Chapter Text
Echo had watched.
Watched the explosion send Wrecker flying, falling into the river. Heard Hunter's panicked shout for him as he tumbled out of their view. That was the first, most overlooked detail of this entire ordeal.
Oh, if only Echo had cared to check twice. They could have avoided this. He could have avoided this.
He had broken the surface, spluttering and coughing. He had torn off his helmet and gagged, spitting out water.
He had waved, assuring them the whole way back as he dripped water everywhere.
Hunter insisted on getting him checked out, considering they were supposed to stay with Cody and his cruisers, anyway.
Echo was glad. They had caught this sickness, that spread like wildfire through their squad. Crosshair was barely recovered- Echo felt what the sniper couldn't voice.
Tech had managed to avoid it, tried his best to stay clear- but he had been hit. Hit hard. It took Crosshair and Hunter to get their brother to the medbay once his body finally gave in. A day or two of rest would help them all.
He was rubbing his eyes as they walked towards the medical centre. Cody said they could stay as long they needed.
Echo knew they didn't like it, but they also knew something was wrong. Wrong with Wrecker.
He was quiet. Hunter had seen him gag, coiled up tight, but he hadn't made a sound since. The medics couldn't find anything wrong, so they had to assume he was okay.
He didn't... seem it. There was something wrong, Echo just knew it.
The first thing that screamed at Echo was the bleeding.
Echo noticed it back when they left the atmosphere. His tallest brother would awkwardly excuse himself, disappearing to the fresher to wipe the blood pouring down from his nose randomly, never staying put too long before needing a replacement tissue.
At first the ARC thought he broke something when hitting the water, but a quick check from Crosshair proved that wasn't the case, when they went to the kitchens for rations, Wrecker's nose once again leaked blood everywhere.
Then it was the chills. They all knew Wrecker ran hot, hotter than natborns or even other clones. That's why his complaining about the temperature of the Marauder worried Echo.
Per his request, they cranked it up as high as it was comfortable for others, but he still sat as his bunk underneath a blanket, shivering and complaining.
He had asked again, demanded, even, for the heat to be turned up. Echo and Hunter had shared a look, because they had turned the heat as high as the Marauder would allow for him and Tech, already.
Wrecker became unusually snappy when Echo had told him as much, irritated and twitchy before he stormed off.
This snapping spree developed into another- probably the most worrying thing. That was his sudden change in temper.
Contrary to what the regs believed, Wrecker was the calmest of his brothers when it came to anger. It took a lot to irritate him, the third oldest doing absolutely everything to de-escalate the situation before restoring to violence.
Yet now, on the evening after leaving the planet, the Batch had to walk on their tiptoes to not anger him.
Crosshair accidentally dropping a piece of his Firepuncher while cleaning it, Tech's coughing being "annoying", even Hunter asking if he would like some tea- it all resulted in him yelling at his brothers.
Echo might have not lived with them as long, but he knew that was something that never happened in the past. He could tell, simply, watching the shock on each of his younger brother's faces- and the hesitation to push the problem.
After the last argument Wrecker growled at his sargent before storming off into the hangar bay of 212th Venator. Hunter had followed, with a confused Crosshair trailing after them.
Echo had been left alone, fixing up his bandages as he made his way toward the medical wing. He didnt mind, he knew Tech hated a crowd when he woke anywhere, so he left Wrecker to the other two. They knew him better.
He got to the doors, and he heard a commotion. He rolled his eyes, assuming Crosshair, in his sour mood, and started another fight.
Echo supposed Tech would have to wait, otherwise one of his brother's and a reg or two would end up joining him. He ran to the hanger, where the crowds circled, and he paused.
Cody wasn't letting anyone in.
"What's going on?" He called. The commander didn't respond, ordering him to step away.
Echo heard Tech's panicked, sickly shout, and froze. He pushed through the crowd, and toward Cody.
"Don't go in there." Cody ordered, his voice sharper than a viroblade. It was nearly enough to make Echo stop. "That's an order, trooper—"
"Shabii’gar, commander." Echo shoved through him. "Those are my vode."
"I mean it-!" Cody yelled, and the ARC pushed into the room, where he was met with a wall of sound. Of yelling, and struggling.
Echo froze, stopping short, and stared.
Crosshair was dragging Hunter, desperate to create distance. The sergeant was unresponsive, blood seeping from somewhere.
Echo could see the palpable fear on the sniper's face, and his breath caught when his attention was drawn to the source of his fear.
Wrecker was screaming, thrashing. He sounded so angry, so distraught it scared Echo. His eyes were glazed, head bandaged. He wasn't himself, he wasn't right– he was violent.
Wrecker would never hurt them. Any of them. There was something wrong, he must be sick, too- caught the virus, maybe.
He must be hurt. He- he just wouldn't do this, otherwise.
Worse, when Echo saw why he wasn't actively moving where he wanted to, his heart lurched dangerously.
Tech was supposed to be in medbay. He was what grounded them- he was the one who was worst hit with the illness Wrecker might have. Last time the ARC had seen him, he couldn't walk.
Now there he stood, the only line of defence between his hurt brother's and a very, very angry Wrecker.
Tech was yelling, too. His voice broke, he glared up at his brother, defiantly keeping him at bay, holding firm as he tried to shove back. From the door, Echo couldn't tell who was shaking harder.
Their youngest pleaded, begged the tallest to stop. To think. Wrecker was glaring at Hunter's limp body. Echo knew they had all realised the same thing.
Wrecker wasn't going to stop.
Tech must have finally annoyed the brawler enough, because Echo was sprinting across the room seconds later.
Because when Wrecker's hands had grabbed the splicer's arms, with an audible creak of bones, the brawler spun and threw their sick brother across the hanger.
Tech's head cracked loudly against the polished floors, and he skidded. Echo shouted, alarmed. It only seemed to spur on Wrecker more.
He turned on Crosshair, on Hunter. The sniper's hand twitched, hesitated, unable to pick to drag Hunter further away, or to clasp his blaster and use it.
Before anyone could move, before Echo had even made it half way, Tech was stumbling back to his feet, and with a speed someone that pale should not have, he flung himself back at his older brother.
He caught Wrecker's fist as it swung, wincing as it hit his collarbone with a dull thump. Tech's legs shook, his hands clung insistently.
"Wrecker–" His voice cracked, hoarse and weak with strain. "–stop!"
It was like he couldn't hear Tech. He doubled down, unforgiving as he put his full weight on Tech, his second hand clenching to swing at his exposed side.
Stars, Echo's shrieking order to stop sounded shrill to his own ears.
Wrecker's second hand was caught, and Crosshair had abandoned Hunter's unconscious form to stop his younger brother.
He hissed, nearly sending Tech stumbling as he was knocked. "You stupid mir'osik- stop!" Crosshair shouted, his usual hiss gone in favour of a higher, demanding pitch.
"Please!" Tech's shout sounded oddly similar to the sniper's as Echo finally seemed to cover the distance.
He grabbed and heaved Hunter to his feet, dragging the sergeant away. "Hold him for just a second!" Echo ordered as he pulled Hunter along.
"Trying–" Crosshair seethed, wincing as Wrecker jerked to follow Echo, an angry, snarling scream leaving him.
The sound scraped in Tech's ears, and his composure slipped. His breath hitched, and Wrecker caught a solid grip on his shoulder, slamming him down onto the tile.
Tech's head bounced again, and this time, he didn't get back up. Not for a long, daunting second, before he groaned, weak and pained.
Wrecker pushed harder against Crosshair, trying to do the same, swinging at him with his free hand until Tech was kneeling, wrapping his arms around his bicep and tugging him down.
Echo's heart broke as they struggled. He finally reached the door again, and dumped Hunter at Cody's feet before turning back.
"Wrecker!" Echo's voice was hard, and he glared venomously.
The brawler didn't bother to listen, didn't care as he swung his smaller brothers around like they were just cadets.
The ARC unclipped his holster, and with a steeling sigh, he took out his blaster.
Tech saw it first. "Don't!" He cried, cutting himself off with a shout of pain as Wrecker lashed against his back, and his chin slammed against the tile.
Crosshair glared back at him. "Put that osik away!" He hissed angrily. "We've got it, stay out of it—"
His breath was stolen when Wrecker's hands grasped his throat in a vice grip. Gasping, Crosshair choked. He kicked weakly, clawing at an armoured arm.
Tech's reaction was... unexpected. It might have been the delirium from the fever, the striking fear of the whole situation, or Echo's cold stare as he leveled his blaster at Wrecker's chest.
It could have been anything- but Tech shouted, incomprehensible and raw, as he threw one arm out as if to stall Echo, and knocked his already aching body so firmly into Wrecker, the three of them stumbled.
Echo startled when they actually fell. Wrecker went down hard, and Crosshair rolled, coughing and wheezing weakly as he fought for air.
Tech sat up, dazed and paler than before. He gagged, a flurry of emotions crossing his face in rapid concession as Crosshair stumbled away with a panicked shout.
Echo lowered his blaster, but immediately redrew it as Wrecker's armoured, sleek and sharp elbow knocked Tech across the face.
His little brother shouted, clutching his face as he toppled. Blood splattered across the floor, and Echo saw red, gripping his blaster with newfound determination.
Tech looked up sluggishly, cheek gushing blood as Wrecker stood over him, looming. He looked livid, murderous.
His little brother flinched so hard he nearly lost balance, covering his face as Wrecker gripped both hands together and swung from over his head.
Echo shot twice.
"No!" Crosshair shouted, voice breaking and sounding so, so young. "What did you do–?! What did you do?!"
Wrecker dropped, limp as Echo stunned him. Silence fell over the hanger, aside from the odd hitched breath from Crosshair.
Echo saw Cody sprint towards Tech, and medics rush towards Wrecker, with two taking Hunter already. He met Crosshair's eye, and was only slightly surprised when he saw the sniper glare at him.
Cody had gathered the youngest up into his arms, lifting him and whispering sweet, soft words as Tech shook feverishly. His face was oddly blank.
The commander gave Echo a small nod as he walked back, bundling Tech up as he did. Wrecker was moved, an uneasy murmur being shared by the medics.
Crosshair sniffed, angrily wiping at his eyes and walking out through another door, running from the hanger before anyone could stop him.
Echo sighed, and followed Cody.
The medical centre was silent. Tech's face was bandaged, and he still stared, oddly blank. Echo winced in sympathy whenever he coughed.
Crosshair glared at the ARC, protectively standing by his brother's bed. Echo sighed, rubbing his face.
He knew he had messed up. Shooting Wrecker, with little to no warning- was wrong. Crosshair had looked so distraught, so horrified, it startled the ARC.
He figured that whenever Hunter woke, he'd help settle the issue.
Looking to the sergeant, Echo winced. A large, ugly bite mark was on Hunter's jaw. Echo's frown deepened when he glanced to the tray beside the sergeant, seeing the littered teeth that had needed to be pulled from his jaw.
Wrecker's teeth. Stuck in Hunter's jaw, because he bit.
Maker, it just didn't make any sense.
It wasn't like anyone was talking to him at the moment, with Crosshair's anger and Tech's sick-induced disassociation, but there wasn't a single sane reason to explain why Wrecker would.. bite his older brother.
Crosshair bit, only when he was really fighting dirty. Tech bit Echo once- when he was fresh from a separatist prison, so no one ever really talked about it. Wrecker, though? Echo couldn't ever imagine the brawler biting anyone- even as a joke.
Something was wrong. Something was seriously, completely, wrong.
There wasn't much to do but wait. How that killed Echo.
He felt utterly stupid, sitting there. Watching his younger siblings as they squirmed and glared.
Wrecker had been taken to isolation. Just until he was coherent, and they could figure out what was wrong with him. Echo was sure if Hunter was awake, he could hear him thrash and scream, drool foaming and dribbling onto the floors.
The sight stuck with Echo. He looked... rabid. He looked—
Echo gave his younger brother's an apologetic glance as he dared think that it– that Wrecker looked like the stories that were told about him. The reg's whispers sounded... fairly real, knowing what Echo had just seen.
That- couldn't be normal, though. This was Wrecker, the guy who cried at any romcom holovid, who tucks Lula into his bunk every time they leave the Marauder.
Wrecker, who cooked for them whenever they were lucky enough to go on a real shore-leave, who knew all their preferences, their orders from heart. Who wouldn't hesitate to put himself out there when one of the others felt they couldn't.
This was Wrecker, who holds and loves his brother's as if they were the most precious thing- who would never, ever hurt them.
Until today.
Echo winced again as Tech's chesty cough had his little brother hunching. "You need anything?" He asked softly, ignoring for now the glare he recieved from Crosshair.
Tech took a moment to reply, his cough and breath rattling. "W– water, please," He begged, raspy.
Echo nodded and reached for the cup, gently handing it over. "Here you go, vodiʻka," He said quietly. "Slow sips, okay?"
Tech nodded greatfully, and sipped the cool water slowly. He sighed in relief, clearing his throat. He still sounded wheezy, his breath was still forced.
Crosshair looked fit to punch him. Echo wished he would get it done and over with already. He was a bit tired of waiting for the sniper to expell his anger.
He stood straighter. "We need to talk," Echo finally sighed. "About all of this. Once Hunter and Wrecker are awake."
Tech winced, hiding in his cup. Echo didn't blame him. Crosshair's eyes narrowed, folding his arms as he scoffed.
"You need to talk." He snapped. "You need to explain where you got the nerve– shooting one of ours?"
"He was going to–" Echo gestured to Tech. "He had just choked you out! And look at Hunter- what did you expect me to do?"
"Oh, I dunno," Crosshair rolled his eyes. "Maybe not put him down like a karking akk dog."
Echo startled, a cold feeling seizing his chest at Crosshair's sharp tone.
"I stunned him." Echo said, voice dangerously calm. "Because he was hurting people."
"We had it under control—" The sniper began.
"Oh, sure," Now Echo rolled his eyes, gesturing to the bruise on the sniper's throat. "Because that's very under control."
"We weren't going to shoot him!" Crosshair yelled. "We don't shoot our own brother's, unlike you regs–"
Echo sighed, scrubbing his face in frustration. "We're all brother's," He explained, a well-rehearsed argument. "Even if you're so determined to think otherwise."
He felt a trickle of doubt at Crosshair's scoff. "You changed your mind again?" Echo challenged. It wouldn't be a surprise if he had.
"Maybe-" Crosshair's face had flushed slightly, a tell-tale sign he was genuine. This wasn't just a petty argument, this was real. "–maybe I was wrong about you. Maybe you are just another reg."
Echo's heart stuttered for a moment. "Maybe you think that he deserved that," Crosshair continued, ignoring Tech's short call to stop. "Maybe you believe what everyone's said about him- about us."
Echo's breath hitched. He said nothing. That was enough for Crosshair.
"You gonna put me down, next?" The sniper drew up. "Or- or Tech? Is he- is he also a threat to you and your reg brother's? Does he scare you, too?"
"Cross–" Tech's voice shook, but the way he glanced to Echo was enough to confirm it. He feared the same thing.
"No!" Echo shouted. "I wouldn't– I wouldn't do that—"
"But you did." Crosshair seethed. "And that means you'll kill any of us."
The medical centre went silent. Tech clutched at the flimsy sheets, fidgeting and trying to keep his quickened breathing quiet.
Echo glared across at Crosshair, who stared straight back.
The doors opened behind Echo. "Woah," Cody's voice came from the door. "Is this a bad time?"
Crosshair opened his mouth. "Not at all," Echo called before the sniper could snap. "What do you need, commander?"
"We think we've figured out what could have caused the uh.. incident," Cody said as he walked towards them. "Was Wrecker bitten by anything, recently?"
The three of them shared a look. "No," Tech answered first. "I was with him the last time we were around any wild animals. That's not what's wrong."
Cody sighed. "Thanks, little one," He smiled tiredly. "But there goes the theory. We don't know what else it could be."
"You can't be sure until-" Tech hesitated. "You would know with brain samples."
Cody's breath hitched. "Well, he's not kicking the bucket today." He said firmly. "So.. we're not sure what else it could be."
"He–" Echo started. "He fell into water. On- on Geonosis, before we came up. Is there something there?"
"The water..." Cody tapped the datapad as he thought. "I mean, I'll check it out, but–"
His comm fizzed to life. "What is it?" Cody asked. Screams answered him.
"C- commander!" A shiny trooper yelped in fear. "The- the trooper you brought to isolation he– he's gone! He escaped and– wha—?"
There was a sickening clicking sound, and the shiny screamed. "They're- they've been infected with something! He infected them, commander—!"
The shiny dissolved into screams, and the comm fizzed out.
Cody's face was tight. He turned to the others, and they jumped at the sounds of someone stomping towards them.
"Wrecker." Cody muttered, drawing his blaster. "You three, get to the communications center, contact the nearest fleet and have them come help."
"What about Hunter?" Echo asked as Crosshair yanked Tech to his feet.
"I'll keep him safe," Cody promised. "Go!"
Echo gathered up his blasters, as Crosshair grabbed his rifle. Tech was out of armour, but Echo pressed his pistol into his little brothers hand, and they ran.
The door sealed behind them just as Wrecker breached the one on the opposite side of the medical centre.
Tech hesitated, froze as they heard Cody shouting, heard Wrecker break through. Echo turned, and grabbed his arm.
"Tech–" He called softly. His younger brother looked at him, eyes wide as they listened to the sounds of Cody screaming. "We have to go, come on—"
A large dent was put in the sealed doors as Wrecker punched it. Tech scrambled back with a choked out yelp, and Echo gripped him tighter, turning and running down the hall, with Crosshair in the lead.
They ran from their brother, deeper into the cruiser as it descended into chaos.