Doubt (Howzer)

5

Tw: Injury, violence.

Howzer's eye twitched as Leila slowly started walking to the side. King and Tic furiously watched as their captain was dragged away. Yet they remained still, not wanting his life to be taken.

"Good," Leila praised once she noticed that they hadn't moved. "Now stay there nicely and I might let him go."

"You 'might' let me go?" Howzer muttered.

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Leila pleasantly said. 

They had been shuffling along until they reached a small ship, which Leila shoved Howzer onto. She gave Tic and King a mocking salute as the ramp closed, before turning to face Howzer.

Leila sighed as she pulled out a set of binders. "I really wish it didn't have to be like this." 

"Then don't do this!" Howzer snapped. 

"Don't worry," Leila said more to herself than him, "I'll still find a use for you..."

So Howzer was pushed into the co-pilot's seat, hands bound behind his back. Leila sat in the pilots seat and brought the ship to life, smiling as troopers began jogging towards them.

"Looks like the rest of your backup has arrived," Leila told him, reaching above her to flip a switch. 

Howzer stared at the window at King and Tic.

He could see them planning something stupid.

He could practically hear them arguing about a moronic plan.

Then suddenly, Tic held out his hands. King used them as a launching board and leaped onto the window, banging on it.

Leila clicked her tongue. "I know I should've sprung for the windshield wipers. But they were so expensive..."

"Where are you even taking me?" Howzer demanded, shaking his head tiredly at King.

King slid off the window, falling atop Tic. 

"You're just here so they don't blow me up." Leila grinned at him as she flew the ship out of the atmosphere. "We're going to meet my old partner. You'll love him."

Somehow, Howzer doubted that he would.

"'ello, little lady."

Leila nodded. "Hello, Cad. It's been a while."

"So you finally came crawling back," Bane drawled, leaning against the doorframe. "Missed me?"

"You know it." Leila grabbed Howzer and pulled him along. "Say hello to our guest."

"Why do ya always end up kidnappin' clones?" Bane's red eyes flicked over Howzer. "It's a bad habit of yours."

"They don't cry when I kidnap them." Leila shrugged. "It's better on my ears than just some random civilian as a hostage."

"I can't believe you taught at a school," Howzer muttered under his breath.

Leila shot him a filthy look. "Hey, I've never hurt a child. I never will, either."

Bane cleared his throat, drawing the attention back to him. "Why'd ya come back? Somethin' happen?"

"I need to hide for a bit until everything settled a bit." Leila gave Bane a hopeful smile. "Can I... hide with you for a bit?"

"No." Bane drummed his fingers along the blaster at his waist. "I've learned it's better to work alone. 'Sides, I can't have some clone taggin' along. Unless you want to kill him?" Bane smirked.

"You know I don't kill unless it's needed. I'll just drop him off somewhere." Leila grimaced. "But you really won't have a partner again?"

"Find somewhere else to hide, Petals," Bane said. He turned around to leave the ship. "Ya have my comm if ya need anythin'"

Leila sighed. "Thanks anyway, Cad."

"You were partners with Cad Bane?" Howzer asked as Leila sat back down on the pilots seat. He pulled at the binders, wincing at how his raw wrists were aggravated.

"Yes." Leila's eyes flicked to him before she returned her attention back to the dashboard. She pursed her lips and stood up. "I'm going to go get some rations before we fly off. Stay here."

"Not like I have a choice," Howzer grumbled. 

"I've had some fools try to escape anyway." Leila shrugged. "It never ends well. For them, that is."

Howzer waited until she was gone to try one last attempt at escape. He sucked in a breath before applying pressure with one hand to the other's thumb. He winced as he dislocated it, sliding free of the binders.

He mentally thanked King for teaching him that trick, wondering why King even knew that. He grabbed his blaster from across the cockpit and slid down the ladder into the main part of the ship. 

After taking a couple minutes to curse at his dislocated thumb, he hit the button to lower the ramp-

"Shoot," Howzer 'cursed' as he saw Leila returning to the ship with a crate in her arms.

Then he was engulfed in a stun ray.

Leila put her hands on her hips as she stood over him. "You're going to be a problem, aren't you?"

She started to drag him back onto the ship, propping him up against the wall. She examined his dislocated thumb and let out a snort. She got the binders again, but made them tighter so he couldn't pull the same trick again.

"I'm really disappointed, Howzer," Leila dejectedly said, shaking his shoulders. "Do I really have to watch you all the time?"

"Just let me go! I'll find a way back to Ryloth!" Howzer glared at her groggily as she woke him up.

"Can't do that now. I got a message while I was gone and I need to go do something. It's important." Leila grinned at him as she flipped a switch. "We're going to Tatioone!"

"Why would anyone go there?" Howzer finally popped his thumb back into place.

"I just told you that I got an urgent message. We're going, and then I'll drop you off somewhere. Maybe I'll leave you on Tatooine."

Bower let out a heavy sigh and put his head back against the wall. "Can I at least change when we get there? This armour is heavy and hot."

Field trip tiiiiime!

Howzer's getting to see the galaxy!

As a hostage, but whatever.