Unexpected

chapter forty-nine: stealth

The small stealth force makes their way through the empty halls of the Separatist cruiser until they reach a communications vault. Tech rigs an interface for Echo to plug into, allowing him to access the Separatists' plans.

Echo and Tech work together to sabotage the Separatists while the others stand guard. Within a few minutes, Echo disables all of the droids onboard using a feedback pulse.

Anakin gets news from Windu that the fronts are falling to the Republic and he sighs in relief as he informs the others.

"Well, I guess you are on our side." Hunter says.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Echo asks cockily.

Tech pauses tapping on his wrist guard to respond. "Some."

Echo's eyes widen a bit but Hunter nods in his direction to show his respect.

"Come on, brother. Unplug and let's get out of here." Rex pays his shoulder.

Echo nods but, just as he's about to unplug, he scans a new order from Trench—initiating a countdown for a bomb hidden within the ship. "It's in the fusion reactor below the assembly complex, but it's big enough to destroy most of Anaxes." He informs them.

"Can you stop it?" Anakin asks.

"I can try." Echo turns back to the interphase.

Anakin runs out of the room and down the hall and Rex calls after him.

"If Echo can't stop the detonation, perhaps Trench can." He says as he runs through the ship.

Elara watches anxiously as Echo holds his head, searching for a way to stop the bomb. She rocks back and forth on her heels as her heart pounds against her chest.

"How far is the assembly complex from this room?" Elara asks, looking down at Echo.

He looks up at her for a moment. "Not far. Two levels up."

Elara nods and takes a deep breath before running off in the opposite direction as Anakin.

"Elara!" Rex jumps out of the room but she continues running. He glances down at Echo, who has wide eyes. "Figure out how to disable that bomb. Now."

Echo swallows his nerves and anxiously gets back to looking for a solution to their quite imminent problem. Rex turns towards Hunter, who's already looking back, and nods. Hunter puts his helmet on and runs in the direction Elara went.

Elara runs into the assembly complex moments later to find Generals Kenobi and Windu among their troops. Both Jedi furrow their eyebrows but she runs passed them, offering no sort of explanation as she jumps onto a platform that then descends into the reactor. Hunter runs in next and is stopped by the two Jedi.

"Sirs, did you see-?"

"Elara run by?" Obi-Wan crosses his arms. "What is going on?"

Hunter sighs. "We found a bomb in the fusion reactor." He explains. "Echo is trying to disable it from his end but—"

"She's going to get herself killed!" Mace Windu states, running after Elara and jumping down to where the platform stopped.

Obi Wan turns to the troops. "Organize your platoons and have them evacuate as soon as possible." He speaks. "Hunter, you and Jesse sweep the area for any stragglers."

"But sir, I-"

"Master Windu will help the girl. Now go!" Obi Wan orders as the troops rush to exit the ship.

*

"Echo, I found the bomb." Elara speaks into her comlink as she approaches it.

"Elara!" A voice startles her, causing her to jump. She turns to find Master Windu running towards her but his approach is interrupted by a ray shield. "Elara, what are you doing here? You had strict orders from the chancellor not to involve yourself in missions of any sort."