Chapter 12
Back on the ship Zheth was treated for her fever and the worst of her wounds but no matter what the medical staff did there was nothing to erase the pain. Currently she was curled up in a tight ball shivering from bother her illness and the agony, they should've just let her die!
"Perhaps I should have." Kylo's mechanized voice growled, causing her to flinch and glare at him, he should stay out of her head. "But I won't yet. After all if you're keeping track of life debts, you owe me two now."
Yes, she did, and she always paid her debts. Zheth closed her eyes again, unable to keep up her threatening glare. Pure torture sliced its way into her skull as Kylo raised his hand and she thrashed against her bed as he continued making his way through her skull, she wanted to scream but found she was unable to. By the time he was out of her mind she was barely aware of the fact that the pain was gone, though she was a bit confused as to why she was in the medical bay instead of in a cell on the Resistance base, shouldn't she be getting interrogated for information?
"Zheth, can you hear me?" Kylo's voice came from her right and she turned to look at him. "Is there any pain?"
She shook her head after a moment to think over the question. "N-no."
"Good." He started to leave before turning back to face her. "You are free to do as you wish until General Hux sends further orders."
Zheth didn't know what to do and it wasn't just because of her extra free time. Should she really stay here with the First Order until they lost use of her? Her friends were in the Resistance, not that they would consider her a friend anymore probably, but she had been loyal to her strange messed up family. That was what a bounty hunter avoided though, the more connections you had with people the more ways you could be hurt. Staying here was better; besides, they did pay more for her services... not to mention she now owed them for saving her. She turned in the direction of the cellblock; perhaps she could find General Organa there along with confirmation of where she belonged. Zheth supposed she could also inform the aging woman about Han's death while she was at it.
"General?" Her voice was quiet and unanswered as she called down the empty hall, shouldn't there be Storm Troopers guarding the cells? "General Organa are you here?"
"Zheth." The woman's voice spoke up and she hurried over in the direction of the cell to see Leia sitting in the back of the cell, her hands bound. "I thought you had been captured."
"I was... and then I was rescued." She heard the door shut and lock behind her as she leaned back on the cold wall and slid to the floor directly across from Organa. "But you haven't been."
The woman didn't seem fazed by her words; in fact she seemed to see right through Zheth's uncaring façade. "Something is on your mind, something you can't let the First Order hear."
"That isn't why I'm here." She gave a harsh growl; she didn't feel like having her loyalty tested again, she was only here to inform General Organa of Han's death... that was all. "I'm here to inform you that your husband, Han Solo, was killed in my rescue. He's truly gone this time and nothing you do will ever bring him back."
At first Zheth didn't think the news affected Leia... and then she heard a muffled sob as Organa lowered her head into her hands. She looked so different than the general Zheth had met in Maz's Cantina... like she was finally giving into all the stress and lose and pain she'd experienced throughout her life. It was a bit painful to watch, so she didn't. She stared down at the floor, how could she break the last person who had a prayer of bringing her back home? Zheth turned around and slammed her fist into the wall before curling into a ball; she was a terrible excuse for a human being! Not to mention she'd destroyed the mandalorian code... so much for honor and loyalty... even her strength was turning feeble.
"Ben killed him, didn't he? It was my son, my son killed his own father." General Organa spoke up, a shadow of her usual commanding and confident tone hidden behind a layer of grief.
Zheth didn't turn around, if she did it would weaken her resolve to not care. "Yes. I didn't try stopping him either... He repaid the debt he owed me for saving his life once, probably the only debt he'd ever paid."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you pretend to not care about anyone when its clear you don't like what you're doing?" Her voice seemed to be returning to its normal tone with each word.
She scowled and got back to her feet so she could glare down at her ex employer. "Never say I care! I don't care, okay? If I was ordered to I would kill you right now."
"You don't mean that. I know who you are and you aren't a monster." She stood up as well and walked as far as the restraints allowed. "When I'm rescued I want you to come back with me, come home... even Ben still has a place if he wants, let him know that. Predator, you're not the beast the First Order has made you think you are, neither is my son, please, see that."
The door swooshed open and Zheth felt a firm hand clamp onto the back of her neck as Hux sneered back a reply. "Predator was always a monster, she just needed to be let out of the cage the Resistance put her in... and after that stunt Skywalker pulled, she won't be your lapdog again for your people to give orders to."
"And what exactly have you been doing? Giving orders as well I'm sure." General Organa was obviously not impressed by Ginger's display of power.
Zheth gave her a heartless stare. "Skywalker should die for what he did. And when the time comes, I hope you're forced to watch his death. To think, I was almost tricked into helping you find that lunatic."
It hurt, saying that to Leia had hurt, but it was the truth. She left the cell with Hux's hand still guiding her, not bothering to attempt defying his silent commands. The two finally found themselves in what looked to be an older cell considering the slight dust and lack of cameras, which were broken on the floor with familiar burn marks on them. Zheth winced as she was shoved into the wall, unable to see Hux with his grip holding her neck still but she could feel his body heat as he stood behind her.
"What do you think you were doing in that cell?" His grip tightened slightly. "You weren't thinking of trying to break her out were you? After everything we've done for you here? Then again, you are just a bounty hunter after all."
"I w-wasn't trying to f-free her..." Zheth cringed at her stuttering, the effects of Luke's mind manipulation still fresh in her memories... they were too real... yet... they weren't. "I just w-wanted to s-see how-how she-she'd react to knowing h-her husband d-died."
The bruising grip loosened just enough for her to twist her head slightly to look at his face. "You don't have the authority to go in there, get caught again and worse things will happen than this slap on the wrist."
"It won't happen again, General." She assured him, giving into defeat.
She felt him pull her away from the wall before releasing her. "Good. See that it doesn't."
"Is there anything you need, General Hux?" Zheth questioned as she left the room. "Or was this the only thing you wanted to bother me about?"
"I see you've learned your place." Hux's comment sounded just as uncaring and superior as usual but there was something along the lines of loss buried in his features.
She felt a stir of challenge in his words however, like some of her old spirit was starting to appear again. "Of course I have Ginger, my place is at the top of the galaxy. Predators are at the top of the food chain after all... hmm, wonder where that puts a pet like you?"
"Pet?" His eyes widened at the insult before a slight scowl came onto his face.
"Oh, don't be insulted... I just don't see you hurting anyone. You're a bit too domesticated for violence. I mean look at you! You're a twig!" She nudged him. "Alright, a strong twig I'll admit. You did carry me."
Hux gave a huff. "At least you're aware of that fact."
"I tend to keep track of my debts." Zheth responded. "Though I'm not sure if this last rescue should go to you or my brother..."
Hux stopped outside a door and glanced at her as he entered the code. "Why don't we see just how domesticated I am, perhaps then you'll see who that debt belongs to."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Zheth shot him a wolfish grin.
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