[Audio]

[out_of_order]

[The comm shrieks briefly with a burst of interference, a low-pitched whine still present even when the initial sound drops back. A very insistent beeping can be heard, however, shrill and urgent.]

Comments

[Audio]

[on_repeat]

[What the– on his end, Echo winces. It's not like a droid to just shriek out of the blue like that...]

–BeeDee? What's wrong?

[Audio]

[out_of_order]

[That first shriek had been pure electronic noise. and it hasn't completely cleared up. BD-1 however sounds relieved at the familiar voice, delivering a staccato of beeps as he tries to explain the situation. ]

[Audio]

[on_repeat]

[Why is there no way to adjust the signal on this thing? Upon hearing the clarity of the droid's subsequent beeping, it just confirms BeeDee is in a panic. Problem is, Echo doesn't fully understand Binary.

He does, however, feel a ball of worry forming in the pit of his stomach while remaining calm throughout the exchange.]

Whoa, okay BeeDee, slow down– ah, I can't– [He then mutters under a breath] Knew I should've paid more attention to Binary...

[Skipping ahead to the important part. He speaks up again.]

Where's Cal? Where are you?

[Audio]

[out_of_order]

[A trill in confirmation, followed by concerned hooting. There's the sound of tapping as the droid tries to make use of the screen controls but to no avail. Letting out a frustrated row of beeps, BD-1 tries a different tactic.

The video comes up, nothing but a dark overhead that one might not be sure it's even working until the droid's head appears. For some reason he looks to be glowing, not just his optical lens but his metal housing.

Hopping back, the bright flare of a holoprojection comes up, a map of the city and a trail winding from its outskirts.]

[Audio]

[on_repeat]

[The last thing Echo needs in the middle of what probably is an emergency is the communication device malfunctioning on them. Fortunately, that's not the case: he now sees the little droid hopping and the projection of the map.]

Position confirmed. [Gear is being grabbed as he hastily replies.] Hold tight, mate. I'll be there as soon as possible.

[Video]

[out_of_order]

[The projection moves slightly as BD-1 beeps an affirmative. He decides to hold where he is, map and all in case the clone needs reference. Not like he'll be running out of a charge any time soon.]

[Video/Action]

[on_repeat]

[He'll have to figure out how to plug in the coordinates later. BeeDee's holomap assistance isn't too hard to read, at least, and once he's smacked his helmet on he's out, hitting the ground running.

Echo doesn't know how long it will take to get to the outskirts. Time is of the essence and he'd rather not wait to see if the situation gets any worse.

He checks in.]

How're we doing, BeeDee?

[Video/Action]

[out_of_order]

[BD-1 would have directly provided coordinates but he has no way to patch into this communicator. He perks at Echo's voice when the ARC Trooper speaks up again, hooting lowly. The holo shifts again as the droid moves, tipping the communicator with his foot. The image is blurry but in the faint holo-light Echo might be able to make out the padawan's form, collapsed on the cavern floor.]

[Video/Action]

[on_repeat]

[Through the vocabulator of Echo's helmet, a modulated swear becomes lost in translation. More sound than word at that point.]

Continue monitoring him, I'll be there as fast as I can!

[A prone body on the ground is a scene he's seen many times before. Although set in a different context, it's enough to push him to run a little faster.]

[Video/Action]

[out_of_order]

[The communicator tips back to the view of the holoprojected map again as BD-1 pulls back his foot, letting out a worried warble in compliance.]

[Video/Action]

[on_repeat]

[The ARC Trooper has been pretty good at following the map, even if things got a little blurry because he and BeeDee both checked on Cal a few moments ago. It's trying to comfort a small droid that's new to him, but he tries some encouragement.]

Don't worry, you got this. He'll be all right.

[Right?

Run run run. Echo dashes the 'what ifs' that cross his mind, gripping his blaster tighter and channeling his energy into locating the cavern.]

[Video/Action]

[out_of_order]

[The little droid certainly hopes so! He's hunkered down beside the padawan. As far as he can tell, Cal's still breathing. Definitely a good sign, although he's not sure it's at a healthy rate. BD-1 isn't sure he likes being in here this long, and it certainly hasn't proven good for his friend. His calls have gone without response, so he can only beep at Echo hoping the clone can find them soon.]

[Action]

[on_repeat]

[Getting to where he needs to be comes about eventually – not within the time frame Echo sets for himself, but it's better than getting there hours later. The run turned into sprints in between the lengthier parts of the journey, and in the rush the ARC Trooper barely notices the change in terrain until his feet sink into the sand.

The small delay forces him to switch gears, jogging and weaving around sticks and the few stray green crustaceans crawling about the beach. It's hard to miss the rock formations on the coastline, and in looking down at BeeDee's holomap again, he sees he's close.]

BeeDee? Do you copy? [Echo sounds a little winded, but he keeps going, careful to watch his step once he hits sea-slick stone.] I don't know if you can see me, but I'm almost at your position. Any changes to Cal's condition?

[out_of_order]

[Little antennae perking, the holomap swings away from view as the droid glances elsewhere. He whistles brightly, picking up Echo's signal somehow. Quickly he returns his focus to over the communicator, and Echo can see his own position added in correlation with their own.

A negative is sounded at the latter question however, a forlorn hoot that dips down like a slide-whistle.]

[Audio]

[doubled_speed]

Beady? What is happening. Where are you?

[Man is he happy he's learned droid from his droid friends.]

[Audio]

[out_of_order]

[The droid spews a frantically beeped explanation of what he thinks happened, how he and Cal wandered into the caverns by the beach, how things just started getting strange and that BD-1 thinks it's something to do with the Force but it's left Cal unresponsive and he can't snap him out of it.]

Re: [Audio]

[doubled_speed]

[Shit, that's bad.]

The caverns can be complicated, they have lots of twists and side paths. Can you work up your best set of directions so I can get there?

[Audio]

[out_of_order]

[BD-1 can do better than that. He's an exploration droid, after all! With a whistle of compliance, the droid...pauses, because he realizes he can't show anything on this setting and the tablet has no port large enough for him to interface with. With something of a disgruntled beep he tries to tap at the screen. Bot feets not made for tablet!!]

Re: [Audio]

[doubled_speed]

[Damn, that's a point. But it's something.]

I'll get to the caverns in a minute. If you know your way out, come out to find me. We'll return.

[Audio]

[out_of_order]

[He sounds hesitant at that, not too keen about leaving Cal, but he beeps acknowledgement. Okay. He'll meet you outside, Tommy.]

Re: [Audio]

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy takes off at full speed, stopping by the hospital briefly to grab a few things he actually does know how to use. Mostly just basic bandaids. But he's trying.

Soon he's ducking into the cavern, frowning. More than anything he hopes that Cal hasn't gotten himself into the parts of the cavern that radiate energy out, that charge the crystals and leaves Tommy's powers keyed up.]

[out_of_order]

[It takes him some time but eventually BD-1 bweeps as he comes careening out of one of the tunnels, glowing like a metal firefly. He starts borbling rapid-fire, hopping around before darting back the way he'd come.]

[doubled_speed]

[That glowing is a bad sign for Tony, isn't it? Tommy follows after the droid.]

ANy clue what actually happened to him, Beady?

[out_of_order]

[The droid makes a mournful sound. He really has no idea what's happened. It seemed like Cal had sensed something. BD-1 goes on to mention that sometimes the padawan can see things from the past. But neither of them knew what to expect of this cave.

It's not long before they come upon where Cal has collapsed. His communicator's beside him where BD-1 had been fumbling with it. There's a few raw veins of crystal along the walls, casting a faint glow.]

[doubled_speed]

[Oh yeah, the crystals are there and glowing. But they sure aren't the only things. Tommy's eyes are a beckon of pale blue light. His hair shines white and strong. And the air around him has a faint green radiance as he can't keep himself from vibrating a bit. Hopefully BD-1 could put up with the fact that he was about to have to decipher Tommy's speech as the words rushed together.]

ShitmanwhatthefuckCaldon'tjustlaythere.

[He kneels by the man, shaking his shoulder.]

WakeupbecauseifIhavetocarryyouImighthurtusboth.