Caretaker Echo - Tumblr Posts

Whumpril Day 11: Nightmares/"I'm right here."

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Warning: Character death

Summary: Hunter has a pretty scary nightmare. Hope someone wakes him up.

 Walking through the cell block Hunter searched for his daughter and brother. They were supposed to be here but he just couldn't find them. All he had left was Crosshair and her. Wrecker and Echo had been killed earlier by stormtroopers.

    Finding Crosshair's cell, Hunter opened it. "Crosshair, let's go." Crosshair didn't move. "Cross, get up." Hunter walked over and shook his brother. After shaking him for a moment he realized the man was freezing. He grabbed Crosshair's face and looked into his cold, dead eyes.

    Startled Hunter jumped back. "Haar'chak!"

    From there the leader hesitantly left Crosshair's body there. He ran until he found where Omega was being held. He skidded to a stop and turned to the door. Sliding the access card on the door, it opened. "Hunter?" The girl asked.

    "Yeah kid, it's me." Hunter fell to his knees and Omega ran up to him for a hug. "are you hurt?" He wrapped his arms around her.

    "No."

    "Let's get you out of here."

    The two exited the cell. On the way back to the Marauder an eerie voice spoke from behind them. "And where do you think you're going Omega?"

    The two turned around to see Hemlock. "Home!" She yelled.

    "Home? I don't think so." With that the scientist raised his blaster and shot the girl. Hunter hadn't seen it until it was too late. His gun had already been pointed at the other so he pulled the trigger. Hemlock fell to the ground.

    Hunter kneeled down beside his little girl. His world stopped turning. She was gone. Everyone was gone. He was alone. What now? Where does he go from here? What does he do? First the clone needed to get off of Wayland.

    Grabbing Omega he started to run. It felt like that was all that he did. The world went dark and Omega was gone.

    In some dark void the words Hemlock had said to him back on Ord Mantell ran in his ears. "Who knew clones were so paternal? Fascinating."

    "Stop." Hunter looked around. "This isn't real."

    "I'm afraid this is all I could salvage. Consider it a gift."

    Broken googles clattered at his feet. Quickly Hunter picked them up and held them close to him. "You're not real." He whispered.

    "To lose one of your own-"

    "stop it." Hunter started to run. It was better than being stuck listening to the conversation he played over and over in his head.

    "Must weigh heavily on you as their leader."

    "Of course it does! They were put under my control and I failed them!"

    "There is no time Wrecker."

    "No. No not again." Hunter stopped running. He collapsed to the 'ground'. He placed his legs under him and pulled his hands up to his head.

    "Plan 99."

    "Tech I'm sorry."

    Tech's sigh sent a chill down Hunter's spine. "When have we ever followed orders?" The clone mouthed along with the words.

    "I'm sorry. God I'm sorry." Hunter whispered. The memories started to mix. It started to overwhelm the clone. He could only take so much of this. "Stop it, stop it." Tears started to trickle down his face. He caught them in his hands. "Stop it!"

    Hunter started to hear a familiar voice, "Hunter? Hunter wake up."

    "Good soldiers follow orders."

    "No." Hunter sat up quickly. Air moved swiftly in and out of his lungs. Tears fell from his eyes.

    "Hunter, are you okay?" Echo looked at his brother, concerned.

    Hunter didn't acknowledge Echo. He's breathing stayed the same. Looking down the man wasn't aware that his brother was there.

    "I'm right here. Talk to me." Echo rested his hand on Hunter's shoulder.

    'im right here.' The room was no longer dark. Hunter realized now that he was awake. This wasn't part of his nightmare and Echo was sitting in front of him. The tears didn't stop.

    "I'm right here." The older of the two opened his arms and waited.

    Hunter leaned into his brother. The two stayed like that until the sargent stopped crying. When asked to talk about the dream, he refused. Maybe one day these nightmares would leave him alone, maybe not. Only time could tell. At least he had Echo to wake him up.