In the grubby streets of Naboo there is a tiny bar where Gene
Starwind works. The bar is nestled away between high rises and large
building complexes but there was always a softer glow coming from inside.
Gene likes it there because he doesn't have a care in the world, except to
pick up left change and keep drunks from fighting. His partner in the
business, Anikin was a different story. Anikin had always wanted action and
adventure and thrived on it. Cleaning glasses was not his cup of tea.
Anikin groaned as he set down another glass that sparkled. "Clean."
"Good work" Gene replied picking up the glass and inspecting it. After that he gently placed it back into the cupboard and waited for another customer. Sure enough a women with a long black cloak walked in and sat down. She took extra care in covering her face up.
"Can I help you?" Anikin asked not even looking at her. She didn't say anything, she just looked at the door.
"Miss?" Gene asked annoyed as the girl turned towards him with a little scream of surprise. "Can I help you?"
"Oh sorry, I don't think I will have anything." Her feminine voice answered.
"Then why did you bother even coming in here?" Anikin asked turning towards her seeing her creepy black cloak that covered her face and body.
"I am looking for the one they call Outlaw star." She replied.
Gene set down his towel he has thrown over his shoulder and said solemnly, "Outlaw Star is dead, only Gene Starwind remains."
"You must be him" The girl concluded looking over his orange hair and large overcoat with his deeply grooved scar across his face.
"Yeah, was. Now I am a bartender. Pretty funny how a man can go from top rank to nothing." Gene said sourly.
"Come on Gene you were awesome, what with Zan and me? We were unstoppable." Anikin cried.
"What made you stop?" The girl asked as a little streak of light lit up a part of her tan cheek and red lips.
"The agreement between bounty hunters and the government. The bounty hunters now work with the government to round up people who are rebelling." Gene explained.
"Yeah that dirty government wants to kill everyone. I think they are using the bounty hunters for something strange, like an expirament." Anikin thought aloud as the girl in the hood nodded making her hooded headshake.
"I think so to." She agreed then a thundering was heard at the door as a large man appeared with a gun.
"Alright stay where you are!" the man cried, his black eyes fixed on the girl as his muscles bulged under his white tank top.
"Hey! There are no guns allowed in here!" Gene yelled at the guy slipping his hand on his own gun on his own belt.
"Stay out of this boy! This girl is mine!" The man cried as the girl got up from the stool and stood in front of him.
"Go ahead and try to kill me, but I've gotten away before and I'll do it again." She taunted.
The guy opened fire on the hooded girl as she picked up the stool and flung it into the guy who was shooting her. Gene jumped the bar table top and pointed his gun down at the guy who was toppled over on the floor with the chair on him.
"Freeze! Don't move!"
"COOOL!" Anikin cried in excitement as the hooded girl sighed and started to slink away.
The man kicked the stool off him and into Gene and took Gene's gun from his hand. The hooded girl turned around to face the guy once more as he cocked the gun.
"Your gonna die bitch, just stand still and I will make this less painful."
"Not cool! Leave the lady alone!" Anikin cried taking out a gun of his own and pointing it at the man. The hooded girl took this distraction time to take a glass off of the bar table top and fling it at the man and escaped out the back. The man ducked and tried to run after the girl but was shot in the head by Anikin. He fell to the floor with a great thunder as Gene scrambled to catch the glass in his hands.
"Gene? Why were you worried about a glass?"
"Cost me money!!" Gene declared setting it up on the table top again. He took one look at the body that was starting to leak blood on his floor and said "Shit. What do we do with it?"
"Umm…throw it out back? The trash men never look through the trash." Anikin suggested.
"Nah, let's just throw it out on the street so he looked like he got mugged." Gene said looking around the bar to find the girl had gone. "Where did she go?"
"Ran out the back after I shot the damn guy." Anikin told Gene as he sighed loudly and threw the dead body over his shoulder.
"Yeah she was a weird character, but I have a feeling that's not the last time we'll be seeing her."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Anikin and Gene walked along the bridge way that separated the building they worked into the apartment they lived in. Gene stopped and looked up at the moon, full and gray hanging in the dark sky full of holes. Anikin stopped and turned back to see Gene standing mesmerized by the moon.
Anikin had always looked at Gene like a brother, even if Gene and Zan had been better friends. He knew now that since Zan was gone that he would have to fill that place for Gene but it was big shoes to fill.
"You okay?" Anikin asked as Gene looked at him briefly.
"Yeah…just thinking about that girl."
"Oh, you like her or something?"
"No, she just seemed…"
"Yeah?"
"I dunno, never mind." Gene brushed the subject off like it was unimportant but Anikin saw right through him. He knew it was bugging him.
"Sure." Anikin said as they arrived at Gene's apartment door. The green door that bore the number of 114 looked at them and reminded them of their old ship, 114. "Night"
"See ya tomorrow, we are opening at 10 so don't be late."
"No prob." Anikin waved back at Gene and watched him go into his apartment. Anikin walked to the elevator and pressed the button. "Sometimes I worry about him…"
~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning was like any other morning. Anikin cleaned the glasses as Gene cleaned the tabletop. Anikin sighed softly as he set another glass in the cupboard but was distracted by a reflection in the glass. He saw a distorted girl walk in with brown hair tied up in what looked to be a braid on her head. He turned around to see her true form and couldn't breathe.
She stood in the doorway; light flooding over her like light would dance on the calm waters of a brook. Her eyes were brown colored and fixed on something ahead of Anikin. Her figure was lean and tall but covered by a black dress that came up in a T on her neck. It was leather tube top with a black and white skirt that was long and flowed around her. She was too gorgeous to be true in Anikin's eyes.
Followed behind her was the cloaked lady who walked in with a swift move. She looked like death's faceless maiden with the one sole purpose to take Gene and Anikin's sole.
"May I help you ladies?" Gene asked hoping that the faceless girl would actually buy something.
"We have come to see you Outlaw Star." Said the girl with braids. She had a concerned look on her face as she stood between the door and the faceless girl.
"Sorry, but Outlaw Star died a long time ago. I am Gene Starwind." Gene answered as the girl walked over to him and grabbed him by his shirt to pull him over the bar counter top.
"I don't care who the hell you are, you are going to help my friend!"
"Padme." The faceless girl called to her as Padme let go of Gene. "Look I came here last night to ask for you help Gene. I need to get to Xere but I can't do it with out your help."
"Why me? You could have asked any anyone and they probably would have taken you. Besides I need to stay here and help my business." Gene inquired.
"Gene, I came to ask you cause you were and still are the greatest bounty hunter. I have faith that you can bring be to Xere safely." The girl told Gene.
"And your friend?" Anikin asked.
"She is to come with me."
"I see. But what do we get out of this?" Gene asked annoyed.
"I am willing to pay you a nice reward." The girl said as Anikin and Gene perked up immediately.
"A reward as in money?" Anikin asked interested.
"Yes, as in money." Padme answered rolling her eyes.
"Alright count us in." Gene replied.
"Good, but you have to promise me one thing Gene. You have to get me to Xere, no matter what." The girl said slowly almost in a whisper.
"Yeah, sure we'll get you to Xere." Gene promised.
"We'll meet you guys back here at 12 tonight. That's when we'll leave." Padme instructed opening the door for the faceless girl and walking out after her.
"Well we got ourselves a better job my friend." Gene cried happily throwing his rag down.
"Yeah but don't you find it a but strange, I mean the girl and everything?" Anikin asked.
"Nah, she just doesn't want to risk anything. Besides I saw you checking out that Padme girl. Maybe I should have let her grab you by the neck and pull you over the table top."
"Yeah…whatever…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anikin groaned as he set down another glass that sparkled. "Clean."
"Good work" Gene replied picking up the glass and inspecting it. After that he gently placed it back into the cupboard and waited for another customer. Sure enough a women with a long black cloak walked in and sat down. She took extra care in covering her face up.
"Can I help you?" Anikin asked not even looking at her. She didn't say anything, she just looked at the door.
"Miss?" Gene asked annoyed as the girl turned towards him with a little scream of surprise. "Can I help you?"
"Oh sorry, I don't think I will have anything." Her feminine voice answered.
"Then why did you bother even coming in here?" Anikin asked turning towards her seeing her creepy black cloak that covered her face and body.
"I am looking for the one they call Outlaw star." She replied.
Gene set down his towel he has thrown over his shoulder and said solemnly, "Outlaw Star is dead, only Gene Starwind remains."
"You must be him" The girl concluded looking over his orange hair and large overcoat with his deeply grooved scar across his face.
"Yeah, was. Now I am a bartender. Pretty funny how a man can go from top rank to nothing." Gene said sourly.
"Come on Gene you were awesome, what with Zan and me? We were unstoppable." Anikin cried.
"What made you stop?" The girl asked as a little streak of light lit up a part of her tan cheek and red lips.
"The agreement between bounty hunters and the government. The bounty hunters now work with the government to round up people who are rebelling." Gene explained.
"Yeah that dirty government wants to kill everyone. I think they are using the bounty hunters for something strange, like an expirament." Anikin thought aloud as the girl in the hood nodded making her hooded headshake.
"I think so to." She agreed then a thundering was heard at the door as a large man appeared with a gun.
"Alright stay where you are!" the man cried, his black eyes fixed on the girl as his muscles bulged under his white tank top.
"Hey! There are no guns allowed in here!" Gene yelled at the guy slipping his hand on his own gun on his own belt.
"Stay out of this boy! This girl is mine!" The man cried as the girl got up from the stool and stood in front of him.
"Go ahead and try to kill me, but I've gotten away before and I'll do it again." She taunted.
The guy opened fire on the hooded girl as she picked up the stool and flung it into the guy who was shooting her. Gene jumped the bar table top and pointed his gun down at the guy who was toppled over on the floor with the chair on him.
"Freeze! Don't move!"
"COOOL!" Anikin cried in excitement as the hooded girl sighed and started to slink away.
The man kicked the stool off him and into Gene and took Gene's gun from his hand. The hooded girl turned around to face the guy once more as he cocked the gun.
"Your gonna die bitch, just stand still and I will make this less painful."
"Not cool! Leave the lady alone!" Anikin cried taking out a gun of his own and pointing it at the man. The hooded girl took this distraction time to take a glass off of the bar table top and fling it at the man and escaped out the back. The man ducked and tried to run after the girl but was shot in the head by Anikin. He fell to the floor with a great thunder as Gene scrambled to catch the glass in his hands.
"Gene? Why were you worried about a glass?"
"Cost me money!!" Gene declared setting it up on the table top again. He took one look at the body that was starting to leak blood on his floor and said "Shit. What do we do with it?"
"Umm…throw it out back? The trash men never look through the trash." Anikin suggested.
"Nah, let's just throw it out on the street so he looked like he got mugged." Gene said looking around the bar to find the girl had gone. "Where did she go?"
"Ran out the back after I shot the damn guy." Anikin told Gene as he sighed loudly and threw the dead body over his shoulder.
"Yeah she was a weird character, but I have a feeling that's not the last time we'll be seeing her."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Anikin and Gene walked along the bridge way that separated the building they worked into the apartment they lived in. Gene stopped and looked up at the moon, full and gray hanging in the dark sky full of holes. Anikin stopped and turned back to see Gene standing mesmerized by the moon.
Anikin had always looked at Gene like a brother, even if Gene and Zan had been better friends. He knew now that since Zan was gone that he would have to fill that place for Gene but it was big shoes to fill.
"You okay?" Anikin asked as Gene looked at him briefly.
"Yeah…just thinking about that girl."
"Oh, you like her or something?"
"No, she just seemed…"
"Yeah?"
"I dunno, never mind." Gene brushed the subject off like it was unimportant but Anikin saw right through him. He knew it was bugging him.
"Sure." Anikin said as they arrived at Gene's apartment door. The green door that bore the number of 114 looked at them and reminded them of their old ship, 114. "Night"
"See ya tomorrow, we are opening at 10 so don't be late."
"No prob." Anikin waved back at Gene and watched him go into his apartment. Anikin walked to the elevator and pressed the button. "Sometimes I worry about him…"
~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning was like any other morning. Anikin cleaned the glasses as Gene cleaned the tabletop. Anikin sighed softly as he set another glass in the cupboard but was distracted by a reflection in the glass. He saw a distorted girl walk in with brown hair tied up in what looked to be a braid on her head. He turned around to see her true form and couldn't breathe.
She stood in the doorway; light flooding over her like light would dance on the calm waters of a brook. Her eyes were brown colored and fixed on something ahead of Anikin. Her figure was lean and tall but covered by a black dress that came up in a T on her neck. It was leather tube top with a black and white skirt that was long and flowed around her. She was too gorgeous to be true in Anikin's eyes.
Followed behind her was the cloaked lady who walked in with a swift move. She looked like death's faceless maiden with the one sole purpose to take Gene and Anikin's sole.
"May I help you ladies?" Gene asked hoping that the faceless girl would actually buy something.
"We have come to see you Outlaw Star." Said the girl with braids. She had a concerned look on her face as she stood between the door and the faceless girl.
"Sorry, but Outlaw Star died a long time ago. I am Gene Starwind." Gene answered as the girl walked over to him and grabbed him by his shirt to pull him over the bar counter top.
"I don't care who the hell you are, you are going to help my friend!"
"Padme." The faceless girl called to her as Padme let go of Gene. "Look I came here last night to ask for you help Gene. I need to get to Xere but I can't do it with out your help."
"Why me? You could have asked any anyone and they probably would have taken you. Besides I need to stay here and help my business." Gene inquired.
"Gene, I came to ask you cause you were and still are the greatest bounty hunter. I have faith that you can bring be to Xere safely." The girl told Gene.
"And your friend?" Anikin asked.
"She is to come with me."
"I see. But what do we get out of this?" Gene asked annoyed.
"I am willing to pay you a nice reward." The girl said as Anikin and Gene perked up immediately.
"A reward as in money?" Anikin asked interested.
"Yes, as in money." Padme answered rolling her eyes.
"Alright count us in." Gene replied.
"Good, but you have to promise me one thing Gene. You have to get me to Xere, no matter what." The girl said slowly almost in a whisper.
"Yeah, sure we'll get you to Xere." Gene promised.
"We'll meet you guys back here at 12 tonight. That's when we'll leave." Padme instructed opening the door for the faceless girl and walking out after her.
"Well we got ourselves a better job my friend." Gene cried happily throwing his rag down.
"Yeah but don't you find it a but strange, I mean the girl and everything?" Anikin asked.
"Nah, she just doesn't want to risk anything. Besides I saw you checking out that Padme girl. Maybe I should have let her grab you by the neck and pull you over the table top."
"Yeah…whatever…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~