Senna was certain she'd misheard Rex. Fives is dead. He died in Rex's arms on Coruscant. But even with all of that knowledge, the tattoo on his temple combined with the blaster scar in the middle of his chest all but confirmed it in her mind. He's so sedated I can barely sense him. No wonder I didn't feel him when we were in the corridor.
"What do we do?" she whispered to no one in particular.
"I must remind you all that we were attempting to get in and out of this facility without being detected," Tech said quietly. "If we remove him from the chamber, they'll know-"
"We are not leaving him," Echo snarled.
They all turned to Rex. He had straightened to a kneeling position, but still was staring at Fives with a look of shock and horror. Senna could feel the emotions rolling off of him in bursts like a mismatched fireworks show. Horror. Joy. Fear. Betrayal. Happiness. Sadness. She stood, resting her hand on his shoulder, and he blinked as if coming out of a trance, taking in the three sets of eyes trained on him expectantly. His tongue darted out to moisten his lips.
"He comes with us," he rasped. "I'm not abandoning him again."
Tech nodded, turning back to the console to begin studying the chamber's mechanisms. Senna pulled Rex to his feet. "You couldn't have known," she whispered. "You were told he was dead and that his body was disposed of. You can't blame yourself."
"I do though," he replied, his eyes meeting hers, haunted. "I absolutely blame myself. I failed him."
Senna gripped his shoulders. "There'll be time for self-immolation later. Right now, you need to focus so we can get him and the four of us out of here. Things just got a whole lot more complicated." His eyes met hers, and he nodded. She released him, turning to Echo. He had pushed himself to a sitting position but had removed his helmet and was staring up at Fives with the same haunted expression Rex had. Senna noted his hands trembling as he fidgeted nervously. Her eyes met Tech's behind his goggles.
You and I have to take charge here. This has knocked them off balance.
Tech nodded slightly, turning back to his work with the chamber. "I believe I have found the mechanism to drain the tank and remove Fives. We'll need a way to transport him out of here though."
Senna whirled, taking in the room around them, her eyes scanning the equipment before she found what she was looking for. "Rex, Echo, help me get this medpod working. This is how we'll get Fives out of here." Giving them a task to focus on seemed to somewhat calm their minds. The two of them allowed her to pull them to their feet, and they immediately got to work getting the pod up and running. Senna left them to it, coming to stand next to Tech.
"Will we injure him if we take him out of here? He's so thin." She'd seen injured clones throughout the war, but none that looked as frail as Fives now did. Years of not being allowed to use his body had atrophied his muscles to the point where he looked as though a stiff wind would break him in half. His body was bare except for a pair of undershorts, and Senna winced at how pronounced his ribs and hip bones were. He makes Echo look bulky. Senna chewed on her lip, wondering if Fives could even stand on his own without help after all of the time he'd spent in the chamber.
"I don't think we risk injuring him, but I believe we should keep him sedated. We have no idea what he's endured psychologically, and I think reviving him in an uncontrolled environment adds risk we cannot tolerate right now."
Senna nodded in agreement. "Do you have what you need to keep him under?"
Tech typed a few commands, and Senna heard the unmistakable sound of a drainage system kicking in. The fluid surrounding Fives slowly began to lower in the chamber, and he with it. As the tank drained, Tech glanced over at her. "The medpod should be capable of keeping him unconscious. Once we get back to the Marauder, I believe I have enough anesthetic to keep him unconscious until we arrive at Yavin 4."
Senna gripped his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "Ok. Good." She turned back to Rex and Echo to help them get the pod powered the rest of the way on. The white pod looked like a coffin, and Senna could see a shiver run through Rex.
"You alright?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah. It's just...this is similar to the pod we put Tup in. That was one of the last times I saw Fives. I told him to stay with Tup. The next thing I knew, Tup was dead and Fives was on Coruscant, muttering incoherently about the chips. And then he was dead too. I...I failed him." His hands were resting on the pod, and they clenched into fists, shaking with emotion.
Senna gripped Rex's chin between her fingers, turning his face to hers. "If you want to get Fives out of here, I need you to pull it together, Captain." Her voice was even, but the pain in his eyes was tearing her apart inside. "You have to be strong right now, Rex. For all of us, but especially for Fives. We can get him out of here, but we need you in your right mind right now." Rex swallowed hard and nodded.
Senna watched as the broken man in front of her transformed back into the captain of the 501st that she'd heard so much about during the war. Rex straightened his spine, squared his shoulders, and slid his helmet back on. Echo watched him for a moment before nodding and doing the same. Senna's heart simultaneously soared and broke at the sight of the man she loved slipping into the leadership role he was so suited for, even with his emotions whirling around him. He's had to endure so much, and here's one more thing. But if we can get Fives out of here, perhaps some of the weight will lift off of his shoulders and one less ghost will haunt him.
Fives was now resting at the bottom of the empty chamber, his body slumped to one side. Tech ran a quick purge cycle, and a blast of air dried Fives and the inside of the tube. Tech punched a few more buttons, and a panel on the side of the chamber slid open. Rex and Echo quickly moved towards it, pulling Fives's limp form out of the chamber. They rested his head in Echo's lap, and Echo began working to remove his oxygen mask while Rex moved down his body to start pulling off the medical sensors. Senna pushed the hovering medpod closer with Tech, opening the top of it. Once Rex and Echo had removed all of the connecting equipment, they carefully lifted Fives into it, and Senna and Rex secured Fives's body with straps while Echo stood at the head of the pod. Senna noted Echo gently pushing some of the hair out of Fives's eyes, his hand lingering on his twin's forehead. Turning back, she noted Rex was struggling with the last strap across Five's shins, his hands shaking noticeably. Gently, she took the strap from his hands, cinching it tightly enough to keep Fives from being jostled during transport. She couldn't see Rex's eyes behind his helmet, but he gave her a small nod of gratitude before they reached up together and closed the lid of the pod. Tech tapped a few buttons on the control panel, and the pod hummed softly as it hovered in front of them.
"We'll have to tip it vertically for transport, at least until we get into the ventilation duct again. Otherwise, we'll never get him around the corners," Tech stated evenly, and Senna nodded, standing clear as Tech maneuvered the pod into a vertical configuration, the viewport hovering at eye level with Fives still unconscious behind it.
Senna looked around at the three clones, nodding at each of them. "Alright, let's get out of here before they notice he's gone." She gently rested her hand on Rex's arm. The emotions were still pouring off of him and Echo so strongly she felt like a stone on a shore being beaten by waves, but she steadied herself as they moved quickly towards the door.
Pressing her palm against the door, Senna reached out once more. "Hallway's empty, but we've got to hurry." The stepped out into the corridor, carefully guiding the medpod towards the lift. Tech jogged ahead, opening the doors and helping them pull the medpod inside, pressing it against one of the walls as the others crowded in. Senna bent at an odd angle to reach the button for the maintenance level, concentrating on her breathing to try and lessen the blows of the emotions around her. Without thinking, she slipped her hand into Rex's, giving it a tight squeeze. She felt his thumb graze absently over her knuckles before they released each other.
Senna felt some of the tension leak from her shoulders as they stepped onto the maintenance level and found it empty once more. "Hurry," she whispered again, and they guided the medpod down the hallway towards the exit.
"Will the pod be able to survive the heat in the ventilation duct?" Echo asked.
"The specifications rate it for much higher temperatures than this," Tech replied. "However, I still believe we shouldn't linger."
As if to enunciate Tech's point, an alarm began blaring several levels up and quickly crescendoed until it was echoing in the empty halls around them.
"Kriff," Rex muttered. "So much for making it out quietly."
Echo scrambled to open the door, and in a matter of minutes, they were jogging back down the ventilation shaft in the sweltering heat with the pod hovering in between them, tilted down so that Fives was now lying on his back. Senna's heart was slamming against her ribs as she led them forward, trying to focus on each twist and turn to see if they were being awaited by an ambush or pursued from behind. Instinct guided her hand to the lightsaber dangling from her belt, her fingers grazing the warm metal of its hilt.
Their quicker pace brought them to the exit in a much shorter amount of time, and as they rounded the last bend in the tunnel, Senna felt relief at the spot of sunlight that came into view. "Almost there," she panted, sweat running down her temples and her back. The only sounds were the pounding of their boots, the muffled sounds of their breathing, and the low hum of the medpod as they approached the end of the duct.
"Tech, should we get the jammer out again for the surveillance camera?" Senna asked.
"No time," Rex grunted. "They already know we're here. We shouldn't stop to try and be sneaky. Let's just get out of here quickly." The whine of the alarms was already growing louder in the distance.
"We should assume that they'll be swarming the perimeter to ensure we don't escape," Tech panted from beneath his helmet. "In which case, they'll head to our location the moment we're spotted."
"We'll just have to be faster then," Echo replied.
Rex paused, and they all slowed. "We won't beat them on foot, especially if the Marauder's still ten klicks out." He glanced over at Tech. "Think you can jog ahead and meet us? If nothing else, at least get the ship out of the cavern? It'll be tough to get the medpod below ground."
Tech considered it for a moment. "I should be able to beat you by at least ten minutes if I go ahead. The pod slows us down substantially."
"Can it go faster?" Senna asked.
"Not without modifications that we do not have time to make," Tech answered.
They reached the edge of the tunnel, pausing for a moment in the cooler air from outside. It was still warm and humid, but compared to the sweltering heat inside the ventilation duct, it felt like the most pleasant spring breeze.
"Alright, ready Tech?" Senna asked.
"As I can be," he replied. "I'll see you all at the ship." With that, he tossed them a half salute before jogging off towards the trail. Senna heard the camera above the duct turn in his direction as they guided the medpod out and began guiding it towards the direction Tech had run. Her heart was racing once more as she strained her ears for the sound of Imperials pursuing them. Chancing a look over at Rex, she couldn't see his face, but she could see his head swiveling back and forth, scanning for enemies as well.
They won't be far behind.
---
They managed to make it to less than a klick from the clearing when they heard the first roar TIEs overhead and the crashing of boots through the underbrush. Rex's blood ran cold as he looked behind them. All he could see was greenery for now, but he knew that their luck was dwindling. We're so close. We have to make it.
"Tech, can you hear us?" he commed.
"I can, and it would appear we have company. I still have the Marauder underground, and it doesn't appear I've been detected, but it is ready to go."
Rex thought for a moment. "Good, keep it there until I tell you. We'll have to load up and get out of here quickly." He glanced over at Senna, and he could see the fear and concern in her features, but also the determination in her eyes. She yanked her lightsaber loose from her belt and he drew his blasters just as the first bolt winged by their heads. They both whirled as a battalion of stormtroopers stepped into view, firing at them. Senna ignited her lightsaber, frantically deflecting the bolts back at their assailants, but one struck the pod. Echo swore loudly, trying to catch it as it fell the meter to the ground.
"Is it disabled?" Rex shouted.
"Yeah, it's dead," Echo replied, a note of hopelessness starting to edge into his voice.
Rex met Senna's eyes once more. "Get Fives out of the pod. Take him and go," she said. "I'll hold them off."
"No, Senna-"
"It wasn't a request, Captain. Get Fives back to the ship. I've got this."
He could see it was useless to argue, and deep down, he was grateful for it. Jogging to Echo, he helped him pry the medpod open and undo the straps holding Fives's unconscious form in place. The two of them each grabbed one of Fives's arms, throwing them over their shoulders so they could carry him in between the two of them.
"GET MOVING!" Senna growled, stepping forward to engage the stormtroopers. Rex looked back at her one more time, her braid waving wildly as her ice blue blade whirred and hummed. She advanced towards the Imperials, cutting them down without hesitation.
"Let's go, Rex," Echo huffed, readjusting his grip on Fives's waist. The two of them shuffled quickly towards the Marauder.
The going was slower than Rex preferred, but they were careful, avoiding treacherous vines and roots that snaked out from the surrounding jungle, threatening to trip them. Not sure Fives could take any kind of fall with the state he's in. Rex's muscles burned with the extra weight, and he could hear Echo panting on Fives's other side as they picked their way through the brush. Finally, the clearing came into view, and Rex struggled to get to his comm on his vambrace.
"Tech, bring the ship up to the clearing. We're here."
"Be right there."
They could hear the roar of the Marauder's engines as Tech gently raised it out of the cavern, lowering its wings as he brought it down on the grass. Rex peered up at the sky to ensure the TIEs weren't making a pass before nodding at Echo. Tech was at the door with his blaster, watching the path behind them.
"You know for as skinny as he is, he's still awfully heavy," Echo joked as they jogged towards the Marauder's stairs.
"I'm gonna tell him you said that when he's awake," Rex replied, but the thought seemed to sober Echo.
"Yeah. When he's awake." The concern was unspoken. If he's the same person when he does wake up.
"Where's Senna?" Tech called.
"Covering our rear. She shouldn't be too far behind us."
As if on cue, the sound of blasterfire carried on the wind to them. Rex and Echo paused, turning to look back at the tree line. A flash of blue blinked through the green, followed by a shout.
"TECH, YOU HAD BETTER HAVE THOSE ENGINES HOT!"
Rex looked at Echo, and the former ARC trooper nodded at his captain, adjusting his grip. "Go. I've got him." Rex slipped Fives's arm off of his shoulders, shifting the weight onto Echo before drawing his blasters and sprinting back towards the jungle. Tech leapt down the stairs, helping Echo carry Fives as he kept his blaster trained towards where Senna would emerge.
Senna burst through the underbrush, her hair wild. Smudges of dirt were smeared all over her arms and clothing, and she was limping on her wounded leg once more. Rex swore loudly as he raced towards her, firing at every glimpse of white plastoid he could see. A blast caught Senna in the hip, sending her tumbling, but she scrambled forward on her hands and knees. Rex kept his right blaster trained on the stormtroopers as he reached his left arm down to her.
"Are you hit?" he shouted.
"No! No, I think I'm fine." She pulled herself to a standing position, and they both took off running towards the Marauder once more. Echo was standing in the doorway of the ship, covering their backs, and Rex could see Tech sitting in the pilot's seat, watching their retreat.
"GO!" Rex pushed Senna towards the stairs, and he heard her boots clang onto the metal as he turned, firing both blasters while backing up towards the ship. Suddenly, he heard the roar of twin ion engines, and he turned, taking the steps two at a time.
"TIES INBOUND, TECH. WE HAVE TO GO!"
"Everyone hang on!" Tech called from the cockpit before throwing the ship forward at breakneck speed. Rex slid his arm around Senna's waist, pulling her to his chest as he gripped the doorway to the cockpit, holding the two of them up despite the ship's acceleration. Echo scrambled past them and into the co-pilot seat, frantically punching buttons for hyperspace calculations.
"Be sure to add an extra stop in case they're tracking us," Rex called. "We can't lead them back to base."
"On it," Echo shouted. "Making the jump now."
Rex relaxed his grip on the durasteel door frame as he glanced down at Senna. Her face was streaked with dirt and a few scratches, and he reached down to sweep a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes. "What happened to you?" he asked quietly.
"Took a bit of a detour off the path to lead them away from you. Bought a few minutes." She grinned and her eyes were sparkling.
"How's your hip?" he asked, suddenly remembering how the bolt had caught her and sent her to the ground.
Senna's brow furrowed for a second before her eyes widened in horror. Stepping back, she reached for the holster at her hip and let loose a loud curse as she pulled her datapad loose. The casing was scorched, a chunk of it missing. "NO! Nononononononono!" She fell to her knees, cradling the damaged hardware as if it were a child. Tech moved towards her from the cockpit, squatting down next to her and gently taking the datapad from her trembling hands.
"I fear it hit the data core," he said, his face somber. "We may still be able to recover some of the files you stored on here, but I imagine a good portion of it is lost." He gripped her shoulder in a surprisingly tender gesture. "I'm sorry, Senna."
Rex could see the frustration in her eyes, and her teeth were already digging into her lip as she choked back tears. "Yeah. It's alright. We'll figure it out." Her voice cracked as she hurriedly smoothed her tunic. "Tech, let's go sit in the cockpit and record what I can remember on your datapad. Just in case we can't recover anything."
"Very good." Tech stood, extending an arm down to her and carefully pulling her to her feet. "Is your leg alright?"
Senna rotated her leg and groaned when she saw a blood stain on the back of her calf. "Kriff."
"Come along. We'll get that fixed up as well," Tech said, extending his arm for her to lean on as he guided her towards the cockpit. As she passed Rex, she reached out and gripped his arm.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "If I lost the file for Wolffe-"
"Then we'll figure the next step out," Rex replied, cutting her off. "And it will be alright. I'm just glad you're not hurt too badly." He shared her frustration, but in that moment, all he wanted to do was comfort her in some way, the same way she had ever since they'd found Fives. Leaning forward, he cradled the back of her head, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He felt her lean against him for a moment before drawing back, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Go see to your brother," she said quietly. "Tech and I can handle the flying."
"I've sedated him again," Tech said as he gently helped Senna sit in the co-pilot seat that Echo had vacated. "He should remain unconscious until we reach Yavin 4. However, should he start to come out of it, give him another injection of this." Tech pressed a syringe into Rex's hand. The captain swallowed hard and nodded.
Echo met his eyes as the two of them moved towards the bunk Fives had been placed in. His skin seemed slightly less ashen in the dim lighting of the Marauder, and his breathing appeared even as his chest rose and fell. Rex crouched down next to him, pushing his dark curls away from his forehead once more, revealing the tattoo on his temple. He finally let the tears come that had been threatening, although he was unsure if they were of joy, sadness, or both.
"I'm so sorry, Fives. I'm so sorry," he whispered as he lowered his forehead to touch Fives's. It's been years. He spent years as their science experiment. If only I'd asked, if I'd pressed the issue. If I'd volunteered to escort his body back to Kamino. Maybe I would have known. Or had some suspicion. Something.
He felt Echo kneel next to him, his hand resting on Rex's shoulder quietly. The gesture stilled his sobs, and Rex slowly sat back on his heels, his hand still cradling Fives's head, much in the same way he had the last time he'd seen the ARC trooper.
"I only wanted to do my duty."
"You couldn't have known, Rex," Echo rasped, his voice close to shattering. Glancing over, Rex could see tears in the eyes that they shared, the same eyes that Fives had. "None of us could have."
Rex nodded, swallowing his sorrow. He knew Echo was right, but the words brought little solace. He felt Senna watching him, and he looked towards the cockpit. Her eyes were wet, glistening as she watched the three of them, and he could feel her longing to hold him and her understanding that this moment was not hers to invade, and he loved her more for it. Turning back to Fives, he shuddered as a new realization hit him, a spark of hope emerging from his grief.
We came to save one brother, and found another instead. Perhaps there are more out there.