Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Coricopat hissed as he swiped and knocked one of Macavity’s hench-cats down. He panted, looking around the Jellicle Junkyard, dark green eyes wide as he took in the chaos.

Macavity and his hench-cats had attacked suddenly that evening. There had been no warning, no lead up to the attack, much like there usually was…and Macavity seemed focused on actually wiping them out this time and not just terrorising them.

The Jellicles were fighting furiously, defending themselves and their loved ones. The fighting Toms and Queens were doing their best to give time for the kittens and the caretakers to escape before slowly retreating themselves at Munkustrap’s command.

It was best to retreat, to get somewhere safe, especially while Macavity seemed this lost in rage.

Munkustrap was fighting Macavity in the centre of the main clearing, both of them covered in scratches, bite marks and blood.

Coricopat leaned against the oven briefly, regaining his breath and taking the time to seek out his twin. Tantomile had stayed to fight, both of them doing whatever they could to assist the fight and to protect Mistoffelees from Macavity’s wrath.

While Mistoffelees may be powerful in magic, he was still rather small and still young and tended to tire out quicker. They had been training him, trying to work on his endurance when it came to magic use, and while he was better at it, there was still a way to go.

Tantomile was fighting near Mistoffelees, as Coricopat had been separated from them by a couple of hench-cats, covering the kittens’ escape. Alonzo and Tugger were nearby, fighting back-to-back on top of the tire, while Skimble kept close to the evacuating party’s tails, keeping the hench-cats off of them. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were also supporting Skimbleshanks in the escape.

“You good, Cori?”

Coricopat glanced around at the tired question, seeing Admetus stumbling towards him, with Plato in tow, both of them bruised and bloodied.

Coricopat gave a weak smile. “Hanging in there. You should go and cover the others escape. They’ll need more backup in case the hench-cats get wise.”

Admetus nodded, pulling the swaying Plato’s arm across his shoulders, before they hurried off, keeping out of sight for now.

Coricopat inhaled deeply, looking back to Tantomile. He could feel his twin was just as exhausted and sore as he was. She felt him connecting to her mind, glancing over from where she was currently standing, slightly bent over, catching her breath, and gave him a tired grin.

“Hanging in there, Cori?” she asked. Coricopat nodded. Even Tantomile’s mental voice sounded exhausted.

“For now. You and Misto?”

Tantomile glanced towards Mistoffelees, who was worriedly watching the fight between Macavity and Munkustrap, tail flicking agitatedly.

“For now.”

The fight seemed to be going in their favour. Even though most Jellicles were evacuating, they had managed to take down quite a number of hench-cats before they did so, while other hench-cats ran off when they realised it wasn’t going to be an easy win. There weren’t many hench-cats left to fight.

“Munkus!”

Coricopat’s head wrenched up at Mistoffelees’s cry, just in time to see Munkustrap flying towards him. Coricopat snarled as he quickly went to Munkustrap’s side. The silver black-striped tabby was barely conscious, groaning as he rolled over with Coricopat’s help.

Macavity was stalking towards them, golden eyes aglint with rage and madness. Munkustrap hissed weakly as he attempted to get to his feet, though not managing to get past being on his knees.

“This is where it ends for you all!” Macavity snarled as he approached.

“Misto! Wait!”

Tugger’s yell this time.

Macavity was hit by a furry black blur, sending him stumbling to the side. Tugger attempted to get to them, along with Alonzo, but both were held up by the four hench-cats they were fighting.

“Misto…Misto, don’t!” Munkustrap cried out weakly, still struggling to get to his feet as Mistoffelees dropped into a crouch, purple eyes fixed on Macavity who slowly stood, glaring at Mistoffelees with just as much venom.

“That was a foolish choice, kitten,” Macavity spat as he straightened up, facing Mistoffelees now. “And now you will pay for it.”

Coricopat and Tantomile barely had time to shout a warning, feeling their fur prickle, as Macavity shot blue lightning from his paws. Macavity was much powerful than Mistoffelees in magic, far more experienced in using it.

Mistoffelees reacted quickly himself, a beam of sparkling silver erupting from his paws and meeting Macavity’s.

“No, no, no,” Munkustrap was whispering as he watched the two beams of powers hit, converging in the middle of the yard in a battle of its own. “Cori, we need to get to Misto!”

Coricopat nodded, quickly hoisting Munkustrap up – not wanting to leave him near Macavity as an easy target – and half dragged the Jellicle Protector to a safer spot near Mistoffelees.

Once Munkustrap was situated somewhere safer, Coricopat hurried to Mistoffelees side, as did Tantomile.

While the twins did have their own powers, they couldn’t produce it like Mistoffelees and Macavity. They were reliant on physic powers, mystic powers, that tended to be visions or feelings. Their magic tended to be more defensive, reliant on spells rather than feelings like Mistoffelees and Macavity.

Coricopat and Tantomile flanked the smaller Tuxedo cat, laying a paw on each of his shoulders, lending him their strength.

“We are with you,” Tantomile whispered to Mistoffelees, her green eyes glowing, and Coricopat knew that his would be doing the same.

“We are with you,” Coricopat echoed. “Stay strong.”

Mistoffelees nodded, eyes fixated on Macavity, even as he trembled and shook, corner of his eyes tight with exertion as he kept up his beam of magic.

Coricopat focused on sending Mistoffelees as much calming energy and as much mystic energy as he could spare, ensuring that he transferred it through slowly and calmly as to not overwhelm Mistoffelees.

He couldn’t let Macavity hurt Mistoffelees. Misto was like his and Tantomile’s little brother. They had to protect him…but they also had to let him fight for himself as well.

Coricopat cast his gaze back to Macavity, seeing the wild furred orange Tom snarling. Macavity’s long claws were shaking as he struggled to keep up the ongoing magic output.

Tantomile was whispering encouragement to Mistoffelees, keeping him calm and letting him know he wasn’t alone, so she wasn’t focused on Macavity…not like Coricopat…and she didn’t see it when Macavity’s eyes flashed slightly to the side…to where Munkustrap was slumped.

Cori’s eyes widened, knowing what Macavity was going to do before he did it.

“NO!” Coricopat cried, breaking away from Mistoffelees and lunging towards Munkustrap, a half-formed spell already unravelling in his mind and sparking from his paws as he did so. Mistoffelees and Tantomile’s cries followed him as Macavity’s magic refocused, now aimed for Munkustrap.

Mistoffelees was quick to shift his own, hoping to intercept Macavity’s magic. Coricopat’s own magic also erupted from his paws as he weaved the spell.

Macavity’s, Mistoffelees and Coricopat’s magic met for a moment before a blinding flash of blue light burst forth, blinding them all, as the magic boomed and the others yelled and screamed…Coricopat felt himself flying, wind sweeping through his fur, falling through the air…

And then he knew no more.

Tech was still trying to stop his legs from trembling as Omega ran past him, down the Marauder’s ramp and straight into the waiting Echo’s arms, while a smiling Hunter watched on.

Omega was learning how to fly the ship, and she was doing well…but Tech wasn’t sure how much of that excitement his heart could take.

Once his legs stopped shaking, Tech walked down the ramp to greet Echo himself. Echo smiled at him as he released Omega and stood up to smile at Tech. Tech nodded back before bringing up the reason for Echo’s visit to Pabu.

“You mentioned needing assistance with data decryption?” Tech queried.

Echo nodded in confirmation, pulling out the data stick. “This is what’s left of the files I recovered from an Imperial shuttle. It was transporting clone prisoners, and we need to know where and why.”

Tech felt a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the data stick. So many clones still suffering at the hands of the Empire, and the answer could be in here…along with anything about Crosshair.

He glanced at Hunter, uncertain. He knew that they were safe on Pabu, but doing this, it could put them back under the eyes of the Empire, which he knew that Hunter was trying to avoid, for Omega’s sake.

Hunter nodded reassuringly to Tech. This was important. These clones were depending on Tech decrypting the data so Echo and Rex could rescue them.

Tech had only just stared to turn, to lead them back towards the Marauder, when the air above them started swirling violently, the winds picking up.

“What’s going on?” Omega asked worriedly as Hunter quickly pulled her to his side, looking up at the swirling vortex above them. Tech studied the vortex, watching as it turned dark and stormy, blue lightning flashing within it.

He could hear the villagers screaming and running away and saw Echo with a hand on his blaster in his peripheral as Hunter pushed Omega behind him, shielding her from whatever this was.

This…this was not natural, Tech thought, frowning deeply as he studied the vortex, slowly backing away from it with the others. This was nothing he had ever seen or studied before.

He tucked the data stick away in one of his many pouches as he rested his hands on his own blasters, preparing for whatever this could be.

Had the Empire developed a new weapon? Was this some dark Jedi thing?

“Tech,” Hunter’s voice spoke up questioningly.

“I…I do not know,” Tech answered, wishing he had his helmet so he could analyse this in real time instead of through the footage that was being filmed through the recorder on his goggles.

There was a bright flash that had them shielding their eyes momentarily before something fell through the vortex, landing heavily on the ground in front of them. Then, as quick as it appeared, the vortex disappeared, leaving the sky blue and peaceful once more.

Tech’s attention turned to what had fallen through the vortex, noting it was a being of some sort.

“What is it?” Omega asked, peeking out from behind Hunter, who quickly shifted her back. Echo and Tech slowly approached the still figure on the stone tiles. Echo had his blaster drawn while Tech had his hand resting on one of his at the ready.

As they got closer, Tech was able to determine more details… which left him more confused, and rather curious.

The being on the ground was not a species that Tech recognized. It was covered in short fur with silver, black, and bronze markings across its body. Small dark ears protruded from the tops of their furry head, on either side – much like a Tooka’s ears.

Tech slowly circled the being, noting a tail that matched the colours on the rest of its body. He carefully crouched down beside the figure, cautiously rolling it onto it’s back as Echo stood by, watching his six.

The figure was humanoid but also feline, Tech noted, tracing a trail of white fur from the being’s muzzle to the side of its cheek. It had the small black nose and whiskers that was attributed to the feline species. Up close Tech could determine that short fur had a slightly wavy appearance.

“This is not a species I recognize,” Tech admitted, glancing up at Hunter, who frowned.

“That was not a normal storm either,” Hunter added on as Tech continued to analyse the being. “The energy it gave off was not natural at all.”

“It’s hurt,” Tech pointed out, noticing scratch marks and bite marks hidden within the darker fur, along with some blood staining the lighter parts. “It must have been in a fight.”

“What is it though?” Echo asked. Tech stared at the figure’s face. It looked like it was male, but Tech could not tell. There were no visible genitals to determine, but that also did not mean a lot either – depending on the species.

The facial markings were intricate, lining its face.

“I am not certain.”

“Well, what do we do with it?” Omega asked as she slowly edged out from behind Hunter, coming to stand near Echo instead as Hunter also approached. “We can’t just leave it here.”

Hunter nodded in agreement. “No, we can’t, especially since we don’t know if they are a threat to the villagers here.”

“We’ll put it in my ship,” Echo stated, indicating with his scomp to the ship he had flown to Pabu. “We can secure it in the sleeping berth.”

“I will treat its’ wounds in the meantime,” Tech advised as he continued to look over the unconscious figure, “while I try to determine where exactly it came from.”

He stood up as Hunter walked over, assisting Hunter in lifting the being and carrying it towards Echo’s ship, just as Wrecker came racing up, having come running the moment he had seen the vortex open not that far above the island.

“Omega, you and Wrecker reassure everyone that it’s all right,” Tech heard Echo tell her, “and perhaps fetch Tech’s medkit so he can properly assess the creature and treat its injuries.”

“On it, Echo.”

Tech kept his gaze on the creature’s face as he and Hunter carried it into Echo’s ship, resting it on one of the bunks in the bunk room.

“It smells…odd,” Hunter muttered as he stepped back, wrinkling his nose slightly. “Like a blaster that has recently been fired…but more of a tingling kind of smell.”

Tech nodded. That didn’t quite make sense to him, but it made sense to Hunter’s exceptional senses. A plasma like smell that made Hunter’s nose itch. Odd.

Tech leaned over the being again, hearing Omega coming closer with his medkit, which would include his scanner.

“What are you?” Tech murmured, intrigued now.

The data stick could wait. They had to determine if this mysterious feline being was a threat first.

Chapter Text

Tech sat on the bunk opposite the unconscious unknown feline being, watching them closely. He had patched up the many deep scratch marks and the occasional bite mark across their body with bacta – though it matted slightly in their fur. It had seemed they had been in a fight before they fell out of the vortex, going by the wounds and the bruising marring their skin under the short wavy fur.

It must have been with another of their kind, going by the wounds and comparing the claws on this being to the deep wounds on their body.

Tech hadn’t had any success in matching this species to any known in the galaxy. Even their genetic makeup was…odd. It was like they weren’t from here, which might have explained that odd tingling-freshly-fired-plasma-but-not sent that Hunter said was stuck to this one’s fur.

Tech leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he regarded the being laying opposite him. The being seemed young, perhaps around their age, but it was difficult to tell. They were definitely older than Omega. The being was slight and lean, but with surprising muscle mass in their thighs, calves, and upper arms.

He straightened up as he saw the being stir.

“Hunter,” he said quietly, knowing Hunter would hear him from the main body of the ship, where he was conversing with Echo, Omega, and Wrecker. It had been determined that they wouldn’t overwhelm the being with too many people in the same room, but they would be close by, just in case they woke up and attacked.

Hunter quickly slipped into the bunk room, followed by Echo, who stood in front of the door, just as the being opened their eyes, wincing at the light.

Tech watched as the being placed a hand on their forehead and groaned.

“Tants?” the being murmured, before turning their head. Their green eyes meet Tech’s brown ones, and they stared at each for a beat before the being leapt off the bed and scuttled to the other side of the room, crouching down as they bared their teeth and hissed.

“Easy now,” Hunter stated calmly, lifting his hands to show he was unarmed. The feline just snarled at them.

“Who are you? Where’s Tantomile? Where’s Macavity? Where am I?”

The questions came quick as the feline glanced around the bunk room, trying to find a way out from the metal, windowless room.

“I have no idea who they are or where they are,” Hunter continued on, stepping closer carefully. “As for my name, I am Hunter, these are my brothers, Tech and Echo. You are on Echo’s ship after you dropped from some odd vortex.”

The feline frowned, straightening up slightly as they considered them. “You…you aren’t lying,” he murmured, brow furrowed. “I know you aren’t…but I don’t understand.”

That piqued Tech’s interest. “How do you know we are not lying?

The green eyes flicked to him. “I can tell,” the feline stated, still scrutinizing them. “I have a…talent for determining when others are lying to me. Their emotions give it away usually.”

“Emotions,” Echo murmured from behind them thoughtfully before going silent, apparently not going to continue on with that thought thread.

“What is your name?” Tech asked the feline creature, “and exactly what are you?”

“My name is Coricopat,” Coricopat introduced himself as he fully stood now, “and I am a Jellicle Cat.”

“What’s a Jellicle Cat?” Tech asked, unable to stop himself and hearing Hunter’s soft sigh.

Coricopat smiled, giving a small shake of his head. “It’s difficult to explain, especially to humans, but we are a special kind of cat with three different names. One is the name that the family use daily, and the second is a fancier name, usually our Jellicle name, and the third is our secret ineffable name, which we try to discover throughout our lifetime, which only the Everlasting Cat knows.”

Tech had so many more questions to ask Coricopat, especially since it seemed like Coricopat was quite open to explaining who he was and what he was. Hunter seemed to recognize that he was about to go into full research mode because he swiftly intervened.

“Where do you come from, Coricopat?” Hunter asked. “How did you end up on our planet?”

Coricopat blinked at the question, looking rather confused at Hunter’s question. “Planet?” he queried, looking between the three of them, though his eyes lingered on Echo for a moment as though truly seeing him for the first time. “Are we not on Earth? Not near London?”

“There is no planet Earth in the Galaxy,” Tech explained, straightening his goggles, “unless it’s in the unknown regions, but somehow I highly doubt that, due to the distance to travel, not to mention all of the unknown variables makes it highly unlikely.”

Coricopat stared at them, face blank. “Where am I then?”

Coricopat carefully followed the trio from the cold metal room. They seemed kind enough, not having any feelings of disgust or hate towards him. He was expecting shock or horror when he woke up and saw three humans staring at him. Humans never saw him in this form, only in his four-legged pet cat form.

The one with the weird glasses, Tech, had explained they were on a planet called Pabu…and wasn’t that odd, they kept speaking as if they could move between planets, which was impossible. The humans had only gotten as far as the moon and even that took significant effort.

“This is Wrecker and Omega,” the one with the bandana, Hunter, introduced. Coricopat warily eyed the exceptionally large human male with the scarred face before his gaze was pulled to a young girl standing in front of him, grinning.

“Hi!” she greeted chirpily, and Coricopat was suddenly reminded of Jemima. She was one of the youngest kittens in the yard, but growing up quick, and she was the sweetest, kindest, and yet bravest kitten he had ever met.

“Hello,” Coricopat greeted in return. “Omega, right?”

Omega nodded.

“I am Coricopat,” he introduced himself. Omega grinned broadly at him.

“You look like a giant loth-cat,” she stated. Coricopat just blinked, staring at her as the some of the other humans sighed and muttered her names.

“I…have no idea what that is,” Coricopat said in confusion. “Is that a breed? I am partially a Rex cat myself.”

Coricopat flinched back at the loud booming laugh from Wrecker, ears pressing down slightly, as the large man slapped his own leg as he laughed.

“He’s a Rex cat!” Wrecker laughed. “Oh, man, we gotta tell Rex!”

Coricopat was so lost with this conversation, and he still didn’t know where he was or where the others were or if they were even all right.

“I am sure this all means something to you, but I just want to find out where I am and how to get home,” Coricopat stated firmly, looking back to Hunter. “You said you were going to show me where you found me.”

Tech could tell Coricopat was getting annoyed -or perhaps he was just worried. He did wake up in an unknown place after all. He followed the group out as Hunter led Coricopat from the ship and towards the place where he fell from the sky. Coricopat was glancing about the island, watching the villagers as they milled around, not wanting to get too close until they knew it was safe.

“The vortex formed here,” Hunter explained, indicating above their heads, “and you fell out of it and landed right here.”

Coricopat stared at the grey stone tile by his feet where Hunter indicated he had landed. “That’s it?” he asked quietly, voice small. “There was nothing else? No one else?”

“No,” Tech answered, stepping closer to him. “There was lightning and bright flash and then you fell through.”

Coricopat’s expression turned worried as he turned his gaze towards the sky.

“What is the last thing you remember?” Tech enquired, getting Coricopat’s attention. “It may help us determine how you came to be here.”

Coricopat sighed, rubbing a paw across his face. “There was a fight,” he started to explain quietly. “Macavity and his hench-cats had come to the Jellicle Junkyard, where we live, and started to attack us. That isn’t unusual in itself, he doesn’t like us, especially Munkustrap…but this attack was different. Usually, he aims to attack us to terrify, to take control…but this attack it was like he was set on killing us. He was fighting Munkustrap, our Protector, until he overpowered him, and then Mistoffelees, our young conjuring cat, jumped in. Macavity and Mistoffelees both fought with their magic, casting their power until it met and fought each other’s. Tantomile, my twin, and I attempted to lend Mistoffelees some of our own mystic powers, our strength, to help him as he is still very young and unexperienced when it comes to his powers…and that was when I noticed Macavity looking at Munkustrap.”

Tech was riveted to this story, bursting with questions to ask, to get clarifications, but he wanted to hear the rest first. He could see his brothers and Omega were just as riveted.

“I knew what Macavity was going to do, I saw it…and I saw Munkustrap being killed and I couldn’t allow it. I jumped in front of Munkustrap, using a spell to try and counter the attack, while Mistoffelees also realised and redirected his magic. All of our magic met and then there was a large flash of light, an explosion and I remember flying through the air, hearing screams, and then I was falling…and the next thing I knew, I was waking up here,” Coricopat finished, looking back at them all.

Tech considered Coricopat’s story. It sounded like they all had powers of some description, some special abilities, which made him wonder…

“This sounds like Force osik to me,” Echo grumbled, speaking aloud the thought that had just crossed Tech’s mind.

Coricopat turned to face Echo in confusion. “Force osik? What is that?”

“The Force is an energy that the Jedi wielded,” Tech explained, logging all of this latest information on his data pad and under Coricopat’s file. “It amplified their abilities, gave them abilities that the majority of sentient beings did not have, such telekinesis, precognition and mind control, along with bolstering their own athletic ability, being able to have visions of the future, to name a few.”

Coricopat looked thoughtful at that, tail swishing behind him, which delighted Omega.

“I have never heard of that, and I don’t believe that’s what I am or what I have,” Coricopat stated, rubbing his face again. “I am a mystic. I am able to sense emotions, occasionally read minds if I concentrate enough and if the other is not aware, and I have visions occasionally – but I cannot move things with my mind, nor can I just shoot lightning from my paws like Mistoffelees. I can only use magic using spells.”

“But Mistoffelees is different?” Tech enquired. Coricopat nodded in confirmation.

“Conjuring Cats are different from mystics, as their power comes from their emotion, it reacts to them at the moment, and it is tailored to each conjurer,” Coricopat tried to explain. “Mistoffelees cannot sense emotions, cannot see the future, but he can make kittens appear from a hat and shoot sparks from his paws. His magic is very much like him, glittery and flamboyant. Macavity’s magic on the other paw, is cold and sharp like lightning.”

Tech was inputting this information as quickly as he could. He looked up at Coricopat as Coricopat shifted, rubbing his arms uncomfortably, looking worried.

“If I ended up here, did the others?” Coricopat whispered to himself. “I can’t sense Tantomile…this…this isn’t right.”

Chapter Text

Tech sat across from Coricopat later that evening, watching as Coricopat looked over the star map in wonder.

Coricopat had explained more about himself, about the Jellicles and the world he was from. Apparently, he was from a world full of humans, but they never saw him in this form, only a form much like a loth-cat.

“Pretty sure they’d freak out if they saw us like this, same height as them,” Coricopat had told them with a sad smile. “The humans from my planet have an issue when things are different then what they are used to.”

He had been rather impressed, and shocked, with the varied species even here on the island. He had been startled and intrigued by the Twi’leks he had seen wandering nearby as Hunter introduced him to Shep and Lyana, seeing as they deemed Coricopat to not be a threat.

Tech agreed with that assessment. While Coricopat looked like he could hold up in a fight, he seemed perplexed at the blasters, noting that some humans had guns, but they looked nothing like the ones the Batch had.

Lyana had taken one look at him and asked why he wasn’t wearing clothes.

Coricopat had startled, looking down at himself. It wasn’t like you could see anything really, Tech considered as he also studied Coricopat. It was like he was wearing a fur suit of some sort, not able to see any genitals, much like a Wookie and he had said as much.

“Some things are meant to stay for private areas,” Coricopat had answered indignantly. “It is the design of the Everlasting Cat.”

Which must have been their god, Tech deduced, as Coricopat kept referring to them. Shep had laughed awkwardly and advised he could find Coricopat some clothes so he’d blend in a bit better and would alter them to fit.

Coricopat agreed but declined the shoes, advising that he needed to feel the earth beneath his feet.

While they had been waiting, and had gotten Coricopat something to eat, they had filled Coricopat in on their galaxy. They explained that they were clones, created for war, who had served under the Jedi. They told them all about the Jedi and how they were forced to turn against them, nearly wiping them out so that the Empire could form.

Omega explained that they had taken her before they deserted, unable to leave her for the Empire, though it cost them Crosshair.

Coricopat’s gaze had fallen on Tech during that conversation, a deep understanding in his eyes as though he could feel Tech’s pain.

And now they were here, with Coricopat sufficiently caught up on the going-on’s of the galaxy as Tech went through the holo-net, trying to find a reference to Earth, or a situation similar to Coricopat’s…or even a species similar to Coricopat’s. They had to find a way to get him home.

Tech had brought up the star map for Coricopat to look at, hoping that they could identify his planet.

“I still can’t believe you can travel between planets,” Coricopat murmured, gaining Tech’s attention, watching as Coricopat magnified one planet. “The humans from Earth have only been able to get to the moon and even that takes years of planning.”

Tech paused in his research. “I wonder if the meeting of your magic created this vortex, this portal. I cannot find a logical reason for a portal save for magic.”

Coricopat met his gaze. “You don’t have portals here? It’s not a common thing?”

Tech shook his head. “No,” he murmured, laying down his data pad for now. “In some of the old Jedi texts there were mentions of portals between worlds, but I am uncertain if even they believed it was true.”

Coricopat sighed, going back to the star map. “And it’s not like we can ask them, going by what you said about the Jedi being wiped out.”

“Correct,” Tech stated, lifting his goggles to rub at his eyes. “I have also set a program to search for any mention of any odd vortexes or beings similar to you being found, just in case you were not the only one affected by the magic explosion.”

Tech watched as Coricopat hesitated, lifting a paw to idly scratch at his bare chest, before grimacing at the feel of bacta. They had explained that they had treated his wounds, which Coricopat appreciated – though he was not keen on the feel of bacta matted in his fur.

“When Omega mentioned Crosshair,” Coricopat began slowly, carefully, glancing at Tech, “you all radiated sadness – but yours was the worst. You felt loss, disconnection and loneliness as his name was mentioned.”

Tech blinked, staring at Coricopat, uncertain of where he was going with this, but that did explain the look that Coricopat had given him.

“I can sense emotions, Tech, and Crosshair seems very important to you,” Coricopat finished gently, green eyes fixed on Tech. Tech sighed and lifted his goggles, rubbing at his eyes, needing a moment to collect his thoughts.

“We explained to you that we were created, not born, correct?” Tech began, getting a confirmation nod from Coricopat. “Crosshair and I…we are twins. The embryo that was created for one clone split into two, creating twins. Crosshair was switched into a different growth tank when our embryos started to develop, which is why I have the number 9902, while his number is 9904 – though technically I am the younger twin as I came out a day later than him due to the fact that I needed slightly more time being slightly smaller than the Kaminoans liked.”

Coricopat seemed to be understanding this, or at least he was pretending to.

Tech sighed deeply, leaning forward, leg bouncing anxiously. “Twins are uncommon in clones, though not unheard of. Echo was a twin, though his twin, Fives, was killed – trying to warn the Jedi about the chips actually, not that anyone understood that at the time.” Coricopat’s eyes widened in horror at that. “As twins, we always tended to be closer. Crosshair understood that sometimes I did not like to speak, or that I spoke too much as a way to try to explain what was going on in my mind, or that there were days that I did not like touch. He was always there for me, defending me, as being a clone with glasses made me even more an outlier than being an experimental clone already made me. While he sometimes made remarks about the amount I spoke or that I could fill your head with facts for hours, he would always listen to me or let me lean on him even if he also was not big on contact.”

Tech noted Coricopat’s paws were trembling somewhat, but he continued on with his story, unable to stop now that he got started and just needing to say these words.

“When the chips activated, we lost Crosshair to the Empire. He tried on a number of occasions to either capture us or kill us…and when he had the chance to come back with us, he chose not to…and I…I find it difficult without him here.”

Coricopat exhaled slowly, nodding in understanding at Tech’s quiet words. He leaned his own arms on the console, looking at Tech.

“I understand, more than anyone – besides Echo – could understand really,” Coricopat murmured, gaining Tech’s attention. “I’m also a twin. Tantomile and I are identical, save for our genders, and due to us being mystics, we share a mental bond. We can feel each other’s feeling without trying, can speak to each other telepathically and can sense when the other is nearby. Even when we were separated, usually due to Macavity kidnapping one of us at one time or another, and we were too far to mentally communicate, we could always sense each other at the edges of our consciousness, we were still connected – but now, now I feel nothing. I can’t sense her at all and it’s…it’s scaring me, Tech.”

Tech was surprised that Coricopat was trusting him with this and had chosen him to tell his fears too. Usually, he was not the one people came to to discuss fears and emotions. Perhaps it was because Coricopat had sensed Tech’s emotions when it came to Crosshair and thought he would understand the best.

“I understand the fear, Coricopat,” Tech said slowly, choosing his words carefully. “I fear for Crosshair every day. I have put in as many search parameters as I can to ensure that if there is any mention of any feline beings appearing out of nowhere, that I will get the alert – but perhaps, you are not sensing her because she is still in your world and not this one.”

Coricopat seemed to deflate slightly, the tension leaving his shoulders somewhat, at Tech’s words, leaning back in his seat.

“I hope that is true,” Coricopat murmured, sighing heavily as he wrapped his arms around his middle. “It’s odd to not have her standing near me, being at the edge of my mind at all times. It’s too quiet.”

Tech nodded again in understanding. He always looked for Crosshair by his side from habit too, always turning to tell him something to find he wasn’t there.

“You spoke about being kidnapped,” Tech stated suddenly, surprising Coricopat. “Is that a regular thing for you?”

Coricopat grinned weakly, chuckling slightly. “Depends on Macavity’s mood, really. He wants Tantomile and myself to join him usually, or he doesn’t want us at full power to assist with the Jellicles when he tries to attack, or he’s angry at one of us – usually me – that we prevented an attack or kidnapping of another Jellicle, so he kidnaps me instead.”

Tech’s brow furrowed. “Are you usually hurt?”

Coricopat gave a slight shrug. “Scratches and bruises usually if he’s trying to get us to join him. When he’s really pissed off there may be a broken bone or two – but Munkustrap and the others usually rescue us within a week or two.”

Tech was rather shocked by Coricopat’s nonchalance about being kidnapped and beaten. It sounded like it was a regular thing, just a regular occurrence. Tech knew many others would be terrified by this prospect, scarred for life – but Coricopat just spoke about it like it was just another day.

He would have fitted right in with the clone army; Tech couldn’t help but think. They saw horrors daily and, sometimes it took time to adapt, but they adapted all the same, treating these experiences like just another day while civilians would be horrified.

They both looked around as Hunter walked into the ship, holding a bundle in his arms.

“Coricopat, Shep gave me these for you,” Hunter explained as he handed the clothes over. “He altered it for your tail.”

Coricopat took the clothes, holding them up to look at them.

“You can get dressed in our bunk room if you’d like,” Hunter said, indicating towards their bunk room, “and then we can go get something to eat.”

Coricopat glanced towards Tech and nodded, before heading off with the clothes towards the bunkroom.

Hunter leaned against the console as Coricopat walked by, waiting for the door to close before he looked to Tech. “How is he?”

“He wants to go home,” Tech answered, leaning back in the chair himself. “He has a twin who he is mentally connected to, but he cannot sense her and is fearful of why that is.”

Hunter winced at that, running a hand through his long dark hair. He knew the bonds twins had, having seen Tech and Crosshair, and having heard of the bond between Echo and Fives.

“Maybe that’s why he’s drawn to you,” Hunter said finally, quietly, seeing Tech’s head turn to him in his peripheral, surprise on his face. “He chose to come and sit with you; he chose you to talk to. He trusts you, Tech.”

Tech nodded slowly, tapping his fingers against his knee armour. “He did state that he read my emotions when Crosshair was mentioned. Perhaps it was that.”

Hunter smiled at him. “It’s good that he has someone to talk to, Tech…and for you too. I know that you don’t always process emotions in the way we expect, and I know that you haven’t really spoken aloud about Crosshair since he left – and I get why, it hurts all of us to speak about him, but for you, it’s worse – so I’m glad that you have someone who understands besides Echo.”

Tech blinked, surprised by Hunter’s words and that Hunter had accurately deduced the shared trauma that both he and Coricopat felt in terms of not knowing where their twin was and if they were okay.

“I also chose to sit with him because he’s quieter.” Both Hunter and Tech startled at Coricopat’s voice, seeing him standing by the doorway of the bunk room, smiling slightly. “The large one is a little too loud for my liking. Tech also explains everything like I don’t know what’s going on, which I don’t, which is a lot more helpful.”

Tech smirked slightly at Hunter’s shock. It wasn’t often that someone could sneak up on Hunter. Tech focused his attention on Coricopat as Hunter stammered something about food.

Coricopat was wearing a slightly loose white short sleeved shirt, with three-quarter long light brown pants, that were slightly rolled up at the knee. He was still barefoot, as he preferred, but was adjusting the clothes – though he seemed more at ease with them than Tech would have expected, being a feline and appearing to normally wear no clothes whatsoever.

“Do they fit all right?” Hunter asked, getting over his stammering as he nodded to Coricopat’s clothing.

Coricopat nodded, tail curling lazily behind him as he folded his arms across his lean chest. “Yes, they fit well, but still loose enough to move in.”

“You seem more at ease with clothing than I would have thought,” Tech couldn’t resist pointing out, “seeing you as you came through the vortex wearing none.”

Coricopat grinned at him. “I usually don’t wear clothes, that’s true, as cats on my world generally don’t wear them – save for the few with short to no fur or those with humans who like to dress them up – but I do occasionally wear clothes, well, costumes would be more accurate.”

Tech perked up as Hunter also looked intrigued yet slightly confused at that.

“Costumes?” Hunter questioned

Coricopat nodded, stretching up on his toes and stretching his arms, testing his range of movement in the clothes. “Yes, every year we have the Jellicle Ball, when the Jellicle Moon appears, and for certain songs and dances we have different costumes.”

Hunter rested his hand on Tech’s shoulder, giving him a look as Tech looked close to bursting with new questions.

“I am pretty certain everyone is going to want hear the stories of this Jellicle Ball,” Hunter told Tech, who sighed and nodded, before looking back to Coricopat. “Tell us about it at dinner, Coricopat?”

Coricopat nodded, smiling softly. “Of course…and just call me Cori.”

Coricopat found himself sitting at a long table, surrounded by the clones, Omega, Shep and his daughter Lyana. It had been a long, very odd day, Coricopat mused tiredly to himself.

It felt like he had fought Macavity’s hench-cats an age ago, yet it really wasn’t that long. He had fallen from the vortex only ten hours ago. Cori examined his surroundings as they ate, listening to the conversations had between them all.

He had found himself trusting them quicker than he had thought, but they all radiated kindness, yet weariness, and understanding. They seemed to have trusted him too, allowing him to sit and eat with them, telling him of their past.

Echo’s tale was rather harrowing, being captured by the enemy and experimented on, which is apparently why he was part robot – or droid, as they called it here. Echo was much paler than them too, apparently a side effect of being put in cryo freeze…which Tech explained was some sort of stasis, allowing the Separatists to use Echo, yet Echo was kept in an almost sleep state.

Coricopat found himself thankful for Tech’s input. While his explanations tended to be long-winded and sometimes using complicated terminology, he was the one who would go into depth about what they were talking about, actually explaining it as though he didn’t know – which he didn’t – and that the other clones seemed to keep forgetting.

Them being clones was also an odd concept. Apparently the ‘regular’ clones were all identical, but they had been an experimental batch, so they looked different.

It made Coricopat’s heart ache, hearing that they were identical, making him miss Tantomile all the more.

He cast his mind out again, reaching out for her over their bond – but there was still nothing. Not a hint of her mischievousness, sass, kindness, and overprotectiveness.  Where she should be was only silence, only darkness.

“Cori, are you okay?”

Cori looked around at the soft question, seeing Omega staring at him worriedly. He smiled softly and inclined his head.

“Yes, Omega, I am okay,” he responded with a weak smile. “I was just thinking about my situation here.”

“We understand what it’s like to be pulled away from your family,” Shep told him gently, resting his hand on Lyana’s shoulder, “but as long as it takes to reunite with them, Cori, and hopefully it won’t be too long…but until then, you are always welcome here.”

Cori inclined his head again in thanks, falling into his thoughts once more as the others went back to their conversation about the fishing and repairs that needed to be done, and apparently Omega’s flying lessons?

This was a strange world, Coricopat couldn’t help but think. They could travel to different planets on ships, which Coricopat had been on. They were cold metal contraptions, and he was curious to see how they actually worked, but, apparently, they could achieve travel with them, while the humans on his planet were far behind, using large rockets to get them into space and only being able to travel to the moon and back.

At least this island was nice. It was warm but not too hot, which was good for someone with fur, though he disliked that it was surrounded by water – though he couldn’t say anything negative about the sound of the waves. He had only seen the beach once, having gone on a train trip with Skimbleshanks, but it wasn’t anything like this was.

The people here were kind and welcoming too, if a little wary, but going by Hunter’s and Tech’s explanations regarding the war and the hurt that these people went through, Coricopat didn’t blame them. There were so many diverse types of people too, distinct species as Tech put it.

He was amazed that they got along so well, living in harmony. He had seen that sometimes humans didn’t get along if another was too ‘different’. Echo had smiled sadly and stated that sadly that wasn’t always true. The clones knew this first hand. Even though they were a human species, they were treated as lesser because they had been created not born.

Coricopat’s left ear rotated slightly, picking up the chittering noises of what Omega called Moonyos.

“How good is your hearing, Cori?” Tech asked, data pad in hand as always. Cori found that he didn’t really mind that Tech was taking notes on him, researching him. It could be useful later on to find the others, if they had also fallen into this galaxy of planets, but he also didn’t find it insulting or degrading. He could tell that Tech was innocently curious about him, just craving information, not to use it against him in anyway.

Tech reminded him a bit about Mistoffelees that way, and Munkustrap too, though Munkustrap’s purpose in research was generally to find new stories to tell.

“I can hear the Moonyos are getting closer, perhaps after the food?” Coricopat stated as he picked up a bit of fish and ate it himself. “I can hear the waves in the distance too.”

Tech stared at him, brown eyes wide behind the yellow lenses of his goggles as he breathed, “Fascinating, much like Hunter then.”

Coricopat looked to Hunter questioningly.

“Enhanced senses,” Hunter explained to Coricopat. “That was my enhancement. I have a stronger sense of smell and hearing and can also feel different vibrations.”

Coricopat listened as the others explained their own enhancements, save for Echo, whose enhancements were his droid parts.

“You were saying before that you have worn clothes before as part of a costume?” Tech finally asked, unable to wait any longer, “because of songs and dances in the annual Jellicle Ball?”

Coricopat chuckled slightly to himself as he saw the shock and disbelief on Echo’s and Wrecker’s faces, while Lyana and Omega’s eyes went wide.

“Yes, every year, at the time of the Jellicle Moon, the Jellicle’s hold a Jellicle Ball to determine who will be chosen to be reborn into a new Jellicle life,” Coricopat explained, enticing them into the story. “Every year new Jellicles contend to be chosen by Old Deuteronomy, our leader, who will lead them to the Everlasting Cat to be reborn.”

“But…how…”

“I will explain later,” Coricopat reassured Omega with a small smile. “It is the desire of most Jellicles, mostly the older ones, to be chosen, and so they put themselves forth with a song. Jennyanydots, our Gumbie Cat, which is basically a matron, one who keeps the mice and cockroaches…and us…in order, has her own song. We usually dress up as beetles and tap dance for her number. The Rum Tum Tugger, a very curious cat and also the Jellicle’s most desired Tom, has made his own song – much to the chagrin of his older brother, Munkustrap – which usually has all of us younger one’s dancing while the older ones disapprove, though I have noticed them joining in every now and again. There are more songs that I could explain, but that would take a while. The largest dance we do is the Jellicle Ball, where we are put in a frenzied state as the Jellicle Moon hits its peak, and we follow its wishes, follows the steps it wants us to take.”

The others were silent, enthralled by his story, though Coricopat could see Tech furiously taking notes.

“At the end of the night, near dawn, that is when Old Deuteronomy makes his decision. The last Jellicle Ball, it was Grizabella, the old glamour cat, who was chosen. She had left the yard, left the Jellicles; to pursue a more glamourous life and it didn’t quite end the way she had hoped. She had burnt her bridges leaving the Jellicles too, the way she treated us when she had made it – though as short as that time had been – had resulted in us shunning her. She sang of her heartbreak, of her pain, and that allowed us to accept her as one of us again and Old Deuteronomy chose her to descend to the Everlasting.”

“He didn’t kill her, did he?” Omega whispered, horrified.

“No, kitten, he doesn’t kill them,” Coricopat reassured her gently, watching as Hunter reached out to stroke her blonde hair to reassure her. “They ascend on the tire in our junkyard, our home, which I know sounds odd, but it floats and then there is a warm white light that comes down and then she is gone.”

“How curious,” Tech murmured to himself, “I wish I could witness that for myself, to see if there really is a deity that comes to take her.”

“Tech,” Hunter warned, glancing at Coricopat, “we’ve spoken about talking about other’s beliefs and gods like this.”

Tech looked at Hunter, then to Coricopat, eyes wide. “Oh, right, yes, my apologies, I did not mean it in any disparaging way, I promise.”

Coricopat shook his head, waving away Tech’s apology. “I can tell you’re one who needs to see proof of it to believe it, Tech, I don’t blame you. I didn’t really believe it when I was first brought to the yard as a kitten either, but once you see it…once you feel it, well, you cannot help but believe.”

“You weren’t born there?” Echo asked curiously as he refilled his mug. Coricopat shook his head.

“No,” he answered with a soft sigh, “Tantomile and I were abandoned as kittens due to our mysticism. Skimbleshanks, the railway cat – and, yes, he does travel on the train with the humans – found us on one of his travels and brought us back with him and he and his mate, Jennyanydots, raised us.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories,” Echo stated with a wince. Coricopat shook his head once more.

“It’s all right, Echo, I am long past that…besides,” he said with a small smile, “it got me the family I have today and that’s what’s most important.”

Omega looked to smile at her brothers at that. “Like us.”

Hunter smiled as he stroked her head once more. “Yes, Omega, like us. We found each other.”

Coricopat’s gaze drifted to Tech once more at that, seeing Tech’s fingers hesitate over his data pad and felt the stab of heartbreak he felt.

He must have been thinking of his twin, much like Coricopat kept thinking of his own.

Chapter Text

Coricopat followed them back to their ship that night, where they slept. Omega had dragged Echo along, begging him to sleep with them tonight, like it used to be before he went to join the clone rebellion.

Apparently, Echo was just as weak to the large innocent eyes as the Jellicles were to kitten eyes.

Hunter turned to face Coricopat, frowning as though a thought suddenly crossed his mind before his expression turned apologetic.

“I need to find a space for you to sleep,” Hunter said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “We only have four bunks and Omega has her own little space.”

Coricopat shook his head slightly. “Don’t worry about me. If you have spare blankets and pillows, then I’m set to make a nest for myself.”

“But that would not be comfortable,” Tech interjected, peering over his data pad. “I could sleep in the pilot’s seat again.”

“You’ll put your neck out again,” Hunter countered, hands on hips as he stared down Tech. That look and pose reminded Coricopat a little too much of Munkustrap and Tugger.

“Guys, I sleep on a nest of blankets and pillows in a den that’s an old wooden cupboard on a dirt floor, believe me, I will be fine,” Coricopat quickly added as he saw Hunter looking more concerned as he tried to think of a place where one of them could sleep so that Coricopat could have a bunk. “I just need some blankets and pillows.”

“Well, them we have,” Wrecker announced, digging into a crate and pulling out a large armful of different blankets and pillows. “Not sure where Echo’s hammock got to though.”

“My scomp ripped it before our last mission, before Kamino,” Echo said quietly from where he was sitting next to Omega, a small white wooden doll of some sort in his hand as Omega held a red and black plush toy – though Coricopat couldn’t really determine what it was. It looked like a weird misshapen rabbit. “Crosshair and I took turns with his bunk and our watch shifts.”

The air went oddly still before Hunter cleared his throat, clearing that awkward moment.

“Well, find somewhere comfortable that you’d prefer,” Hunter told Coricopat as Wrecker attempted to hand him the large pile of blankets and pillows, which slipped from Coricopat’s arms as he didn’t quite have the arm span that Wrecker did.

“I will, thank you again,” Cori said with a smile as he picked up a few thicker blankets, shifting them over to near the console where he and Tech had sat earlier. Coricopat kept shifting the blankets and pillows around until he created a nest that was comfortable enough. It was thick enough that it would soften the floor, but not too thick that it would hurt his back, with pillows lining one edge.

Tech had watched him with curious eyes, watching as he rearranged everything to his liking, as Hunter had herded Omega towards her room in a small alcove at the back of the ship. Coricopat wasn’t quite sure what that area was meant to be originally, but it definitely was not a room.

Wrecker had already disappeared into the bunk room, loud snores echoing from within. Coricopat found he wasn’t surprised at the amount of noise that Wrecker made asleep, considering the amount he made when awake.

“Is this how you all sleep?” Tech asked as Echo waved goodnight and disappeared into the bunk room.

“Yes,” Coricopat answered as he settled down into the nest, stretching and shifting to find the most comfortable position. “All of our dens are different, made up from the different hard rubbish objects that humans throw out – such as cupboards, ovens, cars, upturned bookshelves – though we do our own work on them. We have a communal den for when its possible there is going to be a Macavity attacked, and we created that by burying some cupboards and wardrobes and creating different entry points to it, so we are safe but there’s also different escape routes. All of our nests are unique to us too, some prefer softer bedding, while others prefer firmer bedding.”

Tech hummed, intrigued, before Hunter arrived to usher him towards his own bunk.

“If you need anything, we’re nearby,” Hunter assured Coricopat, “and I’ll hear if you need anything, okay?”

Coricopat inclined his head. “Thank you, Hunter.”

He watched as they disappeared into the bunk room before sighed, shifting around on his makeshift nest. Coricopat found himself restless, unbalanced, as he tried to sleep, finding it oddly loud in his own silent mind. Usually, he had Tantomile to bounce off, to talk to her, to compare notes of the day and gossip about the Jellicles before they went to sleep. He would usually calm himself by reaching out and checking on the sleeping minds of his closest friends in the tribe too…but Tantomile wasn’t here and neither were his friends.

Coricopat grumbled to himself and sat up, deciding to groom his face and ears to see if that helped to take some of the restless energy out, before he lay back down, curling up tightly and pulling a thick blanket over himself. It was rather cold in this metal contraption.

Closing his eyes, Coricopat reached out his senses, carefully checking in on the clones who had taken him in. Wrecker was in a deep sleep already, mind calm and unbothered. Echo was dozing, attempting to get to sleep, though his joints were aching where the prosthetics joined at his thighs and elbow. Hunter was drifting off, calm and relaxed. Tech was dozing, though his mind was still firing and restless himself, going through everything that had happened that day. Omega was in a light sleep, feeling safe and comfortable as she drifted off into dreams.

Exhaling softly, Coricopat pulled back into his own mind and allowed himself to drift off to sleep, thinking of Tantomile and his friends back in the yard, praying that they were all okay.

He was woken a few hours later by quiet whimpering. Coricopat’s ears twitched, lost in that headspace between sleep and awake.

Had Mistoffelees spent the night again? Coricopat couldn’t help but think through a sleep foggy mind. Or were they in the communal den?

The whimpers came again and Coricopat found himself more alert as he slowly blinked his eyes open, finding he was surrounded by cold grey metal.

Ah. Right. The fight, the vortex and finding himself in a different world apparently.

He sat up, ears twitching and turning to locate the whimpering. His ears stopped in the direction of Omega’s little alcove. Coricopat hesitated for a moment before another frightened noise made him get to his feet and silently pad over to Omega’s alcove, climbing up a few steps of a ladder and opening the curtain.

Omega was lying on her own sleep mat; blankets twisted around her and face screwed up in distress.

“Omega,” Coricopat said softly, resting his paw on her forehead and gently sending soothing vibes to her. He used to do this to the kittens when he and Tantomile ended up babysitting and they had nightmares. “Wake up, kitten, it’s just a bad dream.”

Omega’s eyes shot open with a gasp and Coricopat carefully removed his paw. She sat up, shakily running her hands through her blonde hair.

“Are you okay?” Coricopat asked as he awkwardly managed to sit on the edge of Omega’s alcove room – though Coricopat couldn’t tell what it originally was for with a seat in the middle, taking up most of the room.

Omega nodded silently, body trembling. “Just…just a bad dream.”

Coricopat nodded understandingly. “They can be horrible,” he said softly, “did you want to speak about it?”

Omega shook her head, shivering, as she pulled her blanket up tightly around her. “There’s not much to talk about,” she said quietly, averting her eyes from Cori’s. “Just being chased…and being taken away.”

Coricopat nodded again, frowning slightly as he saw her shivering. “Are you cold?”

When Omega nodded once more, Coricopat lifted his paws, cupping them together as a spell weaved together in his mind. He heard Omega’s small gasp of amazement as a small, warm, yellow ball of light appeared in his paws, floating in the air.

“Here,” Coricopat whispered, gently shifting the orb of light so it hovered in front of Omega before removing his paws and letting it float there. “This will keep you warm…and I find it keeps the nightmares away.”

Omega shyly glanced at him before she reached out to cautiously touch the orb, finding it didn’t pop or burn her. It just felt like warmth, as though she was sitting out in Pabu’s sunshine.

“Do you have nightmares?”

Coricopat smiled sadly at her quiet question. “Yes, they can be quite common amongst the Jellicles, especially after a Macavity attack…or with a close run in with a Pollicle dog.”

Omega leaned tiredly against the wall, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

“You should try get back to sleep,” Coricopat told her. Omega shuddered at the thought, her brown eyes wide and horrified.

“I-I don’t think I can,” she admitted. Coricopat hummed quietly, thinking, before he sighed.

“Come on, lay down,” he told her gently. “I’ll show you how we soothe the kittens when they have nightmares.”

Omega did so and Coricopat pulled the blanket around her, tucking in her, before shifting the orb, bringing it a little closer to Omega to ensure it would keep her warm.

“I have a Gumbie Cat in mind…” Coricopat began singing softly, gently stroking Omega’s hair in soft, even strokes.

Omega fell asleep before the end of the song. Coricopat fixed the blanket around her once more and gently dimmed the orb slightly, though he left it floating above her. It would cause no harm to her or the surrounding area…and he did tell her it chased away nightmares.

Coricopat slipped from the alcove, landing silently on his feet, before he drew the curtain across Omega’s alcove. He turned and froze, seeing that Hunter was standing nearby, watching him.

Hunter stared at him, expression blank for a moment, before he softened into a smile.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely as Coricopat approached, not feeling any anger or annoyance from the tattooed man. “The nightmares trouble her a bit.”

“It is no problem,” Coricopat stated as he headed back towards his nest. “I am used to helping others when the nightmares become too much. Munkustrap suffers them a lot, being Protector and all.”

Hunter nodded, leaning against the console beside Cori’s nest as Cori got himself situated once more.

“I heard her whimpering but then I heard you speaking to her,” Hunter explained, eyes fixed upon the curtain to Omega’s room. “I usually wake when she has nightmares, but I didn’t seem to hear this one until it was too late. She’s been through a lot for a child of her age.”

“From what you’ve told me, you’ve all been through a lot for your years,” Coricopat said in response, leaning back and meeting Hunter’s gaze. Tech had of course told him about the accelerated aging the clones when under, to get them to adulthood in half the time.

Hunter hummed darkly, nodding in agreement, before swiftly changing the subject. “That light you made won’t light things on fire, will it?”

“No,” Coricopat snorted with a small grin. “It’s called a Witch Light. It provides warmth and light. No danger from it whatsoever. Tantomile and I usually have one floating about every night either in our den or someone else’s.”

Hunter’s curious gaze was on him again; those dark brown eyes filled with curiosity and bit of suspicion and concern. “Witch light?”

There was something about his tone. Perhaps not a pleasant experience with witches? Or perhaps they were something else in this world.

“Yes,” Coricopat answered simply, tilting his head curiously as he examined Hunter both with his gaze and probing his feelings. “Does that mean something else here?”

“Well, there are the Dathomirian witches, who tended to use the dark side and dark powers,” Hunter explained slowly, carefully, “but I believe the Separatists wiped them out.”

Coricopat winced at that. “It isn’t anything dark. Witches were persecuted in my world’s history, though not all of them were actual witches, some were just free-thinking women that the patriarchy deemed a threat,” Coricopat explained, trying to ease Hunter’s concerns. He understood that Hunter was just concerned about the safety of Omega and his brothers…so much like Munkustrap. “There aren’t many real witches in our world today, none with actual powers, if so, they are well hidden and probably not aware of it themselves. There are still some spellbooks floating about in the magical cat society, which is where Tantomile and I got ours.”

Hunter frowned, seeming to take this in but Coricopat could tell there was still confusion.

“Cats used to be known as Witch’s familiars,” Coricopat continued explaining. “Apparently, we used to ride brooms with them and assist them with their spell casting. Once the witches started being persecuted and killed, then the familiars took what spell books they had and went into hiding at the witch’s request, trying to save themselves and also the future of magic. While magic isn’t so prevalent amongst humans anymore, it is amongst cats, so the spellbooks get passed around and handed down.”

“Tech is going to be so annoyed he missed this conversation,” Hunter chuckled to himself, running a hand through his long black loose curls, which was still kept under control by the bandana that he apparently never took off. “You’ll have to show him the witch’s light another time.”

“I’ll think of some harmless spells to show him,” Coricopat agreed with a small smile. “That’s how I can physically use my magic, through spells.”

Hunter nodded before hiding a yawn behind his hand. “Well, Omega seems to be in a deep sleep, so I’ll let you get back to your own. You’ve had one hell of a day, Cori.”

Coricopat hummed in agreement as he snuggled down in the nest once more, pulling the blanket over himself. The blankets carried lingering scents of Tech, Echo, Hunter, and Wrecker…with one or two holding Omega’s scent. There was a scent that he wasn’t familiar with, though it was somewhat similar to the brothers.

Perhaps that was Crosshair, Coricopat couldn’t help but think sleepily. He buried his nose into where that scent was the strongest and scented it, committing it to memory. Perhaps he would smell it when he was out somewhere and help the brothers find Crosshair. It was the least he could do as they assisted him to find a way home.

Chapter Text

Coricopat, used to being an early riser, woke before the others. He sat up in his nest and stretched out his limbs before grooming his short head fur and whiskers back into place.

It was quiet. Even Wrecker had stopped snoring.

Cori’s gaze drifted to Omega’s alcove. She was still peacefully asleep after that nightmare and, Cori gently probed her mind, checking in on her, she was still in a deep, comfortable sleep.

Sighing, Coricopat pulled his legs in, crossing them in front of him before gently resting his paws on his knees. He hadn’t had time to really meditate, to try and reach out for Tantomile, to seek a vision that would give insight as to what happened to the others, how to find them…or perhaps, Coricopat mused as Tech suddenly came to find, maybe he could have a vision regarding Crosshair, hopefully as a way to find him.

Coricopat exhaled softly, sinking into his mind, expanding his consciousness and reached out into the universe, into the stars and the energies.

It felt so different here than it did back at home, back on his planet, back in his universe…and Coricopat was truly beginning to believe that this was not his universe. The energy of it all, the vibrations, it felt so different, so dark.

“Tantomile?” he called out desperately across their bond, across the vastness, hoping that she was reaching out for him too.

The bond remained silent and dark.

He reached out for Mistoffelees familiar signature, for Munkustrap’s, hell, even for Macavity’s…but there was nothing but silence.

Coricopat’s paws tightened in the fur on his knees before he exhaled and tried to calm himself again, to bring himself into the right headspace. Perhaps they were just too far out of reach, after all it seemed as if this Galaxy was vast, filled with so many different planets…or perhaps they were safe back home.

Exhaling slowly again, Coricopat tried to locate Crosshair. He didn’t know him and hadn’t really been able to connect his energy-signature except through a lingering scent, but it was worth a shot. Perhaps later he would talk to Tech about looking in his memories, seeing Crosshair as he did, to see if that helped him in being able to locate Crosshair.

Coricopat drifted through the energy, which to him looked like an intricate web of purple, pulsing and changing patterns rapidly, as he tried to follow the right link, to find the correct one, watching for the one that pulsed differently to the others, that shouted to him that this was the link he was searching for.

He turned in the energy, hearing a low keening noise. He followed it, trying to come to where it was trying to lead him.

A thread was dimly flashing grey, and he reached out to touch it, wincing as the emotions overloaded his mind.

Pain. Hopelessness. Uselessness. Alone.

“Crosshair?” he whispered gently to it. “Is that you?”

Confusion. Fear. Madness. Worry.

Coricopat was about to attempt communication by deepening the connection when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, jolting him out of his meditative state. Coricopat jumped onto his feet, landing in a crouch as he hissed and snarled, fur puffing up dangerously as his claws slipped out, still lost in the in-between.

“Whoa! Cori, calm down, you’re safe!”

Coricopat’s ear flicked. That voice was familiar. Slowly Coricopat came back to awareness, back to the present, and blinked, clearing his gaze to find Wrecker standing in front of him, large hands held up in a ‘no harm’ gesture, mismatched eyes wide. Hunter was standing nearby, arm in front of Omega in a protective stance, as Tech stared at him, brows furrowed in concern.

“Ah,” Coricopat panted slightly as he straightened up and retracted his claws. “Apologies, I was deep in mediation. I should have warned you not to try and pull me out of it in such a way and told you the correct way to bring me back to the present. I get stuck in the in-between and, since the Jellicles all know how to correctly pull me from a meditative state, I thought I was being attacked.”

Wrecker nodded, dropping his arms as the others relaxed. Echo nodded in understanding before he walked past, muttering something about needing caf.

“Sorry about that,” Wrecker said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his bald, scarred head awkwardly. “Didn’t think about scaring ya.”

Coricopat smiled and shook his head. “It’s fine, Wrecker, I should have warned you.”

“Did you learn anything interesting while that deep in meditation?” Tech asked curiously as he approached, data pad already in hand. “I recall when a Jedi went that deep into a meditative state it was because they were deep in a vision or focusing on manipulating an object with the Force.”

“Oh?” Coricopat asked curiously, not wanting to tell Tech quite yet about his maybe-connection to Crosshair. “What could they manipulate?”

Tech adjusted his goggles slightly as he peered at Coricopat. “Usually when they were concentrating that hard, it was due to them needing to focus quite deeply in the Force, usually to hold a building together to give occupants time to escape or trying to track a target down that was nearby with the Force.”

Coricopat hummed as he leaned back against the console, brushing out the fur on his arms. He could feel Tech’s gaze piercing him and knew that the bespectacled clone would not give up until he had his answers. That made Coricopat smile softly. So much like Munkustrap. He did not give up until he had answers.

“As for your original question,” Coricopat said slowly, carefully. “No, I did not have any success. I still cannot locate Tantomile nor any other Jellicle.”

“Well, hopefully that means they’re safe back where you’re from then,” Echo stated as he walked back in, holding a mug. “Speaking of…Tech, I understand that we were occupied yesterday, but can you get onto decrypting that data stick for me? There are still clones out there that need our help.”

Tech startled at Echo’s request. That…had slipped his mind. After Coricopat’s unexpected arrival, then treating his wounds, ensuring that he was not a threat and then trying to assist Coricopat in finding where he came from, it had just slipped his mind.

“Yes, yes, of course, I will get onto it right away,” Tech stated, reaching for the pouch he had stored the data stick in.

“After breakfast,” Hunter interrupted, gently diverting Tech’s hand. “You’ll forget to eat all day otherwise and I’d be more comfortable knowing that you had a least one decent meal in you.”

Echo nodded in agreement. “We need you at your best, Tech,” he stated, seeing Tech was about to rebut with his own argument. “You need to eat something.”

Tech sighed and nodded. “Fine but then I will get onto decrypting the data.”

He followed the group out as they headed towards their breakfast spot with Shep and Lyana, as Omega tugged a smiling Coricopat along by the paw.

He was fitting in well, Tech thought to himself as he followed along. Despite being separated from his twin, which Tech knew was hurting Coricopat emotionally, he was not giving up on finding a way home…yet he was also not depriving himself of living and experiencing life here either.

Coricopat was happy to talk about his home, his powers – and Tech had seen the Witch Light he had apparently conjured in Omega’s alcove, before it disappeared from existence as Wrecker had prematurely pulled Coricopat from his meditative state…and Tech was eager to find out what other spells he could conjure – and his want to go home. He spoke about his twin with a sad longing, even though they had only been separated for hours and not…not for over a year, like he and Crosshair had been.

Tech bid good morning to Shep as he joined the table in his usual spot as the others found their seating. Coricopat came to sit beside him as Tech glanced at him. Cori saw the look and gave him a small reassuring smile before he turned his attention back to the food laid out before them.

He watched Coricopat for a moment, watching as Coricopat carefully looked over the food and selected a few different items. Fish seemed to be his main choice, not surprising, Tech mused, considering he was a feline. There was some fruit mixed in there as well.

Tech grabbed his own breakfast, eating carefully as he listened to the conversations happening around him. Omega was asking if she could show Echo and Coricopat around the island. Hunter agreed with a fond smile, stating they could all go together. Wrecker loudly agreed but said that he had promised to help with the fishing again.

Tech was fine with this. This meant he would have peace and quiet to decrypt the data stick.

“You were up early this morning, Coricopat,” Hunter stated as he sipped his juice. “Didn’t sleep well?”

Coricopat smiled and shook his head. “No, I slept fine,” he reassured him, “I just tend to be an early riser, due to it being the best time to hunt.”

Omega’s eyes went wide. “You hunted?”

Coricopat hummed and nodded as he grabbed his own juice, apparently not having any issues with fruits and sweet flavours. Tech made a mental note to add that to Coricopat’s file.

“That’s how we ate, kitten,” Coricopat explained with a small smile and shrug. “Some of us had human families that we could go home to, get fed, but a few of us didn’t, so we stayed at the yard. So, we had to hunt for our food – usually mice and pigeons, though the pigeons are a pain with all of the feathers.”

Hunter raised an eyebrow at that as Omega stared at Coricopat blankly, as though she didn’t know how to process that. Tech was intrigued, wondering what the textures must be like…and what exactly a pigeon was and what bird – as it must be due to feathers – that lived in their universe came close to resembling it.

Echo chuckled, surprising them all as he grinned at Coricopat. “Oh, you would have gotten along well with my original Jedi General,” Echo told him, shaking his head fondly. “Used to drive his Jedi Master insane by eating bugs.”

Omega screwed up her face in disgust. “Ew.”

“Some bugs can be all right to eat,” Coricopat agreed, a teasing smile on his face, bright within the white fur muzzle. “Though the number I’d be willing to eat is quite few. Most are too dusty or dry.”

Omega stared at Hunter in horror as Hunter laughed out loud, reaching over to scruff up Omega’s hair.

“We’ve all had to eat weird things at one time or another on the field, Omega,” Hunter told her with a grin.

Tech shuddered, remembering some of the vile things he had been forced to eat. Edible plants but with odd tastes and textures. Fish with too many eyes. There had been quite a few unfortunate instances.

With the talk heading towards oddest food every eaten, Tech finished his breakfast as quickly as he could and headed back to begin deciphering the encrypted data.

Coricopat explored the island with Omega and Lyana leading him, as Hunter and Echo walked slowly behind. It was dotted with small quaint houses, lining the cobblestone paths that wrapped around the island from beach to island peak, where the ships were parked.

He nodded and smiled at those who greeted him, feeling rather at ease here. Everyone was so kind and helpful. There was a wariness within them, but going by what he had been told of the war and how the occupants had ended up here, finding a peaceful refuge, he didn’t blame them…but they also didn’t let it stop them from greeting newcomers and welcoming them in.

“And down there are the docks,” Omega pointed out over a ledge, indicating down below. Coricopat also walked to the stone fence lining the footpath edge, peering down at where Omega was indicating.

Ah. Of course, in the water.

“That’s where Wrecker fishes from,” Omega continued to explain as she tugged at his paw again, leading him on. “We swim near there too! Oh, can we go swimming today, Hunter?!”

“Yes, of course,” Hunter called back with a small wave as he and Echo followed along, talking together in hushed tones. Coricopat could hear them of course, but he pointedly ignored them out of politeness. They were mostly discussing the clone rebellion and what Echo had been up to, along with the island and what Hunter and the others had been up to.

“Coricopat, would you like to swim with us?” Lyana asked, falling into step on his left side. Coricopat shuddered slightly.

“No, thank you,” he said with a grimace. “Cats and water don’t always mix. I can put up with fresh water, but not salt water, the taste is just too vile when I’m grooming.”

Lyana and Omega exchanged confused looks around him.

“But…how do you bathe?”

Coricopat chuckled at Lyana’s confused question. “Much like your Tooka cats do, I suppose,” he answered, tail curling contently behind him. “We wash and groom with our tongues…and, yes, it is clean for us. There are occasions where we will have a water bath, usually dipping into a shallow river or fountain, but usually that’s only when we’re covered in a substance that would be too difficult for tongue grooming, such as mud.”

He laughed to himself as Lyana and Omega huddled together, whispering together about his fur and the mud. He watched as they clung to each other’s arms, gently swaying and pushing each other and a memory came to mind, overlaying this one.

Electra and Etcetera. The two kitten sisters doing the exact same thing as they walked across the yard with the other kittens. They were much like Omega and Lyana too, with the fact that one was outgoing and light-haired, while the other had darker hair and was a bit shyer.

 Coricopat sighed to himself as they came to the beach, with the girls immediately running down the ramp and onto the sand. He paused at the top, contemplating the light-coloured sand.

He had never been a fan of sand. He had visited the beach one time with Skimbleshanks and it had been caught in his fur for days and made grooming a major pain.

But this sand seemed different from the one he had experienced. The sand on the beach he had visited was darker and seemed coarser. This sand was light and seemed fine.

“All right there, Cori?” Hunter’s concerned voice asked from beside him. Coricopat was pulled from his contemplation of the sand and looked to Hunter, giving a reassuring smile and nod.

“Yes, I am just contemplating the sand and how to not let Omega down, while also telling her that I don’t want sand stuck in my fur for days as it makes grooming rather uncomfortable.”

“You can always use the sonic,” Echo stated from Hunter’s other side, raising an eyebrow.

Coricopat blinked. “A what?”

“Oh, right. A sonic is a type of shower except, instead of water, it pulses sonic waves which loosens the dirt from your skin and hair and leaves you almost as clean as a water shower,” Echo explained with a wry grin. “I’m a bit like you when it comes to water showers, though I do enjoy them, it’s just a lot of hassle and preparation with my prosthetics.”

Coricopat sighed, looking out and seeing that Omega and Lyana had paused near the water’s edge, the waves flowing in and lapping at their toes, as they pulled their pants up to their knees.

“Well, that seems a reasonable choice then,” Coricopat murmured. “Onto the sand then.”

They spent a few hours on the beach, with Coricopat eventually being convinced to wade out up to his knees in the water, though he refused to go any further. Omega and Lyana ran around him and Hunter, who had also joined them in the water, as Echo watched from where he had found a comfortable spot to lounge on the beach. Coricopat flicked his wet tail at them as they ran by, splashing water at them, which just made them squeal with laughter.

He did vacate the water when he saw Wrecker come barrelling towards them, apparently finished with fishing for the day. He did not want to be near that splash zone. Wrecker was like a big kitten himself, Coricopat thought to himself as he went to go join Echo, already lamenting the wet fur stuck to his legs. It was good to see the big clone having such fun and making Omega laugh so openly and freely.

“Have fun?” Echo asked him sleepily.

“I did,” Coricopat admitted. “Though I am regretting the wet fur. I’d try to groom it, but I do not want the taste of salt water in my mouth.”

“Just sit in the sun,” Echo yawned, stretching out his limbs – both prosthetic and real. He had forgone his armour for today and had taken off his shirt, revealing almost sickly white skin. Echo was rather skinny, his ribs rather prominent and he had odd metal ports dotting his chest and stomach.

Coricopat felt immense grief seeing that, imagining the horror that Echo must have faced. At least he was free now, back with his brothers and sister, and able to enjoy the sunshine.

He sat there for a while longer, legs stretched out and basking in the warm sun in a near doze. He was rather comfortable, nice, and warm from the sun and his fur had dried off again. Hunter, Wrecker, and the girls had moved back onto the beach and were attempting to construct a building out of sand.

Coricopat’s ears twitched as he heard a chirping noise, seeing Hunter grab something.

“Tech?” Hunter asked.

“You need to come to the ship immediately.”

Coricopat straightened up as Hunter looked in his and Echo’s direction, calling for Echo. They all quickly pulled shoes and shirts back on and headed back up to the ship at Tech’s hurried request.

He stood off to the back of the group in the ship as they huddled around the console on the wall, which Tech was sitting in front of. He was explaining about how he decrypted the data that Echo had brought, which outlined that the clones were being taken for experimentation.

Coricopat felt his fur prickle uncomfortably at that, looking at the men around him who he had befriended. The other clones, just like them, were being experimented on.

Tech explained about a Doctor Royce Hemlock and indicated to his image on the screen, advising that he had been expelled from the Republic’s Science Corp for unethical experimentation. Cori shuddered again at that – but he somehow knew that this wasn’t the worst of it, not with how tightly wound up and anxious Tech was feeling – though he was doing an excellent job to not show it outwardly.

“I was able to find the numbers of the clones that have been previously transported,” Tech stated, looking up to meet Hunter’s gaze evenly. “I found Crosshair’s number in the log.”

“Crosshair’s defected?” Wrecker asked uncertainly.

Hunter’s arms folded across his chest. “Or it could be another trap.”

Tech shook his head. “I do not believe so. I went back over our comm channels and found one from one of Crosshair’s old codes. There was a warning. Plan 88, the Seeker.”

“A warning to flee, that we are being hunted,” Echo said quietly, downcast.

“This could be another trap,” Hunter reiterated, looking at them all. “It…it isn’t the first time he’s tried to lure us into a trap.”

“Well, if we could find our way to this facility, Tantiss was it, Tech?” Echo asked, looking to Tech for confirmation. Tech nodded. “Then we could free the clones and Crosshair.”

Coricopat could feel Hunter’s hesitation. Hunter wanted Crosshair back desperately, he missed him – but he did not want to risk Omega and the others, didn’t want to get his hopes up that Crosshair had turned on the Empire only to find it was a trap.

“Did you find anything that could lead us to Tantiss?” Echo asked, leaning down to look at the data himself.

“No,” Tech said quietly, heartbreak edging into his voice, putting the others on edge. “They’ve taken great care not to mention it or it’s location. Hemlock is extremely difficult to track down too. There was an opportunity to get to him at an Imperial Summit that’s occurring on Eriadu, to at least put a tracker on his ship, but we have missed that window.”

“What do ya mean, Tech?”

Tech sighed, head dropping slightly as he stared at his hands entwined tightly in his lap. “If I had decrypted this yesterday, when Echo first brought the data stick, then we would have made it to Eriadu in time for the meeting…but now, it’s too late.”

Coricopat felt a lump form in his throat at Tech’s quiet, sad words.

Tech hadn’t gotten around to decrypting the data because he had been preoccupied with him, with his unexpected arrival through a vortex. Tech had treated his wounds and had made a program to track the holo net for any reports of any similar vortex or beings like Coricopat being found.

He had missed the chance to find his twin…because of Coricopat.

“We’ll find another way, Tech,” Echo promised him, resting his hand on Tech’s shoulder and squeezing gently. “You hear me, little brother? We’re not giving up on him or any other clone.”

Tech sighed heavily but nodded, still downcast and silent as he turned his attention back to the screen with Hemlock’s picture on it.

“How are we going to find Crosshair?” Omega asked worriedly as she clung to Wrecker’s hand, who looked just as worried and upset as she did.

Echo scratched absently around the ports on his head. “I’ll get in contact with Rex and send him through everything. We’ll get in contact with his contacts and see if they can help us find anything on Hemlock or this Tantiss.”

Hunter agreed to that, walking over to kneel beside Tech, murmuring softly to him.

“We’ll keep looking, Tech,” Hunter said quietly, just for Tech to hear. “We’ve just got to be smart about this.”

“We can always try Cid,” Tech murmured to Hunter, who firmly shook his head.

“No,” he stated firmly. “We’ve burnt our bridge with Cid. Let’s just leave it with Echo for now…and maybe later, if there has been nothing, we’ll go back to Cid.”

Coricopat felt the worry and the grief from the others regarding the news about Crosshair beginning to suffocate him and so he silently slipped from the ship into the twilight night.

He walked over to the large tree that was in the middle of the square on top of the island and leapt up into it, climbing its large trunk and branches until he found a large branch large enough for him to lay on, that was hidden in the trees, giving him some privacy.

He laid out on his belly upon it, laying his face upon his folded arms, tears beginning to soak the edge of the shirt sleeve and part of the fur on his arm as guilt, sadness, and homesickness overwhelmed him.

He had been so desperate to find Tantomile, to be reunited with her, that he may have just taken the one chance Tech had had to be reunited with his own twin away from him.

Chapter Text

Tech slipped away from the Marauder as things began to get loud. There were discussions and arguments about what steps to take next, what to do about Crosshair, where they could go next, if they were still safe, and Tech just couldn’t take it anymore, feeling his chest constricting with anxiety, heart beginning to pound, and ears beginning to ring with the noise echoing endlessly around the inside of the Marauder.

He inhaled the cold night air, glancing around the empty moonlit square to make sure he wasn’t going to run into anyone and then made his way over to the tree. There were shadows under the tree he could sit under, to hide away from the moonlight so that he wasn’t able to be easily seen.

Tech sunk down to sit on the stone tiles, leaning against the uneven rocks that encircled the tree and its soil. Sighing, he brought his knees up, hugging them close to his chest as he buried his face into them, ears still pounding with the echoes of noise.

He didn’t know what to do.

First there was the news that Crosshair had been transported to whatever base the clone prisoners were being transported too – which clearly meant that something had changed, that Crosshair was no longer aligned with the Empire…whether that was due to Crosshair’s own actions or the Empire’s, Tech didn’t know, but he knew that Crosshair was in danger now.

Then came the message from Crosshair on their old comm channels. Plan 88. The Seeker. You are being hunted, run and hide.

And Hunter thought it was a trap. Tech could understand how he could come to that conclusion, but with the evidence of Crosshair being transported on a prisoner transport and then this comm coming through – even Tech knew it wasn’t likely that it was a trap.

How could Crosshair know that Echo was helping the clone rebellion? How could he know that they would intercept that very ship, which happened to have Crosshair’s number logged on it? How would they know that Echo would quickly try and salvage what data he could from being permanently erased? How could they know that Tech would be the one to decrypt it and that he would search their old comm codes?

No. There were too many variables for the Empire to make this into a trap. They would have made it something simpler, with easier data to retrieve.

Crosshair was in trouble and he needed them. They couldn’t leave him behind again. They just couldn’t.

Tech swallowed hard. Crosshair had made the choice last time not to come back with them on Kamino, even stating he had removed the chip. That had been his free-will and, though it hurt to leave him again, they had respected that.

But they couldn’t leave him again, despite him telling them to run and hide.

Tech shuddered, hugging his legs tighter to his chest as though to squash the ache that felt like it was threatening to burst from within.

They almost had the chance to find him – if he hadn’t been distracted, if he had remembered to decrypt the data stick, then they could have gotten closer to bringing Crosshair back.

But he had been distracted, rightfully so even though he hated to admit it, and it meant that they had lost the chance. They would never make it to Eriadu in time for the Imperial Summit.

Tech wasn’t sure what to do next. He would keep research Hemlock and Tantiss, hoping that something would pop up in his searches, while Echo spoke to Rex who would hopefully reach out to his contacts.

It was just a lot of…nothing.

No real plans, no real action, just more research and hope and time…which Crosshair might not have.

Tech bit his lip, but it was too late to stop the small pained keen that broke free at that thought.

“Tech?”

He quickly looked around at that soft and hesitant voice, trying to locate its source.

“Up here.”

Tech looked up, seeing glowing eyes staring back down at him from within the limbs of the tree. He blinked, uncertain of what he was looking at for a moment, before…

“Coricopat?”

Coricopat leapt down from the tree, landing in a crouch in front of him. Tech stared at him for a moment, brow furrowed.

“What were you doing in the tree?” he couldn’t help but ask.

Coricopat’s lips quirked up into a quick, small, smile before it dropped from his face. “I’m a cat. We climb trees occasionally…and I needed some space to think.”

“Ah,” Tech murmured as Coricopat shifted to sit beside him instead. “Did it help?”

“Not really,” Coricopat admitted, pulling his own legs to his chest, tail wrapping around his ankles. He looked at Tech, seeming to hesitate as his sad green eyes met Tech’s brown ones.

“Why are you out here alone?” Coricopat asked, though Tech knew that wasn’t what he was originally going to say.

Tech sighed, tilting his head back to stare at the tree canopy above. “It was too much in there. Discussions about…about Crosshair and whether we could trust him, what we could do…it was just too much.”

Silence fell between them. It was thick, uncomfortable, and Coricopat was shifting somewhat.

“Tech, I’m so sorry.”

Tech frowned, looking to Coricopat, who had his head bowed, eyes downcast as his tail tightened around his ankles and arms tightened around his knees.

“Whatever for?” he asked, confused, uncertain as to what Coricopat could be apologizing for.

“It’s my fault that you can’t get Crosshair back,” Coricopat said, voice breaking slightly. “If I hadn’t fallen through that vortex, if you hadn’t been preoccupied with me – trying to help me find out where I came from and if my own twin, or any of my family, had come into this universe with me – you would have been able to get to the summit, to plant a tracker on that doctor’s ship.” Coricopat looked up, finally meeting Tech’s gaze. “You would have gotten your twin back.”

Tech shook his head firmly. “None of this is your fault, Coricopat. You did not plan to fall through that vortex and land here. Yes, I may have missed this opportunity to find Crosshair, but I will find another, no matter what it takes or what I must do.”

Coricopat rubbed his eyes with the back of his paw, sniffling slightly.

“I will do whatever I can to help you find him,” Coricopat promised fiercely, meeting Tech’s gaze firmly. “I promise, Tech, I will help you find him before I go home.”

Tech nodded, swallowing harshly as Cori’s words, his sincere, fierce, promise made a lump appear in his throat. Coricopat smiled softly at him before gently shifting closer, pressing their sides together.

Tech could feel the warmth emanating from Coricopat’s body, even through both sets of their clothes. The fur must make Cori run warm, Tech couldn’t help but think, as he exhaled, relaxing into Coricopat’s side.

He startled at a soft rumbling noise that sudden came from Coricopat, quickly turning to look at him.

“What is that?” he asked, bewildered.

Coricopat laughed, grinning freely. “It’s called purring,” he explained with a small laugh. “We do it when we feel happy, content or if we want to help calm someone to name a few reasons.”

Tech blinked, looking even more owlish with his round goggles before he nodded, settling back down. He would investigate how Coricopat purred later but, for now, he was tired.

Emotionally and mentally exhausted.

The day had taken too much from him, caused so many emotions to appear and war against one another as one quickly overtook the other.

Tech found his eyes drifting close as his head listed to the side, resting against Coricopat’s. He felt Coricopat’s short left ear twitch slightly, shifting as not to be crushed by Tech’s head, under the side of his head.

He would have a short rest, get his emotions back in check so he could sort through them later, and then…then he would try to find Crosshair.

Lulled by Coricopat’s soft rumbling purr and warmth, Tech finally drifted off to sleep.

Coricopat sat for a while after Tech fell asleep. He knew that he needed the rest. He had been up in the tree when Tech had come to sit there, emotions rife and filled with pain. He hadn’t planned to make himself known to Tech, knowing that Tech must have needed time for himself – but once he heard the low pained noise that Tech had made, he couldn’t keep himself hidden for any longer.

He carefully shifted, allowing Tech to rest against him more comfortably. Tech mumbled sleepily next to his head, his curls causing Cori’s ear to twitch as they rubbed against it before he settled back into his deep sleep.

Coricopat hadn’t expected Tech to not hold any blame against him for delaying the decryption of the data. Tech had seemed so confused when he had apologized and then shocked when Coricopat explained that it was his fault that there had been the delay, that they couldn’t intercept this Imperial scientist at the summit.

Tech hadn’t blamed him at all, and so Coricopat could do all that he could do at that moment which was to promise to help him find Crosshair. Coricopat wasn’t sure how he could do it. He would try and meditate again, to try and connect to Crosshair, but that wasn’t a guaranteed result. Finding bonds and connections was at times like trying to catch the sea with your hands. You felt as if you had it, cupped in your hands, before it managed to leak through the tiniest cracks.

He shivered slightly as the cool wind blew through his light clothes, ruffling his fur.

It was time to get him and Tech inside.

Carefully, and with years of experience of wiggling out from a sleeping pile of cats, Coricopat manoeuvred slightly to the side, turning so that he was still support Tech. Gently, he shifted his arms, looping one under the bend of Tech’s legs and weaving another under his arms before he carefully lifted him, adjusting his stance to be able to bear Tech’s weight.

Not that Tech weighed that much, Coricopat thought to himself as Tech’s head lolled against his shoulder, undisturbed by Cori lifting him. He was sturdy and lean, much like most of the dancers of the Jellicles – but not too muscular like the fighters or acrobats.

Coricopat slowly carried him back to the ship, being careful not to wake him as he walked up the ramp. He could hear the others still talking inside, though it was quiet and with an edge of exhaustion.

Hunter, Echo, and Wrecker were still standing in the main compartment of the ship. Echo and Hunter were talking while Wrecker was leaning against the holo table next to Cori’s next, arms folded across the large chest and a frown on his face as he stared at the console, deep in thought. They looked around as he entered and stopped what they were doing. Wrecker’s brow furrowed almost comically as he stared at Coricopat.

“You can carry him?” Wrecker asked, sounding both confused and amazed. “You’re as lean as he is!”

“I’m a dancer, Wrecker,” Coricopat chuckled quietly as Hunter quickly approached, looking over Tech worriedly. “I need to have the strength to lift others for parts of the dances. I also do a lot of climbing.”

Hunter gestured for Coricopat to follow him and he did so, following him into the bunk room – where he had first awoken in this universe – and laid Tech down on the slightly rumpled bunk that Hunter gestured to. Sketches and diagrams were stuck on the wall next to this bunk, along with a photo of the group.

Coricopat stared at the photo for a moment as Hunter covered Tech up and carefully took his goggles off and hung them off a hook. Coricopat recognized them all in the photo, with Hunter, Echo, and Wrecker all standing in the back while Tech knelt in the front with another clone. A grey haired one with a tattoo over his right eye and a slight scowl.

That must be Crosshair, Coricopat thought sadly, noting how he and Tech’s kneeling positions were practically identical, just mirrored to each other – with the only exception being the large gun that Crosshair had propped up beside him.

He followed Hunter back out to where Echo and Wrecker were still standing, speaking quietly. Coricopat glanced towards Omega’s alcove, seeing the curtain was drawn. He reached out with his mind, searching for her energy and found that she was sleeping – though she was on the cusp of waking, disturbed by their voices.

“Perhaps we should talk in there,” Coricopat suggested quietly, gesturing to the cockpit, before glancing meaningfully at Omega’s alcove. Hunter nodded and the four of them moved into the cockpit. Coricopat had never been in here and he stopped for a moment, gaze drifting over the controls, the large windscreens and the four chairs in the front – though there were also seats at the side of the cockpit, the sort that reminded Coricopat of the seats of the rides from the humans’ carnivals.

Echo sat down in a seat nearest to the consoles before turning the chair to face them. Coricopat moved to sit in the one next to him, also near the console, as Wrecker and Hunter had taken the two in the back, closest to the door.

“Was he okay?” Hunter asked as soon as the door closed, leaning forward, elbows on knees as he stared at Coricopat. “I’m surprised he let you carry him.”

“He fell asleep,” Coricopat said simply with a small shrug, leaning back in the somewhat comfortable seat and wrapping his arms around his middle. “We just spoke about what happened. It’s been a surprising few hours for him.”

Hunter sighed, exchanging a look with Echo, who looked worried. Wrecker just buried his face into his large hands.

“Yeah, I knew it was affecting him more than he was letting on,” Hunter muttered, running a hand agitatedly through his hair. “Tech – you’ve got to understand, Coricopat – doesn’t show his emotions or deals with them in a way that say most of us would.”

Coricopat nodded, already knowing this. “Yes, I know, but he still feels the pain, the loss, just the same.”

“You can feel his pain, can’t you?” Echo asked, turning his chair slightly to face Coricopat.

“Yes,” Coricopat admitted, tightening his arms around his middle. “I can, which I guess gives me the insight of how he really is feeling – though I also understand because I have been separated from my twin, much like he has…which I hear you also understand, Echo.”

Echo swallowed deeply, pain flashing through his deep brown eyes, before he nodded.

“Yeah,” he said hoarsely, fingers idly tracing his scomp. “Yeah, I do.”

“And Tech knows that too,” Coricopat said, “which is why I believe he gravitates to you.”

Echo felt guilt at that, though Coricopat couldn’t quite understand why. Echo looked to Hunter again, exchanging sad glances. “I knew that it wouldn’t be easy for him when I left to join Rex, but I had to do it…”

“He understands that, Echo,” Hunter stated.

“We all do,” Wrecker interrupted, peeking through his fingers at Echo. “Ya had to do what ya had to, Echo. Rex needed your help, so did the other clones.”

“And you kept in contact when you could,” Hunter finished, glancing at Wrecker and nodding to him with a small smile.

“Didn’t make it easier,” Echo muttered quietly before sighing and shaking his head. “I’ll contact Rex in the morning, get him to chase up leads. We’ll find Crosshair one way or another…as the Jedi would say, just gotta trust in the Force.”

Hunter snorted and shook his head. “You hung out with them for far too long.”

Echo grinned and shrugged. “It was the only way to explain all of the weird shit that happened to them.”

Coricopat stuck close to Tech the next day, for both his and Tech’s sake. He felt comfortable with Tech. He wasn’t Tantomile, wasn’t his mischievous and gossipy twin – but there was a comfort and reassurance when he was with Tech, no matter the rambling tangents he went on when he was explaining something or the other to Coricopat, who did his best to listen and understand.

They were sitting outside of the Marauder, enjoying the sunshine as Coricopat did his best to answer all of Tech’s enquiries about him, asking how he purred and what made it possible for example. He tried to explain it as best as he could, though his thoughts kept straying to this morning’s meditation attempt.

He had tried to find that link again, that one that he believed to be Crosshair, but he couldn’t find it. He thought he had gotten close to it a couple of times, but it slipped away like sand through his fingers. There had been brief feelings, emotions…like numbness and apathy before it slipped from him, as though Crosshair was hiding himself, closing himself off.

Coricopat hoped that wasn’t the case as he watched Tech input the information Cori had just told him into his data pad. He didn’t want Crosshair to give up before Tech could find him again.

His ears twitched and turned in the direction of the Marauder’s ramp – which Coricopat could tell both intrigued and amused Tech – before his head followed suit, just in time to see Echo walking down the ramp, a device in his hand that showed a small blue hologram of a person.

“Hey, Coricopat,” Echo called as he met his gaze. “Rex wants to meet you.”

Coricopat stood up, with Tech remaining on the ground and inputting his data, and walked over to meet him. He stared at the transparent blue figure in the device as they turned and looked at him.

He looked like Echo, just not as gaunt – though the dark circles under his eyes were familiar – with short, shaved hair. The piercing gaze was also very Echo as he examined Coricopat.

“You must be the mysterious being that Echo was telling me about,” Rex stated, meeting Coricopat’s gaze firmly. “Coricopat, right?”

Coricopat inclined his head, though kept his gaze connected with Rex’s. “That is correct. I am assuming that you’re Rex.”

A small smirk from Rex. “That is also correct.”

“You look very much alike,” Coricopat stated, “and, yes, I know it is because you are clones – but you have the same look in your eyes.”

Rex’s head turned slightly in the hologram to look at Echo and he smiled. “Yeah, guess we do,” he stated before looking back to Coricopat. “Echo told me all about how you ended up here and that you were concerned that your family and friends may have ended up here too. I’ve put feelers out, so if there’s any chatter about any feline beings appearing out of nowhere, I will let you know,” Rex said reassuringly as he saw Coricopat’s sad nod.

Echo smiled at him and Coricopat went to go back to Tech.

“He’s interesting,” he heard Rex say as he approached Tech.

“Yeah,” came Echo’s response. “He kinda reminds me a bit of Jesse…actually, maybe a bit more like Kix, you know, protective and willing to throw hands if needed.”

Coricopat lurched to a stop as the world around him began to spin, the colours mixing and fading into one another as the wind roared around him.

“Cori!” Tech’s worried voice.

“Echo, what’s happening?” Rex’s concerned bark.

“I don’t know,” came Echo’s response, sounding as if were far away, as if under water. “He just stopped and his eyes are glowing.”

Coricopat turned around slowly on the spot as the world settled itself once more. He wasn’t on Pabu, not exactly, but was instead in a grey metal room. He could still see Pabu somewhat, still see Tech and Echo worriedly hovering in the edges of his peripheral.

A vision then.

“I’m having a vision,” Coricopat told them as he stared around the room he was in. It was grey with metal walls. “I am in a grey metal room. There are no windows…but it looks as if it has been damaged.”

Electricity sparked from broken cables that swung from the buckled roof. The cabinets were upended on the floor, with debris littering the space. The walls were dented and warped in sections. Coricopat relayed what he was seeing to Tech and Echo.

“There seems to be small robot looking creatures – droids are what you call them, right?” Coricopat asked as he knelt by such a figure, paw ghosting the top of it. He wouldn’t be able to feel it, seeing as he wasn’t there.

“What else do you see?” Tech’s voice asked from what sounded like the other end of a tunnel. “Can you find out where you are?”

Coricopat shook his head, stepping forward and over the debris. “There are no signs of where I am…but there’s this white tube on the other side. It looks undamaged, though partly blocked by debris.”

He stepped closer, seeing a small window on the tube. He pushed himself up on tiptoes, trying to look in…and what he saw almost made his heart stop.

An unconscious man with short black hair with a slight tattoo peeking out from under his hair. A man who looked like Rex, Echo, and Hunter.

A clone.

“There’s…there’s a clone in the tube,” Coricopat stated, staring at the sleeping figure. He reached out mentally as he heard Echo’s and Rex’s exclamations. “He…he is in a deep sleep, though deep under the surface there is worry and a feeling of being cold deep in his bones.”

“A stasis tube,” Tech stated, sounding worried. “Why is a clone in a stasis tube?”

Coricopat felt Echo’s fear spike, but he pushed that aside for now. He couldn’t focus on Echo right now; he had to focus on how to find this clone. It was important. He knew it was.

The scene spun around again, the colours muddling and shifting until it cleared again. Coricopat blinked, clearing his vision.

He was on the bridge of a ship – as he believed it was called, going by the sci fi shows he and Tantomile used to watch from outside humans’ houses – and he advised the others as such.

“There are robotic beings here,” he stated, stepping closer to one who was leaning over a console. Coricopat glanced out of the viewport, seeing that there was dirt halfway up the cracked and broken glass, and trees surrounding it, looking as if it had crashed.

“We are running out of power,” the large droid said to the smaller one. “We cannot charge ourselves. Our position must be sent to Count Dooku. The cargo must be handed over to the Count.”

“Roger, Roger,” the smaller droid answered, pressing buttons.

“There is a large droid that has a deeper tone,” Coricopat explained as he walked closer to them. “It is slightly larger than me. There are also more of the smaller droids. They sound high pitched and nasally.”

“B1 and B2 droids,” Echo’s voice muttered. “What are they doing there? Where are they?”

“They have crashed somewhere,” Coricopat continued on as he side-stepped the droids, trying to view what they were seeing on the console. “They are running out of power and are stating they need to send their position through to a Count Dooku?”

More spikes of fear, worry, and rage from Echo and Tech.

“Can you see where they are, Cori?” Tech’s voice asked worriedly. Coricopat leaned over the console, looking at the screen. There was a planet flashing on the dimmed screen, which looked like it was losing power fast.

There were words written above it, in a language that Coricopat didn’t know…well, not quite yet. There was a spell he knew that would help here and he whispered it softly, letting it twist and unravel in his mind as well.

The words shifted and wiggled until they formed words that Coricopat could read and understand.

“Ponemah,” Coricopat read off the screen. “The ship’s computer states it is on Ponemah.”

The scene twisted and spun again, almost viciously, and Coricopat closed his eyes and dropped to his knees as it became too much.

Hands softly rested on his shoulders.

“Coricopat?” Tech’s worried voice. “Are you okay?”

Coricopat nodded, swallowing hard to tamp down the nausea, before he slowly blinked open his eyes, finding himself back on Pabu. Echo was crouched down beside him, with Rex still on the holo projector, both of them looking at him worriedly.

“Are you okay?” Echo asked him, concerned. “Your eyes have stopped glowing.”

“The vision has ended,” Coricopat stated hoarsely as he shifted back to sit on his rear instead, breathing in deeply. “It was quite a vivid one.”

“Is that vision happening now or has it happened?” Rex questioned.

Coricopat shook his head tiredly, smiling weakly at Tech as Tech sat down beside him, pulling Coricopat against him as to take some of his weight.

“I am uncertain,” Coricopat rasped. A vision like that always took a lot out of him. He was grateful that they did not happen very often. “A vision for me is what is currently happening or what has already happened – but with this one, without knowing the circumstances, I am unable to tell.”

“What caused it?” Tech enquired as he bore more of Coricopat’s weight, allowing him to relax.

Coricopat shook his head. “I’m not sure,” he admitted, “all I remember was Echo mentioning someone called Jesse and then someone else called Kix.”

Coricopat looked at Rex as he made a strangled noise.

“Jesse…Jesse is gone,” Rex stated shakily, roughly, “but Kix…Kix went missing shortly after we rescued Echo.”

“What did he look like?” Cori enquired.

“A standard clone,” Tech answered, looking at Rex and Echo sadly.

“He did use to have that tattoo on the side of his head with his hair shaved into patterns, but he had grown his hair out the last time I saw him on Anaxes,” Echo murmured, glancing at Rex, “before we went up against Trench.”

Coricopat shifted to sit upright, nodding assurance to a concerned looking Tech. “Do you remember clearly what he looked like, the last time you saw him?”

Echo blinked before nodding slowly, “Yeah, yeah, I do.”

Coricopat held out a paw which Echo eyed warily.

“If you let me see your memory of him, I can compare it to what I just saw,” Coricopat explained. Echo paled, swallowing harshly.

“I don’t like people in my head,” he stated quietly, staring at Coricopat’s paw.

“It won’t hurt,” Coricopat promised him. “I will go slow and all I will do is view the memory as you last saw it. If you panic at any time, I will retreat.”

Echo looked at the holo, seeing Rex was staring at him, brow furrowed in concern.

“Echo, if you can’t do it, it’s all right,” Rex reassured him. “Tech was on that mission too, maybe he could…”

“No,” Echo stated before inhaling deeply and meeting Coricopat’s gaze. “I remember Kix’s face clearly, I had been so relieved to see him after all that time, to see someone else familiar, someone I remembered…and someone who remembered Fives.”

Echo handed the holo projector to Tech, who held it carefully, before he allowed Coricopat to gently take his hand between both of his paws.

“You don’t even need to close your eyes if you don’t want to,” Coricopat soothed him, gently squeezing his hand. “Just focus on me.”

Coricopat carefully reached out to Echo.

“I will give your mind a soft touch, so you know it’s me,” Coricopat assured him, doing just that. Echo flinched slightly before relaxing, staring at Coricopat with wide eyes.

“You feel warm,” Echo whispered, eyes fixed on Coricopat’s own green ones. “There’s no pain.”

“I will never hurt you, Echo,” Coricopat promised him, squeezing his hand gently. “Now, remember the last time you saw Kix, what he looked like.”

Coricopat could see the memory as clearly as Echo could. He could see the medical room, the stark white walls with clones in other beds.

Echo was focused on the clone with his back currently to him as he grabbed something. Coricopat’s heart dropped when the clone turned back around, smiling warmly at Echo, though his brown eyes betrayed his sadness to see Echo in such a state.

A clone with short black hair, with a tattoo peeking out from under his hair near the temple…just the same as what Coricopat had seen.

Coricopat slowly retreated from Echo’s mind, though not before he whispered a spell of protection, to keep others who would seek to harm Echo out of his mind.

Echo blinked as Coricopat fully retracted from his mind. He had heard Cori’s voice whisper something in his head but he didn’t understand it.

“What did you do to me?” Echo asked, heart beginning to race in fear that Coricopat had betrayed them and that Coricopat would use him like the Separatists did.

Coricopat smiled sadly at him. “I apologize for startling you,” he stated softly, “but I know your fear of others taking control of your mind, understandable after what you went through – so I placed a protection spell on you, so that no one seeking harm or seeking to use you will be able to access your mind.”

Echo stared, eyes wide as his mouth opened and closed, unable to form the words. Coricopat just patted his hand once more before looking to Rex’s hologram.

“It’s Kix,” he told him heavily, seeing the pain appear on Rex’s face. “The clone I saw in my vision was the same clone from Echo’s memory.”

“He’s alive,” Rex choked before covering his face momentarily as he regained control of his emotions. “I’ll go and investigate this. I will find him and bring him back.”

“I’ll meet you there, Rex,” Echo said, also having regained control of his emotions. “I want to be there when we get Kix – and to provide back up, just in case the Separatists left any unwelcome surprises.”

Coricopat sighed and leaned back as Rex and Echo discussed what would happen, who they should take, and where they should begin to search. He looked at Tech, who was still holding the holo projector and looking uncomfortable.

Coricopat gently reached out mentally, skimming his emotions and top thoughts, before sighing sadly.

Tech was thinking about Crosshair.

Of course, Coricopat thought sadly, looking to Rex and Echo. They were getting their brother back while Tech still searched for Crosshair.

Echo seemed to notice this too and he reached out, placing his hand on Tech’s shoulder. “While I’m with Rex, I’ll speak to the others, maybe we can find something on this Separatist ship that talks about Hemlock or Tantiss – maybe that’s where they had been taking Kix.”

Tech nodded silently, not meeting Echo’s eyes.

“We’re going to find him, Tech, we’re not giving up on Crosshair,” Echo promised again before he took the projector from him. “We’ll get Kix and hopefully find something about Crosshair in the meantime.”

Tech just nodded silently again, watching as Echo stood up and hurried off to his ship to make preparations. Tech slowly turned his gaze to Coricopat, brown eyes desperately asking the question that he couldn’t bring himself to verbally ask.

“I cannot control my visions, Tech,” Coricopat stated quietly, apologetically, “and even if I could, I do not know if that would help us find Crosshair. I can only see what is happening or what has happened. I have tried to scry both Crosshair and Hemlock, but it is a fickle thing, getting reads on people I do not know, and I have not had any success in finding them in this galaxy.”

Tech nodded stiffly, turning his gaze away. Coricopat shifted slightly so he could press his side against Tech’s again reassuringly.

“I can look at the future now, to get a prophetic reading,” he told Tech reluctantly, gaining Tech’s attention, “but the future is always changing, so what I get now could change in a week, a day or even an hour.”

“Please,” Tech stated, voice breaking, as he reached out to grasp Coricopat’s paw. “Anything is better than not knowing.”

Coricopat stared at his desperate eyes for a moment longer before he nodded. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, before opening them again. Hearing Tech’s small, sharp intake of breath, he knew his eyes were glowing again.

“Crosshair walks the edge,” Coricopat whispered, taken over by the prophecy, “His hope is fading – yet all hope is not yet lost. A spark may reignite it…or it may cause him to fall completely to the darkness.”

Coricopat blinked, the prophecy fading away, as he turned his attention back to Tech and smiled apologetically.

“They’re not always straightforward…or always make sense for that matter,” Coricopat said awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I have no control over what I say. I can’t even see what it’s talking about. It just…comes out of me.”

Tech nodded, leaning against him anyway.

“At least there’s hope,” Tech murmured quietly to him as they both watched Hunter, Omega and Wrecker approaching, having gotten Echo’s transmission to come and see him.

“There’s always hope,” Coricopat replied, thinking of his family and how they always looked for each other. “Always.”

Chapter Text

Echo left later that day after their farewells. Omega had made him promise to keep in contact and to come back and visit soon. Echo, of course, agreed as he hugged her tight.

Coricopat had stood back, watching as the small family said their farewells and good lucks. Echo had stopped before Tech, giving him a small shoulder squeeze before shifting in to press his forehead against his. Coricopat watched as Tech’s shoulders lost some of the tension and heard the soft exhale he released.

“I will keep a search for Crosshair, I promise you,” Echo murmured to him. “If I hear anything, you will be the first to know.”

Tech had nodded slightly against Echo’s forehead before they broke apart. Tech typed something into his forearm computer, staring at it for a moment.

“You will need to leave soon if you want to rendezvous with Rex on time,” Tech told him, glancing up at him. “If it is Kix, bring him home.”

Echo gently squeezed his shoulder again before he headed towards his ship, giving a final wave in farewell before disappearing inside.

Coricopat walked over to stand with the small family as Echo’s ship rose into the air. He kept his eyes on it as he walked, in awe of how it worked. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, able to just rise straight up from the ground into the air, no need for a runway like human airplanes.

Hunter had his arm around Omega’s shoulder as they both waved to the ship as it departed.

Coricopat glanced at Tech, finding he was watching the ship with a small frown.

“Are you okay?”

Tech glanced back at him with the softly asked question and gave a small nod.

“Yes, I am fine,” he answered quietly, watching as Hunter, Omega and Wrecker moved away from where Echo departed. “It is not the first time he has left.”

Coricopat winced at that. “Yeah, but he will come back, at least you know that.”

Tech nodded in agreement before his gaze went back to his forearm computer. Coricopat had noticed that he never took that off. The rest of his armour would go on and off as needed and he mostly wandered around in what he called his under armour – but the arm piece with the forearm computer and the hand plate that went with it, that sat neatly on the back of his right hand with a small circle device in the middle, they always remained on.

“We should know by tomorrow if they have managed to locate Kix and what his status is,” Tech advised Coricopat, fingers darting over the computer once more, “and, hopefully, they will also be able to find information relating to Tantiss.”

Coricopat gave a slight nod. “You’ve met Kix before, haven’t you? I remember Rex saying…”

“Yes, he was on the mission where we saved Echo,” Tech stated as they both walked away, heading towards the tree. “He did not come on the actual mission to save Echo, but he was there for part of the mission where we located Echo’s signal. He stayed behind with Commander Cody as he had been seriously injured as our transport crashed, having been brought down by droids.”

“And shortly after that he went missing,” Coricopat finished. Tech inclined his head as he sat down on the stone edging near the tree, frowning at something on his computer.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“What about Cody?”

Tech’s fingers paused, a concerned furrow appearing between his brows. “I…I do not know. I know he was still with the Empire, but last I checked on him, he was declared AWOL. I hope he has gotten somewhere safe where the Empire can’t find him.”

Coricopat heard the concern in his voice. “You care for him.”

Tech nodded slightly, shutting the cover of his forearm computer as he stared over the square, watching as the villagers roamed around freely and happily.

“Cody was our older brother. He saved me from some bullies on Kamino and has looked after us ever since,” Tech explained, voice soft and filled with quiet remembrance. “Even after we were deployed, Cody was usually our handler, finding us missions, keeping us in check and protecting us from the nat-born officers and the Kaminoans when needed. He and his Jedi General, Obi-Wan Kenobi, kept us safe from any harsh punishment such as reconditioning or decommissioning – though that usually meant we had to go from one mission to another.”

“It’s good to have those who protect you, who care for you for who you are,” Coricopat murmured, watching Tech’s expression as Tech turned to look at him quizzically. “Tantomile and I were outliers growing up, being mystics and twins. We move in sync – not on purpose but just because of the bond we share – and we can speak at the same time, not to mention the mysticism and the oddness that comes with that. So, with all of that, we didn’t have many friends growing up.”

Tech kept his gaze on him, listening intently.

“Munkustrap was the one who befriended us, who protected us. He didn’t care that Tantomile and I moved together, that we were never apart. He took us as we were and we became very good friends…and it was because of him, of his friendship, that the others in our age group began to warm up to us, to befriend us and accept us as we were.” Coricopat’s gaze went distant, caught in the memory of his kitten days and of the particularly fluffy silver black-striped tabby cat that befriended them. “To this day, despite all of his responsibilities now as Protector, Munkustrap is still our closest friend.”

“That’s why you tried to defend him during that fight,” Tech said quietly, drawing Coricopat back to the conversation. “You saw that Macavity was going to try and kill him, which is why you jumped in front of him.

Coricopat nodded. “Yes. Munkustrap would always put himself in harm’s way to protect us, to save us. I had to whatever I could to save him. He is so important to us all.”

Tech was about to say something when their attention was caught by another ship coming in. Coricopat watched it for a moment before he heard Tech’s heart rate pick up slightly and felt emotions of excitement, happiness, and something else that was far too fleeting for him to pick up.

“I’m guessing you know that ship?” Coricopat asked as Tech got to his feet and started heading over to where the ship would land.

“Yes, this is Phee, a friend of ours,” Tech explained as Coricopat trailed after him.

Coricopat smirked slightly as he followed behind Tech.

Yeah. Friends. Sure.

That wasn’t what Tech’s emotions were saying.

He stopped beside Tech as the ramp to the ship opened and a woman with brown skin and curly locs that were pulled into two large buns stepped down. She grinned as she saw Tech and waved to him.

“Hello there, Brown Eyes,” she greeted warmly. “It’s so nice to have you welcoming me home.”

Coricopat hid a slight smile as he pretended to rub at his face.

Ah, so the feelings were mutual then. They both felt the same for each other.

“Phee, it is good to see you,” Tech returned, smiling slightly at her. They stared at each other for a moment before Phee realised that Tech wasn’t standing there alone. Coricopat watched as her brown eyes turned to him, staring him up and down and taking him in before looking back to Tech.

“New friend, Brown Eyes?” she asked, gesturing to Coricopat.

Tech startled slightly, looking to Coricopat. “Oh. Yes, this is Coricopat. He fell out of a vortex above the island. It seems as though he is not from this universe.”

Phee nodded, looking slightly taken aback by Tech’s explanation, but she took it in stride as she offered her hand.

“I’m Phee,” she introduced herself.

“Coricopat, as Tech just said,” Coricopat returned, taking her hand in a slight shake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Phee smiled. “Likewise. I’m guessing the boys gave you the full run down to make sure you weren’t a threat, so seeing as you’re here with Brown Eyes, I’m guessing I can trust you.”

Coricopat liked her. She was blunt but not in a rude sort of way. She and Tech seemed to be a good match.

“Yes, I had to explain everything to them,” Coricopat agreed with a chuckle, tail curling lazily behind him. “Everyone here has been rather kind as I try to figure out how to get back home. Shep provided the clothes and Tech has provided the explanation for your universe. There is quite a lot to take in.”

Phee smiled at Tech again. “Of course he’s gotten you up to speed, I wouldn’t expect any less from him. My Brown Eyes loves to share his knowledge.”

Coricopat glanced in between them, seeing that their attention was fully on one another.

It was probably best to give them some time alone. Tech would probably like that, especially after everything that had happened since Coricopat had arrived.

“Well, I promised Wrecker I would check out the fishing stuff,” Coricopat said, somewhat lamely, as he grinned at them. “I’ll leave you two to catch up.”

Tech turned to look at him, frowning in confusion. “You promised Wrecker no such thing. You do not like being near the ocean.”

Coricopat shot him a disbelieving look as Phee laughed softly, getting what Coricopat was doing.

“I think he’s trying to give us some time, Brown Eyes,” she told him with a wink. Tech blinked, startled, before his cheeks flushed slightly.

“Oh. I see.”

“I’ll leave you two to it then,” Coricopat stated again, “Phee, I look forward to talking more with you later.”

“Same here, Cori,” Phee agreed. Coricopat turned to head towards the pathway leading down to the beach, but not before giving Tech a small hip-check, sending the bespectacled clone stumbling a step closer to Phee. Tech shot him an unimpressed look, but Coricopat just grinned before he continued off.

Phee watched as Tech watched Coricopat leave. “He seems friendly.”

Tech nodded, his attention drawn back to her once Coricopat disappeared. “He is. Despite being separated from his family and his home, he has never lost his kindness.”

Phee nodded, looping her arm in Tech’s before they walked across the square together, finding somewhere comfortable and private to sit. She settled down to sit beside him; her arm still looped with his and thighs touching. Tech traced down her arm to absently draw patterns on her wrist.

“You were surprised that he was going to go see Wrecker, doesn’t he hang out with them too?”

Tech shook his head. “No, Coricopat generally sticks around with me. He does go with Omega and Hunter on occasion, but he states he is more comfortable with me. Wrecker is too loud for him as his hearing is much like Hunter’s…and Omega likes to hang around on the beach, while Coricopat doesn’t like sand nor water that much.”

Phee remained quiet, shifting her own free hand to gently rest on Tech’s. She could feel his heart rate leap up a notch as she did so, feeling the pulse point under her fingers.

“He told Hunter that he likes to hang around myself as I am quiet, but I also explain everything to him, especially as he doesn’t know this universe and the others keep forgetting,” Tech continued on, voice slightly wobbly as he stared at their entwined hands. “I believe Coricopat also prefers to be around me as he is a twin also. He doesn’t know where his twin, Tantomile, is at the moment. He’s not sure if she’s back in their world or if she also fell through a vortex somewhere in the Galaxy and is lost somewhere, so he has that fear of not knowing what exactly is happening to his twin…much like I do with Crosshair.”

Phee stared at him sadly, rubbing her thumb against his wrist soothingly. She sensed there was something more to this story, seeing the tension and the weight on her Brown Eye’s shoulders, the deep sadness within those beautiful eyes.

“What else has happened?”

Tech told her everything. He felt so comfortable with her that he could not see himself ever not telling her something – except maybe his feelings about her. He was not sure about that yet. He was happier around her and adored her greatly, but there were still so many uncertainties in his life.

He knew she cared for him the same as she was not so subtle with her flirting. During their mission to get the funds to rebuild Pabu, they had spent quite a bit of time with each other – undercover as husband and wife, to being by her side when they went to see Cellia Moten, before finding out she was a murdering liar, and then all that followed. While he would never follow her on a mission again, he would follow her for anything else.

Phee was nodding as she listened to what he told her, of the data stick, of Crosshair, of missing the opportunity to plant a tracker on Hemlock at an Imperial Summit…to having no leads whatsoever.

“Hunter is not so keen on chasing down leads,” Tech admitted quietly as Phee leaned against him comfortingly. “He does not want to bring the Empire’s attention on us again, not after the run in with the ISB recently.”

He felt Phee’s cringe somewhat, as that had been on her mission. The ISB agent had been killed during that mission – though he had turned on the ISB, going by Hunter’s recounting.

“I understand that, Brown Eyes, but I also know that you’re not happy with that,” she said quietly, “I know you, I know that you want to be chasing down leads and trying to find some sort of database to get into, to find Crosshair.”

Tech nodded, swallowing harshly. “I don’t believe that it’s a trap. I believe that Crosshair is truly in danger and he did what he could to send us that comm, to tell us to run. He didn’t give us his location, to ask for help. He told us to run and hide.”

Phee nodded again, shifting to rest her head against his. “Then we’ll find him, Tech. Give Echo time to see if this ship he’s going to, that this clone he is rescuing, has any leads on Tantiss and its location. If it doesn’t…then we can figure out what steps to take next.”

Tech shifted slightly, dislodging Phee’s head, to stare at her, wide-eyed. “You’d help me find Crosshair?”

She smiled softly at his soft disbelief and gently squeezing his hand. “Of course, Brown Eyes. You’ve always been there for me, and I will always be there for you, even if it means going against Grumpy and leaving the island under false pretences so he’s none the wiser.”

Tech nodded slowly, consideringly.

“I do have a mission that I need to follow up on…nothing dangerous this time,” she stated, seeing Tech’s weary look. “All my client wants is confirmation that an item is where it is. No credits exchanged, nothing to be stolen, just confirmation. The seller is open to having someone come and confirm it, so we can use that as an excuse to get off Pabu, saying that you’re going with me for extra backup. Then we can go to wherever you believe we may have success in finding information on Crosshair.”

Tech hummed under his breath, going over the various aspects and working out the odds of success.

“We do also have the remaining credits that we siphoned from Moten’s accounts,” Phee added on thoughtfully. “We can use that to buy information.”

“Is that siphoning still happening?” Tech asked, surprised, before he flicked open his forearm computer to check on it. “Huh. It looks like it was never discovered,” he murmured. “Odd.”

“I did hear some gossip that she died,” Phee told him. “Maybe the Empire finally got wise to her?”

“Possibly,” Tech murmured, before shrugging. If she was dead, then it was no issue with him. The credit siphoning code he had made couldn’t be tracked either, so until her account was frozen or shut down, they would continue siphoning the funds which would help with any possible situation with Pabu that may come up, or to help them find Crosshair…or any of Coricopat’s family.

Tech told Phee as much. Phee nodded thoughtfully, absently tracing patterns into Tech’s hand.

“Well, if we’re searching for Crosshair, we can definitely search to see if any Coricopat’s friends or family have also fallen through a vortex somewhere else,” Phee agreed. “We can’t leave them to the Empire either. Who knows what they’d do with unknown beings?”

Tech felt a deep shiver run down his spine at the thought. Clones were being experimented on, Tech knew that as Echo had proof of it…but if the Empire discovered Coricopat, who had fallen through a vortex and was a completely unknown species with powers?

Tech didn’t want to think of what the Empire would do to him.

Phee gently nudged his shoulder with her. “C’mon, Brown Eyes, let’s go rescue Coricopat from Wrecker. I want to talk to him some more.”

Tech nodded in agreement. It felt odd not to have Coricopat by his side now. After Echo had left, it felt like Coricopat was the only one who understood how he felt…besides Phee, of course, Tech couldn’t help but think as she looped her arm with him again, smiling warmly at him – which made his chest feel warm – before they headed off together.

They received the comm from Echo two days later. Tech brought up his holo in the Marauder as the others, including Coricopat and Phee, gathered around. Echo smiled tiredly at them all from the holo.

“We found him,” Echo explained with a tired smile. “Sorry I didn’t comm sooner, but Kix woke up and then panicked and then passed out – then we had to fight a reactivated droid – and then get back to safety.”

“How is Kix?” Hunter asked as he leaned in, eyes flicking worriedly over Echo as though making sure he wasn’t hurt.

“Shaken up,” Echo answered with a sigh. “He had been working on the chips secretly after Fives had told him about them, but the Separatists or someone higher up had found out and had him kidnapped; to be brought before Dooku, I guess to find out to see how much he knew? …but, yeah, trying to tell him that the chips had been activated, the Jedi murdered and the Galaxy now being an Empire wasn’t easy…and then to tell him that Jesse was dead was harder still.”

“They were close,” Tech said quietly, leaning back in his chair as he stared up at Echo’s hologram. “We could all see it on the mission on Anaxes, the way they defended each other.”

Echo nodded. “They were the last two remaining batch-mates, that’s why. They’d been together since they’d been decanted.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Did…did you find out any information?” Omega finally spoke up hesitantly as she shifted in between a seat and Tech so she could lean against him. Tech gently wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. “Anything about Tantiss or…?”

Echo shook his head regretfully. “No, there was nothing. This ship was going to Dooku and there was nothing about Tantiss or Hemlock on what was left of the data. This…mission had been set up before the end of the war before Hemlock or Tantiss.”

Tech deflated slightly. He could feel Coricopat’s gaze upon him, could see it in his peripheral, but he said nothing. Omega wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

“Can we see him?” Wrecker asked, changing the subject. “Just to say hi?”

Echo gave a sad smile and nodded, the holo shifting as he walked. “I think he’d like that,” he said. “We told him how we came to find him.”

The holo perspective changed, showing Rex now sitting next to a bed with a clone laid upon it.

“He’s still a bit weak and needs some fluid and rest,” Echo’s voice explained. “Kix, the Batchers wanted to say hi and check in on you.”

Kix waved weakly at them, giving a weak smile. “Hey, guys, it’s been a while. Echo told me you found our sister?”

Omega waved in response. “Hi, Kix, I’m Omega,” she introduced herself before studying the holo more intently. “Rex, Kix needs a higher dose saline drip – it’ll help him recover from stasis quicker. If you use a dose of satiline, make sure it’s diluted in at least an 80% saline solution.”

Rex gave her a small salute and smile. “Will do, Omega, thank you.”

Kix blinked, staring at her in surprise. “How’d you know that?”

“I worked as a medical assistant on Kamino with Nala Se,” Omega explained, leaning more heavily into Tech’s side, as though reassuring herself she was safe with them and not back with Nala Se. “I learnt a lot about clone biology and our genetic makeup and how to best treat us.”

Kix nodded, smiling warmly at her. His gaze drifted somewhat, looking over the holo on his end, looking at the different faces staring back.

“Rex and Echo told me everything that has happened since…since I’ve been in stasis,” Kix spoke up, voice sounding rough and shaky. “I’m sorry to hear about Crosshair. I hope you find him soon.”

“We’re sorry about Jesse,” Hunter returned heavily. “He was a good man.”

Kix nodded, swallowing harshly, visible even through the holo. “I also heard I have Coricopat to thank for my recovery?”

Coricopat stepped forward to stand on Tech’s other side, staring at the holo. Kix stared back at him.

“Huh,” Kix murmured, “Rex was right, you are sort of like a giant Tooka.”

Coricopat sighed as Wrecker guffawed behind him. “So I’ve heard.”

“Anyway, thanks for leading Rex and Echo to me,” Kix continued on. “Who knows how long I’d have been in that stasis tube otherwise.”

“Glad to have been able to help,” Cori stated.

“Once I’m on my feet again and Rex stops hovering, I’ll join Echo in helping to track down Tantiss,” Kix promised. Rex sighed heavily from beside him, tiredly rubbing his face but not disagreeing. “I’ll help bring Crosshair and the other clones’ home, I promise.”

Coricopat glanced to the side, feeling Tech’s emotions spike, feeling the sadness emanating from him. He glanced at Phee, seeing that she was also staring at the back of Tech’s head, lips twisted in concern as she seemed to have noticed the physical signs of Tech’s distress.

He stepped back as she stepped forward, placing her hands gently and reassuringly on Tech’s shoulders. Tech tilted his head back to look at her, and she smiled warmly at him, gently shifting a hand to brush against the side of his face before resting it back on his shoulder.

Kix and Rex stared at them for a moment longer before the view switched to Echo’s face again.

“We’ll keep on the look out for Crosshair,” Echo stated.

“We need to find him,” Omega agreed, looking to Tech. Tech heard Hunter’s soft sigh. He knew that Hunter was also concerned about Crosshair, but he was worried about keeping them safe too…but he knew that Omega would agree with Tech, she always seemed to these days, just like Tech would agree with her.

“And we will,” Echo promised, gaze meeting Tech’s. “But until then, look after each other…Phee, good to see you again, keep this lot out of trouble.”

Hunter made a spluttering noise at that and Phee grinned, knowing that Hunter was about to tell Echo about the trouble that she got them into.

“Will do, Echo. Take care and stay safe. We will wait to hear from you about any Crosshair updates.”

The holo fizzled out at that. Hunter began to discuss, and slightly argue, the next steps with Wrecker, Omega, and Phee, advising that they had to be smart about this and be careful etcetera etcetera.

Coricopat tuned out from that, too focused on Tech to really pay attention. Tech wasn’t paying attention to Hunter’s ramble either, staring blankly at where Echo’s hologram had just been.

Tech’s emotions were in turmoil, shifting from one emotion to the next – from anger to despair, to apathy and loss, to fear and then to resolve.

Coricopat reached out slightly, gently, to Tech, hearing the surface thoughts that skimmed across the surface, the ones he didn’t need to dig deep for, the ones that people broadcasted slightly without knowing.

Tech didn’t want to wait. He needed to do something, to take action, to find Crosshair…and it seemed like he had just settled on a plan.

And whatever it was, Coricopat decided, he would be by Tech’s side all the way.

Chapter Text

Tech and Phee carefully and secretly made plans of the next move to make in order to find Crosshair over the next few days. Coricopat usually sat with them, listening intently and watching them, their heads close together, as they discussed different options and went over the pros and the cons and the probabilities.

“I believe Cid may be our only option,” Tech admitted as he looked to Phee, who sighed heavily and nodded in dismay.

“I unfortunately believe you’re right,” Phee agreed begrudgingly. She had hoped it wouldn’t come down to Cid, knowing that things hadn’t ended well between her and the Batch – but she was hoping that the credits they would offer would let Cid move past that.

Phee tapped her fingers thoughtfully against Tech’s datapad, which she held in her lap, as she considered the travel lengths, the dates and how they coincided with her own mission.

“We could do it on the way back from my mission,” Phee suggested as she pointed out the dates to Tech. Tech shook his head as he took the offered data pad back from Phee.

“No, I believe it is better if Cid doesn’t know that you’ve been assisting us,” Tech said quietly as he carefully looked up to meet her gaze. “I don’t want that to come back on you if this goes wrong.”

Phee wasn’t convinced. “But if it goes wrong, and I’m not there, then you don’t have a ship.”

“I will steal one if Cid turns on me,” Tech assured her, seeing the worry across Phee’s face.

“Then how do you propose we do this?” Phee asked firmly, wanting to hear the details before she agreed to anything.

“You will take me to Ord Mantell on the way to meet your client,” Tech explained, finger tracing the route on the star map. “I will then deal with Cid. It may take at least a few rotations before Cid can get any information, so I will wait there while you deal with your mission. Once that is done, and hopefully by then I shall know if Cid will be able to assist me or not, then you will meet me at a point outside of Ord Mantell to retrieve me.”

Phee frowned, leaning back in her chair as she considered this.

“There is just one thing you forget there,” Coricopat stated quietly, gaining both of their attention. Tech tilted his head curiously, brow furrowed as he tried to think of what he might have missed.

“Which is?”

“That I will be coming with you,” Coricopat said simply, looking at Tech. “Cid may also be able to provide information on any of my friends that may have fallen through a vortex – and, besides, I can help you here.”

Phee looked intrigued now. “How?”

Coricopat leaned forward slightly, resting elbows on knees as he regarded them, the end of his tail curling and uncurling near their ankles. “You usually have Hunter with you on missions, to use his senses to detect if anything has gone awry. So, while you won’t have Hunter on this one, you will have me. I should be able to detect any negative emotions directed towards us from Cid and should be able to hear if anything is going wrong.”

Tech looked uncertain and he exchanged a helpless look with Phee. “I…would rather not bring you to the attention of anyone untoward.”

Coricopat shook his head, giving a small smile. “I’ll be fine, Tech,” he reassured him, “besides, I need to do this. I need to be able to travel, to continue to reach out for Tantomile, and hopefully, if she’s here, this will get me closer to her.”

“She may not even be here,” Phee said softly, looking at Coricopat, who nodded and smiled sadly.

“Yes, I know,” he agreed, “but until I have confirmation that she is safe, that they are all safe, back in my world – then I cannot stop searching.”

“It may be dangerous,” Tech told him.

Coricopat chuckled slightly, surprising them. “Tech, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to fight off invading cats, Macavity, dogs…and how many times I’ve been kidnapped before. I will be fine.”

Tech couldn’t argue with that…and he knew that Coricopat would not give up, after all he had promised to help Tech find Crosshair, no matter what…and Tech was grateful for his assistance and the use of his feline senses.

Phee sighed heavily and nodded reluctantly, still not happy to not be there with Tech – but Cid may make it more difficult if she was there, knowing that she had been helping the boys.

“All right, we’ll leave tomorrow,” Phee said, looking to Tech, who nodded. “You get to explain it to Hunter though.”

Tech grimaced at that thought. Hunter was not going to take this well.

Tech was right. Hunter didn’t take it well…at first. He was very much against Tech and Coricopat leaving, especially if he and Wrecker weren’t with them. Tech had brought up Omega’s safety as a counter argument, gaining a heavy scowl from their sister – and he would need to make it up to her for that. He knew how much she hated being left behind.

Hunter did not want Tech to go on another mission with Phee, not after the disastrous last one. Phee wisely kept her mouth shut, instead leaning against the wall next to Coricopat as they watched this argument take place inside the Marauder.

“I need to do this,” Tech told Hunter firmly, meeting his gaze straight on. “After everything that has happened in the last few days, to finding out about Crosshair…I need the distraction.”

“Or a database to hack into?” Hunter challenged, raising an eyebrow as he stared down Tech.

“If there is an Imperial facility and if it is not too dangerous, then perhaps…but that is not the goal here,” Tech admitted, knowing that Hunter would catch him in that lie easily. “I need a distraction, to focus on a mission instead – and this one will not be as bad as the last one. There is no exchange of credits or merchandise, it is just a confirmation that the item is what Phee’s client has been searching for.”

“And why is Coricopat going?” Omega asked, sounding a little put out as she glanced at Coricopat.

“I need to see if moving away from Pabu and moving through different parts of your galaxy allows me to connect with Tantomile,” Coricopat explained himself, keeping his voice calm and even. He was used to lying, to underplaying what was happening. He had to do it on occasion with Munkustrap to keep the Protector from having a nervous breakdown. “I don’t plan on leaving the ship unless Phee has stated it is safe – but being on her ship and being able to meditate as we travel should hopefully allow me to connect with Tantomile or the others.”

“Crosshair told us to run and hide,” Wrecker spoke up finally from where he was sitting, shoulders hunched in and making his bulky frame look smaller. “This is the opposite of what he said.”

“I know that, Wrecker,” Tech said, not unkindly, “that is why I am stating that I am going alone with Coricopat and Phee, that way, if Crosshair’s warning was true, if there are any issues, then it will be easier to get away, knowing that you aren’t in danger.”

Hunter looked unconvinced, rubbing the stubble on his chin worriedly. “You are less likely to be spotted if you aren’t with us,” he admitted quietly, “and if you conceal your armour.”

Tech nodded, exhaling softly, knowing that Hunter was starting to agree with him.

“But, Hunter…!” Omega tried to protest.

Hunter shook his head, gently stopping her as he rested a hand on her shoulder. “I know you want to go too, kid, but not this time. Let Tech scope out what’s going on and he’ll let us know of the danger…and then, maybe, you can help Phee out next time,” he finished, heavily emphasizing the ‘maybe’.

“So, that’s a never,” Omega grumbled to herself, crossing her arms across her chest as she slumped into her seat. Hunter just looked at her fondly, reaching over to stroke her hair.

“Aww, don’t worry, ‘Meg, we can go find something to blow up,” Wrecker tried to console before getting a sharp look from Hunter as Omega laughed.

“When will you leave?” Hunter said instead, choosing to ignore Wrecker’s comment for now and turning his attention back to Tech. Tech looked to Phee to confirm as Coricopat drifted over to sit next to Omega, gently tickling her feet with his tail, making her laugh again. Coricopat chuckled as she collapsed into his arms, giggling as she tried to escape his tail.

“Tomorrow morning,” she said with a small smile. “That gives us time for a nice group dinner, huh?”

Coricopat stayed with Omega as Tech went to gather his gear. Hunter followed him out – probably to give him a final talking to, to be safe or something along those lines…Munkustrap always gave them that chat, no matter where they were going. Wrecker followed Phee out of the Marauder, loudly planning what they should eat that night.

“Will you be okay?”

Coricopat glanced down at Omega, wrapped up in his arms and leaning against his chest, as she quietly voiced that. She was staring up at him with wide brown eyes.

“Of course,” Coricopat assured her, gently rubbing her back. “Tech is very responsible, I’m sure there’ll be no trouble.”

Omega gave a small snort, burying her face into the material of Coricopat’s flowy shirt – another one provided by Shep. “Don’t let him fool you,” she mumbled against his arm, “he can be just as impulsive as Wrecker sometimes.”

“Mm,” Coricopat hummed fondly, “I guess you two are very similar to each other then.”

Omega peered up curiously at him at that. “Really?”

Coricopat nodded, sweeping the fringe from her face. “Yes, you and Tech share similarities – besides being clones that is. In the time I’ve been here, I can see you both share the same sharp mind with the ability to think quickly on the go. You also have quite similar face shapes, compared to your other brothers. I think as you get older, you will look more like Tech in facial features.”

Omega smiled softly at that before she laid back in Coricopat’s arms. Coricopat hummed softly as he continued to gently rub her back. Omega knew that he did this to the children – the kittens, that is – back in his own universe. He had told her how he and his twin looked after the kittens at times and he had told her all about them, of their mischief and adventures, of their skills and bravery, of their kindness and stubbornness.

Coricopat sounded so fond when he spoke of them, and she knew that he cared for his family and friends. The Jellicles seemed to be a large family and Omega compared to them to what she knew of the clones. They had their own squads, their own batches – much like the Jellicles had their own families, their own groups, but at the end of the day, they were a family and they would protect each other.

Omega ran her hand absently through the fur on Coricopat’s arms, feeling faint scars here and there. The scars were more centred around his wrist, as though he had worn binders at one point and had fought against them.

She didn’t ask him about it, though she was curious. She knew that it might be a tough subject for him.

“These were from fights,” Coricopat answered quietly above her anyway, seeming to have read her thoughts. “The ones around my wrist from rope. Macavity had kidnapped me, angry at Munkustrap about something, and I had been closest, so I was grabbed.”

Omega shifted so she could meet his gaze. Coricopat just smiled at her reassuringly.

“Were you badly hurt?”

Coricopat gave a slight shrug of his shoulders at Omega’s soft question. “Scratches and bites mostly, a few broken bones – but Macavity doesn’t usually aim to kill us…usually. He just wanted Munkustrap to pay so he hurt me to make it so.”

Omega shuddered slightly in his arms.

“You are worried that others will seek to do the same to your brothers, to hurt them.”

“Stop reading my thoughts,” Omega snapped.

“I’m not, kitten,” Coricopat admitted, “not on purpose. There are surface thoughts that people have, which tend to be the loudest, the most broadcast thoughts, which I can hear without trying. You were broadcasting your worries quite loudly, dear one.”

Omega shuddered again, closing her eyes tight. “I don’t want to lose them. Any of them…even Crosshair, though I know he doesn’t like me.”

Coricopat was quiet for a moment, his paw still continuing to stroke her back soothingly.

“That’s understandable,” he answered finally. “They’re your family. It’s natural to be worried…but from what I’ve learned in the brief time I’ve been here, they will do whatever they can to keep you safe, to get back to you.”

“I don’t want them to be hurt because of me.”

“And they won’t be,” Coricopat soothed. “Your brothers are fighters and I’m sure Crosshair is too.”

“They’ve been hurt because of me before,” Omega admitted, speaking out loud her fears. “What if…what if they are again?”

“You’re safe here,” Coricopat told her firmly, gently tilting her head up so he could meet her gaze evenly. “You are safe as are they. When Tech and I leave tomorrow with Phee, we will do our best to keep out of trouble, but if trouble finds us, know that it wasn’t your fault…and that Tech will fight to come back to you and your brothers.”

Omega sat up so she could wrap her arms around Coricopat’s neck, hugging him tightly. Coricopat wrapped his arms around her back, hugging her close.

“Make sure you come back too, and Phee,” Omega whispered in his ear. “You’re our family too now, Cori.”

Coricopat smiled softly at that, gently nuzzling her cheek as he purred softly. “Thank you, sweetheart. I’m afraid I’m pretty hard to get rid of, so until I can get back to my own family, I am sorry to say that you are stuck with me.”

Omega gave a watery laugh at that. Coricopat peered over her shoulder as Hunter came back in, pausing slightly as he saw them. Hunter smiled softly at them both.

“Omega, will you help me gather some supplies for Tech, Cori and Phee, please?” Hunter asked. Omega nodded, giving Coricopat one last shaky smile, her brown eyes still slightly teary, before she headed off to help Hunter.

Coricopat inclined his head in return to Hunter’s grateful nod. He sighed as he was left alone in the main part of the ship, hearing Tech banging around in their bunk room.

He hoped what he just told Omega didn’t turn out to be a lie.

Tech sat in the co-pilot seat of Phee’s ship, the Providence, early the next morning. The dinner they had the night before was loud and happy. Omega hadn’t left his side, pressing in close and chatting to him as much as she could. Tech had taken it in stride, conversing with his sister, seeing Phee shooting smiles at him from across the table as she sat next to Coricopat.

Hunter was on his other side, making sure he was eating enough, and apparently just wanting to be close to him too.

They had just finished saying their goodbyes this morning, with Omega hugging him tightly for longer than she usually did. Tech had to reassure her several times that it would be okay and that he would comm her when it was safe to do so, to keep her updated.

Hunter had gone over everything, telling him to be safe and not to take unnecessary risk and to listen to his gut about the situation. Tech had quirked an eyebrow at him, advising that he would rely on facts and probabilities, not on gut feelings, but he would be careful and vigilant just the same. Hunter had grinned at that, tension leaving his shoulders somewhat.

Wrecker had hugged him tightly, with Tech feeling as if the air was squeezed from him.

“I am not going for long,” Tech wheezed through Wrecker’s hug. “I will be back soon.”

Tech listened as Coricopat got settled into the seat behind him. He had also been on the receiving end of their farewells, but he had taken it in his stride, seeming rather touched by the concern and attention.

“All right, boys,” Phee stated as she sat down in the pilot’s chair. “Let’s get going. Systems check clear, Brown Eyes?”

“Systems are perfectly fine,” Tech stated, glancing at her. “Are you sure you do not want me to pilot?”

Phee gave him a look which had him sighing. “I was just checking,” he muttered.

“I know you’re a great pilot, Brown Eyes, I remember all of your piloting feats on our last mission,” she said as the ship lifted from the ground, Coricopat giving a sharp intake of breath at the feeling, having never actually flown before, “but this is my ship and I will get us there safely, besides, this means I get all of your attention.”

Tech’s cheeks warmed a little at her words. “Ah, is this just like your view comment back on Tryth regarding the view.”

Phee laughed freely at Tech’s remark as they left the atmosphere. “I was quite a view, I wasn’t lying about that, Brown Eyes.”

“Mmhmm,” Tech hummed, smiling a little, seeing the warmth in Phee’s gaze as she looked at him. “Yes, Mel saw my reaction and thought it was very humorous.”

Tech heard said droid chirp and beep in agreement from where it was perched next to Coricopat, who looked at the droid with interest. Mel-222 had been very interested in Coricopat when he had boarded as Coricopat also stared at the droid, asking if it was similar to Gonky. Tech had advised that there were similarities, but no, they were vastly different.

Gonky didn’t rework codes after it had been checked. Mel had beeped something that had Tech’s eyebrows raising steadily towards his hairline before Phee had told it to mind its language.

“Well,” Phee murmured, giving Tech a look that he couldn’t quite decipher, “we’ll have to look further into that, hm? Maybe next time we won’t be as lucky and will need to share a hotel room.”

Tech’s cheeks heated as he heard Coricopat’s quiet chuckle from behind them.

“What are you giggling at, kitty cat?” Phee shot back as she inputted the co-ordinates to Ord Mantell.

“You two are very well suited for each other,” Coricopat responded, ears twitching as he listened to Tech’s heart rate rise sharply at his comments. “Well, you can share a bunk room,” he added slyly, just to watch Tech’s cheeks pinken slightly. “I only need some blankets and I’m set.”

Phee’s chair turned slightly so she could stare at Coricopat over her shoulder. Coricopat just smiled mildly at her as he settled into his seat.

“Shall we get into hyperspace?” Tech asked, voice pitched slightly louder than usual as he reached towards the controls just to have his hands batted away. “You will not meet your meeting time otherwise.”

Phee gave him a lingering look, seeing the slightly flushed cheeks and awkward glances and decided to take pity on him.

“You’re right, Brown Eyes,” she said simply, smiling at him. “Let’s go then.”

She set the ship to make the jump into hyperspace as Tech turned his chair around to face Coricopat. He was about to glare at him, to stop him from making such comments about he and Phee, when he saw Coricopat’s eyes go wide, mouth opening in surprise.

He glanced back towards the viewport, watching as the stars flew by in blue streams as they entered hyperspace.

Ah, right. Coricopat had never seen this before.

It reminded him of Omega when they first took her off Kamino and she experienced everything for the first time. The awe in her face, it helped Tech to remember the vastness and the incredible sights and experiences of the galaxy.

“It’s something, isn’t it?” Tech asked softly as Coricopat nodded, eyes fixated on the viewport, dark green eyes reflecting the stars.

“Yeah,” Cori croaked, managing to get the words out. “If the others could see this…”

Coricopat’s voice drifted off, sadness filling his eyes as he thought of his family. Tech glanced at Phee, seeing her glancing back at him in understanding before he shifted to sit beside Coricopat instead.

“What would they think?”

Coricopat shook his head. “Tantomile…she would be as awestruck by this as I am,” he said quietly. “Mistoffelees would be beside himself and Munkustrap…well, I’m not sure, but the stories he could make out of this…”

“Munkustrap is a storyteller?” Phee asked as she turned her chair to face Coricopat.

Coricopat nodded. “He’s the Protector, but he’s also the tribe storyteller. All of the stories, all of the songs, from our tribe, Munkustrap knows.”

Phee leaned forward, resting her cheek in hand. “Sing us one?”

Coricopat blinked, taken aback. “I-I am not sure what one…”

“Tech said you were a dancer, but you sing too, right?” Phee asked, confirming that Coricopat actually could sing. Coricopat inclined his head.

“Yes, I do sing,” he confirmed, glancing at Tech. Tech nodded reassuringly.

“I would not mind hearing one of these stories told in song,” Tech stated, carefully arranging his glasses so the recorder tucked up next to his right eye was directed more towards Coricopat.

Coricopat frowned deeply as he thought of the songs. “Would you prefer something bright and cheerful or something melancholier?”

“Bright and cheerful,” Phee quickly stated, smiling at him. Coricopat bit his bottom lip slightly as he thought.

“It won’t be as good as the others are not here to sing with me,” he said quietly.

“I am sure it’ll be just as good,” Phee assured him. Tech looked at her, smiling at her. She was so caring, Tech thought. It just made him adore her even more, seeing her be so kind and reassuring to Coricopat.

“The greatest magicians have something to learn, from Mr Mistoffelees conjuring turn,” Coricopat began to sing, the young Tuxedo Tom coming to mind.

Phee and Tech listened as he sang, his eyes closed as he thought of his tribe, so certain he could hear Tugger’s voice ringing out around the ship as he sang of Misto’s magical feats.

He could swear he could see Munkustrap’s warm and proud smile directed at him, seeing Misto’s beaming smile as he sang.

He blinked his eyes open at the end of the song, seeing Phee’s smile first and then looking to Tech, seeing his head was tilted slightly in that curious way of his, but he also had a slight smile.

“That was interesting,” Tech stated, meeting Coricopat’s gaze. “I have never heard a song like that before. I quite liked it.”

“Brown Eyes was right, it was good,” Phee agreed, “you have a lovely voice.”

Coricopat ducked his head in a humble nod, cheeks burning slightly. He never really had his voice praised before. In a tribe of singers and dancers, he tended to blend in with them. He wasn’t a standout like Munkustrap or Tugger, and he didn’t have a song of his own like Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer or Skimbleshanks.

“Over our trip I definitely want to hear the other songs,” Phee stated as she stood to stretch. “What are some of the others about?”

“Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat, Jennyanydots the Gumbie Cat, Old Deuteronomy – our leader -, The Rum Tum Tugger, the battle between the Pekes and Pollicles, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, and Grizabella’s song,” Coricopat listed a few.

“They…have very intriguing titles,” Tech stated, tapping something on his forearm computer. Probably updating his file, Coricopat thought fondly with a small laugh. “I am curious to know what the songs are actually about.”

“I also know songs from the humans in my world,” Coricopat said with a small shrug, “just in case you want to know what their music is like, compared to yours.”

Tech’s eyes lit up in the prospect of learning something new and quickly agreed. Phee laughed, hand gently drifting across Tech’s shoulder as she walked past.

“Easy, my Brown Eyes, we still have a full day of travel before we reach Ord Mantell, there’s time to hear all of this,” she told him, gaining a nod. “Does anyone want a drink or something to eat?”

“No, thank you, Phee,” Tech said softly, reaching up to gently touch her hand on his shoulder. Coricopat echoed that sentiment and Phee smiled before she disappeared into the back of her ship.

Coricopat glanced towards the controls of the ship. “Does…the ship not need to be flown?”

Tech also looked towards the controls at Coricopat’s quietly panicked question. “No, we are set on a course through hyperspace, so while the control’s usually do need to be monitored, we do not need to manually steer until we are out of hyperspace.”

Coricopat nodded, more at ease at Tech’s explanation, as he settled back in his seat.

“So, tell me about this Cid,” Coricopat said, meeting Tech’s gaze. He listened as Tech went over everything regarding Cid. He listened to Tech’s full spiel before he asked the questions that had come to mind.

“What is a Trandoshan?” he asked, as Tech had said that was her species.

“It is a reptilian species,” Tech explained, hands waving slightly as he explained animatedly. “They are humanoid in build, being that they walk on two feet, have two arms and the skeleton structure is very nearly the same – but they have a reptilian appearance. They have scales, a beakier type face, a tail and do not do well in cold temperatures.”

Coricopat blinked. He could not visualise that from Tech’s description. He would just have to wait and see.

“Just do not call her ugly, even if she says she’ll show her ugly side,” Tech also pointed out helpfully. “I did that once, she was not happy, and we need to remain on her good side.”

“Got it,” Coricopat said – though he wasn’t quite sure he did. Be courteous then, Coricopat decided, and hope that his facial expressions did not betray his shock when he saw this Trandoshan.

“Brown Eyes!” Phee called from the back of the ship. “I’ve got the credits here, come and help me get the crate.”

Tech frowned at that, looking towards the door taken aback, before he got to his feet and headed towards the door.

“How do you already have the credits on here?” he asked exasperatedly as he walked into the other room. “When did you get them?”

“It’s left over from Pabu’s repairs,” Phee’s voice responded, “It should be enough to give Cid or as a promise of more depending on her information.”

“They couldn’t have shut down our accounts though, we can always transfer it to Cid’s accounts,” came Tech’s response. Coricopat shook his head fondly with a small smile as he listened to them discuss the credits that they had – which apparently was their currency in this galaxy.

Coricopat turned his attention back to stars rushing by, letting his mind drift into a deep meditative state.

Tantomile, where are you?

Still silence from her end. He still couldn’t sense her, still couldn’t find her presence anywhere.

Sighing, he let himself slip deeper.

Keep heart, Crosshair, he whispered across the vastness, to the connection of energies. Hope is not lost yet.

Chapter Text

The journey to Ord Mantell was long, yet quicker than Coricopat expected. He knew that it took the humans on his world days just to reach the moon, which was in view of Earth – yet the trip between planets, a fair distance away (Tech had given Coricopat the exact distance between Pabu and Ord Mantell, but Coricopat could not make sense of a parsec and what that measurement was) – and the trip was done in just under two standard days (again, as Tech worded it, Coricopat wasn’t sure what a ‘standard’ day was or if it was different to the usual day on his world).

They had spent the trip talking. Phee had told Cori stories about her many adventures as a Pirate (or “artifact liberator” as Phee so primly corrected a smirking Tech) as Tech sighed in fond exasperation at the exaggerations in her tales. Coricopat had sung more songs, from the different songs about the Jellicles, to the more popular human songs.

Tech had liked the more pop-like songs with a more upbeat beat to them. He had caught Tech humming along to them later that day – or night, Coricopat wasn’t quite sure – as he reorganized the many pouches that he had on his person.

Phee was more into the rock sort of songs and Coricopat had caught her humming and absently singing them as she looked over the charts on the console.

Coricopat sat across from Tech, absently bouncing his leg as he watched Tech go over his equipment once more. He had left his armour on Pabu, deeming it would stand out too much back on Ord Mantell. They had come to be known on Ord Mantell, Tech had explained to Coricopat, as they worked and did jobs for Cid.

While his facial features and unique glasses still made him stand out, he would stand out less than having his full armour.

“Besides,” Tech had said with a small shrug, “my undersuit is compiled of stronger materials. It will keep me safe – except from a direct blaster shot – and I will be able to manoeuvre easier.”

Phee had shot him a displeased look at that. “You won’t be getting into any trouble in the first place, Brown Eyes. You’re keeping your head down.”

Tech smiled warmly at her concern. “Of course, Phee.”

He did keep the arm armour piece (“greaves,” Tech had supplied) with the forearm computer, along with the hand plate with the holo disc attached to the back.

“I never go anywhere without it,” Tech advised Coricopat as he adjusted the greave.

“That’s true,” Phee confirmed as she came to sit beside them, “even on our undercover mission, he was wearing that under his suit jacket.”

Coricopat raised an eyebrow, looking at her. “You got him out of the armour and the under armour?”

In the time he had been on Pabu, he hadn’t known the clones to wear anything but their armour and undersuits. Apparently, they had some sort of quick washing system on that ship because they smelt decent most of the time – unless they had spares, though Coricopat highly doubted that, going by what they had told him.

Tech lifted his head slightly, giving Coricopat an unimpressed look from under his goggles, as Phee laughed loudly.

“Yes, I did,” she said, sounding somewhat smug, as she smiled fondly at Tech. “It had to be done to uphold our cover as husband and wife – and he looked dashing.”

“I was nothing compared to you, Phee,” Tech returned before blushing slightly as he realised what he had said. Coricopat smiled softly at that but said nothing to further rib Tech. He had noticed that Tech was still so uncertain about what to do with his feelings about Phee. He cared for her a great deal, Coricopat could easily determine that, but obviously with their upbringing as soldiers and the war…Tech didn’t really know how to go about it or if it was really, truly, a possibility.

“You are such a flatterer,” Phee returned, pleased, before turning the conversation away slightly to stop Tech feeling awkward. “The theatre group on Pabu made the clothes. They did such a fantastic job. I felt so horrible that we had to cut them and lose pieces in order to get away from the angry mob.”

Coricopat just blinked at that piece of information, not sure how to take it. Hunter did say that Phee’s mission had been full of trouble, but he did not expect to hear that they ran from an angry mob.

“Well,” he stated uncertainly at that, “I’m going to get another nap in before we get to Ord Mantell.”

Phee nodded as she shifted to sit next to Tech, smiling at him, as she helped to organise his equipment.

Coricopat padded to the small bunk room, hearing them murmur quietly to each other, to give them some privacy. He curled up on Phee’s bunk, sighing softly, before he fell asleep, wondering what Ord Mantell was like.

Ord Mantell wasn’t anything like Coricopat had been expecting. He had heard Tech’s description of it and thought it would be more like central London, but it was nothing like that.

Coricopat had stood behind Tech’s seat, gripping on tightly to the head rest, as Phee flew over Ord Mantell. It looked so grey and dreary and bleached of colour – save for the odd flashes of neon light here and there.

“Over there,” Tech advised, pointing at an area outside of the city, in some wilderness. Phee shifted the trajectory of the ship, flying towards the area Tech had pointed out. Phee landed the ship smoothly and they headed towards the ramp of the ship, ready to depart.

“You shouldn’t stay here long,” Tech stated as he turned to Phee, once he had rearranged the poncho on himself, making sure the pouches around his hips were mostly covered, but leaving the holsters on his thigh clear so he could grab the blasters from them quickly if need be. “You don’t want the authorities to come and investigate.”

Phee smiled at him. “I’ll be fine, Brown Eyes,” she assured him as she fixed the beige poncho slightly near his neck, her hands lingering there for a moment as they stared at each other, almost having a silent conversation just with those looks.

Coricopat turned his head slightly to give them privacy.

“Here, Cori.” He turned back at the call of his name, seeing Tech and Phee had separated and that Phee had picked up a light brown jacket.

She smiled as she handed it over. “I know Shep gave you longer pants, but you’ll need a jacket, just in case. It can get cold on Ord Mantell.”

Coricopat took it with thanks and slipped it on over the white shirt with the low V neckline that Shep had given him. The jacket was made of a comfortable material which was soft to touch but also seemed sturdy. It reminded Coricopat of cotton, but not quite.

It went well with the black pants that Shep had gotten him for this trip, that were only rolled up twice at the ankles.

Phee eyed off his bare feet. “Are you sure you don’t want shoes?”

Coricopat shook his head, smiling. “No, I’m fine. I need to feel what’s under my feet, it also helps me run quickly if I don’t have shoes impeding me as I’m not used to them.”

Tech was also staring down at Cori’s feet with a frown. “Ord Mantell does tend to have rough streets with potentially broken glass.”

“I’ll be fine,” Coricopat reassured them, holding up his paws and turning them over so they could see the paw-pads underneath. “These help protect my feet too,” he told them.

Tech reached out to take one of Cori’s paws in his own hand, looking over the pads. Coricopat’s paws were just like his hands, almost, save for the squishy yet leathery feeling pads that outlined his palms and parts of his fingers – and the way the fingers tapered off into slight claws (though Tech knew that Coricopat could bring his claws all the way out if threatened).

“Hm,” Tech hummed as Coricopat watched with a smile, knowing that Tech was just concerned. “We will still have to be careful.”

“Of course.”

Coricopat watched as Phee hesitated for a moment before she stepped forward and pulled Tech into a close hug. Tech blinked, startled for a moment, before he slowly wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug.

“You be careful,” Phee murmured into Tech’s ear. “If Cid shows any signs of getting you in trouble, you get out of there.”

“I will be careful,” Tech promised her, slightly nuzzling his face into the side of hers. “We will meet you here in five standard rotations.”

Phee sighed, giving him one last squeeze before she reluctantly let him go. Her brown eyes searched his face for a moment, apparently taking in all of the details, before she stepped back at smiled at both Tech and Coricopat.

“Well, I better get going if I want to meet this deadline,” she stated lightly – though Coricopat still sensed her sadness and concern about leaving Tech – before she handed Tech the small case that had been sitting near the ramp door. The credits that they would use to entice Cid.

“Of course,” Tech agreed as he took the case before hesitating once more. He adjusted his goggles awkwardly. “If you need anything, if there is any trouble…let us know and I will steal a ship to assist you.”

Phee laughed, gently swatting his arm. “You know the way to a girl’s heart, Brown Eyes.”

Tech watched as Phee’s ship departed, feeling a sense of wrongness in watching her go. Part of him wished that she would have remained by his side, and he by hers, but another part didn’t want her anywhere near Cid.

He glanced at Coricopat, seeing the Jellicle was staring at him, and sighed.

“Come on,” he said to Coricopat, glancing up once more just to see Phee’s ship disappear from view before they started the walk into the city.

He kept glancing at Coricopat as they walked, watching as the feline being kept looking around, taking everything in. As they came closer to Ord Mantell, Coricopat’s nose wrinkled and he placed a paw over it briefly.

“That is quite an…interesting smell,” he decided on as he looked to Tech, who nodded.

“It is. You get used to it.”

“Mm,” Coricopat grumbled, rubbing at his nose once more, before taking his paw away, steeling himself to get used to the odd smell. It was a mixture of foods that Coricopat had never smelt before, the stench of different beings stumbling about, a metallic, industrial smell from the warehouses and the speeders that were rushing by and just a mixture of what seemed to be thousand different smells that Coricopat had never smelt before in his life.

He kept close to Tech’s side, sidestepping beings that he never could have imagined seeing, from people with bright blue skin, to those covered in fur like him, to ones covered in scales, spots, and stripes and one that looked like it had a flatworm as a head.

He got odd looks now and again as people noticed him. He tugged the jacket tighter around himself and wrapped his tail around his lower leg, keeping it still and out of view for the moment.

“How are your feet?” Tech asked, gaining his attention.

“Fine,” Coricopat answered, glancing down at his bare furry feet upon the grimy footpath. “Though I have a feeling I may need to wash them soon.”

Tech hummed in agreement before gesturing forward. “Cid’s establishment is down here.”

He followed Tech quietly to the establishment, following him down a small laneway and down some steps, ears rotating and twitching on his head as he listened to what was happening nearby.

Others had noticed his appearance and had made comment on what he was exactly, but there was nothing untoward or concerning at the moment.

Coricopat winced at the sound of odd music coming from the establishment, which was more accurately a bar, Coricopat thought as he followed Tech inside. It wasn’t music he heard often in his world – with a more electronic noise to it.

He cast his gaze around the low-lit bar, seeing patrons surrounding tables with small holo figures on it, before looking towards the actual bar, seeing a droid floating back and forth, helping people with their drink orders.

The droid stopped, seeming to have spotted them. “Tech!” it greeted loudly, causing attention to focus on them. “You have come back!”

Tech grimaced slightly and walked towards the bar, Coricopat following closely.

“Yes, Azi, I’m back. Is Cid here?”

Azi nodded, ignoring those at the bar for the moment. “Yes, she is! Let me get her for you! She will be glad to see you!”

“I highly doubt that,” Tech murmured under his breath as Azi flew off down a hallway. Coricopat glanced around, taking in the different patrons staring at them and muttering to each other.

“Recognize anyone beside the droid?” Coricopat asked him quietly.

“The two in the booth over there,” Tech responded, nodding to the two staring at them. “Bolo is the Ithorian and Ketch is the Weequay.”

Coricopat stared at the two for a moment before looking to Tech. “That makes no sense to me.”

“Ah, right. The Weequay is the one with brown, almost leather-like skin, while the Bolo the Ithorian is the one with flat head and translator,” Tech explained.

“Ah, the flat worm head,” Coricopat murmured to himself, getting a bewildered look from Tech. He was prevented from asking Cori for clarification when he heard the familiar rough voice.

“Well, well, look who comes crawlin’ back.”

Tech inhaled, steeling himself before turning around to face Cid, who had approached, her yellow eyes glaring at him.

“Oh,” Coricopat murmured from behind him. “I see.”

Tech wasn’t sure what Coricopat was referring to but decided to keep his focus on Cid at that moment.

“Yes, I know it has been a while, and that things did not end particularly well between us,” Tech said tactfully, “but I have come with a job for you, if you would like.”

Cid raised an eye-ridge, staring at him incredulously. “You and what credits?”

Tech glanced at the case in held in one of his hands before looking back to Cid. “Shall we discuss this privately?”

Cid thought for a moment, scowling as she stared at Tech, scaly arms folded across her chest, before she jerked her head and turned around.

Tech exhaled quietly. “So far, so good,” he murmured to Coricopat, who nodded in agreement.

They followed Cid to her office. Coricopat stared at the different artefacts lining the shelves behind her desk as she sat down and stared at them. Her beady yellow eyes landed on him and her face twisted somewhat.

“Who and what is this?” Cid asked roughly as she leaned forward, staring at Coricopat.

“I’m Coricopat,” he introduced himself, standing tall to show Cid that he was not one to be cowed, “and I am a Jellicle Cat.”

Cid blinked. “What the hell is that?”

“It’s complicated,” Tech answered, glancing at Coricopat, “and we will get to him in a moment as that is part of the job I have for you.”

Cid leaned back in her seat, appraising Tech. “Just you, Goggles? Where’s Dark and Broody and the rest of them?”

Tech rested the case down on the desk for the moment. “They are not here,” he told her, meeting her gaze steadily. “This is a job for me, not for them.”

Cid scratched at her scaly chin idly as she stared at him. “You gonna tell me where you lot disappeared to after Silos?”

“Here and there,” Tech responded cryptically. “Doing odd jobs.”

“And I’m guessing that’s how you came across these credits?” Cid asked, nodding to the case. “This isn’t going to lead an angry group to me, is it?”

“No,” Tech assured. “These credits are clean.”

Cid hummed, still eyeing Tech off. Coricopat couldn’t get a proper read on her. There were feelings of distrust and dislike when she looked at Tech, but there were also feelings of greed and intrigue.

So far so good in Coricopat’s opinion, nothing to alert him that she was going to turn on them,

“I’m after information,” Tech started to lay out his offer. “I’m looking for information on a Doctor Royce Hemlock or on a location called Tantiss.”

Cid leaned forward, intrigued. “And why are you looking for that?”

“I thought you didn’t need to know all the details for a job,” Tech responded. Cid grinned sharply, dangerously.

“Oh, I usually don’t,” she agreed, “but this is you, Goggles. You don’t come searching for information, meaning this could be messy, so I want to know why I should risk my safety?”

“You mean besides the credits?”

“Besides that,” Cid agreed lazily. Tech’s jaw clenched for a moment, unimpressed, before he sighed, knowing that he couldn’t not tell Cid. She wouldn’t take the job unless she knew.

“I am searching for my twin, Crosshair,” he admitted. Cid pressed her claws together as she appraised Tech from above them.

“I remember you talkin’ about him,” she stated, “he’s the one who stayed with the Empire.”

“Until recently,” Tech confirmed, producing a data-stick. “This has the base information that I have collected about Hemlock and Tantiss. It seems that Crosshair has turned against the Empire and was taken to a facility called Tantiss, which is run by Hemlock. It seems clones are being sent there for experimentation and Crosshair is one of them.”

Cid hummed consideringly. “Show me the credits.”

Tech opened the case and turned it around. Cid leaned forward further, impressed by the amount she saw.

“You sure these are clean?” she asked, gaze flicking up to him. Tech nodded as he closed the case.

“Of course.”

Cid nodded in consideration before she turned her beady eyes back to Coricopat.

“And what about him?” she said, nodding to him. “You said this involved him too.”

Tech looked to Coricopat, gently inclining his head and giving him the go-ahead to tell Cid.

“I’m not from here,” Coricopat explained, “as you have already deduced. I fell through a vortex from my world after a magical duel between a member of my tribe and a cat intent on harming us.”

Cid stared, shocked speechless for once.

“I need to know if I am the only one who fell through a vortex or if anyone other Jellicle, or even Macavity, fell through one also somewhere in your galaxy,” Coricopat finished quietly.

“They all look like you?” Cid asked, reaching for a data pad.

“No, not exactly,” Coricopat answered, tail twitching nervously by his ankles as Tech shifted closer, seeming to sense his distress. “They will look like me in terms of being a humanoid feline-being for the most part. Mistoffelees is black and white, Munkustrap is silver with black stripes, Macavity is ginger and black with wild fur…and Tantomile…she is identical to me.”

Cid hummed, intrigued, before glancing at the case of credits again. “Is this all you’re offering?”

“For the search for my task and Coricopat’s, along with boarding costs,” Tech clarified, “if you are successful in finding out information about Hemlock, Tantiss or any of Coricopat’s family and friends, then there will also be a finder’s fee on top.”

Cid nodded thoughtfully, scratching at her chin again. Her yellow eyes landed on Coricopat, watching him for a moment.

“You said magical duel,” she recalled and Coricopat nodded, confused. “Do you have magic?”

“No,” Coricopat answered quickly, sensing a flare of greed within Cid. “I was just caught in the middle of it.”

Cid grunted, sounding disappointed, before she turned her attention to Tech. “Fine, Goggles, it’s a deal. You can stay here while I look for information. Got a deadline?”

“Five rotations for whatever you can find,” Tech answered, shifting the case over to Cid. “If after that, if nothing is found, then you can keep these credits for the search fee…and to help smooth over any discontent that our departure caused.”

Cid waved a claw absently as she pulled the case towards her. “Fine. You can help Azi in the meantime. I’ve got some stuff that needs fixing.”

Tech sighed. “Of course. Come along, Cori.”

Coricopat did his best to get used to life at Cid’s Parlour…but it was odd. It was loud and chaotic with fights usually occurring regarding the holo table or the slot machines. Tech had put his hand to fixing whatever needing fixing, just needing something to do in the meantime, as Coricopat sat at the bar and watched the going ons of the bar, while talking to Azi and learning all he could from that droid.

Azi was happy to tell him all about Kamino and the clones, while also questioning his genetic makeup as he had never been programmed to look after a being like Coricopat before. Azi had insisted on scans once Coricopat had told him that there were no beings like him in the galaxy and Coricopat had agreed, not being able to turn down the excitable once-medical droid.

He also had attempted the alcohol here, but it had set his fur on end, and he quickly stuck to whatever was less like to cause his taste buds to burn off. Azi had gotten him a glass of blue milk as apparently milk was blue in the galaxy?

Azi also had a variety of non-alcoholic drinks such as Jawa Juice for Coricopat to try as Tech watched on in amusement to Coricopat’s reactions to all of these new flavours.

He and Tech were sitting at the bar on their third day on Ord Mantell. Cid had been in and out, seeking information from sources that she knew, though she had been cagey on if she had found anything.

She had been rather off these last two days too, looking distracted, but her emotions stayed the same – greed, determination, distrust – nothing too alarming there.

Azi was cleaning the backrooms, ordered to do so by Cid, as it had been a quiet day with no one in the bar, not even Bolo and Ketch, who Coricopat had sort of gotten to know. Cid was somewhere around the bar, probably lurking in her office.

Coricopat’s ears twitched, swivelling slightly as he thought he heard a noise from outside – though it was difficult to differentiate with the music that Cid chose for the bar.

Tech tapped his fingers against the bar top, frowning at his forearm computer as he regarded it.

“Anything interesting?” Coricopat asked as he grabbed his Jawa Juice, having a sip of it.

“No new updates,” Tech sighed, closing the cover of the computer. “Nothing has been detected by any of programming regarding our search.”

Coricopat nodded, before stiffening somewhat, his ears turning before his head followed suit, gaining Tech’s attention, as he stared at the door to the bar.

“What is it?” Tech asked, hands going to his blasters.

“Boots. Marching. Coming towards us,” Coricopat stated as he slid off the stool, backing up away from the door with Tech.

The door opened and fully armoured clone troopers swarmed in as Tech grabbed Coricopat by the jacket, dragging him back and flipping a table so they would have cover.

“Clone commandos,” Tech hissed under his breath as he stared at them from behind their cover. Coricopat peered over the table too, frowning as he noted that they hadn’t made a move to fire on them. They were just standing there, blasters at the ready.

Another figure, this one not in armour, entered the door, standing between the clone commandos.

Coricopat felt the flash of rage from Tech before the bespectacled clone hissed, “Hemlock,” and stood up to face the Imperial scientist, dual blasters held in both hands.

Coricopat also stood up beside Tech, both of them still hiding behind the table, as he quickly went through what spells he knew which could potentially help them here…but against blasters, he wasn’t so sure.

He looked at Hemlock instead, shuddering slightly. The man’s emotions were cold and negative, much like the man’s ice blue eyes.

“Tech, isn’t it?” Hemlock spoke up, voice spookily soft and even. “I heard you were looking for me.”

Tech and Coricopat both looked to the right of Hemlock when they saw Cid appear.

“For your information,” Hemlock stated absently, not looking at Cid as he continued to stare down Tech. A clone handed a case to Cid.

“Why?!” Tech snarled at her, grip tightening on his blasters, which made the clone commandos tense, slightly more on edge. Coricopat laid a paw on Tech’s shoulder, shooting a warning glance to the commandos.

Tech gritted his teeth and loosened his grip somewhat.

“You brought trouble here, Goggles. I tried to look out for you boys, but you threw my help back in my face, and then when Hemlock got wise that I was searchin’ for him, well, he offered me a better price than you did. I had to make the best of a bad situation,” Cid stated. Tech glared at her, the glare magnified by his glasses.

“Yes, yes, all very interesting,” Hemlock stated boredly, “though I want to ask you one thing, Tech.”

“And that would be?”

“Where are the rest of your brothers? Where is Omega?”

Coricopat’s head whipped around to stare at Hemlock at that and he heard Tech’s sharp intake of breath. They had both realised at the same time what this was about. Omega had been singled out in that questioning.

Hemlock wanted Omega.

“Not here,” Tech stated simply, blasters at the ready. “Nowhere you can get them.”

Hemlock smiled, a cold and chilling thing. His blue eyes flickered briefly to Coricopat, eyebrows furrowing slightly in puzzlement, before looking back to Tech.

“Well, I guess I will just find them later,” he stated calmly. “Now, lower your weapons, Tech. You can’t get away.”

“I won’t be your prisoner,” Tech declared, right foot shifting back slightly into a defensive stance, prepared to fight.

“Ah, yes, but what about Crosshair?” Hemlock said silkily, watching as Tech froze and went rigid. “I am sure he wants to see you…and when I do finally find your brothers and Omega, I am sure that they will come more peacefully knowing that you are there.”

Tech gritted his teeth, “You mean when you threaten my wellbeing to them?”

Hemlock chuckled lowly, hands shifting slightly so he could grab the singular gloved hand with his bare hand. “Oh, I believe you and I will get on very well, Tech.”

Coricopat turned his attention to the clones surrounding him. Their emotions and thoughts stated they were loyal to Hemlock, they would do as ordered.

Coricopat’s gaze landed on Cid, seeing her still standing there, claws clasping the case full of credits for betraying them. There was something about her gaze, the hunger and greed within her eyes, that had Coricopat pushing deeper at her thoughts.

She was thinking about ways to find the others, to find Omega, so she could get all of the credits…and her payback on the Batch for abandoning her.

Coricopat’s tail puffed up, hackles rising, as rage overtook him. His claws slipped out slowly, but he knew he couldn’t get to her to stop her. If he moved, these clones with the finger ready on the trigger would shoot him and Tech before he got the chance.

…now that was a thought. Clones with blasters at the ready.

Coricopat focused his attention on the commando closest to Cid as Tech and Hemlock continued their back and forth, but Coricopat was more focused on the clone. He needed to be focused for this.

He reached out with his mind, gritting his teeth, as he pushed against the clone’s mind, seeking access. He managed to push through and found his vision doubling. He could see himself and Tech standing on the other side of the room, partially shielded behind an upturned table. He could see his own slightly glowing eyes fixed on the clone who’s mind he was currently controlling.

Slowly, carefully, he turned the clone around, making them raise the blaster towards Cid. Cid caught the movement in her peripheral, turning to face them, as her face twisted in shock and horror.

“Hey, what do you think…?!”

The sound of blaster fire and Cid’s body fell heavily to the ground, a hole smoking from her chest.

Coricopat gasped and staggered to the side as he pulled himself back into his own body as the clones and Hemlock startled at the sudden blaster shot. He stumbled into Tech, who quickly righted him.

“Cori?!”

“I’m all right,” Coricopat stated weakly, looking back up at their opponents, seeing Hemlock’s gaze was now fixed firmly on him. “We need to get out of here.”

Tech agreed, turning and shooting at something at the wall on the bar between them and the Imperials. Coricopat couldn’t exactly focus on what, being so out of it from taking control of another’s mind, but it caused a burst of flame to erupt between them.

“Come on!” Tech yelled, holstering a blaster and grabbing Coricopat’s arm, dragging him towards Cid’s office amidst the yelling and chaos.

“I want them both alive!” Coricopat heard Hemlock yell as he and Tech ran. Tech opened the door to Cid’s office, finding Azi in there.

“What is all that noise?” Azi asked worriedly as he floated over to them. “What is happening?”

Tech ignored him for the time being, opening a hatch on the floor. “It doesn’t matter,” he said impatiently to Azi. “Cid is dead and the Imperials are here. Come with us.”

Azi agreed immediately, following Coricopat into the tunnel before Tech followed, closing the hatch behind them.

“Is Cid really dead?” Azi asked as they travelled along the escape route.

“Yes,” Coricopat rasped. He had felt her emotions disappear after a brief intense feeling of shock and fear. Azi took that in stride and led them to the exit.

They slipped out onto the street, hiding behind some bins. Coricopat took the time to try and get his breath as Tech peered around, trying to gauge the situation.

“They have walkers,” Tech said grimly as a large four-legged machine walked past in the distance, “and squads. The odds are not looking good.”

Coricopat nodded as Tech came back to his side, frowning at him.

“What did you do?” Tech asked him as he checked something on his forearm computer. “You did something in there, didn’t you?”

Coricopat nodded, the motion making his head hurt. “I made the clone kill Cid.”

Tech’s brown eyes met his green ones, though Coricopat could not quite detect his emotions. “Why?”

“Because she was going to look further into where the others are, where Omega is,” Coricopat said roughly as he sat up straighter. “I couldn’t do anything myself, so…I went for the extreme.”

Tech’s gaze was still on him, still unreadable. “You can control others through your mind.”

Coricopat inclined his head, sighing. “Yes, though it is my very last go to. Beside it being incredibly taxing to get inside their head…it is also morally wrong. How can I take someone’s control from them? Only in a life-or-death situation would I even consider using that method, Tech, and even then, the situation would have to be extremely dire…but I could not let her give away anything that could lead to the Empire finding your brothers and Omega.”

Tech nodded, tension leaving his shoulders, before he glanced at the streets behind them once more, hearing loud clanking approaching them.

“They have jammed communications,” Tech stated, closing his forearm computer. “We have no way to warn Phee. We need to keep moving.”

Coricopat took Tech’s offered hand, letting Tech pull him to his feet before they quickly headed off through Ord Mantell’s oddly silent and empty streets.

They slipped through alleyways, hid behind bins and crates, and watched as clones forced the citizens back to their own homes.

As they moved from one street to the next, hoping to get out of the city, they found themselves blocked by a squad of four clones. Tech eyed them. They were blocking the only path that they had currently.

He switched his blaster to stun, still unable to shoot a clone brother, and looked to Coricopat.

“I will try and take down as many as I can,” he said, getting ready. “I would give you a blaster, but I do not think you know how to use it and I do not have time to give you a lesson.”

Coricopat held up his claws instead with a sharp smile. Tech eyed them off before looking at Coricopat in disbelief.

“What are you going to do with those?” he asked exasperatedly. “They are wearing armour.”

“Yes, but the bits in between the armour is flesh, perfect for claws,” Coricopat stated as he shifted from foot to foot, preparing himself.

“They will kill you before you get close,” Tech rebutted.

“Hemlock wants us alive. He ordered that as we ran,” Coricopat informed him, watching as Tech’s brow furrowed. “Keep up!”

He heard Tech’s splutter from behind him as he darted out from behind the crates, keeping low before leaping onto a large bin near the troopers and springing off of it, landing on one of the clones and taking them down to the ground heavily.

The other clones startled, turning towards him, before two fell as Tech quickly fired stun bolts. Coricopat lunged at the other one, managing to barely evade a stun blast as he slid on the rough ground, claws raking behind the clone’s knee, ripping through suit and skin, and sending him down to one knee. Coricopat quickly got up, pouncing on the clone trooper, sending his head against the ground with a loud ‘thwack’.

The clone underneath him went still. Knocked out, not dead, Coricopat confirmed as he stood up, watching as Tech stunned the stirring trooper he had first landed on.

Tech didn’t look too impressed but Coricopat just grinned.

“That was reckless,” Tech grumbled as he walked past Coricopat, who was examining the rips and tears in his clothes from sliding across the ground.

“Mm, debatable,” Coricopat returned as he straightened out the clothes. They would last for now, but he would get rid of them if they prevented him from moving properly.

Tech looked around, sighing. “I need to find out where the troops are positioned. I need to find somewhere to plug in.”

Coricopat followed Tech as they quickly headed away from the unconscious clones, who would surely be found shortly once they failed to check in, with Azi trailing behind them.

Tech found a suitable data point on the outside of a building, and they hunched down between crates. Coricopat watched as Tech plugged his forearm computer to the wall, using a thin connector, the lens of his goggles reflecting the light and information as he quickly took it in.

Coricopat kept alert, ears swivelling to pick up on any movement near them. He turned to face Tech once he heard Tech swear under his breath.

“What is it?” he asked, concerned. Tech was quiet as he disconnected the connector from the port in the wall.

“We are completely surrounded,” Tech advised quietly. “Hemlock has all exit points choked off, along with multiple walkers – so speeders are out of the question. I would suggest trying to hijack a walker, but it is dangerous without my armour…fatal if I fall.”

“I would rather not take that risk,” Coricopat said, shifting closer to him, feeling his turmoil. “So, what are the odds, Tech?”

Tech sighed again, shaking his head. “Not in our favour. There are multiple different plans that I have, ones to cause distractions and mayhem, yet the odds still end up at ninety-two percent of us being caught, 6 percent of us dying, and two percent of us actually escaping.”

“So, what do we do?” Coricopat asked heavily as Tech shifted to sit more firmly on the ground.

“I will surrender to them,” Tech stated matter-of-factly. “You and Azi may still be able to get to the rendezvous point with Phee. If Hemlock has me, he may let you go.”

Coricopat shook his head. “No, he won’t,” he said, gaining Tech’s attention. “He realised it was me that caused the clone to shoot Cid. He wants us both alive, remember?”

Tech’s frown deepened. “Then how do we warn the others?” he stated quietly to himself before his eyes landed on Azi, who was hovering nearby.

“I will leave them a message,” Tech stated, gaining Coricopat’s attention. “I will leave my computer and recorder with Azi. He can meet with Phee as the Imperials won’t be looking for him.”

Coricopat nodded, turning away. He had a feeling that Tech needed privacy to do this message, to send the apology to Phee, his brothers and Omega…to explain that the plan went wrong.

He kept his gaze over the crate, towards the street, as he tried not to listen to Tech apologizing to his family for misleading them, to not be angry at Phee who was only trying to help. He told them to hide and not to seek him out and that he would do what he could to get back to them with Coricopat.

He tried to ignore the message that Tech left just for Phee, apologizing for breaking his promise and not getting away. He thanked her for supporting him anyway in his search for Crosshair and for being there for him, for being his friend.

“I care for you greatly, Phee, please keep your head down and stay safe. I do not know if they will turn to Cid’s associates after this…but I do not want you on their radar. Please, just stay safe…and I am sorry.”

Cori turned back as he heard Tech sliding his forearm computer off. He opened a compartment in Azi’s chest cavity before placing his forearm computer in there before he pulled the recorder off of his goggles and placed them in there too.

He told Azi the co-ordinates for the rendezvous site, getting Azi to confirm them.

“Hide in here,” he said to Azi, pulling off a grate on a wall. “Keep silent until the Empire leaves or lets up on security and then meet Phee there.”

Azi agreed, sounding oddly sombre for a droid.

Once Azi was hidden, Coricopat and Tech nodded grimly to each other before they hurried off again.

“So, how are we going to do this?” Coricopat asked as he kept pace with Tech. “Are we going to just give up or is it a fight and then give up?”

“We will attempt to pretend to fight back,” Tech stated as he and Coricopat slowed near the mouth of an alley. “That way they will not get suspicious.”

Coricopat nodded, sighing as he let his bloodied claws slip out again. Tech looked at him for a moment.

“I am sorry, Coricopat,” he stated quietly, sadly. “I did not mean to get you into trouble like this.”

Coricopat smiled grimly and shook his head. “I’m used to this, Tech, I’ve been captured before. We’ll stick together and we’ll find a way out of it.”

Tech nodded, determined. “Let’s do this then.”

Chapter Text

“We’ll head towards the hangar bays in the space port,” Tech stated as they slunk along the darkened streets, occasionally across the roof tops, staying away from the streetlights and neon signs that would give away their location in the chaotic night. “It will be the most plausible that we would try and head there to steal a ship.”

Coricopat nodded as they crouched at the edge of a roof top, behind a ledge, as they watched the clone soldiers below searching for them with a systematic sweep.

“Could we still possibly steal a ship if that opportunity presents itself?” Cori asked, sparing a quick glance at Tech, who gave a nod.

“Of course, but it is highly unlikely.”

Coricopat sighed. “Well, at least we gave it a go.”

They quickly descended from that roof top once the Imperial clones had passed, unable to continue over the rooftops due to the differing height between the one they had been on and the towering complex that was next. It was also getting difficult as there were now more AT-ST Walkers combing the streets along with the squadrons, while the four-legged AT-ATs patrolled the outer skirts of the city, ensuring they couldn’t escape.

They darted across the street and into the shadows of the next, taking a moment to pause and take stock of where they are, performing a quick reconnaissance to see how many squads were around. Tech was still able to predict their pattern of movements, how they would spread out and what system they would use to try and box them in, as they hadn’t changed the way they operated since the Clone Wars.

“Almost there,” Tech told Coricopat quietly, indicating forward with a small hand signal. “Two more streets.”

Coricopat hummed, ears turning and swivelling on the top of his head as though they were small radars, Tech couldn’t help but compare, as he listened for any potential ambushes.

Tech nodded to Coricopat once more before darting out, hearing Coricopat follow swiftly behind him. Coricopat may not have been a soldier, but he was good at following orders, knowing that Tech’s commands should be followed here.

Tech kept point, blasters at the ready. Though he knew that the probabilities put them at being captured, he still wanted to attempt to get to the space port, to at try and steal a ship…but his main goal currently was to keep Coricopat safe…and to keep his brothers and Omega safe.

Cori yelled a warning and Tech dived to the side, just in time for a stun blast to nick his right arm, causing it to go numb by his side, his DC17 blaster dropping uselessly to the ground.

“Tech!” Coricopat yelled, rushing forward and leaping onto the clone trooper who had managed to get the shot in.

Coricopat had barely noticed the squad hidden in the shadows in time. He had managed to yell a warning to Tech, who reacted without hesitation and threw himself to the side, but he still got partially hit with a stun shot.

He saw the trooper readjusting his aim, but Cori wasn’t going to let him get another shot while Tech was now focused on the other troopers who had appeared from the shadows, shooting at them with his one working arm.

Coricopat lunged at the trooper, aiming for the soft parts with his claws, but the trooper saw him coming and ducked, with Coricopat’s claws scratching deep gouge marks into the chest armour yet leaving the trooper unharmed. He landed in a crouch on the other side of the trooper, teeth bared and hissing at him, tail lashing agitatedly, before he leapt again as the trooper tried now to shoot him.

He could hear blaster fire behind him, and he glanced around desperately seeking Tech, and finding him hunkered down behind a crate, shooting stun bolts at the clones who were returning fire.

Coricopat turned his attention back to the clone trooper in front of him. The armour was different to what Tech, Hunter and Wrecker wore, seemingly more compact. Tech had told Coricopat that these were Clone Commandos and that they weren’t regular clone troopers and weren’t to be underestimated as they had been specially designed and trained.

He lunged at the trooper again, leaping onto the clone’s shoulders as he fired wildly, and wrapped his legs around the trooper’s neck, using their momentum to bring them crashing to the ground, throwing the trooper over and into the ground heavily.

The commando lay still and Coricopat quickly jumped to his feet when he heard a cry. Tech had come out from behind the crates as another clone squad had flanked him, managing to hit his leg with a stun bolt, leaving Tech limping, and still trying to fire with just the one arm.

“Tech!” Coricopat yelled in warning, seeing another trooper behind him take aim. Tech turned but wasn’t quick enough, with the blue stun bolt hitting him square in the chest and sending him crumpling to the ground.

Coricopat snarled, rushing forward, claws out as he leapt forward. He used the clones as stepping stones, using their shoulders to leverage himself while kicking their helmets at the same time, until he got to Tech and crouched in front of him, protecting his unconscious friend from the approaching troopers.

“That’s enough.”

The clone commandos lowered their weapons somewhat, though they were still lifted enough to be trained on both Cori and Tech. Coricopat’s eyes sought the speaker, who had stopped the clones with a soft and even command.

Hemlock appeared, still massaging his gloved hand with his bare one – and Coricopat couldn’t understand why only the one glove – with a triumphant smirk as he met Cori’s gaze straight on.

“Now,” he stated, voice so eerily calm that it sent shivers down Coricopat’s spine, “that’s enough fighting. You are outnumbered and Tech is currently stunned and will be of no further use in this fight. Do not get yourself and Tech hurt by attempting to fight us further.”

Coricopat glanced back at Tech, seeing his face lax in unconsciousness, blaster millimetres from his limp hand. He eyed the blaster for a moment before sighing, throwing that thought aside, as he looked back to Hemlock.

Hemlock smirked, knowing that he had them. “Now, who and what are you, my friend?”

“I am not your friend,” Cori hissed from where he still crouched protectively in front of Tech.

“Come now,” Hemlock stated warningly as he stepped closer, “I can get your name and species one way or another. I can make it painful for you, or you can just tell me.”

The man meant every word, Coricopat knew. He saw the darkness in the man’s blue eyes, and he knew that the man would probably relish in his pain.

“Coricopat,” Coricopat stated bluntly. “My name is Coricopat and I am a Jellicle Cat.”

“Coricopat,” Hemlock drawled, trying it out for himself, “that’s much better. Now stand up and put your…hands?...out, so we can put a pair of binders on you.”

Coricopat hissed again, tail puffing up and lashing side to side to show that he wasn’t going to be taken lightly.

Hemlock tutted slightly in disappointment, shaking his head. “Now, now,” he said, “you can either take this trip unconscious or awake, which will be helpful once Tech awakens, don’t you agree?”

Coricopat glanced back at Tech. They couldn’t both be unconscious. They could be separated. Coricopat had to make sure that Tech would be okay.

Exhaling shakily, Coricopat stood up and held his arms out in front of him, allowing his tail to droop beside his leg, though the end still curved back and forth agitatedly.

A clone commando hurried up to him, with another watching his back, with what Coricopat could only describe as a pair of shackles. He stood completely still as they snapped them around his wrists, ensuring he was bound, as he kept his gaze firmly on Hemlock, who approached him once the binders were engaged.

“Good, I had hoped you were a smart one,” Hemlock stated silkily as he stopped in front of Coricopat, who lowered his bound hands. “Get the stretcher for Tech. Once he is on board we will set course for base.”

Cori watched as a clone stepped away to relay that order before turning his attention back to Hemlock, who was eyeing him curiously.

“You aren’t a known species,” Hemlock stated as he looked Cori up and down. “Where are you from?”

“Earth,” Cori answered stiffly, only to get a slightly narrowed look from Hemlock.

“There is no such planet,” Hemlock stated quietly, dangerously.

Coricopat sighed heavily, looking to the unconscious and unarmed Tech – who had been rolled onto his back, his blasters, belts, and pouches confiscated, and bound hands resting on his stomach – before meeting Hemlock’s unimpressed gaze.

“It’s not in your galaxy,” he admitted bitterly, watching as Hemlock’s eyebrows raised in surprise before he grinned sharply.

“Oh, how fascinating,” he breathed, “well, I look forward to getting better acquainted with you, Coricopat. Perhaps we can learn off each other.”

Cori’s attention was pulled to Tech again as the clones arrived with stretcher, loading his unconscious form onto it.

“If you don’t harm Tech, I will tell you everything you want to know about me,” Coricopat said, looking back to Hemlock, who smiled.

“I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement,” he stated calmly. Coricopat didn’t believe him. “This way now.”

A clone commando grabbed Coricopat’s shoulder, who hissed at them quietly, making him follow Hemlock as Tech was carried behind him.

Coricopat eyed off the large ship as he was marched towards it, seeing clones flanking it, along with the walkers that Tech had described.

“See if you can’t find their ship,” Hemlock had stopped to say to a commando. “It may give us a lead as to where they came from.”

The commando nodded and saluted before marching off. Hemlock turned to look at Coricopat with a scrutinizing look before he turned and continued to walk into the ship. Cori growled slightly as he was pushed in the back, forcing him to stumble slightly, as the clone behind him ordered him to keep walking.

He looked around the ship as he walked in, eyeing off the many clone commandos on board, along with some regular looking humans – who didn’t look like clones. The ship was much larger than the Marauder, apparently able to hold a large number of troopers.

Coricopat was led down a few different hallways, still made to follow Hemlock. Hemlock finally stopped in front of a room with a static-y blue door, which he deactivated with a hand against a panel. Coricopat jumped slightly at the noise it made when deactivated. He had never heard it before.

He was pulled to the side of the corridor as two troopers carried the stretcher with Tech upon it into the room, though Coricopat couldn’t quite see into the room due to the angle he was on, and he pulled at the hold on his shoulder, trying to see what they were doing to Tech.

The troopers emerged moments later, carrying the stretcher sans Tech.

“Now, before you go in and get any foolish ideas,” Hemlock stated, drawing Coricopat’s attention back to him. He had something round and silver in his hands – when he got it, Coricopat wasn’t sure – but he stepped forward, closer to Coricopat.

“Do not attempt to harm me or Tech will pay for it,” he warned. Coricopat glared at him and gave a curt nod, holding himself extra still as Hemlock approached. He couldn’t help his tail lashing as Hemlock placed the item around his neck, closing it with a snap.

“A collar?” Coricopat asked with a sneer. “Really? Gonna make me a pet?”

Hemlock looked mildly puzzled by Coricopat’s statement. “No, this is a Force Inhibitor. It was originally made for Jedi, to stop them being able to access their powers, which I believe will do the same for you. I can’t have you getting into any more of my trooper’s heads.”

Coricopat blinked. He tentatively reached out his mind to Tech, finding he was still able to sense Tech, to connect with him. Tech was unconscious and not in any pain. So, he still could use his powers, Cori mused, but he would keep that hidden from Hemlock for now, waiting for the opportune moment to use it so he and Tech could escape.

The binders were kept on as he was pushed towards the room, or more accurately, cell. It was completely grey with a metal bunk protruding from the wall, which Tech was already laid out upon. There were no other doors, no other means to escape, except for this main door, which Coricopat turned around just in time to see the blue activated again.

Hemlock was stood on the other side of the blue force-field looking barrier as Coricopat went up to it, cautiously reaching out a claw to touch it, before quickly withdrawing his paw at the small shock. Hemlock chuckled.

“You really aren’t from here, are you?”

Coricopat shrugged. “Had to see what it would do. Haven’t you guys got the saying that ‘curiosity killed the cat’?”

Hemlock tilted his head, intrigued, as he eyed Coricopat again. “No, that is not a common saying here.” He was distracted as a commando came up to say something quietly to him. “I will be there in a moment, Scorch. Get the ship ready for departure.”

Scorch nodded curtly before turning and leaving. Hemlock turned his attention fully back to Coricopat.

“Well, I will come back shortly once we are away from Ord Mantell,” Hemlock stated, watching as Coricopat went to go sit in front of the bunk, still protecting Tech. “We have much to talk about, such as how you got to Ord Mantell as we cannot locate your ship.”

Coricopat crossed his legs, settling himself down comfortably, before meeting Hemlock’s gaze.

“Looking forward to it, though regarding the ship, there’s no answer to that one. There isn’t one,” Coricopat said calmly, resting his bound paws in his lap. “Tech paid a smuggler to get us in.”

Hemlock eyed him, lips thinning out. “We will see.”

Coricopat hummed and closed his eyes, listening as Hemlock finally turned and stalked off. Inhaling deeply, Coricopat calmed himself, reaching out to mentally check on Tech again, just to make sure nothing changed, before he allowed himself to sink into a light meditative trance.

He had to be prepared for when Hemlock came back.

Coricopat pulled himself out of the meditative state after a while, having no success in reaching out to Tantomile nor anyone else, nor could he figure out a plan to escape. It would be too dangerous on this ship as there were far too many troopers.

He hissed slightly as his hips ached from sitting on the cold metal floor for far too long. He shifted his hips a bit, trying to loosen the tight muscles, but when that failed to cause any relief, he shifted into the full splits, going into the stretches he knew.

Coricopat twisted his upper body, reaching towards his left foot, before turning and doing the same to his right before repeating the exercise, holding the position now for longer before moving on.

His ears twitched as he heard footsteps approaching, but ignored it for now, continuing his stretching.

“What are you doing?” Hemlock’s amused voice asked.

“Stretching,” Coricopat answered simply as he straightened up, seeing Hemlock standing on the other side of the blue force-field door, before he bent forward at the hips, stretching his torso out along the floor.

Hemlock watched him, blue eyes unreadable. “How did you learn to stretch like this?”

Coricopat lifted his head, returning the look. “You need to learn how to stretch if you’re going to learn how to dance,” he replied simply, smirking slightly at the surprised confusion that flashed across Hemlock’s face.

“Really?”

Coricopat sat up again. “I offered a deal with you,” he reminded Hemlock evenly, watching as the man raised a bisected eyebrow. “I will tell you all about me, if you guarantee that Tech won’t be harmed.”

Hemlock chucked softly, darkly. “Well, I cannot completely guarantee that,” he stated truthfully, Cori tuning into his emotions to make sure he wasn’t lied to. “But I can promise that he will not be seriously harmed…if he behaves. Once I have spoken to him, tested that mind of his to see if he is as brilliant as his files says, then perhaps I can find him a spot in my facility where he won’t be harmed.”

Coricopat exhaled quietly, knowing that that was a good as he was going to get. He planted his still bound hands flat against the floor, lifting his hips up off the floor and tucking his legs together, lifting himself into a handstand before he dropped into a back bow and ended up standing up straight, facing Hemlock – who was staring at him.

“Back in my world, in my tribe, we are dancers, singers, acrobats and performers,” Coricopat told Hemlock as he approached. “To be able to dance and perform acrobatics without injuries, you need to know to stretch properly.”

Hemlock stood on the other side of the door, arms clasped behind his back as he met Coricopat’s gaze, somewhat disbelieving expression on his face. “I saw footage of your fighting. You are not just a dancer.”

Coricopat shook his head, bound hands still held in front of him as he came close to the force field as he dared, feeling the crackles of electricity sending his short fur somewhat on end.

“No,” he answered truthfully. “We also need to know how to fight, to protect ourselves from outside threats – which are mostly large dogs, stray cats…but usually the threat is a cat called Macavity, who was banished from our tribe for murder.”

Hemlock nodded, intrigued. “Tell me more about your world.”

“It’s a planet with many different countries filled with humans as the main species. I am usually not in this form when I’m there, usually in a smaller, four-legged form, and am regarded as an animal or pet.”

Hemlock’s gaze flicked to the collar. “Ah, that explains the pet comment you made earlier.”

Coricopat inclined his head. “Yes, when we are ‘adopted’ by a human family, we are usually given collars to signify that we are their pet. It stops us being picked up by animal control.”

“You mentioned dogs?”

“Large, four-legged, slobbery creatures.” Coricopat shrugged. “They can also be pets.”

“But not in this form,” Hemlock confirmed. Coricopat shook his head again.

“No. The humans on my planet have issues when things are different, usually going to wars with different countries over religion, beliefs, and land, if they saw us like this...well, it would not end well for us,” Coricopat explained, glancing back at Tech as he heard him shift slightly. “How long will he be unconscious?”

“A few hours,” Hemlock answered truthfully. “He was hit with a heavy stun blast.”

Coricopat watched Tech for a moment, seeing the man’s face screw up slightly as though in distress and he reached his senses out, gently soothing him. He couldn’t protect him physically here, couldn’t get him to safety, but at least he could give him some comfort while he was unconscious before he had to face this dangerous situation once he woke.

“What is the technology on your planet like?” was Hemlock’s next question.

“Basic compared to yours,” Coricopat answered truthfully, head turning back to face Hemlock, seeing the curiosity on the man’s face. It wasn’t anything like Tech’s wide eyed and innocent curiosity, with a want to learn all he could…no, Hemlock’s curiosity was greedy, dangerous. “The humans can only get to the moon and that takes years of planning, and then days of travel in a rocket.”

Hemlock frowned, looking somewhat disappointed, before he recovered. “So, how did you arrive here?”

Coricopat explained to him about the Macavity attack, the fighting, the magical duel with Macavity and Mistoffelees, before he had intervened, trying to save Munkustrap, knowing it was no use lying as Hemlock had already seen that he had some sort of power, how their powers had collided and there had been an explosion, a flash of light, before he had the sensation of falling before he fell unconscious.

“When I woke up, I was here, having been found by Tech and his brothers,” Coricopat finished, looking back at Tech. “They looked after me and have been assisting in trying to find if anyone else fell through a vortex into your galaxy.”

Hemlock ran a hand through his short black hair, which was longer on top and shaved on the sides, looking thoughtful.

“And where are they?”

Coricopat smiled and shook his head. “No,” he stated calmly, “that was not part of our deal. I told you I would tell you about myself, but I will not tell you anything regarding them.”

There was a flash of anger from Hemlock before he settled it down into a coldness. Coricopat did not trust this man at all. There was such rage in him, such anger, yet he remained cold and even faced. The man was fixated on the outcome, on his goals, and he would do anything to achieve it, no matter the cost…yet he would not let his emotions get in the way.

Coricopat wasn’t sure if the man felt empathy and it made him uneasy.

“Fine,” Hemlock stated, voice eerily soft again, “Let’s discuss another topic, such as how you controlled my clone commando.”

“I’m a mystic,” Coricopat answered, knowing he couldn’t lie, knowing the man would take it out on Tech. “I cannot produce physical magic unless I use a spell, but I can have visions, read others’ emotions, and, in very dire situations, control someone.”

Hemlock frowned, hands coming in front of him so he could absentmindedly massage his gloved hand again. The action drew Cori’s gaze to it, and he couldn’t help himself wondering why he only needed the one glove and why he kept going to that one hand, to massage it, to adjust the glove, when he apparently the urge to fidget during deep thoughts.

“What was so dire about Scaleback?”

“She was going to betray Tech further,” Coricopat answered simply. “I couldn’t allow that, nor could I stop it, which I deemed dire enough. Omega is a sweet child, and I will not allow you to harm her.”

Hemlock’s cold blue eyes met his gaze straight on and Coricopat felt as though he was being read for once, as though this man could see straight through him. Hemlock smiled, a cold thing that set Coricopat’s fur on end.

“You’ve figured out my main target,” he stated quietly. “You know I need the child.”

“Yes,” Coricopat answered, standing straight, to show Hemlock that he was not afraid of him. “Your line of questioning gave it away.”

Hemlock chuckled, seemingly pleased with this response. “Oh, good, you are smart. I am so tired of dealing with fools.” Coricopat frowned at this. “Did Tech figure this out too?”

“At the same time,” Coricopat said, watching as Hemlock’s smile grew, before tensing as the man’s gaze went to Tech’s supine body, an almost hunger in his eyes. Coricopat could feel the man’s want as he looked at Tech and he hissed quietly, body tensing, which pulled Hemlock’s gaze back to him.

He did not know why Hemlock wanted Tech, for what reason, but Cori would not let him harm Tech.

“Be careful with how you speak to me,” Hemlock warned Coricopat, who scowled, “I can make both yours and Tech’s lives very, very painful…and perhaps even Crosshair’s if I feel like it.”

Coricopat stiffened at the effortless way Hemlock threw in the threat for Crosshair’s wellbeing. Hemlock smiled smugly, fixing his glove.

“Ah, you know of him – but of course you did, you would know why Tech went to seek Scaleback’s assistance. Tech told you all about Crosshair, didn’t he? He told you of his twin who joined the Empire, who they turned their backs on, and has now been imprisoned by the Empire for treason.”

Coricopat swallowed, paws opening and closing in front of his stomach anxiously. “Yes, I know of Crosshair.”

Hemlock’s gaze was fixed on him again in such a way that Coricopat felt he was being dissected by the man. Hemlock tilted his head slightly, leaning closer to the forcefield separating him and Coricopat.

“So why would you risk your safety to help Tech track me down?” Hemlock asked, dangerously soft. “You could have stayed behind with the others, somewhere safe, yet you went with him.”

“Tech is my friend.”

Hemlock tutted in disappointment, blue eyes alight. “You promised to tell me everything about yourself, Coricopat, so I would not harm Tech. Do not lie to me now…and do not try to tell me that this isn’t about you, because it is. Why did you choose to follow Tech?”

Coricopat swallowed harshly again, diverting his gaze from Hemlock’s, unable to hold it anymore. Hemlock made a small triumphant noise at that.

“Because Tech is like me,” Coricopat answered quietly, eyes on the floor. “His twin is missing and he doesn’t know if they are safe. He found out that Crosshair had been taken on a prisoner transport to Tantiss, unsure why, or if Crosshair was hurt. My twin could be somewhere in this galaxy, and I don’t know where she is, if she is all right or if she is hurt. I know what the uncertainty feels like; to be a twin missing their other piece…so, it was easy to bond with Tech over that – alongside with who he is as a person.”

“Which is?” Hemlock asked curiously. Coricopat’s lifted his head so he could look at Tech, still unconscious.

“Someone who will fill me in on all I am uncertain on, someone with insatiable, innocent, curiosity who just wants to know everything he can, someone with a quiet introspect and with dry humour. Despite everything happening with his own life, he has been trying to locate any other Jellicle who may have ended up in your galaxy...he’s a friend.”

Hemlock hummed at Coricopat’s answer, seemingly pleased with himself…or the answer, Coricopat couldn’t quite tell, only that the man was feeling quite smug.

“Now, let’s get back to you,” Hemlock stated softly as Coricopat met his gaze again, frowning now. “I can see that you are a loyal friend, Coricopat, and that you don’t want to give any information about Tech to me that could give me any sort of benefit, so we will go back to you.”

Coricopat felt quite unbalanced by this man, and he had often been on the receiving end of Macavity’s dangerous yellow eyes, sharp grin, and even sharper claws. Hemlock was a new sort of dangerous. While Macavity was loud and showy, causing junk piles to fall, causing small explosions, echoing his eerie laugh around the yard, he did it for the thrill of putting fear into them, to get them on edge – but Hemlock wasn’t like that, at least that Cori could see. Hemlock’s methods were quiet, cold, an eerie calm, yet he still caused unease to run through Coricopat with every sentence, every look with those cold blue eyes.

“What about me?” Coricopat asked, trying to keep his voice even as not to show Hemlock just how much the human was unnerving him.

Hemlock gestured to the cell that he and Tech were in. “Many in your position would be rather anxious, even scared, being locked in an Imperial cell – yet you were on the floor, stretching, as if it were a normal occurrence for you.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve been held in a cell,” Coricopat admitted, grinning sharply at Hemlock, feeling his confidence re-emerging. Hemlock was right. He had been through this before. He had been kidnapped by a maniac, held in a room with no escape, bound, and tortured – yet he had gotten through it, and he would get through this again. “Macavity either wants me to join him, or he’s angry at me or Munkustrap, and will kidnap me to fulfil whatever aim he has. It’s not the first time I’ve been in the cell, it’s not the first time I’ve been bound,” here, Coricopat lifted his bound paws, “and going by what you warned me about, about the pain you could put me through…and that you probably will put me through at some stage for whatever gain for you…it’s not the first time I’ve been tortured. This isn’t new to me. It doesn’t scare me. I have gotten through it many times before and I will do so again.”

Hemlock laughed, a quiet and dark thing, seeming quite pleased by Coricopat’s response. “Good, I like the ones with fight with them. You don’t give up so easily, which is what I need.”

Coricopat met his gaze evenly, feeling Hemlock’s pleasure at his defiance, at his bravery – or foolishness, Coricopat wasn’t quite sure.

Hemlock smiled at him once more. “Get some rest, Coricopat. We will be at Tantiss sooner than you know it…and then, well, we will see what happens to you and Tech.”

Coricopat felt his heart skip a beat at the reminder of Tech also being in Hemlock’s sights. Hemlock grinned sharply at him once more before turning and walking away, leaving Coricopat to his thoughts.

He did not know what Hemlock had planned, what awaited them at Tantiss. He knew that clones were taken there for experimentation – was that what awaited him and Tech? Experimentation and pain?

He turned at the sound of a groan, seeing Tech had rolled over, legs drawing up as he shivered on the cold metal bunk. Sighing, and with a final glance at the now empty hall – though Coricopat could hear the breathing of guards down both ends of the hall, nearby, just in case – he padded over to the bunk. He gently shifted Tech so that he was closer to the wall before he squeezed onto the bunk behind him, curling around Tech as best as he was able on the thin bunk.

Coricopat nuzzled his face into the back of Tech’s hair, purring softly, trying to offer what reassurance he could to his friend, while providing him with his own body heat – since he ran warmer due to his fur – and protecting him from the door and what lay beyond it.

For now, it was all he could do…and then once they got to Tantiss, it was anyone’s guess as to what Hemlock had planned for them.