Disclaimer; I don't own Outlaw Star or any of the characters or any of the other elements of the series. There, that pretty much covers it. However, I do own the characters and situations presented in Boutou Hoshi. If you want to use them, please e-mail me and I'll probably let you do it. Please don't sue me! I've only got some old drawing books and empty pocky boxes anyway so you wouldn't get much. Okay, I'm done.
Notes; This is the long awaited sequel to Boutou Hoshi. Tada! ^-^ Okay, I'm really trying to get to work on this now that school's out (yay!). Any suggestions would be helpful, it took me forever just to get this prologue done. Ehh, I'm kind of going against Bishonen no Miko's advice in writing this . . . is this all a big mistake? Please tell me what you think! REMEMBER; Gene and Jim are living in Coriga at this time, not Centinel III.
Dedication; This story is dedicated to the people who've stuck by me for the past three months, especially Jade S., Anime Angel, heehee, barbo-chan, and Trunks. Also, this is dedicated to my friends Legacy Lost, Bishonen no Miko, Tamahome no Miko, Shattered Stars, and (especially!) my sis Blayse! Thanks you guys! ^-^
Tarian
By; Adakie
Prologue:
In the year 156 of the Toward Stars calendar, a mysterious illness known as the Tarian virus appeared in many of the outer planets. It was most noticeable in Aoulie, Shokou, Machitah II, Buruken, and Coriga. It wiped out over half of the population of those planets, sending its victims to a painful death. Those who were unaffected became paranoid, wishing to distance themselves from those who were "tainted". They locked the sick away like prisoners, holding them in large groups and simply waiting for them all to die. It was impossible for anyone with the Tarian to hide. They were effected by high fevers, difficulty breathing, and extreme fatigue. The most prominent feature of this illness, however, is a hardening of the veins in the wrists, hands, and lower arms. The Tarian has come to be known as the Plague Virus.
~*~
"Hey there gorgeous, how about I buy you a drink?"
"Gene! Stop it!"
"Oh come on, girls love it when guys do this kinda thing."
"But we're not here so you can meat girls."
"Oh come on, live a little! Hey there baby, did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"
The relative peace of the crowded bar was suddenly broken by a loud slap and the sound angry click of high heals as a blond woman stormed out through the door. A tall, red-haired eighteen year old by the name of Gene Starwind reclaimed his chair at a nearby table, one hand holding his reddened cheek.
"Itaiii." [1]
The normal muted chatter of the bar scene started again and a young blond boy sitting at the teenagers table leaned in closer.
"Well, I tried to warn you."
"Jim, shut up."
"Humph, anyway, shouldn't you be looking for a job?"
Pain and rejection forgotten, Gene plastered a cocky smile on his face.
"You're the one that's always worried about getting a job."
"Ya, only because you don't seem to care if we starve or not!"
"I never said you had to come with me kid, I could have left you back at the Shougai launch station."
"But you didn't."
Gene smiled slightly, taken back into his memories for a moment. The two hadn't been partners long, but in those short months that they had been living and working together they had developed a strong friendship and loyalty. Before his trip through memory lane could go any further, a sudden commotion grabbed his attention.
"Oh my g*d, it's one of them! He's got it!"
A woman, the one responsible for the scream, stood a few feet away from a table, pointing a shaking finger towards an older man. Even from where they sat, Gene could see the absolute terror in her eyes. The man was sitting at the table, his face turned down and his arms resting on the wooden surface. The sleeves were turned up just a little bit, showing a pattern of blue streaking along the wrists.
"It's a plague carrier!"
"How'd one of _them_ get in here?!"
"Turn it in!"
"Don't let it escape or this thing will just keep spreading!"
A few members of the crowd closed in, grabbing the man and hoisting him up from his seat. Gene stared in shock at the events. He had heard about what was going on with the plague victims, but he had never seen it for himself. The man raided his head, dark brown eyes shimmering with an unnatural brightness. And then they were gone.
"Oh G*d," Jim whispered. Gene nodded his head in acknowledgment.
"That guy's as good as dead."
~Owarii~
'Kay, this part's done. What did you think? Any suggestions? Wana tell me that I suck and should just give up on writing all together? Anything?? Please be a responsible reader and review! ^-^
[1] - Itai is ouch in Japanese. ^-^