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xxix.
the consumption of insanity
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•••
On the journey from Bracca to Ord Mantell, Echo couldn't stop thinking about what Omega had told him over the comm link when she had told them to go to Bracca early. What was wrong with Tech? Was it really the poison? Or was it just his injuries? Or maybe a combination of both? Whatever it was, he wanted to ask her. But, he knew that Tech would be upset at her for telling him. But he needed to know. What if it became fatal? He couldn't lose another one of his brothers. He decided the best option was to ask Omega. He would take the blame if Tech got mad at her.
Echo left the cockpit and went to the back of the ship, where Omega sat, Lula in her lap. He sat next to her, hoping that she wouldn't get mad at him for asking her when Tech wasn't too far away.
"So," Echo said, speaking to Omega softly, so that the other crew members couldn't hear him. "What happened on Bracca?"
"What do you mean?" Omega replied, looking up at him.
"You know what I mean," Echo said, continuing the same tone from earlier. "With Tech and all."
"You know I can't talk about that," Omega snapped, talking quieter than Echo had been. "What if Tech hears us talking about that."
"Are you that scared to talk about it?"
"I'm scared of what Tech will do if he knows what I told you. He's not himself."
"He already suspects something."
"What?!"
"You'll be fine."
"No I won't!"
"If he hasn't killed you by now that he's not going to kill you-"
"God, Echo, how the hell did you make it obvious?!" Omega whisper-yelled.
"He was being stubborn so I may have hinted that I knew something was wrong."
"Why was that your first instinct?!"
"Stop avoiding my question." Echo said, more sternly, but still somewhat gentle.
"What was your question?"
"What happened on Bracca?"
"I told you what happened."
"Briefly and vaguely."
"Nevertheless, I still told you."
"Omega, I'm going to ask you one more time, what happened on Bracca-"
"I don't want to talk about it," Omega said, cutting him off, bringing her legs to her chest and hugging her knees.
"Omega..." Echo started to say, his voice trailing off.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"Was it really that bad."
"I mean, he threatened to kill me."
"How many times did that happen?"
"Only once, a little while ago, when he got really upset. More recently, he's just been falling more and more ill. That's why I called you guys to get us. Even though it was risky to come get us so soon, I couldn't just let him die."
"Why didn't you call us earlier?"
"He took my comm link so I wouldn't be able to call you to tell you what happened."
"So you just dealt with it?"
"Yeah," Omega said, shrugging her shoulders. "I just ignored him and only responded if he spoke to me first. That seemed to do the trick."
"I'm surprised you aren't more upset with him."
"I am, but I know it isn't his fault. It's the poison's fault. You know, along with the numerous injuries he has."
"What injuries?"
"You knew he had injuries. I told you that."
"Yes, I know. I'm wondering what's injured."
"I thought I told you."
"You did."
"Then why do I need to repeat myself?"
"Because I forgot."
"How did you forget?! Aren't you a machine?"
"I have other things on my mind too, you know."
"Oh, like what?" Omega sassily asked.
"Making sure this team doesn't fall apart."
Omega opened her mouth as if she was going to respond, but decided against it. She sighed and looked down, knowing that Echo was right. The team was on the verge of falling apart, and it was just getting worse by the day. As she made that realization, she decided that for the sake of the team and trying to save it, it was better to just cooperate instead of arguing.
"Along with the poison," she started to say, very quietly, almost to the point where Echo couldn't hear her, "he was shot in both arms, and had multiple ribs broken. I was able to give him stitches where the shot wounds were, but due to the limited equipment that was available in the cruiser, and the quality of what was there, I couldn't do much when it came to the ribs. I tried my best, but I fear my best wasn't good enough."
"What about the poison?"
"What about it?"
"Is there an anecdote?"
Omega hesitated to respond, knowing there was, but also knowing that the odds of obtaining were slim. Very slim.
"Answer me," Echo said.
"Yes, but-"
"But what?"
"Would you let me finish?"
"Go ahead."
"There is an anecdote. I made it myself during the clone war. But, the problem is, I only made one. It was merely a sample. But since the poison never went into production, neither did the anecdote."
"But if the empire acquired the recipe for the poison, surely they acquired the recipe for the anecdote too? They don't want their own men dying. At least I don't think they do."
"The recipe for the poison went on file in the republic database, which is I'm assuming how the empire was able to get their hands on it. The anecdote, on the other hand, never went on file. We'd have to find that sample."
"Damn it," Echo muttered, unsure whether they'd be able to get it in time.
"I mean, there's a possibility the empire tried to salvage the sample itself before they blew up Kamino, but like I said, it's unlikely."
"Echo, we need you in the cockpit," Rex yelled from the front of the ship. "Something seems to be malfunctioning and we can't seem to figure out what it is, and we need you're help."
"What is it?" Echo responded.
"We don't know."
"I'll be right there," Echo said, then turned back to Omega. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?"
"I'll be fine," she said. "I know he didn't mean any of what he said. I just hope he'll be okay."
•••
The rest of the trip went pretty smooth. Echo was able to fix the malfunction in the ship quickly, so nothing worse came of it. After that, the trip was quiet, as everyone kept to themselves. Once they got there, Rex landed the ship in Ord Mantell's spaceport. All of the group members except for Echo began to hide everything of value or that could tell bounty hunters that this was their ship. Echo sat in the pilot's chair, and looked out the window, when he saw something out of the ordinary.
Something really out of the ordinary.
"Rex..." Echo called, worriedly.
No answer.
"Rex!" he repeated, louder than he had before, and this time with a sense of urgency.
"Can't you see I'm busy?!" Rex yelled back.
"This is important!"
"More important than what I'm doing?!"
"Yes!"
"Can it wait?"
"Unless you want imperial troopers to inspect every inch of our ship then I don't think so."
"What?" Rex asked, softer, and much more confused.
"There's imperial troopers stationed everywhere."
"How did they know that you guys go to Ord Mantell often?"
"How the fuck do you think I know how they know?!"
"You guys are the ones that are here all the time!"
"I have no clue," Echo said. "Hunter?"
"What?" Hunter yelled back.
"Just so you know, there's imperial troops here."
"Please tell me you're joking."
"Why would I joke about that?"
"Because it sounded like you're joking!"
"He's not joking," Rex said. "Come see for yourself."
Hunter walked into the cockpit, looking suspicious of what Echo and Rex had just notified him of. He slightly leaned over the controls so he could get a better view of the sight that laid before him. After he saw the troopers, he stood back normally, shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, realistically, I'm not sure what we can do," Hunter said, crossing his arms. "We don't have time to make a plan. Plus, if they had already seen us, they would know we're here. So technically, we're still fine."
"You better be right," Echo said, leaving the cockpit, Rex following him. Hunter stayed for a second, knowing he might've been wrong.
"I hope I am."
•••
As Hunter predicted, the remaining members of the squad made it to Cid's parlor with almost no trouble at all. They were stopped once, but that was because they were mistaken for another group of rogue clones. They walked down the grungy alleyway that was necessary to get there, and entered the bar. As they walked in, they saw an angry Cid, and when she saw them, she only got more upset.
"Where the hell is tiny?" Cid yelled, clearly extremely upset. Just then, Cid saw Omega enter the bar. "I swear to god I'm going to-"
Omega, frightened, hid behind Hunter.
"Whoa, what's wrong Cid?" Hunter asked.
"Don't you know, bandana?"
"Know what?"
"So you don't know."
"Know what?" Echo said in a demanding tone. He leaned against the bar, his arms crossed.
"Your 'kid,' decided to tell the empire the location of my bar. Why do you think there's imperial troopers stationed everywhere? I don't know how the hell you guys made it here without being recognized. The bounties on each of your heads are larger sums of money than I've ever seen in my entire life."
"Omega," Hunter said calmly, surprised and confused. "Is this true?"
"I-"
"Just tell the truth."
"I was under the inhibitor chip. I- I didn't know what I was doing."
"She still told them! And look what's become of the area surrounding this place. It's swarming with imperials. All because of that stupid kid-"
"Cid, stop," Hunter ordered. "You don't know what it's like to be under the spell of an inhibitor chip."
"And the only person who did is dead."
"How did you know Wrecker is dead?"
"I have my ways. But that isn't the point. The point is that Omega never had an inhibitor chip, and she's a traitor to you guys, and myself, for giving away my location!"
"She isn't a traitor. She did have an inhibitor chip. The empire put it in her head. Now, this isn't what we came here for. We need a job."
"Why should I give you guys a job if you're conspiring with a traitor?"
"We aren't traitors, Cid."
Cid frustratingly sighed. "Well, I gave you a spice run to do a while ago. You never did it. There. That's your job."
"Omega's chip wasn't programmed to make her give away information," Tech said. He was near the back of the bar. His hands were holding onto the side of the bar, his skin was pale, and beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead. The poison was getting to him. It was finally killing him. The consumption of insanity.
The rest of them stared at him, blankly.
"Tech," Rex said. "We examined the chip together. That's exactly what it was programmed for."
"It was a tracking device! Nothing more, nothing less."
"A tracking device was the secondary reason it was created! The primary reason was to extract information from her head."
"Why are you lying to everyone!" Tech yelled. He held his head, as he felt a wave of fatigue pass over him.
"Tech, what's wrong?" Hunter asked.
"Nothing is wrong," Tech replied, fighting the weakness he was feeling in his body.
"Something has to be wrong," Gregor chimed in, after being silent for the entire conversation. "We all analyzed the chip together. We all know. Why are you saying these things?"
"Because I was wrong!"
"You weren't wrong!" Hunter yelled. "What's gotten into you? You know what the chip was designed for. We all know. Why are you changing your mind just now?"
"Because," Tech whispered, being almost unable to speak. The poison was really kicking in, and he knew he only had a few more minutes to live. Then he was gone. And he'll die a villain in his brother's eyes. But it was something he could decide for himself. This wasn't his choice.
"Because I- I was wrong."
"Tech...," Hunter said, his voice trailing off, less harsh than he had been before, concerned for fellow brother. He knew something was severely wrong. He just hoped it wasn't anything fatal.
"I'm... fine," Tech responded, struggling to say those two words.
"No, you're not."
"Y-yes I am," Tech continued to argue, gripping on to the bar for dear life, so he wouldn't collapse right in front of them.
"He needs a medic," Omega said, ignoring whatever orders Tech had given her on Bracca to not tell the team.
"I told you not to tell them," Tech said, starting to become angry. "And I don't n-need h-help."
"I don't care. You need professional medical care."
"She didn't tell us anything, Tech," Hunter said, interrupting Omega.
"She told me," Echo said. "He was poisoned and sustained multiple injuries. The poison is what's driving him crazy. And slowly killing him. If we don't get him to a medical bay soon, I'm afraid he will most likely die."
Tech fell to his knees, unable to stand on his own anymore, even with the help he had from holding onto the bar.
"Tech!" Omega yelled, rushing over to her brother.
And just then, through Tech's eyes, everything went black-