DISCLAIMER: "Samurai Jack" and "Cowboy Bebop" are both owned by their respective owners. This story is written for entertainment purposes only. No profit was gained, nor lost.
Chapter One - "Never Been Farther from Home"
"Jet! What the hell's going on here?!" Faye screamed as she raced onto the bridge. The Bebop suddenly shuddered, nearly sending the far-too-skinny bounty hunter gambler to the metal floor.
"Something's wrong with our engines. We need to get out of the hypergate," Jet explained, fingers swiftly racing along the controls.
"Good luck," Spike retorted, hanging onto a nearby railing. "What is the problem exactly?!"
"I don't know! Go strap yourselves in!"
Faye pushed Spike out of the way. "You don't have to tell me twice!"
"Hey! Watch it!"
Spike headed back towards the hatch, but paused to look out the window. The energy that normal flowed around ships while going through the hypergate was fading in and out, and looked like it was being replaced by black and white circles. But as soon as those circles came into sight, they normal sight of energy appeared.
"Get back there, Spike! This isn't going to be pretty!"
Spike walked back. Jet took a deep breath, not even sure why he kicked Spike out of here. But he knew that the young bounty hunter would want to help. And quite frankly, Jet didn't even know what the problem was. It was like something was pulling them away. Flying the Bebop through the hypergate was easily comparable to swimming upriver.
Spike walked towards a window, transfixed by what he saw. The black and white circles were becoming more and more visible.
"Ooooohhhhhh . . ." Ed moaned from behind him. He turned around and saw she messing around on her computer with Ein sitting next to her. Ein was barking at the computer while Edward was apparently engrossed in something.
"Ed, maybe you should strap yourself in."
"In gin, fin, din, lyn, win!" Ed replied, her eyes unreadable behind her visor. Unknown to Spike, Ed was watching her network connection flicker and sputter. And then . . . suddenly . . . it was replaced by a bizarre image.
A big, black thing with a pale green face and burning hair appeared on the monitor. It's eyes looked around, then locked with Ed's. "I will have you four!"
The thing reached forward and Ed's eyes grew to the size of saucer plates. She ripped off the visor and leapt back from her computer. Ein began to bark profusely.
"Ed? Edward, what's wrong?" questioned Spike.
The Bebop suddenly lurched and Spike, Ed, and Ein went spilling across the room. Spike looked back at the computer as it slide across the floor. There was some sort of image on its monitor. Then, from the computer, blue streams of electricity surged froward, leaping across the room.
Spike reached for his gun, but was too late. The streams zipped there way through the Bebop. All systems flickered off and died. He looked outside and saw that the streaming hypergate energy was completely gone, now replaced with the black and white circles.
Then everything went black . . .
***
"Herbal tea, please," came the gentle voice of the white robed man as he entered the bar. With the forces of Aku and the large bounty on his head, Jack was ready for a moments rest. A fresh cup of herbal tea was more than enough to relax his body before going on the move once again.
He ignored whatever the barkeepers remarks regarding Jack's choice of dress and choice of drink, and took up the warm cup. Sipping it quietly, Jack felt a moment of peace take over his body.
"Hey! You!" came a sudden shout from behind him. Jack sighed and glanced over. A tall, bulky cyborg stomped over to Jack. "Yeah, I thought it was you."
Jack said nothing, and only sipped his tea a bit more.
"There's a bounty on your head . . . Samurai Jack."
Once again, Jack said nothing, sipping his tea.
"Yeah. And I'm gonna collect. Maintaining this body is a lot harder than you think. Had to sell all of my weapons. Except for this one."
Jack's response was the same, quiet one. The cyborg's arm suddenly transformed into a laser cannon, aimed at Jack's head. But just as it was about to fire, there was a swish of wind, and the laser was sliced off the arm.
Jack sheathed his sword just as it began to dawn on the cyborg what had happened. Jack had just sliced off his arm, leaving him weaponless. The cyborg charged Jack, but Jack ducked down and used his attacker momentum to flip . . . right onto the bar.
There was a terrible crash as the bar shattered with the impact.
"Get out!" fumed the barkeeper. "NOW!"
Samurai Jack sighed deeply, picked up his sword, and walked out.. As he walked into the hot sun, he frowned. When would he ever find the peace he needed?
***
There was something wet licking his cheek.
Spike's eyes opened up and found he was face-to-face with Ein. He groaned and pushed the dog away. Spike sat up then, and was shocked at what he saw outside. The Bebop had apparently crashed in the middle of a dessert, but not one that Spike could remember.
"Where the hell are we?" he asked no one inparticular.
"Hell if I know," Faye replied from the doorway.
Jet stepped in beside him. "Is everyone okay in here?"
Spike rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Just fine. Edward?"
Ed flopped up from the floor. "Ed is just fine, lunkhead!"
Spike shook his head, wishing that Faye had never taught her that word. He stood up and followed Jet down to the engine room.
The engine room itself was in shambles, with wires and cords all over the place. "Whatever hit us, concentrated here," Jet told Spike.
"Look at all these blown out circuits," Spike observed.
"Can you fix it?" asked Faye, walking into the engine room. "I wanna get outta here."
Jet grunted, eyes looking over the damage. "Maybe. But not without parts. And we still don't know where we are."
Just then, Ed's voice filled the intercom. "Faye-Faye! Spike-person! Jet-person! Ed has something to show you!"
The trio looked at each other, then headed up to the living room. Ed sat perched over her computer, fingers flying all over the keyboard. Jet, Faye, and Spike all crowded around Ed and her computer. "We're on Earth!" Ed yelped, pointing to their position and a map.
"We are?" asked Faye. "But that map looks so different . . ."
"Earth has changed since you've been frozen, Faye," Spike answered.
"Not that much, Spike," Jet pointed out. "Looks at these cities and these environments. Why, it's almost nothing Earth."
"Look, look!" shouted Ed, fingers hitting even more keys. "Mail mail for Bebop Bebop!"
A window opened up on the monitor, displaying pictures and text. "What . . . who is that?" wondered Faye.
"That's a bounty," Jet said, scratching at his chin.
Spike started up a cigarette. "How much?"
"Couple billion gold pieces," Jet read. "Says here he's the highest bounty in history. And he's in the region."
"Great. I'll go get him," Spike said, heading towards the door.
"You're kidding, right?" questioned Jet.
"Nope. You're going to need parts, right? And to get those parts, you're going to need money. The best way to do that is to catch this bounty. What's his name again?"
Jet glanced at the monitor. "Samurai Jack."
Spike grinned. "Sounds easy enough." And with that, Spike was gone.
Faye looked over at Ein, Ed, and Jet, then stood up. "Well, I better go too."
"What?!"
"Well, let's just say that there many other ways to catch a bounty than Spike is capable of doing. See ya later."
Jet smacked his head. "Damn it," he muttered. "Oh well. Better get to work. Edward, stay outta trouble."
Ed just smiled.