Mom Omega

Part 6 - Battle Scars

Rex reunites with Echo and Omega, and Omega is very reluctant to take her little brothers to remove their inhibitor chips. They don't have much choice, but of course the mission isn't so simple.

After the run-in with Rafa and Trace on Corellia, Omega knew she'd end up circling back to someone from her old life. Doesn't mean she expected to come back into Cid's parlor and see Rex.

Echo is as surprised as she is.

Omega is just coming in with the twins from picking up some Mantell Mix, despite the little credits they have because they still have to eat, when she sees Rex.

"Rex?" Omega asks, perking up. He's the first sign of someone familiar, someone she used to know, and she half runs down the stairs to hug him. "How'd you find us?"

"Rafa and Trace Martez," he replies, "They said they met you and Echo, and you were traveling with some kids."

The twins hop off the last stair together, eyes wide. "What's a reg doing here?" Crosshair asks. He sounds grumpy.

"This is Rex," Omega answers, stepping back, "He's a friend. Rex, these are Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair." She motions to each of them in turn. "They're defective clones, like me."

The twins are exchanging wary glances, and Hunter motions to them to come join him and Tech on the bench. Good way to get them out of trouble, anyway. Omega sits on Rex's other side. "So," she asks, eyeing the narrow incision scar on the right side of his head, "How'd you get your chip out?"

Rex laughs. "The general and commander weren't gonna leave me behind."

Omega perks up instantly. "Anakin? He's – he's fine?"

"The toll's been hard on all of us, but he'll be fine," Rex promises, and Omega thinks she could cry in relief. "How'd you know about the chips?" he asks as an afterthought.

"I used to be a medical assistant, remember?" Omega points out.

"Right." There's a brief pause. "Where'd you get out yours?"

"I don't have one. Echo and I got the Order, but his never activated. I don't know why. It might've been damaged at the Citadel."

Rex freezes, staring at her. "You're telling me he hasn't removed his chip?"

"What?" Echo asks.

Omega sighs, turning to face him. "Inhibitor chips," she repeats, "They're put in all the clones before we're born. They're designed to make them blindly follow orders."

"That explains the regs," Crosshair grumbles, crossing his arms.

Wrecker lightly elbows his shoulder. "Yeah."

"But Echo's isn't working, anyway," Omega continues, "And the kids never got the Order."

"As long as they're inside you, they'll make you a threat to everyone around you," Rex warns.

"We don't have a way to get them out," Echo points out. "We're not on Kamino anymore."

"Taking them out is dangerous, too," Omega cautions quietly, "I know it can work, and it normally should, but that doesn't mean it's safe. I – I can't risk them like that." She motions to the four of them, sitting together on the bench. Hunter's watching with worried eyes. Tech's staring, and the twins are bickering over the carton she bought for both of them. They're her brothers, and Omega can't risk them.

Rex sighs. "I know why you're worried, Omega, but the risks of something happening are too high. I know they're kids, and they might not have gotten the Order, but that doesn't mean they're fully immune to the effects."