? ~PROJECT SAC-1~ ??

Chapter 7 - If Given a Second Chance- ??

'SAC-1 would be alive right now if I had done this; her death is my fault.'

Death was something not new to Hunter, I mean they were in the middle of a war, but he had never lost a squad member. There were many close calls, but he had always managed to keep them all alive, and since he had a disdain for regs he was not heartless for feeling bad for these soldiers when they dropped like flies around him and no one bat an eye, but he was not crushed with grief. He barely knew them. It was the same situation for SAC-1, he only knew her for two days... But he felt like he'd failed to protect his squad, and that was a terrible thing to feel.

Obi-Wan broke the silence. "We shouldn't let SAC-1's efforts go to waste. I shall inform the Council about what she discovered and make sure they know that Silva has been liberated because of her."

Anakin nodded in agreement, then worried over his weary student. "We should get you back to the med bay, you need to rest."

Ahsoka tiredly hummed in accord to his 'suggestion', and Anakin helped her get up and led her out of the bridge, Obi-Wan behind them. Wrecker, knowing when Hunter wanted to be left alone, asked Crosshair if he wanted to go get some food and the Sniper, in a rare moment of graciousness, said sure, halfway side eyeing the stony faced Sergeant left behind.

He was separated from their prying eyes, yet Hunter remained frozen in his tracks, eyes glazed over as he was lost in his bitter regret. Eventually he too fled the bridge, the clone personnel wandering around the area making him claustrophobic.

The Sergeant wandered aimlessly around the cruiser at first, having to mutter sorry's when he unfortunately bumped into one reg after another, probably receiving some scathing remarks except he wasn't coherent enough to register them. His feet seemed to have a mind of their own and somehow, he ended up at SAC-1's door on the ship three hours later. He hesitated before pressing the access button to let himself in. Even though she was gone, it felt like an invasion of privacy.

The last thing he was was expecting to see was another occupent. Tech was already there, his slouched figure placed in the middle of the dark room. The slicer flinched when the door opened, hardly at all relieved when over his shoulder he saw it was Hunter. Crosshair would definitely have made some snide remark about finding Tech here, and he didn't want to deal with that right now. But the Sergeant was at fault here, and in a rare moment of anger Tech allowed himself to express his emotions 'normally.'

His voice was stern but trembling at the same time, "I'm surprised you came here." And Hunter was so out of it that he didn't pick on the not-so-subtle nuances of his brother's monumental rise in temper.

"You're not the only one." He grumbled in disbelief, stepping inside and immediately noting the piles of crates still full of all her possessions. In fact, nothing was different in the lavish room except the wolf toy resting on her bed. A fresh wave of gnawing guilt rushed over him. "She never unpacked, did she?"

"Obviously not - she felt unwelcome and was cast aside by her own squadron." Tech stated with no regard for how it would make Hunter feel. He was pissed and it was justified! By Tech's definition, squadmates were supposed to have each other's back and in their case, be a tightknit family that didn't need anyone else because no one else would ever really accept all of their tactics, behavior, etc.

Turned away, Hunter's face twisted in pain, hanging his head in utter and open regret. "I know and believe me Tech when I say I am regretting my actions."

Tech scoffed derisively.

Hunter's head whipped back upwards, an enraged sound like that had never come out of the emotionally detached and impassive man, eyes beholding a fire that was usually just burning curiosity, but now were resentful and furious. From the heat in that gaze, they could have seared a hole into the wall across from them where they were ferociously trained on an invisible spot. It was as if he did not think Hunter was sincere.