What If All of This Could Make You Braver

Hunter

This happened between Season 3, episode 5, 'The Return' and episode 6, 'Infiltration'.

Hunter now finally took a breath of peace as he settled in his seat, Echo flying the ship out of Barton IV and Omega bouncing near him, trying to assist as his mini co-pilot.

Wrecker was snoring with Batcher by his side after a whole day of running, battling 'a huge monster' and digging. Hunter could feel Crosshair's steps fade away into the back of the ship.

Hunter hates the fact that Crosshair always has to be the one to hide his feelings away, and why he has to be so mysterious. Like a puzzle, but the problem is, whenever you try to pry it open by force, it self-destructs and you never know what happened.

Sure, they're soldiers. Sure, they're meant to be hard in the heart, but even Hunter opened up now, the Sergeant himself, so why not him? And why does he always have to feel like that, even after everyone's now forgiven him? Why does he have to hide, when they've opened their hearts up to him?

And especially on Barton IV. Oh Force! Hunter actually was worried for Crosshair's sanity. Why was he so melancholy on this planet? Why did he feel so regretful about him eradicating the natives? And most of all, why was he arranging and holding those reg helmets?

Hunter sighed, and mustered the courage to walk behind him.

***

Crosshair laid down on the floor in the back of the ship, his arm covering his eyes, finally grateful the mission was over and he sunk into the abyss of sleep.

[A headcanon: Crosshair can fall asleep really quick. Anywhere at all, but he's a light sleeper and can wake up even at the smallest noise.]

Force forbid he ever have to return to this planet. But return he did, in his dreams, standing on the pressure mine with Mayday working at his feet.

"What unit were you with?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Humour me."

"Clone Force 99."

"What happened to them?"

"They're...gone."

"And here we are. The survivors."

The scene dissolved into them raiding the thieves and finding out what actually they had been defending all this time.

"After all the clones have done, all we sacrificed. We're good soldiers. We followed orders. And for what?"

The next one sent shivers down his spine. Crosshair holding on to Mayday as they survived the avalanche and descended down the mountain. He could feel Mayday's dying form against his, he could hear Mayday's words and last breaths while Nolan arrogantly rejected help and spat Crosshair's worth into his face. He felt his anger surge.

If there was one life he'll never regret taking, it's Lieutenant Nolan's.

"He-He needs a medic."

"I see you didn't retrieve the crates, which means you've failed your mission."

"Did you hear what I said? Help him!"

That dialogue had always haunted his dreams and he had always woken up, thrashing, sweating, hand flailing for a med kit or a blaster to put a bullet through the miserable excuse of a man. This one was no different.

"Certainly not. That would be a waste of the Empire's resources."

"He'll...he'll die." And Mayday took his last breath and lost his battle against Death. Crosshair nudged closer and put his fingers for a pulse he knew he'll never find.