Ctarl Ctarl Comes to Call
Prolouge:
" Don't you dare forget your promise! You swore that you'd put in a good word for me when you get back home."
"Dear Aisha, I, like yourself, am a Ctarl Ctarl of honor. If I make a promise to someone I keep it…even if the request is fruitless."
"WHAT WHAT WHAT?!"
The younger female grinned at Aisha's outburst, then glanced passed her at her companions – her human companions. Brother, has Aisha lost all respect for herself? Cavorting around with humans of all species. Such weaklings…
Jean Starwind spent his free nights at a bar, as was his custom, with his friend and young partner James "Jim" Hawking. Tonight Melfina accompanied them, joining in on a friendly game of poker. Their other crewmates, the wild high-strung, down-on-her-luck Ctarl Ctal Aisha, and the beautiful Assassin "Twilight Suzuka" were off doing their own things. Melfina looked up from her hand as Jean let out a mournful sigh.
"What's wrong ,Jean?, she asked softly.
"Ahh…nuthin'. Just, well we've been hangin, around Hei-fong too long. I want to see some action, you know?"
"Well, whaddaya expect? Even since the whole Lei-Line debacle, and the Kei-Pirates, there just haven't been many good bounties worth searching out," Jim put in without looking up.
"Yeah. Hard to believe it's already been three years since it all started, huh?" Jean looked to his right at the Bio-Android Melfina, who smiled sweetly.
"Regardless, we're still gonna need to take up some of those bounties. Even with Aisha and Suzuka's help, we're in the red again."
"Wha…Again?! What happened to the money from that last job?"
"Gone. Supplies, maintenance…and food. Blame Aisha for that one. You know how much that woman can put away. What was supposed to last us a month, she gobbled down in a week!"
"Agh! Okay okay! Mel, what do you think?"
"Um. Whatever you want to do is fine with me , Jean."
"Hey Jean, there's always Fred. He's always got some little errand lined up for you. Ya know 'cause he loves…"
"Jim. If you want to live long enough to get married, I wouldn't finish that sentence."
"Welcome back, everyone."
The little pink robot hung over the doorframe to the entrance "Starwind and Hawking Enterprises" and greeted the three crewmates as they walked in.
"Yeah, hey Gillium," Jean grumbled back, walking passed and flopping down on the couch – he'd had a little too much to drink and was now having a splitting headace.
"I'll fix some tea. I'm sure Suzuka and Aisha will be back soon," Mel replied as she made her way to the kitchen area. And as if on cue, the front door slammed opened and in walked Aisha, wearing a very accomplished look on her face.
"I'm back! And boy am I starvin'! Hey Mel how about cooking up some food," the hungry Ctarl Ctarl officer called out. She was met with Jim and Jean's baleful glares.
"Can't you for once get your own food?! You got that part-time job, doncha?" the Outlaw growled as he downed a few aspirin.
"What?! No way! I'm saving every last Wong so I can get back home!" Aisha dusted herself off and closed the door behind her, '…It's your fault I'm in this predicament in the first place. This is only temporary. I will get back home and I will get my title back."
"Aw, not this again. Look, if you wanna eat then go find us a good bounty that pays a decent amount." Jean rolled over and yawned suddenly feeling very drowsy,'…I'm too tired to put up with you."
"…Is there every a time when the two of you aren't bickering? I could hear you outside." Suzuka now stepped through the door carrying with her four bags filled to the brim with food. Aisha, of course, was the first to notice and nearly pounced on her.
"Suz, you're a life-saver! Well come on had 'em over!" Aisha made a grab for the bags, but the graceful assassin side-stepped her and handed them all the Melfina.
"It's not nearly enough as last time. But it should last for a couple days, providing a certain someone stops her midnight refrigerator raids."
"Grr! You talkin' about me?!" The Ctarl Ctarl went ignored.
"Um, thank you Suzuka. I'll fix dinner right away. Jean will feel better with something solid in his stomach. Jim looked up from his computer.
"So what was it this time?"
"Pirates mostly. I took several jobs. Sorry I was gone for so long.
"Ah, don't worry about it. Nice to know you seem to be the only one concerned with our financial situation. And unlike someone else we all know, you're not a free-loader…"
"Hey, I heard that!", Aisha sneered.
"Sorry, but I don't need ya no more."
This was on Sentinal III the next afternoon when Jean and Jim responded to a problem that involved taking down a group of rouge pirates.
"Whaddaya mean ya don't need us? You know how much fuel costs?!," Jean slammed his fist down on the older man's desk, but the over-weight shopkeeper merely shrugged it off.
"Wasn't my fault. Things just happened that way. Theses guys have been giving me grief for weeks, mad 'cause I wouldn't sell 'em my special order castor shells. I just got them in!"
"Get to the point, would'ja. What happened they suddenly grow a conscience and leave?"
"Nah, this woman came in lookin' for castor parts and took 'em all out…all fifteen of 'em. I tell ya she was somethin' else…"
"A woman, huh? Damn, must have been an assassin or something. Tell me, what did she look like?", Jean asked as he leaned on the desk. His shorter partner rolled his eyes.
"Well, I don't think she was hired by anyone, but put simply I'm pretty sure she was a Ctarl Ctarl. I was lucky she didn't destroy my entire store, just the back room there."
"A Ctarl Ctarl?...No must have been a different one. Aisha went off with Suzuka," the Outlaw mumbled to himself.
"She must have been in the military…or rich. She gave me enough money to repair my shop and then some! I was so grateful I gave her whatever she wanted for a huge discount. She sure was a cutie too, and damn polite."
"…Definitely not Aisha," Jean and Jim replied in unison.
Jim watched as his partner filled plates with food at the buffet; the two were lucky to come across the new restaurant with the 'One Night Only' dinner special. They had taken care of a couple of small bounties beforehand, and were now chilling out. The atmosphere seemed calm, very placid, yet the young mechanic kept his ears open hoping to catch a stray conversation about anything remotely interesting.
"Here ya go, chow down. Probably won't be able to eat like this again until we find a big bounty." Jean placed all the plates down on the table and the two proceeded to eat in silence. The Outlaw let his eyes wander around the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing out of place, his eyes fell upon a lone figure sitting in the darkest corner of the restaurant. The stranger's face was hidden in shadow, though he could see the brilliant silver hair and royal purple hood covering their face. Jean stared harder and smiled when he realized the stranger was female.
"What're you doin'?, Jim asked as he watched Jean stand up, then followed his line of sight to the lone woman in the corner.
"Going to say 'Hello' of course. A woman shouldn't be sitting alone."
"You're such a womanizer, you know that?"
"Relax, would ya? I won't cause any trouble, scout's honor."
"Yeah right. Trouble always seems to follow you anyway…"
Jean made his way across the dimly-lit room and stopped at the woman's table. She didn't look up, made no motion or even acknowledge his presence.
"Hey there, beautiful. Mind if I sit?" Still no response, but she reached for her tea and sipped it slowly. Then…
"I prefer to eat alone, thank you," she replied in a soft voice.
"Aw, don't be that way. You know, girls fall over themselves to be with me," Jean pulled out the extra chair and draped his cloak over the back.
"Hmp. Arrogence, You humans are all alike." She hooked her head up enough for Jean to look into the woman's deep purple eyes, her dark skin and the single black stripe on her left cheek.
"Ah-hah. I knew you were a beauty. You got a name to go with that pretty face," Jean questioned as he took a chug of his beer. He could have sworn he saw the woman smile.
"Isn't it customary to give one's own name first?"
"O' course. The name's…"
"…Well if it isn't Jean Starwind!" The red-haired Outlaw turned to face several drunken space pirates. He sighed and slung his free-head over the top of his chair.
"Whaddaya want? I'm right in the middle of something…"
"Shaddap! You know there's a lot of pirates and outlaws out there that still have a bone to pick with you!," one of the taller men barked as he leaned against a buddy, '…You think you're so hot, with that ship of yours?" It was obvious that these hooligans just wanted to pick a fight, but Jean egged him on nonetheless.
"Ya got a beef with my ship?"
"Yeah that's right! But you don't look so tough now. Ya ain't got no back-up with ya, huh." Jean smirked and drained his glass, standing up and began cracking his knuckles.
"So you think you can take me on?"
"Enough! If there is one thing I will not tolerate is being disturbed while I eat." The woman scooted back her chair and stood. Growling, the leader pirate stepped up to block her way.
"Eh!? And what's a dame like you gonna do 'bout it?! I could break you in half." A wicked smile spread across the woman's face
"I think not…" She removed her hood to reveal long protruding ears.
"Hey man, back off! That's a Ctarl-Ctarl you're picking a fight with!," one of the leader's teammates cried in panic.
"So what!? It's just a girl…" No sooner had the words come out of his mouth, the woman dashed forward, flowing through the group and mowing them all down. She skidded to a halt a few feet away and raised herself up from her crouch. One by one, the pirates fell like dead-weight.
"Heh. Impressive. Remides me of someone else I know. Though she's not anywhere near as calm and collected as you," Jean commented as he slowly stepped forward, getting closer to inspect the damage to the men crumpled on the floor. Amazingly, though a few had deep gashes and bruises none of them were dead.
"Small fry like them are nothing to a Ctarl-Ctarl. I prefer not to sully my hands with such trash." Jean froze as the woman pulled a shiney silver castor from her holster and aimed it as his heart.
"Uh…somethin' I said?"
"I knew your name sounded familiar. So you are the infamous Jean Stawind, pilot of the Grappler ship the X-GP. The Ctarl-Ctarl Empire could benefit from such a fine vessel."
"Sorry, babe. But the Outlaw Star isn't for sale. However, I'd be happy to take you for a spin…you know, just the two of us."
"You dare speak to me that way!? Ingrate! I'm not bargaining here I'm telling you I'm taking command of that ship."
"…Excuse me, what's that?"
"I, Tasska KaHori Hori, Ambassador to the Ctarl Ctarl Empire, am hereby placing you and your crew under arrest." Jean's eyes widened.
"Did you say Ambassador?"
"That's right. Are you hard of hearing too?"
"No. But I think there's someone you should meet."