#techtok

Issues

"Clone Force 99 is back!"

All you hear is rushed footsteps and yelling - the people sound worried and angry. A stretcher is wheeled into the medbay and on it lies a clone with no hair and pale skin. At first you don't even recognize him, he was thought to be dead, but there he was. Alive and barely conscious. Echo.

The shouting only increases when the mutilated trooper attempts to move and you need to act fast so he doesn't hurt himself or potentially others. You give him an intravenous sedative and he sinks back down onto the stretcher. Together with your superior, Nala Se, you transfer him to an actual bed, chase the spectators out of the room and then analyze what is left of his body. Both of his legs have been replaced by mechanical ones, his right arm is now fitted with a computer docking module and a foreign control device is attached to his head. The separatists truly mangled his body.

After the original panic died down, you take a moment to just stand there and look at the poor trooper. In that moment you feel a hand on your shoulder.

"Hello", says a familiar voice and you turn around to look at Tech.

In all the hurry you completely forgot the Bad Batch had also returned to Kamino.

"Thank the stars you're back safely!", you exclaim and wrap your arms around him tightly. "Shit, I was so worried."

"Do not worry about us, we're...fine.", Tech responds and adjusts his glasses. You see him glance at Echo's limp body behind you and quickly step away from the bed, pulling Tech along with you.

"Tech, what the hell happened?", you ask, not even trying to hide the worry in your voice anymore.

The clone sighs and begins to explain the entire encounter with the Techno Union on Skako Minor beginning to end. You listen with wide eyes, fidgeting with your hands every so often. Terrible things happened on that planet and you are glad you only get to see part of it.

.

Later that evening you feel like you need to take a shower. After everything that happened today, it feels more than justified. On your way to the shower your eyes catch onto your reflection in the mirror.

"Oh stars", you whisper to yourself as you look at yourself. The person you see in the reflection is barely recognizable, barely holds any semblance to what you should look like.

Disappointment glints in your eyes as you take a long look at your body and your brows unintentionally furrow. The person in the mirror just doesn't feel real. Your body doesn't feel real either.

Every time you made the mistake to look in the mirror -or any reflective surface- for too long, your brain began playing tricks on you. You know it is, because when you look down at your bare self the images you see in the mirror are distorted and wrong. And yet... You wonder if you're really just imagining these issues.

Maybe Kaminoan mirrors just work different.

After your shower, you walk out of the tiny refresher attached to your equally tiny quarters. All of a sudden, Tech bursts into the room -now wearing just his blacks- and quickly shuts the door behind himself.

He opens his mouth to speak, before realizing what he just walked in on. He looks at you, somewhat startled, trying to assess the situation correctly and-

You rush to cover your body with the towel and grimace in embarrassment as your eyes lock on to one another.

"Did I not lock the door?", you yell in surprise.

"You did not.", he states and turns his head to look away.

"Oh", you say and scramble to cover more of your body with the towel.

For a moment an awkward silence fills the small room.

Looking at the handsome clone out of the corner of your eye, you muster up the courage to ask: "So... What brings you here, Tech?"

"I wanted to see you.", he confesses and risks a glance in your direction. "I missed you. And we didn't get much time together earlier-"

"I missed you too.", you reply. "But can you...turn the light off?"

"May I inquire as to why?", Tech asks back.

"Because I don't like the way my body looks...", you mutter ashamedly and avoid his gaze.

An idea flashes across across his mind which might just comfort you.

Tech clears his throat and reaches for the yellow glasses firmly strapped to his face.

"No, no. It's alright, see?", he explains with a crooked smile and removes his glasses. You open your mouth in protest, but he cuts you off.

"I can't see anything now. I thought this might make you more comfortable for the time being?"

A smile spreads across your face at how thoughtful he is. You step forward, gently grasping Tech's hand and pulling him towards you. The fact that his eyesight is terrible gives you enough comfort to act on your thoughts.

Tech's hands lay on your waist, his thumbs slowly caressing your exposed skin. Your head rests against his chest and you can hear his heartbeat speeding up.

"You know, even if I can't see right now, I still think you look extraordinarily beautiful.", Tech mumbles.

Your heart skips a beat and then beats twice as fast when he says that. A part of you wants to ask him if he's serious, but deep down you know that Tech always means what he says. Tech slowly leads you backwards until the back of your legs touch the edge of your bed. The whole time his forehead his touching yours and you feel the urge to hold him closer.

"Do you want to do this?", he asks in the softest voice he can muster and it melts your heart.

"Do you?", you respond just as quiet and tilt your head. He might not be able to make out your expression, but he knows you well enough to decipher your tone. And you both act on your thoughts.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of your alarm and find Tech, your sweet Tech, still squished beside you in your bed. The sound of the alarm wakes him too and you both hurry to get ready for the day. Carefully peeking out into the hallway first, you signal to Tech that the coast is clear and he rushes out the door, but turns back to place a kiss on your forehead. Then he's gone.

In the refresher you find yourself confronted with the mirror once again and for the first time in what feels like forever you are kind of grateful for what you see. Not some mutilated alien cyborg, but your own organic body. And suddenly you're happy about the way it's shaped and works - Tech calling you beautiful really flipped a switch in your brain.

Yes, this is alright., you think and go on to take your shower. You purposely shower hot, so the mirror is fogged up on your way out. Nobody can change your mind anymore.

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