Ketsu stood so smug as he looked on at me.

"Do you plan to fire that pee shooter or what?"

I growled, I never thought straight when I was angry. You know how it is, people with anger problems never get over them.

My finger twitched and I let a wild shot off at the Pirate, with it bouncing helplessly off his magical shield. Son of a bitch....

"Ooooo, that one almost got me, Strife. Would you like to try again?"

Without saying I word, I fired five more shots. Each and every one of them bouncing off the invisible barrier.

My anger turned to rage. If I couldn't shoot him, I'd curse him out. The second thing I was good at.

"God dammit, I hate your guts!! Why do you have to be such a prick in my side, huh?!?! If you want the fricken orb, I'll give it to you! Just take it and go to hell!!!"

I couldn't hold back the few escaping tears from my eyes. They fell and hit the ground without making a sound. Ketsu grinned and walked up to me.

"About time," He said, hand outstretched, "now, give it to me."

My hand shook wildly as I reached into my black trench coat's pocket, pulling the orb he wanted so much. It had no value to me so why should I even care if he wanted it? Volk and Sky lost their lives over something as meaningless and some fancy ball. Ketsu would be able to put more use to it then I ever could. As he grabbed for the orb, my thoughts ran through my mind. More use.....more power. His need for this thing was great enough to follow me not only around some begotten planet, but also across space.

I pulled my hand back and shoved the ball back into my pocket just as his fingers grazed it's surface. He showed a glint of anger but only for a moment. His smug smile soon returned.

"Strife, why must you be so stubborn over some ball in which you do not know it's powers nor can you unlock them."

I yelled some more less-then-kind words at him before answering. "You need this for something. You know it's true potential. Sure, I have no idea what you'll use it for. Maybe for good....Or bad. All I know is that all the hell you put me and this crew through is not helping your cause. It's also telling me that whatever power you'll get from this, you'll only use to hurt more people....And for that....You will never have this orb."

I stood as tall as I could and stared him dead in the eyes. His grin was gone, replaced by the anger I had seen before, this time it stayed there.

Then with his two final words, my confidence shattered.

"Kill them."

I screamed and pointed Quick Silver at Ketsu, not yet worrying about my comrades. With one flick of his wrist, my gun went sailing over to the entrance to the docks. Once again, I was without a weapon.

I charged at Ketsu and put everything I could into a left hook. He simply floated to the side and smacked my in the back of the head. I went down instantly. Man, if that one chick's blows from before hurt. They were NOTHING compared to this.

I got up and turned to him but he was a quick as lightning and with a boot to my stomach, I went rolling across the floor. I looked up only to see his figure fall down on mine, his fist leading his charge as it made full contact with my jaw. I screamed in pain as blood ran down the side of my face. He pinned my down with his right knee and proceeded to put a couple more punches into my face. All I could do was sit there and take it. Ketsu was much bigger then me and apparently MUCH stronger.

As it turns out, I was saved by a group that wanted me as bad as Ketsu. I was rescued by non other then the Space Forces. Their ships swarmed into the docking bay and cops filled the large building in seconds. All armed with some kind of modified taser.

Ketsu got up and completely ignored my huddled mass on the ground. I saw him walk up to one of the patrol men and ask what was the matter. He said his speech about Ketsu's right to remain silent and all that other crap. Unfortunately for him, his was stopped by one of Ketsu's pirates shoving his fist deep into the man's skull. He was dead instantly. Then, once again, all hell broke loose.

The Forces fired their weapons which actually shot pure electricity, talk about a taser with the ability to stop you dead in your tracks. Pirates were flipping and turning and killing unprepared Forces. Those who were prepared were taking out Pirates left and right. Ketsu was the man attraction, though. He just stood there chanting the Pirate's incantation as Forces around him where thrown left and right, up and down, and even in all directions at once. This one was the messiest if you haven't guessed. I staggered back up to my feet and looked around for my gun, STILL not caring too much about my fellow crew members. God, I am so shallow....

Well miracle of miracles I found my gun and ducked behind some table located close to one of the dock's walls. I took out the clip and counted the bullets. Four left, just great.

I looked up and around the table. I caught Gene in the corner or my eye. His whole body was torn up, and I could see him breathing hard from as far away as I was. But still, somehow, he was taking down all the people in his way without a problem. His only weapon was two of those tasers the Forces were carrying, yet he was still mowing down both factions without any trouble.

Jim came up and covered Gene's back. He was also sporting one of the Force's weapon of choice. Wow, they made a great team. No one was touching them no matter how hard they tried, it was really a sight to see.

I shook out of my daze and wondered how they even got untied. The answer came up and kneeled next to me, behind the table.

"Strife! What are you doing just sitting here! We need to go! NOW!"

Jess cringed as some electrical bolts blew holes in our protection.

"Go where?!"

"Well obviously not to the ship, it's too heavily guarded! We have to get to my Dad and Gene's warehouse!"

"Ok, so where's that!"

"Follow me!"

Jess and I ran towards the entrance of the door, Jim and Gene saw this and covered our backs, which I was more then grateful for.

We got out of the docks relatively unhurt, just some burn marks in our arms and legs from the Force's spark guns.

Jess practically dragged me by the arm as we hide behind some dumpsters in an ally to hide from our pursuers.

I was still breathing hard as I asked Jess what we were going to do about Jim, Gene, and Melfina.

"My Dad and Gene are fine. Plus Melfina got out while you had your little spat with Ketsu."

"So, she's already at the warehouse?"

"That's what I'm hoping for."

I nodded in agreement as we snaked through the allies to the warehouse. It took longer then I thought to get to this warehouse, well we WERE going as slow and as quietly as possible.

The warehouse itself looked so old. It was rusted and twisted into some large worn out metal box. Yeah, I meant box because this thing sure as hell didn't resemble anything close to a building.

"Well, here we are." Jess said, with what may have been nostalgic pride.

We walked in and the most horrid smell I could have ever imagined seeped into my nose.

"Oh my god! What's that smell?!?!"

My question almost fell on deaf ears, on the account that Jess had almost thrown up from the smell. Luckily Melfina was kind enough to answer.

"Sorry, some pipes must have broke. I still haven't found the problem."

"Is the gas deadly?" I asked, now holding my nose.

"Um....I'm not sure. I don't think so."

After staring in disbelief for a couple seconds at her awkward sentence. Her own stare in return snapped me out of my daze and I finally spoke back up.

"How can you be so calm about this?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I don't think I can be poisoned but it has yet to happen so I am not quite sure....Hmmm, I wonder if it would hurt me...."

"What are you talking about?! If it's poisonous you will die! Just like me, Jess, Gene and EVER OTHER HUMAN IN THE GALAXY!"

"Oh but I'm not human."

Once again I was struck by utter confusion "You're....NOT human? But....How?"

"I was created. My main objective was to navigate the Outlaw Star to the Galactic Leyline."

My eyes widened to the size of saucers. The Galactic Leyline? No, it was just a myth. A legend, some story....But above all it wasn't real....Was it?

"Wait, the Galactic Leyline? That doesn't really exist, does it?"

"Oh yes, it most certainly exists. Gene, Jim, Sazuka, Aisha, and I all went there. To my knowledge that was the only time the Leyline was ever entered."

My head was swirling, I had to sit down. The floor was the only thing closest. I couldn't believe it, the Leyline really did exist. It wasn't a myth. Wait, if it was real then that would mean that....

I took the all too familiar orb out of my pocket. I held it up and pointed it at Melfina. To my shock the thing was shining greater then it ever had before. The light was bright enough to cover every square inch of the warehouse. But why? Why was it shining now?

"Strife, what is that thing?" Jess cut in, covering her eyes from the light.

I put the orb back into my pocket and the shining stopped. "It's supposed to be some treasure taken from the Leyline. They say it grants the holder whatever he desires."

Jess turned to Melfina. "Mel, could this be connected to you in anyway?"

"It shouldn't. I left that part of me in the Leyline before we left. There should be no connection to it and me in any way."

"Well, something obviously didn't go as planed. You're still connected somehow."

"But that's....Not possible...."

"So what do we do now?" I interrupted.

"Only one thing we CAN do. If that orb is connected to Mel and she's still tied to the Leyline that leaves one possibility."

"Back to the Leyline...." Melfina answered, almost depressed.

I once again butted in. "Whoa, what? Do you really think we should go to the Leyline? You guys are jumping the gun."

Jess just looked at me like I had three heads. "Who says you're coming with us?"

My eyebrows shot up. "It's my orb! I'm not about to let it go!"

"But we need it more then you do."

"So! It's still mine!"

"Stop being such a baby! The most you have for that is sentimental value! WE need it to find out what's wrong with Mel!"

"Who says there's anything wrong with her!? She's still part of the Leyline, so what?! Big fricken deal!"

Melfina spoke up. "You don't understand the importance, Strife. If I am still in sync with it then I still have to power to control it. It someone found this out, they could take me there and reactive the Leyline. I cannot have that happen."

"Isn't that ironic that you're going to a place you don't want to even see again to remove yourself from it?! Actually no, that's not ironic. That's STUPID!!"

"Stife, shut up. I have a solution to this all."

The voice correcting me came from the door to the warehouse. It was Gene, badly beaten up. Melfina ran over to him, hugging and kissing him. I still thought that was beyond gross. Gene walked over and sat down on a musty couch, continuing where he left off.

"Mel has to get to the Leyline to figure out why she's making these things glow, also if you want anything out of that orb, Strife, it's going to have to happen at the Leyline. That's were all the power is. That's were all the magic happens. So here's what's going to happen. Mel's going to take the Outlaw Star and go off the Leyline, Jess is obviously going since she knows all the tiny mechanics to the ship and how to get them working right." He stared at me before finishing. "And you're going with them to pilot that hunk of junk."

Jess and I both were floored and let Gene know about it at the same time.

"What! Why do I have to go?!"

"Yeah, why Strife! What about you?"

"I don't even know how to pilot that thing!"

"Yeah, he'll just mess up and crash!"

I turned to Jess. "Whoa, watch it..."

"Screw you." She didn't even take a whole thought about me and argued again with Gene. "He can't come! He's not part of the crew! It's suppose to be you, me, Melfina, and my Dad! Not some punk we happened to pick up!!"

"I resent that." Once again, my words fell into the wind.

Jim came in from the door and sat next to Gene.

"Ok, Gene. I got the Forces to think we already left for Heiphong, The Pirates followed them."

"Even Ketsu?"

"Oh please. He was the first one out of here."

Gene sighed. "I hate Tao Masters."

After a pause I directed them all back to the present conversation. "I don't want to pilot that ship!!"

Gene glared at me. "Too bad. You have to, I'm not doing it anymore. I'm done. All this fighting and running around has made me remember my age. I'm slowing down, getting older. This Outlaw stuff just isn't me anymore...."

Everyone fell silent to the remark. So Gene said one last thing right to me.

"Strife, I've seen you fight. I know what kind of person you are. You're just like me when I was young. Cocky and reckless, if anyone can do this....You can."

Well, that was it. I had no choice now, I had to pilot that ship. If someone as great as Gene thought I was good enough then it had to be true.

Jim added more to Gene's statement.

"I'm going to stay with him, too. Like he said, we're just not in our prime anymore, we can't keep up with you guys. Now this doesn't mean we're abandoning you all. We'll still be in radio contact and we'll send you anything and everything you need."

Jess dropped down next to her father. "Wow, I can't believe I'm going to go somewhere without you guys. I hope I'll be alright."

I grinned and walked up to Jess. "Alright? You're in the best of hands. Mine."

She threatened to slap me but was stopped by her father.

"Ok, now. That's enough. You guys should be getting some sleep anyways, you're going to be lifting off first thing in the morning. Gene and I will stock up the ship."

"What? You guys got the parts we needed?" I spurted out.

Now it was Gene who did the grinning. "Just call it one last gift from Fred."

I laughed. Looks like Jay got screwed over after all. Nice.

"Well, I'll show you to a room, Strife." Melfina said to me as she walked up some stairs.

I followed her into a pretty decent room. Which was still as musty as any of the other rooms. It didn't take long for me to brush the dust off the bed and zonk out.

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Author's note: For the record....IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE! That means that good ol holiday is just around the corner. I am REALLY thinking about putting up and quick holiday intermission to this story where Strife, Gene and the rest have a nice holiday get together....Which will obviously end in an amusing and maybe painful ending. If I DO do this, it would hold no bearing to the story what so EVER. As in it's just for your amusement. Anyways, tell me if that sounds good and I'll do it.

This is Blades. "Good reading equals good times." I'm out.