. She tinkered away at nothing in particular until around two in the morning. She heard footsteps quietly and stumbling at first but the were rapidly getting louder. Storm slowly drew her guns and turned out the lights and hid. Someone walked in and turned on the lights. "Storm I know you're in here" whispered the voice so he didn't wake up Gene in the next room knowing how grumpy he is in the morning. "Oh! It's you Jim," whispered Storm jumping down from the top of the door ledge. "I didn't know our mechanics were that nosy," laughed Jim. "They're actually not that nosy compared to how nosy my little sister was to me and I was to Sarah" replied Storm closing her eyes and thinking bout her Little sister Ginny who looked more like her more Sarah and her Mom but acted more like herself and her Dad. "Uh, Storm," said Jim sitting down and picking up the thingy that Storm had built. "Yeah" replied Storm sitting down on the end of the desk and swinging her legs. "What were you thinking about when the police came in?" asked Jim looking over at Storm who had looked down and stopped swinging her legs. "Well, if you didn't hear I accused Sarah of taking away my parents and then she said that I killed my dad not her…my dad died when me'n Sarah were seven and my little sister was five. My dad and I were really close and the same goes for Sarah and my mom, and when my dad died couldn't spend any time with my mom because she was helping Sarah study for her advanced placement test for 10th grade or something, so me'n Ginny had to find our own ways of getting time with other people that mean a lot to us…Ginny had all her friends and aunt's and uncle's who thought she was so adorable and that Sarah was a genius to be going to high school when she should be in 2nd grade. My family pretty much rejected me except for my dad. They rejected me 'cause I had a strange obsession with guns, murder-shows, hunting, and gory fighting games, and for that same reason I never had any friends. I was all alone, and one day my mom just forgot to pick me up from Middle School. I waited for weeks at school and still she never came that's when I stumbled upon this ship and for the first time someone other than my dad accepted me so I climbed on without even looking back. And well I was thinking about when my dad died I was the last one to talk to him his last words before he fell asleep and died ten minutes later were 'I'll always love and I'll always watch over you don't let others discourage you do what you love no matter what others say and never give up' he was so apposed at the thought of quitting and giving up that he cut those words out of the dictionary. Seeing Sarah just brought back so many horrible memories that I had blocked out of my mind they came rushing back. I guess I just couldn't handle it anymore so I collapsed." said Storm as a single teardrop rolled down her cheek. Jim reached up and wiped it off "I'm so sorry Storm, but don't worry everyone here has a strange trait most of them even kicked out of their families. We've all just become each others friends and Family…Now what is this doohickey?" he said holding the object up. "Oh, it's just an auto gunner…um, this may sound weird but it helps me think when I work," said Storm starting to swing her legs again. "What are some of the reasons everyone was kicked out?" asked Storm picking up a few button covers and putting them on. "Well, I always took apart things and never put them back together. (Gene?) His dad died too and at first he had space sickness. (Melifina?) That's an easy one she's an android (no way!, Suzuka?) she's an assassin.," said Jim handing Storm a screwdriver.
Next Morning
"You're looking better today…sorta." Laughed Jim, as Storm came through the doorway with one eye open and the other eye half open. Her hair was standing up at all weird angles and looked like a giant fireball. Storm couldn't help but laugh too because Jim's hair was sticking out at weird angles also. "Did I miss something?" asked Melifina coming in with a large platter of pancakes and saw Jim and Storm just laughing like crazy. "It must be an inside joke" said Suzuka watching both trying hard to breath through peels of laughter. Gene walked through the doorway "What's so funny!" he yelled angrily at Storm and Jim who immediately stopped and looked very surprised that there was anyone else in the room. "Nothing really" replied Jim grabbing a pancake and drowning it in maple syrup. "Did you sleep well?" asked Storm sitting down and grabbing a pancake and putting a whole bunch of fruit inside of it. "No, 'cause somebody was up until three talking in the work room." said Gene as Jim and Storm turned bright red and became very interested in their food, before starting to laugh hysterically again. Seeing how helpless the 13 year old were at stopping their laughter was such a funny sight that Melifina and Suzuka started to laugh too. "I'll never get these people," said Gene sitting down and shaking his head.
Rest stop
"I'm kinda hungry wanna get something to eat" asked Storm looking at Melifina. "Okay" she replied as so looked at all the ships docked at the port. "Lets stop in the bar and get a burger," insisted Storm "okay" replied Mel again.
Space ride to Blue Heaven
"DRUNK?! What do you mean Melifina's drunk!" shouted Gene as Storm told him what they did while Jim had fixed the Ship and Gene got in the way. "Um, well, you see she met some space pirates when I stopped in for a burger which was really disgusting," said Storm in a matter of fact tone. "Well! I told you to watch her why'd you let her get drunk!" Shouted Gene "first of all you told her to watch me and how did I know two shot glasses full would do that to her!" Storm shouted back at Gene. Melifina just hiccupped and giggled. "What's going on in there?" said Jim nodding his head toward where Gene and Storm were arguing. "Well, Storm stopped in for a burger, Melifina met some space pirates who got her drunk and Gene is blaming Storm for it." Said Suzuka taking a sip of her tea. "Doesn't sound like it's Storms fault" said Jim looking over his shoulder at Storm and Gene yelling. "I don't think it is either but when Gene is in one of his moods I'm not about to tell him anything to that effect," said Suzuka taking another sip of her tea. A couple doors slammed as Gene and Storm took off in different directions leaving the drunk Melifina standing alone in the middle of the hall giggling and hiccupping. Normally Jim would have gone to see Gene or helped Melifina but for some reason he felt he needed to go see Storm. "Hey Storm can I come in?" said Jim knocking on the door. "Yea sure." Said Storm as Jim walked in and saw Storm lying on her bed throwing a ball at the ceiling. "It's not my fault," she said throwing the ball extra hard. "I never said it was," replied Jim. "But your not telling the full story, I can tell when people are hiding something" said Jim catching the ball before Storm could. "Well, I did pick the bar instead of the restaurant next door, and I didn't stop her because she looked pretty funny so it is kinda my fault" said Storm sitting up. "Yeah but Melifina ordered it and how were you to know that two shot glasses would have that effect on her" said Jim giving back the ball. "There's something else though" said Jim looking at her "oh all right, I did insist on saying hi to the pirates," said Storm hanging her head. "That's not what I meant" said Jim "you have a problem that your not telling any one about and I have a feeling its about Gene" said Jim looking at her as if to say go on prove me right. "I don't have a problem with him he has a problem with me" said Storm lying back down. "What do you mean?" asked Jim pulling her back up again. "Well, lately he hasn't been including me in anything and when something goes wrong he always blames it on me." Said Storm quietly. "Give me some examples," said Jim trying to think of times when Gene did that. "When the police came in he grabbed Melifina and Suzuka and called you. When I blacked out everyone else helped and watched over me all night but not him. He assigned Melifina to watch over me at the rest stop, and those are just some recent examples." said Storm with a sigh "and you just don't want to be reject again" said Jim looking at her as If he was saying I pity you. "You can't tell anyone what I told you nobody knows that not even my family and I don't know why I told you," said a horrified Storm. "I won't, I promise and about Gene he just doesn't want to lose his position as top Outlaw here and he sees you as competition don't worry about it nobody has anything against you and Gene's just jealous of your natural skill. Later!" said Jim as he walked out of Storms room to find Suzuka giving Melifina a hangover cure. Storm had worked for hours down in the workroom and hadn't showed up for dinner. Jim began to worry. "Has anyone seen Storm lately" he asked getting up from the table everyone shook their heads. "I think I'll check the workroom first" he thought as he opened the door to it. "Freeze" yelled Storm turning around on Jim with a big black gun. "Storm think about this rationally," said a nervous Jim inching forward." Don't come another inch or I'll shoot," said Storm placing her finger on the trigger Jim did move another inch. Storm shot the gun. It made a small bang only loud enough for Storm and Jim to hear when the smoke cleared Jim was lying on the floor with a rubber dart stuck to his forehead "I saw my life flash before my eyes" said Jim "am I dead?" asked Jim staring up at a head which slowly came into focus. He realized it was Storm "No," she chuckled "I don't see what's so funny you just shot me!" said Jim angrily. "With a rubber dart" laughed Storm. Jim pulled off the dart but it left a small red circle were it impacted. "I've been down here for four hours and that's all I've made" laughed Storm giving Jim her hand and pulling him up off the floor. "It looks so real," said Jim examining it. "It's supposed to," said Storm with a grin. Suzuka was walking by on her way to her room and happened to see Jim and Storm talking. "Storm where were you during dinner?" asked Suzuka from the hallway "She was down here" replied Jim turning around. "What happened to your forehead?" asked Suzuka. "Storm" he said crossing his arms pretending to be angry before dissolving into laughter.
Later that night
"You know I've never heard Jim laugh so much since Storm joined up" said Suzuka. "Neither have I" said Melifina. "I've never seen him worry so much and I've seen him laugh more before she joined up (when?) Uh…err…"said Gene. "What do you have against her?" asked Jim coming through the doorway and staring at Gene like he was crazy. "She's trying to take my spot as captain of this ship," said Gene folding his arms "I was right he's worried about losing his spot" muttered Jim. "Gene, Gene, Gene. She's just trying to be accepted not take over your job!" said Jim exasperatedly. "I don't believe a word of it she probably got you drunk too!" said Gene pointing a finger at Jim. "GENE! I'M NOT DRUNK!" yelled Jim. "Well you can never be to sure with her around said Gene nodding his head in the direction of Storm's room. He didn't need to do that because Storm was standing in the doorway. "Storm" the group muttered in unison as Melfina docked the ship. "Listen I can explain-" started Jim. "No need to I heard it all" mumbled Storm.
The next day docked in Sentinel III
"Hey storm, get up" said Jim knocking on the door holding Storms fake gun up to the door so when storm opened it he would shoot her with a rubber dart. He waited there for five minutes alliteratively shouting and knocking. He was getting really worried so he opened the door Storm wasn't in there all her stuff was gone all that was left was a note on her pillow that read: I've caused to much trouble for you guys and you've all been so kind I've decided to leave for a while let you guys get back to your normal lives if you consider bounty hunting a normal life, by the time you read this I will long gone and out of the city maybe back to home see if I can get a job or something, who knows maybe I'll come back some day maybe not but don't worry about me. sorry for all the trouble I've caused I hope one day it will go back to normal
Storm