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Hunter lowered the ramp of the Havoc Marauder and walked out onto new terrain. No matter how many planets the Batch travelled to, his early morning routine never felt old. As far as Hunter was concerned, it was just part of his top priority to keep his men safe and well-prepared for the mission ahead, whatever that may be. He strolled out into the clearing, scanning the horizon for any threats or concerning conditions. Content with what he saw, he knelt down, closed his eyes, and put a gentle hand to the ground. He meditated for several moments, taking in the planet’s air, feeling the texture of the terrain, and sensing the locations of any beings, living or mechanical, in the ship’s vicinity. He opened his eyes, shifted to a seated position and made a few notes on his datapad. It was quiet, solitary work while most of the Batch would still be waking up and preparing for the day ahead.
Echo watched from the open ramp of the ship, taking in the landscape himself, admiring from a distance. Over the past few weeks, Echo had settled in with the Batch and begun adjusting to their personalities and unusual techniques. He first observed Hunter’s ritual the previous week, as they landed for a supply run, then again at the next planet they landed on to quell a civil uprising.
Sensing Echo’s presence in the doorway of the ship, Hunter turned and gave a gentle wave. “C’mon out. Coast is clear.”
Echo descended the Marauder’s ramp, footsteps landing with a gentle clink of metal against metal. The planet was so silent that every sound seemed amplified, particularly to Hunter’s sensitive ears, but the sound of Echo approaching was a welcome one.
“Morning. I’m not interrupting, am I?” Echo asked cautiously, not wanting to disrupt.
“Not at all. Just finishing up, actually. From the looks of it, not much here yet but us and the birds. Wish we landed on more rocks like this. Wanna sit?” Hunter gestured next to him, and Echo settled in at his side, grateful for the companionship.
Echo took in the surroundings with bright eyes. Despite all his travels with the 501st and his special missions as an ARC trooper, everything since his rescue from Skako Minor felt strangely new and refreshing. He admired the violet sky above, dotted with clouds, and large avian creatures flying in a “Y” formation in the distance. The air was warm and humid, but comfortable and smelled faintly of musk and flora. Cliffs rose around them, pink and orange rocks topped with tall, tropical trees. It’s beautiful, he thought.
He relaxed, shifting his gaze to the sergeant. Hunter shut off his datapad and set it aside to give Echo his full attention. “Something on your mind?”
Echo bit his cheek, curious but not wanting to overstep. “Thank you for, ah, scouting.” He blinked and shook his head, second guessing his attempt at small talk, and started again. “If it’s not too nosy of a question, I’ve… been meaning to ask. How does this whole sensory mutation of yours work, anyway? I mean, feeling electrical signals, mapping out the landscape… sounds like something the Jedi do. Can you feel the Force or something?”
“No. Not the Force,” Hunter smirked. “I guess it’s something less mystical than that,” he sighs. “It’s more like… you know that feeling when somebody’s standing behind you? You haven’t turned around, haven’t looked, haven’t even heard ‘em move or speak, but you just feel there’s somebody there? So you turn around, and your instinct was right?”
“Mmm, I know what you mean,” Echo nodded, thinking back to a few close calls on past missions.
Hunter continued. “Well. I don’t experience that quite the same way you do, but from how the other guys have described it, I think it’s a bit like that. Just… much stronger. More concrete. I can’t always tell exactly what’s nearby, but I have a good idea whether I’m sensing humanoids, winged creatures, big beasts… you get the idea. And of course there’s droids and electromagnetic machinery—those are easy. Some things are harder to identify than others, but they’re all unique.” Your presence is an interesting one, he thought but didn’t say, conscious that his squadmate was still growing accustomed to the cybernetic modifications to his body.
“That sounds overwhelming,” Echo replied.
“Can be, sometimes. Cities, marketplaces, even a hectic battlefield… they can be tough for me. That’s one reason the four of us ended up on our own. Bein’ crammed on a Star Destroyer with thousands of people in close quarters takes a toll. But this?” He gestured at Echo, at the Marauder, at the quiet clearing around them. “This is more than manageable.”
Echo smiled back. Before the Citadel, before everything, he had loved nothing more than the company of an entire battalion of troopers, the constant rumble of conversation and footsteps and activity onboard a Venator. It gave him comfort then. But now, the absences of lost friends loomed too heavily in the atmosphere of the barracks. Unexpected noises in the halls sent his heart racing, triggering a fearful response he never used to experience before. Yes, living with a smaller squad now... it was the right choice, he reminded himself.
“That makes sense. I’m glad you’ve found a way to manage it.”
A smile curved on the sergeant’s lips. “Hey. Even though you can’t sense things the way I do—maybe I can show you through what I do out here anyway? It calms me down. Maybe it can help you too.”
Echo focused his eyes back on Hunter and sighed gently. “I s’pose it couldn’t hurt. Sounds nice, actually. Are you sure?”
“Least I can do,” Hunter said. “Okay. First thing… sit up nice and straight. Yes, just like that,” he affirmed as Echo shifted to a more focused position, his back upright and legs crossed in front of him. “Now, try and even your breathing. Nice and slow. In… and out.” He guided Echo for a few breaths, and waited until they were both following the same rhythm.
“Okay. Close your eyes, and press your palm to the ground. Don’t push down hard, just… gently hold it there. Use your fingertips and take in the texture of it. Notice anything interesting?”
Echo hummed, wondering if Hunter was seeking a specific answer. “It’s… cool. Slightly damp. The grass, or whatever this plant coverage is, feels a bit rough,” he noted, as his finger brushed against a tiny barb. “But the soil below is soft. Has some give to it. Moisture probably means it can sustain life below ground.”
“Good,” Hunter said. “You’re right—there’s some little critters moving around down there, they’re pretty far below us though. Nothing to worry about as far as I can tell.”
A tiny grin spread on Echo’s face. He slowly dragged his fingertips back and forth across the ground, appreciating the feel of the grass against his skin.
“Alright, how about sounds? I know it’s hard with the ship right here, but—anything unusual you can hear?,” Hunter prodded.
Echo relaxed his hand and shifted his attention. His face contorted into a slight squint as he focused on listening to his surroundings.
“Hey—remember to keep your breathing steady. In… out…” Hunter nudged, jarring Echo to realize he’d been involuntarily holding his breath. He took a moment to re-center himself and gave Hunter a nod once his breathing evened again.
“Sorry. My hearing isn’t quite what it used to be. Erm… trying again. Okay.”
Instead of focusing intensely, Echo let the sounds of the planet surround him, taking them in and processing them as they came. A soft shriek from above. A light brush of leaves. A faint, consistent rumble somewhere in the distance. Another shriek, louder and closer, but in a different pitch.
“Well, those birds are definitely the loudest life form around here… mating season, maybe,” he joked. “And there’s a constant sound farther off. Something rumbling. Waterfall?”
“Not a bad guess at all. The ground is damp, air’s moist, so we know there’s water here… there’s a river about two klicks away. No waterfall as far as I can tell, but the rapids are rocky enough that your instinct’s not far off. Waterfall would have a deeper tone to it. Good job.”
Echo nodded contentedly. The acknowledgement from his new sergeant gave him a small sense of pride.
“It’s interesting, you know. I guess I’ve always picked up on a lot of this stuff but just never really thought about it like this. Usually I’d just pull out my datapad and study the map. But you’re right, it’s… kind of calming,” Echo acknowledged. “Reminds me I’m part of something bigger. Thank you.”
“Glad it could help. If you ever want to join me out here, just give a wave. As long as we’re somewhere safe, you’re more than welcome.”
Soft thuds emanated from the ship behind them, signaling Wrecker’s awakening—and with that, the rest of the Batch, if they weren’t already up. Echo smirked. “Well, I think we both know that sound. Guess we should head back in. Got all the intel we need for now?”
Hunter nodded an affirmative, and helped Echo to his feet. “Yeah. Good to go.”
The pair ascended the ramp to the Marauder, wiping grass and dew from their feet as they entered. The smell of fresh caf filled the cabin, and they were pleased to find two mugs already sitting on the control desk waiting for them to start their day.