It took one blaster bullet to go the wrong way and soon he found himself unable to breathe as his eyes barely blinked at the many footfalls running towards his body. He gasped in pain as gentle arms caught him, ones that didn't belong to someone he wanted no instead it was one of the elite squad.
"Commander has been shot! I repeat the commander has been shot!"
Those words came over the Empire radio, the clones that had been in the process of escaping from the prison that the Elite Squad had been stationed at stopped in their tracks, especially five of them.
"Hunter, you don't think?"
The sergeant of the batch turned to Echo who gestured towards the elite squad who had moved back towards their commander who had indeed fallen to the ground.
"ES-02, what do we do?"
"Leave him, he's only a clone. He's replaceable"
"But he's Ramparts Commander, we can't go against him"
"Well stick around ES-04, we have a job to do. Would he really stay with us?"
"Probably not. I'm sorry commander"
"I will take the charge. It's time for a retreat"
The batch decided to chase after the elite squad with Rex as they fired at the retreating figures of the squad who didn't even look back, not even at the body of the commander in the snow.
Curiously Omega wandered over only to remove the helmet revealing to be...
"Hunter!"
Omega's scream had the sergeant turning only to see Omega kneeling beside the commander of the elite squad. On closer inspection he found his eyes widening in utter shock, there lying in the snow, lips and chest caked in blood was their former member. Crosshair who lay half-awake staring at the clouds above.
"Tech!"
The engineer turned from where he was speaking to Echo, Rex and Wrecker, all four of them could only see Hunter kneel beside a body while Omega cried. It had them all moving on the double only to gasp at who lay in the snow.
"Osik! Is he...please tell me he's..." Wrecker kneeled beside Crosshairs head and lifted the lithe body into his lap. The marksman never responded to anything they did not even when Tech injected adrenaline into his body.
"Rex, where's that temple? The force people?" Hunter asked only for Rex to gesture for them to follow. Wrecker scooped up the marksman who was unresponsive but still alive according to Techs scans, his heart was still beating.
It took two long minutes for the group to reach the temple where healers stood around a table.
"Come in, lay the fallen on the table. We will see what we can do but please step outside" A lady spoke, Wrecker nodded complying by placing his bleeding brother on the table. Sadly Wrecker followed the others to the outside while inside the temple something else happened.
Crosshair knew something was wrong, he was cold not that he wasn't all the time but this time he was freezing. Until a hand of warmth landed on his face and pulled him out of the darkness and into the light. He blinked, noticing he was standing beside a glowing figure while he turned to see his body being worked on by healer's.
"Where am I?" Crosshair gasped out only for the figure to smile, removing their hood. It was revealed to be Shaak Ti, one of the fallen Jedi.
"Crosshair, not many are given the opportunity you are about to be given. But you must decide quickly"
"Wait...what?"
"You are dying child"
Crosshair turned to see another figure, only to smile seeing 99. The older clone hugged him, Crosshair only leaned against his father figure.
"Crosshair...?"
"I don't deserve to go back, I destroyed myself trying to be someone else. I have nothing to go back to...I was abandoned not only once but many times. Those by the batch and by the Empire. I don't want to go back" Crosshair admitted, looking down at his body, the healers trying their best to keep him breathing.
"Are you sure? We can return you or..."
"You can return someone else in your place"
Another voice had Crosshair turning to see a golden figure, they walked over to him and took his hands.
"I can feel it, you don't want to go back. Your heart was betrayed and you are empty but this chance will not come around again. So, I ask, do you want to return back to the land of living or do you want someone to go in your place?"
Crosshair only looked down at his body and then to the outside where he could see the batch. No emotions on their faces had him making his decision, he took both 99 and Shaak TI's hands and spoke his peace.
Back with the batch, who paced and held each other. Omega was the first to notice the healer walking towards them so when she stood up all the batch took notice as the healer appeared. Rex looked at the lady who shook her head.
"You must say your goodbyes. His body has took too much damage either from self infliction or torture over the past few months as his further injury, shot to the chest was the last he could survive...."
"Lady Sheila! Come quick! Something is happening!"
Sheila turned running into the temple with the batch and Rex following. All of them witnessed Crosshairs body glow and the healers backed away. Only for the glow to stop and in the form of their marksman was another man but not just any.
"Fives!" Rex called out in shock especially when the arc trooper sat up and looked at them all in confusion.
"Wait...what?" Fives turned to face the room only to gasp, "Echo?". The arc trooper wasted no time in hugging his twin. Rex smirked watching the two reunite while another glow turned attention to three figures.
"Cro-ss-hair?" Wrecker muddled over words seeing not only the glowing marksman but 99 and Shaak Ti, the three not saying anything but observing them all.
"Why?" Fives turned to Crosshair almost like he knew. Silence passed by for a long time before Crosshair spoke.
"You had a better chance at life than I did and anyway you meant so much more than I did" Crosshair was nothing but honest and truthful. The batch members' eyes widened at his words. Omega tried to say something when the marksman spoke, "This is nothing against you Omega but I was never coming back. It was clear as the day the order took over that I was the bad egg. None of you would return without the purpose of something else so I made sure to trade my life. As last I checked mine isn't worth it" Crosshair bluntly put it, he didn't stick around for the protests as he vanished in front of them all.
"Wait, what? He didn't mean..." Tech tried to say only for another to interrupt.
"Don't take anything he says to heart. He's hurting at the moment but it is clear that Fives is a gift to you all. Crosshair may have been through hell the past year and a bit but all he saw was his brothers leaving him behind so ignore his spite. He may have done this for his own selfish reasons but he still loves you all. He just needs time to process what has happened" Shaak Ti explained, she then vanished leaving only 99 behind.
"My son's you have grown up too fast but during this you have lost something meaningful which is to protect the ones you love. In this I include your brother but he also forgot who he was so all is forgiven. Just don't waste this gift, Crosshair returned someone who meant a lot to Echo, in a hope for some forgiveness from you all"
"But he didn't do anything, he was under the influence of the Empire, Crosshair never did anything wrong" Omega whined looking at 99 who sighed.
"He was the one who gave the Empire the coordinates to Cid's parlour and he was the reason the rebels lost a few camps. In his anger, they switched the chips off but he continued to be who he thought he was. Crosshair killed many innocent individuals but suffered with the consequences. He tried many times to commit suicide but the Empire kept him under watch by all including his own squad who prevented him from doing many things including trying to contact you all. Crosshair did many things wrong but those wrongs were right in his head. It is clear that he does not see a path for him to live again, even in the so-called freedom which will be littered with the past. One I am sure your brother would rather run from than deal with, so I suggest you use this second chance. The gift your brother has given to you all shouldn't be ignored. Fives, out of all the people he could have brought back, he chose you. So do not let my son down. Crosshair doesn't make decisions without backup so do me one favour, cause hell to the ones who hurt one of my children" 99 exclaimed, his eyes never leaving his other sons who nodded. Fives smiled.
"I will try my very best. Tell him thank you and that the ace is always right" Fives smiled, leaning into Echo who had wrapped him up.
"We will but first..." Shaak turned to another who had appeared, Crosshair was wincing slightly, his eyes glowing slightly as he walked forward 99 and Shaak immediately took his hands.
"It's time, we must leave" 99 whispered, clutching Crosshairs hand tightly, the marksman's eyes glowing as he searched his brothers. Watching the tears slip down all of their faces including Fives and Omega's had him confused slightly until the glowing individual appeared in front of him. Rex remained silent holding tightly to Fives and Echo's shoulder pauldrons.
"There's still a chance. I can twist time for you. They are ready for you, you can return"
Crosshair barely blinked, he went to shake his head when Hunter let out a sob. The sergeant fell down to his knees, Wrecker froze, wrapping up his older brother who kept muttering about him failing at being a brother. Tech had stopped typing and was holding Omega close in his arms. Echo was clinging tightly to Fives who held him close.
"They miss you Crosshair, they want to be part of your life. Please rethink this" Shaak whispered, Crosshair barely blinked as pain spread through his own chest. 99 whispered his own words to him leaving Crosshair nodding. Turning to the golden individual, Crosshair muttered something in a foreign language to the golden individual who nodded. The glow surrounding the four of them vanished as the batch, Rex and Fives were left to listen to the sobs in silence unaware of the miracle that had occurred.
After a good ten minutes, Rex made the call to thank the Force Healers who were mesmerised at the fact someone from the dead had been brought back by one of their gods of the Temple. Fives continued to walk beside Omega answering any questions while respecting the silence of the batch. The group were about a few feet from the Marauder when Hunter held up a hand stopping them all, the sergeant muttered something that echoed around them all.
"Someone's here" Hunter's whisper had them all on red alert.
"Oh look, the famous Clone Force 99 and extra's. How did it feel for you to lose your batchmate?" A voice had all attention turned to beside the Havok Marauder where the new leader of the Elite Squad stood with a rifle aimed directly at Hunter, the sergeant froze. His helmet remained firmly on while Omega clung to his leg, he moved his body in the way of hers while four others surrounded them from all sides.
"Too bad, that you will all be joining him soon" the leader laughed, ordering his troops to take aim. Rex and Fives froze looking for a way out, the two ready for a fight when something above caught their attention, a glint of something shiny.
"What are you two looking at?" the one with the turret asked only for them to be shot straight through the head signalling for the batch to duck behind cover which ended up being nearby trees. Omega used Hunter and Wrecker as cover, she used her bow to take down one of the elite members leaving only the leader left, who wasn't backing away even if he was surrounded by the clones and definitely outnumbered.
"Stand down trooper..."
"I am not one of your clones, you can't order me around. The Empire will know of this betrayal! You are all traitors to the Empire! I will personally see that...ack!"
The leader of the Elite Squad never finished as they were shot straight through the head, all heads turned to where the shot had been fired from.
"I never really liked him"
Those five words were said in such a snake-like tone which had all of them turning to see a smirking Crosshair leaning against a nearby tree, in his hand was a pistol while his other hand was holding his ribs slightly.
Wrecker was the first to move, the giant jogged over and wrapped the marksman up, Crosshair immediately complained which had the demolition expert laughing as he put the marksman back on his own feet allowing Tech and Echo to wrap him up. He had no choice but to hug back before he pushed them away, he ignored their affectionate smiles and words to talk later. Crosshair could only roll his eyes at them and especially when Omega hugged his waist whispering apologies.
"It's fine kid...let's just say I had a pleasant word with a certain lieutenant who claimed I was being foolish and sent me on a mission to find Kix. So, I now have a snarky medic to find" Crosshair muttered, Rex and Fives looked up hearing the name of a particular clone that Rex had been searching across the universe for. Omega pulled away allowing a certain clone to move into his space.
"Never do that again vod'ika" Hunter whispered, wrapping up his baby brother. Crosshair only tucked his head under his older brothers and whispered, "I missed you too Ori'vod". Hunter smirked kissing his brothers forehead which earned him a displeased noise leaving them all chuckling until Crosshair yawned and coughed violently. Immediately Tech was scanning him while Hunter looked at him funnily.
"It's fine. I made a deal with the golden bunny that I would return but only with some information regarding your medic's whereabouts but the consequence for me, would be added to my weak immune system. Would be a weak heart, which I'm not entirely bothered about..." Crosshair never finished as Hunter scooped him into his arms in a bridal carry while Echo barking out orders to Wrecker to heat one of the bunks up especially when Crosshair sneezed.
"Omega, help me get some of his old blacks. Tech, help Hunter with Crosshairs armour. That so needs thrown out" Echo ordered, Tech smiled helping Hunter remove the half asleep marksman's armour which was damaged and some beyond repair. Rex and Fives took over the cockpit allowing the batch personal space with Omega who had given Echo to spare blacks which Hunter took once they freed Crosshair of his older blacks. He was barely able to stand in the refresher in which Tech helped him since the two could squeeze into together since they were the smaller two of the batch.
Not even ten minutes later after Crosshairs ribs and chest had been bandaged, the batch found themselves in a cuddle pile with Hunter holding Crosshair close to his chest and Omega on his other side while Tech cuddled up to Crosshairs back and Wrecker climbed in behind Tech. Leaving Echo and Fives who joined behind Omega. The captain of them all stayed in the cockpit ensuring the batch that they would return to Pabu in the next few hours and told them to get some rest while they could but on the way they would head to the coordinates Crossair had given to Rex regarding Kix.
They had a medic to save but for now the batch just contemplated holding their family member who had not only returned from the dead but brought back the impossible which was bringing Fives back alive. The arc trooper was now joining the batches family which would mean a bigger headache for Rex and wherever Cody was. For once Hunter knew the batch was whole as he held a sleeping Crosshair closer to his chest, the marksman wearing a nasal oxygen mask after Tech's instance. It would seem good things come to those who wait.
The End...
Think one more to go before I take a break! :)