Sorry if you wanted me to update... I get easily distracted (example: see my suzuka one shot, no one has reviewed and that makes me think it sucks but what evs) Thank you to my three lovely reviewers, ICB, Misery DeSoul, and Gaurdian's light. You guys are the coolest, and way better reviewers than me because you actually give good advise!
This whole chapter is kind of character building, flash backs, and random crap that I find vaguely amusing but just looks stupid or weird to other folk. Sorry, I know Jim is wwwaaayyy OOC, but it's difficult you see.
Disclaimer: Nope, last I checked I did not own my favorite anime of all time... but I'll get back to you, just in case that situation changes.
Maggie wandered through the streets of Sentinel 3. They were very different from what she remembered. She thought about the boy who had come asking for a job.
Damn kid wouldn't know a grappler if it got shoved up his ass. She thought moodily. Probably some city kid, run away from home to look for adventure. Maggie hated people who talked of adventures and pirate hunting as though it was all some fun weekend jaunt, where everyone comes home in the end. Her parents weren't the only ones she had lost.
George, Beka, Candi, Jixy, Brandin. She chanted in her head, And now, Mom and Dad too. The list keeps getting longer. She punched the nearest wall in frustration. Candy and Brandin weren't even involved! Killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people.
Passers by stared at the red headed teen, her green cargos slung low on her hips along with a heavy leather tool belt, as she beat the cement wall with her fist, sweat pouring into her eyes. I will not cry. Not today.
The weight of the castor felt heavy on her belt, bringing things to mind she had always accepted before, never questioned. This gun has killed so many people, and Dad was the one pulling the trigger. Was he ever wrong? Did he ever leave a family without a father because they were in the way? She had always pictured the people Gene had killed as faceless bastards of greed and malice. But now that her father was gone, she couldn't help question his earlier life. I wasn't there when he first went into space, when he first became an outlaw. He could have killed thousands of innocent people and just never spoke about it... There were a lot of things we never spoke about... No one knew him back then. Except Jim. That was another reason Maggie had sought out the mechanic so early, he had known both her parents from the very beginning. He would know if Gene ever killed someone who didn't deserve it, or if Melfina ever wanted a different kind of life for her only child.
Maggie snorted softly to herself. She couldn't imagine a different upbringing, even if it had been unconventional. Her friends, teachers and role models were criminals, anywhere between petty thieves to wanted outlaws like her parents. They taught her everything she needed to survive and more. Maggie appreciated this knowledge now more than ever, when she needed it. When she had found her parents...No. She stopped her train of thought before it brought her to that day. That's over and done with.
She finally found the building that Jim and Jessica lived in.
"M' back!" she called out, throwing her belt onto the couch. Maggie didn't bother to put the caster into a safer location, she didn't want to feel the weight of it any more today.
"How are you doing?" Jess stuck her head out from the laundry room.
"I fixed the compensators and landing gear," Maggie completely ignored Jess's question. "Then some kid came askin for a job."
"Really?" Jess tactfully didn't pursue the subject. "Will you hire him?"
"I dunno," Maggie pulled her fingers through her hair wearily. "If he can fly, maybe. But I just dunno." She didn't know how much to tell Jessica about her plans. She hadn't expected anything to keep Jim on Sentinel, but she liked Jessica and didn't want to do anything to force the couple apart.
"Jim told me everything," Jessica must have read the look of uncertainty on her face. "Even before last night, he was always talking about you and your parents. You're his family and he'd do anything for you."
"But what about you?" Maggie asked awkwardly. "If he came with me, what would you do?"
"Depends," Jess smiled. "If you'll have me, I'll come with. I may not look it, but I can fire most things pretty fair. Besides," she grinned. "You mechanic types need someone for food preparation. And if you think it won't take long, I'll stay and work at the diner. Don't think you're messing anything up. I would never begrudge you for coming here. Jim would understand if my niece needed help, so I'm not about to turn you down."
"Thanks," Maggie mumbled, embarrassed. "I really am sorry about all this. I just needed a place to go, and people to crew the ship. I am screwing things up, I know I am. But I promise, after this, you'll never see me again."
"That would be a shame," Jess smiled warmly. "I wouldn't want to hunt you down for the wedding."
"Yeah well," Maggie replied, flopping onto the couch on her stomach. "Maybe one more time. But I'll have my own money by then, so I won't be mooching off of you anymore."
"I'm home!"
"Hey Jim!" the girls chorused.
"Mmmm, what smells so-" Jim stopped short, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Maggie's shoulder, which was partially bared by her comfortable black muscle shirt. "Maggie! What the hell is that!?"
"Do you like it?" Maggie glanced fondly over her shoulder. "Dad payed for it for my sixteenth. I'll take this over a car any day."
"No I don't like it!" Jim raged, his face turning a bright red. "You're seventeen! You don't need a tattoo! Is that even legal?!"
"I dunno," she shrugged, making the star on her shoulder bob up and down. "And you're missing the point. No one needs a tattoo. I'm a Starwind, so I wanted it done."
"How could Mel allow this," Jim moaned. "You're a teenager, you're still a kid!"
"You killed pirates when you were years younger than me," she pointed out, slightly needled that he had called her a kid.
"This is different," he snapped back. I was an orphan with no one but a gun toting bachelor to take care of me. You grew up with parents! Sensible parents- well, a sensible mother at least."
"Aw, come on," she rolled her eyes. "You're acting like I'm five. Lighten up."
Jim tried to speak for a few minutes, gulping air like a fish. Finally, he just threw up his hands and left the room, grumbling darkly.
"What's up with him?" Maggie mumbled.
"He's just worried about you," Jessica smiled at her kindly. "He's probably thinking that you are growing up too fast. And that he was too busy with his own life to realize it."
"You have to grow up fast, with my life," Maggie said, not meaning to sound so cold. "Well, you know. Things happen, and you can't really go back to being a kid after them."
Maggie staggered into the kitchen to find her mother at the stove as usual, and her father chugging out of the milk carton.
"Ewww, Dad that's nasty," she wrinkled her nose at him.
"You had better not be drinking straight out of the carton again Gene," Melfina called warningly over her shoulder.
"I wasn't," Gene threw the empty container over his shoulder and into the garbage.
"He was," Maggie sat at the table. "I think he deserves to be punished."
"Hey!"
"It's kind of sad when you act more like a kid than I do," Maggie pointed out, flipping through the paper. "Would ya look at that, they've got the parts we need on sale. Wanna go check 'em out today?"
"Why don't you go ahead, kid," Gene turned, helping his wife with the pancakes. "Hell, I don't even remember what all we need. You'll figure it out on your own. Besides, I got some stuff to take care of today."
Maggie sat up on the couch, shaking uncontrollably. She took great steadying gulps of air, warding off the sick feeling in her stomach. She stumbled into the bathroom, turning the hot water up in the shower. I haven't showered since then. She realized, staring at herself in the mirror. Her hair was lank and greasy, plastered to her head by sweat and oils. Her dark skin was streaked with dirt and grease, giving the impression that she had war paint all over her face. Maggie pulled at the dark circles under her eyes. I look like a frigging drug addict. I doubt I've had a full hour's sleep straight since then. She mused, stripping off her filthy clothes and stepping under the scalding spray. She found soap and shampoo to make herself as clean as possible. For a moment, her bangs swung, dripping in front of her eyes and she swallowed heavily. Damn, I need to cut it again... she fought down the panic rising up in her throat, pushing memory to the back of her mind.
But her mind couldn't help taking her to another time, another clean, stark bathroom just over a year ago. When the water swirling down the drain ran red.
"Dammit," she mumbled, as though it would stop the flood of images rushing through her mind. She remembered every detail, and had almost gotten over it... then Blue heaven happened, and she started thinking of it again. Every detail of that day was etched in her mind. The muffled shots, the screams... the blood. She shivered. There was so much blood, more than you would think.
She looked around the brightly lit bathroom for a scissors, a knife, any thing sharp enough to cut hair. Not seeing anything, she turned off the water, and dug in her cargos for her pocket knife. She didn't want to use it, it held too many memories for her to feel comfortable with it. But her stomach had already begun to turn and twist.
This is nothing like before, she told herself firmly. Then, there was nothing I could do. Now I have a plan. No one else is going to get hurt. She pulled her hair tight and started cutting off several inches, chunks at a time. When she was through, she dried off, dressing quickly. The sun was just coming up and things seemed more friendly in the orangish light. Maggie peered at her reflection again.She grinned, her clothes were still filthy, but at least her skin was no longer suffocating. Her hair looked like it had been cut with a weed whacker.
I look like shit. She thought proudly.
When she left the bathroom, Jess was already at her post in the kitchen, buttering toast.
"Good morning," she smiled cheerily.
"Mornin," she looked curiously around the room. " Where's Jim?"
"Still asleep, poor guy. Tossing and turning all night. Did you sleep any better?"
"A bit," Maggie blushed. "I had... dreams though. Woke up a bit early. Sorry if I was too loud."
"Nope," Jess shook her head, making her curls bounce. "I woke up at my usual time and heard the shower. I didn't want to wake Jim, so I called the shop and told them not to expect him today."
"That's good," Maggie nodded her approval. "We need to test that kid today."
"How?" Jessica frowned. "You aren't going to take your ship out are you?"
"Yup," Maggie nodded. "That's the plan. There's no better way to test the guy's skills than to actually take him out."
"But won't that waste a lot of time? Not to mention fuel?"
"Of coarse," Maggie grinned broadly. "But it'll be real fun."
"What time is it?" Jim croaked from the doorway, rubbing his eyes. When he glanced at the clock, he yelped. "Holy shit! why didn't you wake me up!?!?" He ran from the room, returning a moment later, trying to pull on a tshirt and hop into a pair of jeans at the same time. "How- could- you- let- me- sleep?" Maggie and Jess watched with mild interest as he accentuate each syllable with a hop. "I'm- over- an- hour- late! Ah!" He lost his balance and fell to the floor with a thud.
"Relax," Maggie interrupted his fresh string of curses. "Jessica called the shop and told them you wouldn't be in. We need to find Aisha, Suzuka and test a job applicant."
"Plus you need the sleep," Jess pointed out, waving a spatula at him threateningly. "And don't even think about sneaking in. I told them it was a family emergency and you wouldn't be able to concentrate on your work. And it's true. I talked to Rian and he said you were distracted all day yesterday. He said he didn't know if it was legal to give you power tools, the state you were in."
Once they had calmed him down, Maggie was on the attack again.
"So, you know where Aisha lives?"
"Well... it wouldn't take long for me to hack in but..." Jim averted his eyes. "Maggie, this whole revenge thing..."
"Jim, this isn't about revenge," her eyes glinted dangerously. Jim shivered. Maggie may have her mother's eyes, but hers held a spark of defiance that Melfina never possessed. "Alright, maybe it is a little personal, I'll grant you that. But those bastards aren't just going to stop with mom and dad, they'll just keep killing."
"But why do you have to be the one to stop them?" Jim argued, exasperated. "You're a teenager! There are people trained to track down criminals like that. The Space forces-"
"The Space forces don't give a damn about real people!" Maggie's temper flared. "All they care about is arresting good people for no reason! I'm going to track down these bastards cuz the Space forces sure as hell won't!"
"You're right," Jim shook his head sadly. "It hurts like hell to admit it, but your right Mags. We live in one damn messed up place. Fine, I'll help you find them, but I'm still not promising any more than that!"
Sorry, randomness galor. I'm not sure if I made this very clear before, but I have no clue whatso ever where I'm going with this. Well, I've a Vague idea, but help would be greatly appreciated! And reviews! Outlaw star fans are way better reviewers than Tamora Pierce folks, you rock! show how much you rock, by reviewing and giving me a wealth of fantabulouse ideas and knowledge! But make sure it's constructive. I don't want no one telling me 'You suck! Don't bother trying to improve your writing, cuz it's impossible to fix somethin that broke!' If that's what you think, just don't review and I'll get the message.
