Chapter

In the cockpit of the Havoc Marauder.

"This would go a whole lot faster if I had some help." Echo grumped out frustrated.

"Recalibrating the hyper drive is not a priority." Tech sniped back.

"And what you're doing is? Whatever it is you're tinkering with?" Echo complained.

"What I am doing, takes priority." Tech continued tinkering the device he had started on earlier.

"Hunter told us to amp up the drives and that is what we were supposed to be doing." Echo reminded Tech rather snidely, feeling a tad tired of always having to do the hard work while Tech was fiddling with whatever he wanted.

"I am trying to improve on our navigational array. The same one which just last week had several glitches happening and veering us off course in the process." Tech reminded Echo.

"It would have been good to know before hand. The fact that you were doing something else, before I told Hunter how long the recalibration would take. The estimate is completely off if I am about to do this all alone." Echo quipped his voice slightly raised.

"Echo. Clearly, our current priorities do not match. But, also the understanding of what is more important." Tech stated in his usual factual tone.

Echo was finally at a loss of words.

After having been throwing complaints back to the other man, while simply trying to argue his point. Echo glared at the other clone for a while. But there was no reaction or remark whatsoever forthcoming on the final comment.

Sighing once, twice.

Echo then simply returned back to the task at hand. The one from Hunter. The important and priority task. The one which needed to be done right now.

Perhaps if he really pushed himself he would be able to finish the calibration in the allotted time. Or rather the time Echo himself had estimated to Hunter. Without actually consulting Tech's availability for the job?

Well, whatever the reason was, he went back to work. Making a few sideway glances at Tech in the process. Continuing their work in complete silence, at least for now. Until the bickering would start again. As it usually did.

***

Meanwhile Omega, Wrecker, Hunter and Crosshair were having a nice "conversation" in the galley while having some snacks.

"Those two seem to bicker. A lot." Omega pointed out after having observed the two clones for a while now.

The adults at the small table all exchanged knowing glances just then.

"If they don't bicker, well, then they can't really kiss and make up, can they!" Wrecker let slip, getting a sideways glance from Hunter of his small boo-boo in front the Kid.

"Kiss and make up?" Omega asked curiously. "Sounds like a lot of fun." She retorted having an idea in her child's mind of what it could mean. After all, she had gotten kisses on her cheeks from the others for comfort and when she had done something really good.

"Not that kind of fun, Omega." Hunter immediately piped in trying to cover for Wrecker's faux-pas. "Adult fun." He elaborated, getting a snicker from both Wrecker and Crosshair, leaving Hunter rolling his eyes at the two.

"Oh." Omega stated only. But then realising something. "O-oh." Blinking her eyes. "You mean sex." She wasn't asking, not really. After all, she had read about things. About a lot of things being the curious kid she totally was.

"Well, yes." Yeah, it was a total surprise for Hunter to hear this coming out of the Kid's mouth. "But you will have to wait until you are older to have such fun. Much much older." Hunter did not want to be reminded of any of that. After all, Omega was still a kid, the Batch's little girl.

Before he could control the situation, the other two "adults" had started to laugh and making all kinds of gestures with their faces and it was really hard for Hunter to keep a straight face in front of the Kid right then.

***

Echo dashed out of the cockpit, his face fuming and without a word went directly to the caf machine pouring two large cups of the steaming stuff. He then rummaged for a few packs of rations before making his way back to the cockpit. Leaving four sets of eyes glaring at his receding form. None of them really wondering what had just transpired.

"Thank you." Tech stated rather kindly after receiving the gift of caf and snacks. "That was very nice of you." He immediately dug into the ration bar after hearing the slight grumble in his stomach just then as the smell of the caf hit his nostrils, the hunger clearly present.

"I thought you might feel hungry by now." Echo simply stated sitting down and sipping the dark liquid from his own cup. Fully concentrated in it rather than his surroundings or Tech. Not when he ate his food.

At that very moment, Tech was completely silent. No come backs, no bickering. No nothing.

The gesture Echo had just made, without a hint or Tech asking for it was totally warming Tech's heart. He was totally basking in the awesomeness of that which was called Echo. After all, the bickering, the worldly fights, the sometimes nagging, well it was all there for a reason.

It took mere moments for the food to be consumed.

Echo was just about to check for the final time whether the improvements of the hyper drives calibration had taken affect. As after some effort, the job was already completed. Way ahead of time. Echo was simply that good.

Echo suddenly felt a light touch on his shoulder. Turning up to look at the spot his gaze followed the hand along the arm, towards the man it belonged to. Tech. He was hovering above Echo, a coy smile on his face. Something filled with utter mischief.

"I think it is time for us to take a break." Tech said and slid into Echo's lap.

With his arms around Echo, Tech was making himself comfortable before placing a soft kiss on his partner's lips. Echo was totally on board with Tech's idea. After all, break time with Tech was never boring. No, Tech was full of great ideas come break time.

And soon enough, the kissing got all heated up. With lips and tongues making their oh so familiar play. Even the cockpit viewport got steamed up as the two continued their break time activities together in the best possible way they only could.

After all what was the point in all that bickering, if there was no kissing and making up?

***

"It's awfully quiet in there there." Omega commented as all of a sudden, there was no argument to be heard from the cockpit. Something which seemed to have been the constant for the duo working there together earlier.

Hunter nodded to Crosshair, who seated the closest in regards to the cockpit. To go and have a check and to make sure that the two clones had not accidentally killed each other with their sharp quips.

With a glare and a sigh Crosshair got up and walked the short distance. He came back after a moment or so. With his eyes wide and rubbing his neck with his face seemingly flushed to some shade of red.

"Yeah, definitely don't go in there." Crosshair told the other three glaring back at him wide eyed.

He then calmly sat back down to continue drinking the rest of his caf.

Yeah, there was definitely something there he had seen. Something worthwhile to be revisited at a later point. As he sat there thinking about it and glancing at Hunter, with a snide grin on his face.