fictober 07: that could have gone better

one second sox was pushing and shoving tripshot, the next he was frantically grabbing onto his batchmate’s arm as he tried in vain to keep his balance. tabbi reached out to try and grab on as well and the moment slowed down the moment sox’s arm slipped out of his reach. despite all three of them wearing the helmets, tabbi could practically see their expressions- his own slowly morphing into horror, the smirk and amusement swiftly draining and being replaced by an indescribable sense of pure fear, and the stunned expression of sox as he fell out of reach of either of them.

as he fell into a crack in the planet so deep that sunlight no longer reached the bottom.

“you guys really want to go wandering around instead of telling stories?” tabbi asked, watching as sox and tripshot packed an extra bag each. sox had his stuffed to the brim with all the supplies the two of the had scrounged up- discount paints sold because the hue had been just slightly off, crayons that had melted together until they were nearly impossible to use. tripshot had his bag only partially full- their night rations plus their extra saved water.

“we aren’t just wandering around- heard on the holonet this place is great for making landscapes!” sox explained as he struggled to clasp the bag shut over the oversized binder that held their loose papers.

“this one guy said there’s no two sunsets the same- even said he’d buy one if we did one out here- left the medium and size up to us and everything!” tripshot added, looking proud.

tabbi couldn’t help but feel a bit proud of them as well- the pair were getting even better with their skills, and had begun branching out into using different tools and techniques. several other units had even asked if the two would be willing to help create a design for their laat-ships, much to their delight.

“well.. can i come with?”

the landscape they’d created together clattered to the ground along with a helmet as tripshot tossed his off and fell to his knees, desperately searching the sides of the wall for sox. tabbi spurred himself into action as well- they’d done rescues like this so many times for others, but doing it for one of their own was always different. tabbi kept his own bucket on as he flattened himself to the ground and searched the steep sides- it’d catch any signs of life that he might miss in his panic.

“--ere!”

tabbi whipped his head to the side that he thought he’d heard it from, and felt his heart stutter to a stop for a brief moment. all alongside the sheer walls were small but hardy tufts of plant-life. they were strong- with roots almost longer than a gunship stretching through the ground, but pieces could still break off on their own. they were lucky the branches had caught sox without breaking as is.

“trip- keep an eye on him, i’ll radio for help.” tabbi took hold of the situation as soon as tripshot realized that the half-medic had found their twin. careful to not break any rock away, tabbi scooted back and opened up a channel.

::tabbi to homebase, come in. need urgent help.::

the response was near immediate.

::ghost here, what happened tabbi? who’s hurt?”

::sox fell into a crack, he- he caught himself on some branches, but he’s too far down to pull up, we can’t get him ourselves.::

::send your location, we’ll be there asap.::

tabbi sent the data immediately and then glanced over at tripshot, unsure of what else they could do but wait for the others. sox apparently thought the same, as he opened a channel seconds after the one with ghost closed.

::tabs, tell trip to put his melon back on, i’ve got the perfect joke for this.::

despite his words, sox’s voice sounded strained and uncertain, and tabbi hurried to do so. before sox could even say anything, however, tripshot laid into him.

::so help me if you pull another gullible shit joke like after that crash, i’ll climb down there and push you myself. that’s a promise.::

::aww.. so i guess you aren’t going to go for it again? you might even say you aren’t going to-::

::sox.::

::fall for it twice?::

“auugh!” tripshot shouted loud enough that tabbi could hear the faintest tinny echo through sox’s channel, even through the fallen clone’s snorting laughter. tabbi himself had a weak smile on his face, relieved that sox was able to joke even at a time like this, but also mortified that sox was able to joke at a time like this.

::alright, hold on. i have to ask some first aid questions real quick. anything hurting?:: tabbi spoke up before any further jokes could happen, mentally reviewing the various things that both hotwire and kicker had taught him.

::just my pride, and my stomach. nothing bleeding i think, but i hit this branch like a slice of ham thrown on a stick.::

::who the fuck describes it like that?:: tripshot interrupted, but he sounded less stressed then before, though it was more like he was masking it extremely well. tabbi continued the list of questions, entertaining the bickering every few questions that threw them off topic for several minutes.

still, it took a few more hours for them to be found and by the time they’d hauled sox out, it was long since dark. tripshot clung to their twins side, and sox seemed more than happy to be glued right back. hotwire was right at his other side, and tabbi fell into step between ghost and piper. despite not being the one in the crack, nor being sox’s batchmate, the situation had left him drained in a way that the rescues of strangers didn’t.

ghost and piper seemed to be perfectly fine to guide him along without mentioning it though, and if he was ready to drop when they made it back to camp, tabbi could only imagine how tripshot and sox felt. he checked in on them just before heading to bed himself, waiting until hotwire had fussed himself out to enter the tent. he found them huddled together just like they did in their bunks, with sox practically unconscious already. he started to head out to give them their peace, but caught tripshot waving him over.

the blanket was held open for him, and while months ago he might’ve hesitated to join in, he had no such hesitation now. sox mumbled something as tabbi got comfortable, and tripshot huffed in pretend annoyance.

“what’d he say?” tabbi asked in a hushed tone, and tripshot shook his head. “dumbass said, “well, that could have gone better.” like no shit. pain in my ass,” tripshot muttered, and tabbi sighed with a smile.

“nice to know he’ll always have something stupid to say.”

“it’s a talent, tabs. night.”

“night.”

“nnt.”

“go the fuck to bed!”