Disclaimer; I don't own Outlaw Star or any of the characters or any of the other elements of the series. There, that pretty much covers it. However, I do own the original characters and situations presented in this and Boutou Hoshi. If you want to use them, please e-mail me and I'll probably let you do it. Please don't sue me! I've only got some old drawing books and empty pocky boxes anyway so you wouldn't get much. Okay, I'm done.

Dedication; This story is dedicated to the people who've stuck by me for the past three months, especially Jade S., Anime Angel, heehee, barbo-chan, and Trunks. Also, this is dedicated to my friends Legacy Lost, Bishexy no Miko, Tamahome no Miko, Shattered Stars, and (especially!) my sis Blayse! Thanks you guys! ^-^

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Notes; *crying in a little corner because of stupid FFN server errors*

Review Responses;

Ambera - *polite traditional bow* Domo arigato Ambera-san. I'm glad you like my original characters. Do you really think I should write in a romance between Jim and Raelen?

Quatre's Angel - Aw, arigato. ^^ No one has ever told me I could take my time before. That's so nice!

Krystal Light - Hiya! Thanks for telling me about the name change, I probably wouldn't have realized that it was you. Yes I know I should write for myself and, truth be told, I still do. It's just that I don't really write this story for me anymore. I write it for the people who like to read it. I myself have been known to completely obsess over fanfics and I know when a story I really love just sort of dies off without even being finished I really hate it. *sighs in sad remembrance of so many good yet dead plot lines*

Akiko-chan - I'm sorry you don't get many reviews. Still, it does stop you from getting a dependence. That's a sad and sorry state, trust me.

Author - Hello. My name is Adakie and I'm a review addict. *twitch twitch*

Voices from the crown - Hello Adakie.

Naomi, tiff27, and Adrienne - Wow e-mails!!! Yay!! Thanks so much you guys, that made my month. ^-^ Okay, since you've been so nice, I'll keep going a little while longer. (P.S. to Adrienne - Wow, Elfish! Coolness!!! *pulls out handy dandy "Tolkien Rocks!" sign*)

Adrienne D.'s Review - Ooh, is it really that bad there? You see, I never read any OLS fics anymore. The ones I did like just sort of died. ;_; Well, I'm very VERY!! glad you like the story. ^_________________________^ And I'm also really glad I made you smile. I just figured that the story was a bit too depressing and Fred needed to lighten the mood for a minuet. *teehee* Wow, you do have a lot of questions *very extremely happy*. I guess I really CAN'T quit when you state it like that. ^-^ *Hakkai complex*

Notes (now that I've pulled myself out of my little corner); Yahoo, 88 reviews!! Happy! ^_^ Hey, what do you say everyone, how about we shoot for 100? I knew from the start that this would be as popular as my first story, but I'd LOVE to get to 100. Well, in any case, reviews are about quality and not quantity. Thanks to everyone who's reviewd! ^^

Okay, enough stalling, now on to what you've all *all? Are there enough readers to say all? Oh well.* been waiting for . . . The Fic!! ^^

Tarian Ch.10: Plans

By; Adakie

Gene sat in one of the overstuffed chairs in front of Fred Luo's desk. He tapped his foot impatiently. After explaining the situation to his past associate Fred had started making calls and checking files on a laptop computer that sat on the side of his desk. That had been four hours ago, and Gene had had enough.

"Fred, have you found anything or not?!"

Slightly confused brown eyes glanced up at him as Fred's franticly moving fingers finely stilled over the keyboard.

"Oh, sorry Gene, I forgot that you were there."

He sighed in exasperation. The same thing had happened the last time he'd gone to Fred for help. Notably, that time it wasn't as dire as this and the black-haired man's somewhat scatterbrained behavior had been more confusing than frustrating. However, in this instance time was of the essence.

"Come on Fred, have you found something or not?"

"Actually yes, I have. You won't believe it Gene."

"Just tell me already!"

"Okay okay, you don't have to yell. I found out why you didn't get the virus."

"Huh?"

"You've got an O blood type, right?"

"Uh, ya . . . why?"

"That's it."

"What's it?"

"Your blood type."

" . . . Fred what on earth are you trying to say!?!"

"Gene, that's why you aren't sick. You've got type O blood. Most of the other people who've managed to escape this plague are type O as well. That type somehow hinders the Tarian's effects. However, I'm not sure how that information can help us."

"It can't Fred."

"Well I tried."

Gene slammed his fist down on the wooden desk, unable to control his frustration any longer.

"Trying isn't good enough! We aren't talking about weapons or spaceships, this is about people! There are lives on the line here! What good will trying do them unless we actually get somewhere?!"

Fred shrunk back, fear obvious in his expression. Gene's anger quickly dissipated. He hadn't meant to frighten the other man, he just couldn't help it. He had to let out his anger somehow, even if it wasn't in the best way possible. He slowly eased himself back into his seat, keeping his hands at his sides.

"I'm sorry Fred. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. It's just . . . I'm so worked up over this and well . . . I'm not used to feeling helpless."

"It's alright Gene. I understand."

Their conversation was cut short as the phone rang again. Fred was once again in his own little world as he spoke animatedly with the person on the other end of the line. Gene wasn't sure how to interpret the energetic clips of dialogue. It could mean good news and yet, on the other hand, it might just be Fred's naturally joyous nature. He never seemed to stay depressed for too long. Gene almost envied him for that . . . almost. The phone was clicked back into its holder once more.

"Gene, I've got good news. It seems that there's a scientist who lives near here. His daughter died from the Tarian virus a while ago and he's been researching it ever since."

"Has he found a cure?"

"No, not yet. Still, he's gotten very close and he might just be willing to help you out."

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He couldn't stop shaking.

Jim really didn't know why he was shaking in the first place. Still, the fact remained that he was and it wasn't going to stop any time soon. He sat leaning up against what had become his little section of the back wall with his knees pulled up to his chest. He had wrapped his arms around himself but that did no good. His shaking wasn't from the cold, though it was by no means warm in the dark, crowded cell. He could find no explanation for it and that bothered him more than he was willing to admit.

His day in itself hadn't been that bad. Raelen still refused to speak to anyone but it had become common knowledge amongst their small collective that she was, however unwillingly, one of them. Everyone was simply going on with their lives now. They hadn't lost anyone that day. Ka-san had told him that it was a 'Rei Day'. She'd told him that that's what they said when no one died for a full twenty-four hours. She also said it was an uncommon thing.

As much as possible, everyone seemed somewhat happy. Jim was still very confused about this. The concept of simply going on with life after someone so important to you has died was strange and alien to him. He had grieved for his parents for months on end and had still not completely come to terms with their unexpected deaths.

Still, the reality of the place was undeniable. They were there waiting to die. The loss of one person, no matter how close they were to you, had to be taken in stride. In a place like this, it could be your own death tomorrow. He knew in his heart that, on some level, those who had lost their loved ones the day before were still grieving. Yet they had gone on with what remained of their lives. They had to. And, he supposed, so did he.

And yet he couldn't. He'd always felt everything very deeply, ever since he was little. In some ways he was grateful for that. It had allowed him to understand more things in more depth than he would have been able to comprehend otherwise. It was what had let him trust Gene and eventually find his way to a better, if more aggravating, life. And yet he had to curse it for always making him so unsure.

He mulled and brooded over everything that happened to him, often times wondering if he deserved his many misfortunes. He wasn't sure if karma truly existed but he was sure that, if it did, he must have done some terrible things in the past. He found himself wondering now how many people he must have killed in a past life to wind up in this house of death.

He grieved in his own way for those that had left them yesterday. Even though he hadn't known them and more than likely wouldn't have gotten to know them had they lived, he still felt it was his duty to remember them. They were all there together for a reason, no matter how cryptic, and they would all leave in their own time. Who were they to ask why? And so he sat and silently mourned the souls of lost unknown comrades.

But he still couldn't stop shaking.

~Owarii~

Argh, I don't think this was long enough. Wha! Oh well, not much I can do about it now.

~*Please be a responsible reader and review!*~