'Plan 99.'

✨In The Stars✨

~CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TBB S2:EP16~

Just a heartbreaking one-shot.

I am not sorry.

____________________________________

'Plan 99.'

The final plan on the Bad Batch's list. The last resort. The worst-case scenario.

From the depths of the black smoke, you could hear Tech shout: "You must sever the connection hinge - NOW!"

By the general population Wrecker was unfortunately not considered to be smart but he knew exactly what his brother was insinuating without actually saying it yet, and catching himself when the car jerked again he bellowed, "Not until you're up here!"

Long ago, when the squadron consisting of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker and Crosshair were still in their early days, there was an attack on the planet of Kamino itself, the only home the enhanced clones had ever known. ARC Trooper Echo who later joined them was part of the team defending the cadet barracks from those cursed Separatist tin cans, and aiding him was the Maintenance Clone 99.

Beloved 99, who touched the lives of many, including Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, Crosshair and Echo. Unforgettable 99, whom Clone Force 99 labeled their squadron after. The fearless soldier who sacrificed his own life so his brothers could live to fight another day. There was not another like 99.

99's death made the Bad Batch want to fight harder, to live to see his sacrifice be worth it. It was an admirable endeavor, because the death of a loved one was enough to make anyone stop fighting. They aspired every day to make him proud, but there was one line they swore they'd never cross unless there was no other plausible exit to a sticky situation that they excelled at getting into.

"Plan 99." Tech had openly, cursedly declared. 'Put the squadron ahead of yourself. Sacrifice your life, so they can live to fight another day, so it won't all be for nothing.'

Amidst the plasma fire and smoke, and engine roars of the fighter ships, and creaking of the derailing durasteel cars... Omega couldn't breathe and her worst fear was coming true, Hunter wanted to scream but couldn't ignore the incoming fighters, Wrecker did scream at him, but this was Tech.

"There is no time Wrecker." His blaster was unholstered.

If Tech, if the man with the never-ending plans, if the overflowing cornucopia of brilliant ideas couldn't think up of a way where everyone got out of this battered, bloody and bruised but ALIVE, there was no other choice but to cross that line. 99's sacrifice, and now Tech's sacrifice, had to be worth it.

Tech didn't let them see his fear, but hanging on for dear life in the dangerously swaying rail car, Wrecker failed to hide the desperation for his beloved brother to think of something, ANYTHING ELSE!

Wrecker grunted at another shudder of the car, but breathlessly still begged him: "Don't you do it, Tech!"

The adrenaline was pumping so loud - the wind was howling through the auditory sensors of his helmet - his waist was being bruised by the pressure of his entire weight - Tech swaying on that cable line below nearly didn't catch that plea.

But more fighters were coming. The car was almost dislodged from the rail. Omega looked ready to jump after him, like she nearly did so long ago for Hunter when he was captured Daro

So peering down to the blanket of white mist that would conceal his death from his brothers, his little sister who'd lost too much of her innocence, that final deep breath ensured Tech's voice was strong, steady, unshakeable.

And when he raised his helmet and squinted, Wrecker's beating heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach on top of everything else when the blaster raised, and Tech's final words were: "When have we ever followed orders?"

His sassy quip was how he wanted to be remembered - unshakeable, even when falling into the jaws of death. Tech was sure in this plan, just as he always was. He heard their shouts of denial when falling, but his peace came from knowing that they were strong enough to adapt.

Improvising was their specialty.

____________________________________

Now, I have no idea on the Bad Batch's history on Kamino, before the Bad Batch Arc in TCW, so this one-shot is purely based on what I head cannon.

I also don't believe Tech is really dead... but it makes for some great writing material. 

- ELLA