Whumpril Day 9: Held Down/Bruises/"Who Did This To You?"

Whumpril Day 9: Held Down/Bruises/"Who Did This To You?"

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Warning: Violence

Summary: A story of how the regs treated Tech when they were younger.

Tech stared at the reg that held him to the floor. The floor was cold and hard and the reg was harsh and judgmental. The fight that had broken out wasn't long but wasn't short. Tech's googles laid broken on the ground. Blood spilled from his split lip and nose. The regs hands were bloody from the landing blows he had given the other.

Grabbing Tech's head, he shoved it into the ground. Tech struggled to get out from underneath the clone. His body was in so much pain. Friends of the reg watched and laughed. The struggle continued as the clone beat his 'brother'.

Thinking of what to do next Tech moved to the side slightly which surprised his attacker. Despite his condition, Tech moved out from underneath the clone and stood. One of the other boys grabbed him and had him pinned to the wall almost immediately after he stood.

Tech breathed heavily and waited to figure out his next move. The regs were stronger than him. They would have to leave him alone eventually so for now he gave up and let them tear him apart. Fighting felt useless. He would just have to deal with the injuries given to him.

Once the regs had had their fun they let him go. Tech slid down the wall they never let him leave and stayed there until he felt safe to get up. He stood and grabbed his googles. Looking down at them there was a small crack in the glass. He sighed and started to walk back to his barracks.

Back in the barracks, Tech started to take care of his injuries. He stood up and walked over to the table that some bandages rested on. Then Crosshair walked in. "Tech?" He walked over to his brother. Going to grab a bandaid he brushed his brother's arm. Tech flinched and moved back slightly.

Crosshair stopped and took a look at the other. "Who did this to you?" he sneered.

"Some regs."

"Well no shit. Do you know which ones?"

"I do."

"Well then who did this to you?" Crosshair started to raise his voice.

"No. You will fight them."

"Tech, tell me who did this to you?"

"No, you will fight them. I do not want you to fight them."

"Fine, I won't fight them. Now who the fuck did this to you?" The frustration took control of his vocal cords and the boy yelled at Tech.

Tech flinched at the noise. He pulled his arms slightly upwards, "I'm sorry!" He yelped, panicked.

"Fuck" Crosshair whispered. He hadn't meant to scare him. "Fine. Don't tell me."

Tech relaxed and looked at his brother, "I'm sorry. I know you won't hurt me. That was a response to the attack from earlier."

"It's fine."

Later the two would meet with their other two batch mates for training. When asked what happened Tech simply explained that some of the other cadets had beaten him up. He said that he didn't want to talk about it and luckily neither Wrecker nor Hunter pressed.

The tight blacks and armor rubbed against his skin, hitting every bruise. It hurt to move, it hurt to breathe; but Tech had to ignore the pain for the sake of training in the same way he would ignore it for the sake of a mission. The bruises stung as reminders that he wasn't strong enough. How could he be a soldier if his supposed comrades hated him? And for what; because he was different?

The batch never failed a training exercise and this one would be no expectation. The pain from moving around so much caused Tech to almost collapse at the door on the way out. Wrecker tried to help him up but the pressure on the bruises hurt more than standing.

Back in the barracks, Tech laid down on his bunk and tried to get some rest. Laying on his back startled the boy so he laid on his side. He would heal but for now the fear of the regs was to stay. The batch watched him closer; not that he'd ever know. Tech was an easy target, he wasn't the strongest and he didn't always understand what was going on until too late. They loved their brother dearly and hated to see people using his differences to pick at him.

Whumpril Day 1: Destress Signal/Panic Attack

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Note: this story may not make much sense if you haven't seen episode 14 of season 2.

Summary: What would have happened if Tech checked their old comm lines earlier?

  Tech checked the batch's old comm line sometimes. There was never anything on it. He looked because just maybe Crosshair would reach out to them, not caring what he said. This time when he turned the comm on and checked there was something. Almost immediately Tech played the message.

    "Plan 88, you have to hide. They're after Om-"

    "Plan 88?" Tech whispered. As he was about to play the message again he realized it was still playing. The sound of a door closing and then a hissing noise could be heard. That was it.

    Tech listened to the message over and over. Anxiety crept in and he started to lose control of his breathing. Crosshair didn't try to get them to help him nor did he bother to give them his location. The man sounded week. Not only that catching the last part of the message meant that they wanted one of them. The O made him believe it was Omega.

    The clone moved from the chair he sat in the floor and against the wall, holding the comm in front of him. Tech's breathing got worse. Air moved swiftly through his lungs as he listened again. Tears began welling in his eyes and he pulled his knees up to his chest.

He felt sick, his heart ponded, and he started to feel dizzy.

    Tech threw the comm across the room. When he heard it hit the ground his mind attacked his body harder. What if he broke it? They needed to find Crosshair. Despite the man's current condition he attempted to stand. Failing he fell back to the ground.

    With tears filling his googles he hastily pulled them off and stopped himself from throwing them as well. Placing them beside himself he lifted his hands up to his face. Tech knew how to deal with panic attacks, he had helped his brothers many times and had calmed himself down before. This time was different, this time he just couldn't.

    Alone in that dark room Tech fought to think clearly. How could he help Crosshair if he was stuck in this room? The walls felt like they were closing in and his hands felt tingly.

    Phee had been instructed to check on Tech. What she didn't expect was to hear sobbing when she got close to the room he occupied. Rushing in she kneeled in front of him. "Brown eyes?" He looked up. "I'm going to need you to breathe, okay?"

    "I" he stifled, "I can't."

    "I know it's hard but you have too. Breathe with me."

    When nothing changed in his behavior Phee called for Hunter. "Honey please you have to breathe. We can work through this."

    When Hunter got the call he dropped everything and ran to the Marauder. When he would arrive Tech was breathing a little earlier. It had been a while since he had seen his brother like this. He didn't miss it. The scene in front of him always broke his heart. "I'm here. What's going on Tech?"

    "He just keeps trying to say something about some Crosshair, Omega, and a plan."

    Hunter nodded then switched places with Phee. She wanted, more than anything, to be able to help Tech but right now he needed his brother. "I got you. Breathe okay. Tell me what's going on once you're able to."

    The two would sit there for another few minutes before Tech could really think clearly again. Tears still fell from his eyes but his breathing was under control now and he felt less ill.

    Finally Tech could explain. "We need to find Crosshair. I checked our old comm channel and found a distress signal from not too long ago." Getting up he went to check on the comm. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth as he realized it was still in one piece. After that he played the message for the other two.

    The three talked then went to find the rest of the batch. Echo would arrive soon after and once handed the information to decode the puzzle was completed. Crosshair was on Mount Tantus. Now they just had to go get him.

@whumpril

Whumpril Day 4: Needle

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Warning: Medical trauma

Summary: Echo goes to the doctor and it doesn't go well.

    Echo hated going to medical centers. He wouldn't have gone if Rex hadn't made him. As soon as he stepped foot in the doctor's office he was already panicking. No one could go with him. The clone thought of reaching out to the batch to see if one of them could go but it felt so silly to do so. Why would he waste their time like that? What if they thought differently of him? Trying to shake the thoughts from his head Echo sat down. He was called back not soon after.

    Stepping inside the white room sent a chill up his metal spine. He felt his chest tighten. It looked so different from the room he was experimented on in but felt so similar. The doctor was nice enough which put his mind at ease a little.

    Then she said that he needed his blood drawn for some test and he froze. Just the word test frightened him. Drawing blood required a needle. Echo never liked to admit it but he was scared of them.

    The movement from the doctor opening a draw for the materials needed made Echo jump. "Are you okay?" She asked softly.

    "Ye..yeah." he stuttered.

    The doctor turned around and introduced him to roll his sleeve up. Hesitantly he complied. She tied an electric band around his arm then rubbed an antiseptic on the part she needed to.

    As soon as Echo saw the needle panic overtook his mind. Thinking looking away would help he did. Then he felt the needle pierce his skin.

    Before his mind had a chance to react his body did. Echo jumped back, pulling his arm towards him. This jammed the needle further into his arm. Blood flowed from the injury. He stood and cornered himself by accident.

    "Not again, not again" Echo whispered.

    "What do you mean Echo?" The doctor asked.

    He didn't respond. Instead he pulled the needle out of his arm with his teeth. The needle landed on the floor and the noise, though not very loud, was terrifying. The experiment had heard it many times.

    Echo's mind was flooded with memories from Skako Minor. He didn't have many but the ones he did he could feel. The needles and scalpels stabbed at him all over again. Sinking to the floor Echo forgot where he was. He was safe in a doctor's office with a woman who had given him no reason not to trust her.

    The doctor kneeled down and tried to comfort him. "It's okay" she spoke kindly. "You're safe." The women talked to him until he was able to relax a little.

    "How about we schedule a time to do those tests? That way you can prepare, yeah?"

    "That sounds.. okay. I apologize for earlier."

    "It's okay. I completely understand. Trauma is not something that's easy to get over. I'll do whatever I can to make you comfortable next time."

    "Thank you."

    Echo decided he would get in contact with Wrecker and ask him to come with him next time. It may not be the best idea but he could hold Echo down. Wrecker agreed quickly even though he wasn't fond of the idea of holding him down like that. Wouldn't that just be worse? The appointment would be in a week. They would just have to see how it goes.

@whumpril

Whumpril Day 10: "I'm Scared."

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Warning: Major character death

Summary: Tech and Omega are sent off to find their target for the mission. Things don't go well.

  When the batch took this mission, they knew it was dangerous. Echo had hated to ask them but the rebels needed this mission to succeed and his brothers and sister would be perfect for it. It didn't take much convincing before they agreed. After being informed they were rescuing a youngling they knew they had to.

    The mission started off smoothly. Of course it couldn't stay that way. Quickly the batch found themselves running and trying to hide. They had to survive to find the youngling after all.

    "Tech, Omega, go find the kid. Wrecker, Echo, and I will cause a diversion. Let us know when you have the youngling and we'll meet back up on the Marauder." With that they split.

    Tech knew where everything in the facility should be. He had studied the interior before they got there. The halls all looked the same but they made their way to the cell block the child was held in.

    Just as the two entered the block some stormtroopers turned the corner. Both turned around to fire. Tech focused on the troopers. Then he heard a yelp and a body hit the floor. He looked over to where his sister had been standing and realized it was her.

    Without thought, Tech quickly moved her off to the side and finished off the bucket heads. Rushing back over to her he kneeled by her side to assess her injuries. "Omega?"

    "Tech? Tech, I'm scared."

    I'm scared. The words rang through Tech's head. He knew Omega had been scared before but she never told them. The kid had walked through hell without showing her fear. She was brave and it showed. Hearing her admit to being afraid made his heart sink. "You will be fine."

    "I'm scared" she whispered. Faint crying was all that could be heard in the hall. Everything else was dead silent. It was as if time had stopped. Perhaps it had.

    "I know. I am.. also afraid" Tech admitted. "It is okay to be scared. I promise we will be okay. I'll take care of you."

    Looking at the injury, Tech knew he didn't have much time. He was surprised the shot hadn't killed her on impact.

    "Tech, I don't wanna go." Omega shook.

    "You will be alright Omega." Tech reached into one of his pouches and pulled a bacta patch out as well as some bandages. The hallway wasn't the best place to tend to the wound; it was dirty and troopers could be there any minute but there was nowhere else to move.

    He turned back to face the little girl in front of him. "Omega?" Tech spoke softly. Placing the medical supplies next to him, he reached his hand out and placed it against her neck. It felt like his own heart stopped beating. Know he knew time had stopped. He would never be the same after this moment.

    "Omega?" Tech's voice cracked. He started CPR on her. Only a few seconds later stormtroopers would enter the hall again. Tech shot them down and grabbed Omega's body. He ran to the cell the youngling was held and opened it. "Hello. I'm here to help you." Then Tech looked at the youngling. The report was wrong, the child was a padawan; a padawan he knew well.

   "Tech?" Caleb asked.

    "Hello. Now come on, we need to leave."

    Caleb looked at him for a minute before stepping closer to him. "Can I trust you?"

    "Yes, you can."

    "Who is the girl?"

    "Omega, my sister."

    "You have a sister?"

    "Yes. That is not important right now."

    Caleb walked outside of the cell. Tech grabbed him and handed him his lightsaber. "Is she okay?" Caleb asked.

    "No."

    After informing Hunter that he had found the padawan, the two ran to the Marauder. On the way they ran into more stormtroopers. Cornered Tech looked over at Caleb. He was shaking. "Are you alright?"

    "I'm scared." The boy's voice mixed with the dead girl's. Tech's head was playing tricks on him.

    "You will be fine." He may not have been able to save Omega but he wouldn't fail Caleb, not this time. Placing Omega's body beside him he looked around the corner and put together a plan to take them out. Crosshair would have been proud of the shots he made to end their lives.

    Caleb looked down at Omega's body. He realized that the girl was his age. Then he realized that she was dead. Startled he jumped back and looked over at Tech. He had finished off the soldiers and turned to pick her back up. "I'm sorry about Omega."

    Tech said nothing. The two made it back to the Marauder without any other problems. The other three were already there.

    On the ship Tech walked right past his brothers and laid Omega down on her bed. He rested the blanket over her growing cold body. Grabbing Lula the clone walked to face his brothers.

    When he walked out with Lula they knew she was gone. Tech handed the tooka doll to his brother and walked to the cockpit to pilot the ship. Caleb tried to help the family with their loss.

    Nothing would ever be the same. Tech felt trapped in that moment. For him time stopped and just couldn't start again. When someone was scared he became extremely protective over them, swearing no one would die scared under his watch. He would join Echo in the fight against the empire for that very reason. It would be a long fight and a hard one but so would healing.

@whumpril

Whumpril Day 22: "Let's Get You Cleaned Up."

Fandom: Star Wars The Clone Wars

Note: Ah okay so I did my best. Enjoy.

Warning: Minor Character Death

Summary: Rex holds one of his men while they die.

  Rex hated losing his brothers. However it was part of the war. It was unfair and cruel but that's why they were made right? To fight and die for the Republic?

    The Captain sat with one of his men for the last time. The shiny didn't even have a name yet. However the man's armor was no longer shiny, now it was covered in blood. The blasters and explosions were deafening.

    "Captain?" the unnamed clone coughed.

    Rex looked down at his feet. There laid one of his men. "Soldier." Rex dropped to the ground. He removed his helmet to get a better look at the man. "Medic!" he yelled. But the request went unheard.

    "Captain, I'm scared."

    "You'll be okay."

    The clone slightly sat up and grabbed Rex by his head, his thumb right before the others ear. "Is this it?"

    "No, no it's not. You'll be okay." Tears gathered in his eyes.

    Without another word his brother died. His hand slipped from Rex's face, leaving a blood trail. There was nothing he could do. He never got used to it; the blood, the noise, the death. It felt surreal. Rex shakily placed his helmet back on and continued to fight.

Later he would greet Anakin at the end of the fight. The only blood on Rex was his face and hands so the general had no idea anything was wrong. The soldiers helped Kix wherever they could.

Rex took his helmet off for the same reason he had taken off before. Anakin took note and waited till time was right. He walked over to him and said, "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Huh?" Rex looked at him, "no, I'm okay. I'll take care of it."

"No come here." Anakin grabbed his Captain's hand and went to find a damp cloth. Rex protested but gave up as Anakin rested the cloth of his skin. It felt nice.

The Jedi gently held his brother's face still with his other hand. He ran the cloth over the blood and lightly scrubbed it.

Rex just sort of stared at Anakin. It felt nice to have someone take care of him for once. He was so used to taking care of everyone else that this took him by surprise.

"How's that? It stained, there's nothing I could do about that, sorry." Without another word Anakin grabbed Rex's gloves and cleaned his hands next. Then he switched the clones for his. "There. Get some rest, you need it."

Everything together made Rex tear up. It was nice to feel loved and taken care of.

Whumpril Day 5: Defiance/Dragged/Stifled Scream

Fandom: Star Wars The Bad Batch

Note: Later parts of season 2 explain the context.

Summary: Crosshair's down with the empire and their experiments.

  Crosshair hated his cell, he hated the doctors, and he hated himself. After all it was his fault he was here. They should have killed him for what he did to that baster of a lieutenant. But no, now he lived in misery.

    Two stormtroopers stood in front of the cell door and after a few seconds they entered. Instead of just getting up to go with them, this time Crosshair decided he was done being compliant. Even if this killed him, he didn't care anymore.

    The clone sat down and stared at the two "What?" He snarled. The troopers looked at each other then shrugged and grabbed him. Crosshair probably should have expected that. He fought back. It hurt but nothing physically hurt more than that damn droid. He kicked at the others feet and thrashed to get out of their grip.

    When they got him to the door he tried to stand so he could fight them better. Almost escaping the left bucket head slammed his gun over Crosshair's head. He fell and the troopers put a pair of handcuffs on him.

    This time the clone didn't fight. He didn't comply either. Instead he just let them drag him. Every now and again he would try to pull his arm to his side but it never worked.

    Crosshair was thrown into the room he hated the most. If he ever had it his way he would blow up this Kriff forsaken facility. Not only for himself but for his imprisoned brothers as well. Why he cared for the regs, the clone didn't know.

    Hemlock entered the room with Emory close behind. "I see you're being defiant again? Bad decision really."

     Crosshair looked over at the man. The hum of the imperial prob came into earshot and Crosshair attempted to stay calm. As the prob got closer he started to panic.

    The droids needle stabbed into his flesh. A cold, poisonous liquid was released into Crosshair's body. It hurt, it hurt like hell. The dose had been increased to show the clone why he better comply. Imperial property can't be fighting against the very thing that owns it after all. 

    The pain took over his body. Screams started to escape Crosshair's mouth but he tried to stop them. Showing the pain he was in would only satisfy the mad scientist. Muffling a scream tears ran from his eyes.

    Hemlock smiled. He was wining; Crosshair was breaking. A while later the torture would end and Crosshair would be dragged back to his cell.

    The other clones on the hall began fighting as well soon after seeing Crosshair defy. Maybe there was hope for them after all. They followed in their brother's footsteps by refusing to leave their cells or by denying Hemlock the pleasure of seeing them express their pain. As irritating as it was the scientist was impressed.

    Time passed and the clones never backed down. They were created to fight so why not fight? If they got dragged down to hell because of it they would go with a smile, waiting to see their lost brothers. That was an ending they could live with.