At Fort Anaxes, Anakin meets with Rex and Hunter to plan the mission to Skako Minor. There, they hope to find out how the Separatists have predicted Rex's strategies -- and if Echo is still alive. But before they can leave, Anakin says, they "have that thing to do."

With Rex on watch, Anakin retreats to the now empty clone barracks where he contacts Padmé, his secret wife. She offers some words of wisdom regarding his concerns for Rex, but their talk is cut short by Obi-Wan's arrival (signaled to Anakin by a knock on the door from Rex). Both say "I love you" and bid their farewells; Obi-Wan, however, may know more than Anakin realizes. "I hope you at least told Padmé I said 'Hello,'" he says upon seeing Skywalker.

The mission begins! Rex, Anakin, and the Bad Batch land on the fog-covered Skako Minor. They're quickly greeted by the locals, a race called Poletecs that worship massive reptilian beasts. And they don't seem happy to see the Republic heroes.

Soon, one of the creatures swoops in and grabs Anakin! Crosshair instinctively fires a grappling line onto the beast and trails the aliens back to their village, relaying the location to the rest of the squad.

The clones quickly arrive and disarm the Poletecs without taking any lives. Tech translates the words of the chief, who says he does not want their war on his planet. Anakin reassures him it's the Separatists who brought the conflict here, and the Poletec leader agrees to provide them with guides to the Separatist base.

Meanwhile, Admiral Trench contacts Wat Tambor of the Techno Union on Skako Minor. He warns that an infiltration team of clones has traced the strategic algorithm signal and will soon arrive. "Then we shall be ready for them," Tambor says.

The clones near the Separatist camp...but lose Echo's signal. The weight of the mission taking its toll, Rex grows angry when Hunter suggests that this could all be a trap. Crosshair, however, takes things further. "I don't blame you. I would've left him for dead, too," he says of Echo. "Besides, he's just another 'reg.'" Rex pummels the sharpshooter in response before Anakin sends the Bad Batch away.

Though Anakin understands what Rex is going though, he implores his friend to prepare himself for the possibility that Echo is dead.

Finally, they reach the Separatist tower and regain Echo's signal. Though it's meant to be a stealth mission...the Bad Batch go in blasters blazing.

When the troopers discover the room emitting the signal, Wat Tambor greets them via viewscreen. "Your friend is dead," he says. "His mind is ours." With that, a mass of security droids attack, but they're no match for the Bad Batch and a Jedi. When another wave arrives, Anakin orders Tech to open the door for Rex, and the two clones finally get inside.

They find a stasis chamber, which Tech quickly opens. Echo, or what's left of him, falls forward, a smattering of cables attached to his head and spine.

Rex cradles his friend, now part machine and part man, who has no memory of what has happened to him since the events at the Citadel. "Just sit tight, trooper," Rex says. "You're going home."