Doomsday

Chapter 14 - Endings

Author's Note: Crosshair is ridiculously stubborn about refusing to admit he just wants a hug. ;_; xD Also, for all that I'm pretty sure Omega went up alone in Canon because Crosshair was bullying her and Echo just needed a snuggle-companion and for that matter, so did Crosshair, it'll happen here too because... because. I'm the author, and I said so. :') Besides, the soon-to-ensue snuggle-scene was too cute to pass on.

Also, I thought about Crosshair being captured on Daro, but I decided to go with Echo instead, because I didn't think Crosshair could survive that fall with nothing to slow him down. And, I figured Crosshair would have a really hard time resisting rejoining the Empire if he was there alone with Hunter – he might know it's wrong, but it's still Hunter who's asking, and they've done everything together their whole lives.

~ Rivana Rita

The white halls are empty as they work their way through the facility. It's... almost too empty, Omega can't help thinking. And she can't shake this strange, unnerving feeling of finality.

And, of course, that's when it happens.

There's a loud crashing sound, and the building trembles. Omega stumbles, and Echo reaches out to steady her almost as a second nature.

The lights flicker out altogether. For a split second, she thinks they'll come back, but they don't, plunging them all into darkness.

"Hurry," Hunter orders, whirling around, "Get to the lift!"

She follows, as do the others, without even thinking. They're together again, for the very first time, and Omega will take the time to think about it later. This is everything she wanted, except that their home is being attacked.

This is Kamino.

The ride feels like it takes way too long. No one talks, and the rumbling in the distance and the way the floor keeps trembling only adds to the tension.

It's not until they make it outside that Omega finally realizes exactly what's happening. It's not until she sees the laser fire raining from the sky when they get outside onto the platform connecting the facilities that it finally dawns on her that they're... they're blowing up these cities. Shooting at them. Destroying them. The Empire is destroying Kamino. Her home. Their home.

And everything is burning.

Someone is yelling in the background – she thinks it might be Hunter, but she couldn't be sure, because all she can do is stand and watch with a mind-numbing horror as their home goes up in flames.

It's not until a small metal hand grabs Omega's wrist and drags her back inside that she's finally spurred into motion again.

"We need to find cover," Hunter says, a bit breathlessly, as they run down the halls.

Any other time, she'd be thinking far more about how he's here and how she can see his face again. But that's for later.

And now that they're back inside, the damage somehow seems worse. They can only move so fast when everything is shaking so much, and then, a shot tears straight through the ceiling right next to them, throwing everyone to the floor.

Omega falls with a yelp but pushes herself back up. Another shot tears through right nearby when the others are still halfway standing, and this time, she gets the sudden, sinking feeling that they're falling. Even if the floor itself isn't moving – until it is. It's tilting, and then, they're slowly sliding sideways. The city is falling into the ocean below.

The building shudders again, and Omega scrambles aside as a piece of debris falls from the ceiling. It's happening so fast, and she's never dealt with anything like that before.