Disclaimer- Hi again everyone ^_^ Guess what? I don't own Outlaw Star.
Damn shame too. -_- bleh. Here's chapter two. Reviews would be nice by
the way ^_~
Chapter Two: Cars & Girls & Cyborgs
"You've got to stop driving her into the ground!" The look on Mora's face was not one to argue with. Sighing, Jim nodded, feeling more like a child being scolded by his mother than the best frequenting customer at the local repair shop. Not that he could blame Mora for getting so irritated. Starwind and Hawking owed her money from the last set of repairs on the XG- P, and there was barely enough in the account to buy food for the week and pay the rent. Jim knew that anything Mora did for Starwind and Hawking was strictly on a favor-basis, and if Gene had taught his partner nothing else it was to take the hits once in a while if it would save a buck or two. Gene being thrifty? The thought made Jim smirk.
"And just WHAT is so funny?" Snapping back to reality, Jim held his hands out in a gesture of apology. "Nothing! I swear!" His voice cracked on the last syllable, drawing a glare from Mora. The metallic parts around her right eye made the stare all the more menacing.
"Mora, I swear, it was just a stupid thought about Gene, okay?" Jim hopped off his sitting place on the counter in the back of the shop and wandered over to the car, inspecting the work under the hood with a scrutinizing eye, but he could find no imperfection. "You're amazing Mora, you know that?" he asked with a grin. "You went way out on the parts though. That's Nagira stuff. Top of the line." He shot her a sincerely thankful, but slightly worried look. "You didn't have to use those. I would've been happy with Togora."
Mora shrugged, still looking perturbed as she grabbed a towel and began mopping oil from her arm, being careful not to get any into her circuitry. "If I'd used anything cheaper," she said gruffly, "You'd be back in here within a week, and then you'd owe me twice what you do now." Jim closed his eyes in embarrassment at that comment. Of course, she had a point. It just irked him a bit that she knew him that well. After all, Gene's Lesson number 346 was to never let a woman know too much about you. Especially a good-looking one.
"You don't have to rub it in," he said with a sigh as he shut the hood of the car, drawing a small chuckle from Mora. She walked to his side and looked the car over, tugging her work-suit half off her body and tying it off around her waist.
"She still needs a test drive, but I thought I'd let you handle that part," she said, giving the vehicle an affectionate pat. Jim grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked at her from the corner of his eye.
"You wanna come with me?"
Mora contemplated for a moment before putting her hair up in a quick ponytail and jumping into the passenger seat. Jim had to admit it was kind of refreshing to know a woman who could appreciate a car like this. Now if only he could get her to look at something other than his car.
* * * *
The fresh air, was in fact, doing Mora some good. The sun was setting on Sentinel III for the night, casting a nice pinkish hue to everything. Most of the afternoon traffic had disappeared from the freeway, and Jim was speeding along with a big grin plastered on his face. To him, nothing topped this.
"So are you still having trouble with those dreams?" he asked, raising his voice a little over the wind. Mora nodded, her eyes drifting to the large docking section of the planet. The Outlaw Star was easily the largest ship there, jutting out like a gleaming red spire in the dusky light.
"Yeah," she said absently. "Still can't figure them out either." Jim shot her an almost pitying look from the driver's seat.
"Do you have any idea what they mean?" His voice was genuinely concerned at this point, drawing a small smile from Mora.
She shook her head. "Not really. It's almost like some part of my memory wants to bring something back and it's pushing my limits or something." She sighed, gazing directly forward. "I wish dad was around. Maybe he could tell me what the hell's wrong with me."
Jim smiled at her, a reassuring expression that managed to pull a full out smile from the girl. "Your dad was a genius Mora. But he'd tell you the same thing I'm about to."
Mora blinked. "What's that?" she asked.
"That there's nothing wrong with you." Jim grinned at himself, wheeling the car off the expressway and heading for home. "Mel should have dinner ready. You wanna stop in for a bite or something? God knows I owe you." Mora nodded instantly.
"You kidding?" she asked with a smirk. "Mel's cooking is the best! That's almost worth the repair on the car!"
"Really?"
She frowned. "No."
"Damn."
Chapter Two: Cars & Girls & Cyborgs
"You've got to stop driving her into the ground!" The look on Mora's face was not one to argue with. Sighing, Jim nodded, feeling more like a child being scolded by his mother than the best frequenting customer at the local repair shop. Not that he could blame Mora for getting so irritated. Starwind and Hawking owed her money from the last set of repairs on the XG- P, and there was barely enough in the account to buy food for the week and pay the rent. Jim knew that anything Mora did for Starwind and Hawking was strictly on a favor-basis, and if Gene had taught his partner nothing else it was to take the hits once in a while if it would save a buck or two. Gene being thrifty? The thought made Jim smirk.
"And just WHAT is so funny?" Snapping back to reality, Jim held his hands out in a gesture of apology. "Nothing! I swear!" His voice cracked on the last syllable, drawing a glare from Mora. The metallic parts around her right eye made the stare all the more menacing.
"Mora, I swear, it was just a stupid thought about Gene, okay?" Jim hopped off his sitting place on the counter in the back of the shop and wandered over to the car, inspecting the work under the hood with a scrutinizing eye, but he could find no imperfection. "You're amazing Mora, you know that?" he asked with a grin. "You went way out on the parts though. That's Nagira stuff. Top of the line." He shot her a sincerely thankful, but slightly worried look. "You didn't have to use those. I would've been happy with Togora."
Mora shrugged, still looking perturbed as she grabbed a towel and began mopping oil from her arm, being careful not to get any into her circuitry. "If I'd used anything cheaper," she said gruffly, "You'd be back in here within a week, and then you'd owe me twice what you do now." Jim closed his eyes in embarrassment at that comment. Of course, she had a point. It just irked him a bit that she knew him that well. After all, Gene's Lesson number 346 was to never let a woman know too much about you. Especially a good-looking one.
"You don't have to rub it in," he said with a sigh as he shut the hood of the car, drawing a small chuckle from Mora. She walked to his side and looked the car over, tugging her work-suit half off her body and tying it off around her waist.
"She still needs a test drive, but I thought I'd let you handle that part," she said, giving the vehicle an affectionate pat. Jim grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets as he looked at her from the corner of his eye.
"You wanna come with me?"
Mora contemplated for a moment before putting her hair up in a quick ponytail and jumping into the passenger seat. Jim had to admit it was kind of refreshing to know a woman who could appreciate a car like this. Now if only he could get her to look at something other than his car.
* * * *
The fresh air, was in fact, doing Mora some good. The sun was setting on Sentinel III for the night, casting a nice pinkish hue to everything. Most of the afternoon traffic had disappeared from the freeway, and Jim was speeding along with a big grin plastered on his face. To him, nothing topped this.
"So are you still having trouble with those dreams?" he asked, raising his voice a little over the wind. Mora nodded, her eyes drifting to the large docking section of the planet. The Outlaw Star was easily the largest ship there, jutting out like a gleaming red spire in the dusky light.
"Yeah," she said absently. "Still can't figure them out either." Jim shot her an almost pitying look from the driver's seat.
"Do you have any idea what they mean?" His voice was genuinely concerned at this point, drawing a small smile from Mora.
She shook her head. "Not really. It's almost like some part of my memory wants to bring something back and it's pushing my limits or something." She sighed, gazing directly forward. "I wish dad was around. Maybe he could tell me what the hell's wrong with me."
Jim smiled at her, a reassuring expression that managed to pull a full out smile from the girl. "Your dad was a genius Mora. But he'd tell you the same thing I'm about to."
Mora blinked. "What's that?" she asked.
"That there's nothing wrong with you." Jim grinned at himself, wheeling the car off the expressway and heading for home. "Mel should have dinner ready. You wanna stop in for a bite or something? God knows I owe you." Mora nodded instantly.
"You kidding?" she asked with a smirk. "Mel's cooking is the best! That's almost worth the repair on the car!"
"Really?"
She frowned. "No."
"Damn."