emote and feel. So, in my perspective, that was an illogical query."
"Gee, thanks..."
"Very well, I'll answer your question." Fern felt Tech shrug underneath her shoulder blades, causing her to shift slightly downward. Her head slipped onto his collarbone. "Yes, even though we are defected clones, we acquire the same brain activity as any other living thing. Mine, is just altered."
"I guess, in that case, I have nothing to worry about, then. Thank you." Fern sighed, but this time, with more sincerity. "Really."
"Are you ready to continue?" he asked. "We should work on reaching the surface and hope we come across Echo."
"Yes, I'm ready." she said, but didn't move at once. She just wanted one more moment, tightening her friend's embrace around her with her own arms. Her mind was clear now and was soaking in the feeling of a weight lifted off her shoulders. Now, she longed to return to the Marauder and tell Hunter how she felt. How she'd always felt, even when she wasn't aware of it.
Meanwhile, the intellectual clone remained patient for her. He did not dare rush her as she processed their revelatory exchange. If she'd required an entire hour, he'd allow it without an objection.
Eventually, she sighed with satisfaction and scooted herself away so Tech could rise to his feet. He then carefully helped her to hers. After securing his helmet and armor on, he watched the female one shoulder her pack. The two then exchanged a knowing glance, paired with a grin, and, having a newfound respect for one another, continued on their journey.