Not in vain

      Tech felt an unusual lightness. He opened his eyes and looked around. He immediately recognized the landscapes of Eriada. A snow-white fog enveloped him so that he could not see where he was standing. But from the height at which he was, he had a view of the dark and sharp outlines of the local mountains. Tech knew that they were covered with dense forests with tall green trees. The fog enveloped everything around, and only the tops peeked out of the snow-white haze.       It's time to remember how he got here. He looked into the distance as far as he could and saw a column of black smoke rising into the sky. The remnants of a devastating explosion at the Imperial base and the monorail.       And then Tech remembered everything that he had experienced before he found himself here.       "It's no time, Wrecker. Plan 99," he said calmly, pulling his blaster from its holster as he hung from a cable over a bottomless abyss.       "Don't you do it, Tech".       Tech sighed and turned his eyes back to the monorail car in which his squad was.       "When have we ever followed orders?" He answered reasonably and aimed at the fastening of the wagons. He had never been so sure of his decision.       And he fired. The pulse of the bullet broke the coupling of two cars, and the empty car, hanging over the abyss, flew down with Tech. The second one returned to the monorail and sped his squad away from the rumbling shots of stormtroopers and fighter jets flying in the air.       It seemed that he could still hear the mournful cry of Wrecker, and how Omega panicked shouted his name. But then they were replaced only by the whistling of the wind in his ears, despite the helmet, as he flew into the abyss, sinking deeper into the thick white fog.       Tech could feel the fall accelerating by the second. But there was no fear of rapidly approaching death. He just relaxed in flight, closed his eyes and counted the last beats of his heart behind the whistling of the wind in his ears...        And then it was over instantly. A fleeting pain shot through his entire body, but not for long. Tech didn't feel anything after those. And he woke up somewhere on the top of the mountain, shrouded in the same white fog.       "So that's what it's like to die," he thought, laughing bitterly to himself. It was almost impossible to survive in such conditions, he knew that. And he made that sacrifice anyway, because it was the only way out.

I would like to live,

Sometimes with a strained nerve, then with a ringing song,

To give you this world,

What will remain after me.

       He thought he could hear the roar of the Marauder's engines from afar. Tech followed the sound and saw a shuttle soaring into the snow-white clouds. Although the ship flew away without its first pilot, at least the rest of its crew is intact. Tech felt something jump in his chest as he looked at the receding ship. The clone realized that it was his love for his brothers and sister that motivated him to do this. He always loved them, even if he didn't express his feelings. However, so did the rest of the squad.       "Forgive me," he mentally told them. He knew his brothers would take his loss hard, but at least they were alive. They would continue the work they had started, Tech was sure of it. They will rescue Crosshair from Dr. Hemlock's captivity and help other clones gain freedom. They will not allow his sacrifice to be in vain.

I would like to live,

To smile and see the smiles of friends;

And, of course, to love,

And also to enjoy your love.

      How much is left in the past, he thought. It would seem that now is not the best time for sentimental reflections, but these thoughts themselves came to mind. The war, order 66, the departure of Crosshair from the squad, wandering around the galaxy without a goal and at home... But all these dark periods of life had bright, memorable, and sometimes happy moments. After all, Tech and his brothers had an Omega, which breathed life into their ship, which had seen a lot, and into themselves. As well as a Pabu, a paradise in the midst of the chaos of the galaxy mired in another war.       And Phee... He couldn't help but remember her dark eyes and the cheeky smile that made him smile. He couldn't call their relationship anything more than friendship: they just didn't have enough time for anything more. Maybe it's for the best. Phee did not have time to get so attached to Tech, and perhaps she will quickly forget about him and will not suffer from his death for a long time. The last thing Tech would want to do is cause her to cry.

Missing, saying goodbye, to reach the stars,

But always return.

      Nevertheless, fate decreed so. The life of a soldier is often unpredictable, and it is unknown when and where you will catch a stray bullet or, as in the case of Tech, you will have to choose between yourself and your squad, as a result of which you will definitely choose the latter. He did not regret his action, because it was the most he could do for his family. His brothers would have done the same for him, if necessary. He only regretted the pain he had caused them by his demise. But as long as they are alive, he will return to them in bright memories.       That's it, his time has come. He took one last look at the distant sharp peaks of the mountains. Now they seemed to him the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. After lingering at them, Tech turned his back on the mountains and confidently stepped into the thick white fog. Towards a new, unearthly life, where eternal rest awaits him.

... to reach the stars,

But always... return...