Predator and Prey

Chapter 11

"Well if it isn't the Reaper herself!" Poe's voice made Zheth whirl around, disrupting the nurse who was bandaging her arm.

"Hot Shot?" She stared at him in shock. "I thought you were-"

"Dead?" He gave a cocky grin and touseled her hair. "Couldn't allow that now could I? A new buddy of mine, Finn, he got me out. I saw him when we got back and he mentioned another prison escapee... I had to come see if it was you or not."

"No one kills me that easily." She smirked back and crossed her arms. "That's why I'm the predator and not the prey."

"I can tell, not to be cliché but you look like you've gone through Hell." He gave her his trademark grin to show he was joking.

Zheth smirked back, playing along as she punch his arm. "Yeah, well, look whose talking. Maybe I need to change your name to Skid Mark, it looks like you tried landing an X-Wing on your face."

"It looks better than when I first escaped." Poe laughed slightly before dragging her away from the medical bay. "Zheth, after I came back... General Organa said you were dead... what happened?"

"Another bounty hunter found me. Nearly killed me after I crashed on Jakku." She gave him another punch. "That's for nearly getting me killed by natural causes by the way."

Poe pretended to be hurt as they continued walking. "But how were you captured?"

"They found out I was actually alive." Zheth turned to stare at him. "Why do you care? I'm just the hired help, easy to replace for the right price."

Poe stopped in his tracks to stare at her. "You don't get it do you? After working for us for so long you still don't see it... Zheth, you're like family to us. When I heard you were dead I... I didn't know what to do! I knew it was my fault! I told you to come help..."

"Oh shut up." She growled, a bit confused at his pained tone. "I would've been blown out of the sky anyway, probably."

Zheth yelped as she was pulled into his embrace and gave him an awkward pat on the back as he spoke. "Thank the Force you're okay..."

"The Force..." She gave a laugh. "The Force had nothing to do with it. It can't do anything without someone's manipulation! I wouldn't even believe in its existence if I hadn't seen it being used when I was a kid!"

"It doesn't matter how you survived. I'm glad you did." His grip tightened until he felt the bandages through her shirt. "Did I hurt you?"

"I can't feel it, really. You people need to stop fussing over me, I can take care of myself." She muttered as he lightened his grip on her slightly.

"Like I said, you're family. We take care of our family no matter what because our loyalty is the only thing we have at times." His words stung more than her wounds, though he didn't seem to notice her reaction to them.

"I just remembered, I have to um, go find my spare helmet..." Zheth muttered before faking a smile. "I'll see you later Hot Shot."

"I hope so." He growled playful back at her before allowing her to leave.

Zheth actually did need to find her spare helmet; it felt strange not to be wearing one, though it wasn't unpleasant. However, she also needed to be away from Poe... did he like her? She scoffed, he was the best pilot the Resistance had and she was just their smuggler, once this war was over she'd be long gone and the two would never see each other again, especially since the First Order would kill all of these traitors. Her spare room that she'd been given when she'd first been hired was untouched and she walked over to grab her back up helmet from where it had been left, easily slipping it over her head. A few minutes later she was once again broken from her peace and silence by a knock on her door.

"Poe Dameron I thought I told you I was-" She stopped herself as she saw the old man standing outside her door while shifting to the side a bit uncomfortably. "What do you want?"

"Leia sent me... she- she told me something important."

"Then tell me what General Organa wants and leave me alone, I've had a rough day." Zheth hissed, wishing she could tell her new 'friends' back on the Finalizer the mission was working.

He ignored her and grabbed a spare chair in her room to sit down in. "This isn't something I can just say... kid."

"I'm thirty-five, I'm not a kid." She growled, swearing he gave her a look of slight recognition of something.

"You're younger than me, less experienced, people like that are kids."

Obviously he wasn't going to leave soon. With an impatient sigh she slumped down in another seat. "Who are you? Why were you sent to give me information?"

"You've never heard of me either? Do you young people live under rocks?" He gave her a look.

"No, I'm just a bit focused on surviving."

"I'm Han Solo, a smuggler and owner of the ship that made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs." He shook his head. "But that's not what I'm here about kid."

"I'm not a kid." Annoyance spread through her, was this how she made Hux feel with her teasing? Hmm, probably should apologize for that... and then call him Ginger again...

"Has Leia ever told you anything about your past before?"

"She doesn't know my past."

Han gave her a look of disagreement. "She knows everything about it, or most of it anyway... What do you remember about the planet you were born on... your real family?"

"They were murdered by the people who raised me." A slight snarl came into her voice, how she wished she could go back and murder Nathale.

"Nothing?" The tension in his muscles didn't go away.

"What is your point?"

"We know who your parents are, were, well both. Your father is alive." Han glanced at the door as though he wanted to leave; General Organa was probably forcing him to say this.

"Why should I care about them? If my father is alive he abandoned me and allowed my mother to die. I was at the mercy of smugglers who would murder me the second the Empire ordered it if not before. I defended myself through the years... my father can go die in the darkest corner of the galaxy for all I care." Any hint that she could pull a joke or slightly humorous remark faded as she growled out her response.

Han sighed and looked down at the floor. "What if he didn't know you existed until recently."

It clicked in her mind and she stood up, backing away from him. "You're lying. This is General Organa trying to- to..."

To do what? Zheth couldn't think of a reason behind this as she let her words die out and the two stayed there in silence. Her body was trembling slightly as she took in the new information... why? Why her? Why did this happen to her? Hadn't the galaxy put her through enough! She sank to the ground, leaning against the wall, staring back at Han through her helmet. He just sat there awkwardly, something that didn't seem very natural for a man like him.

Finally, Han stood up and walked over, giving her a hesitant pat on the shoulder before heading for the door and glancing back at her. "I'll let you get some rest Predator, you look like you need some time for that."

"Wait." Zheth stood up and looked at the ground as he turned back to her. "You can call me Zheth..."

Han nodded. "I'll let you get some rest, Zheth. Come find me if you need anything."

"Alright..."She heard the door close as he left and collapsed on her bed, she should report to General Hux or whoever was monitoring that end of the communicator to report on how they trusted her... but after what just happened... she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts for a bit.