Disclaimer: See Prologue
Outlaw Star: All in the Name of Love
Chapter 7: Part 3
Gene sat gingerly on one cheek as he went over their account on Jim's laptop. He sighed, then shook his head.
"This is not good," he moaned as he rubbed his temples.
Suzuka sat at the dining table reading the newspaper and occasionally pausing to take a sip of her tea. She shifted her eyes to look over her book in the direction of the Outlaw, but refrained from saying anything. A second later, she returned to her paper.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gene noticed her attention shift from her book to him, if only for a moment. The arrogant Outlaw assumed this was a sufficient enough reason to unload his problems on the beautiful assassin.
"I can't believe that after all the money we made on Cielo Rojo and the money we got for the goods we sold, we're still so far in the red." He glanced over at the assassin, hoping to get a curious inquiry from her.
Nothing.
The Outlaw continued, "I knew we owed Fred Luo a lot of money, but I didn't realize it was this much." He glanced over at her again.
Nothing.
"I was hoping to be able to take some time off and just take it easy for awhile, but now I guess that's out of the question."
Nothing
"Of course, we still have the same problem we had before we left Heifong. We still have trouble finding jobs here. That problem hasn't changed."
Finally, Suzuka set the newspaper down and stood up. She picked up her cup and walked into the kitchen. Gene could hear the water running for a minute, then it stopped. Returning from the kitchen, the assassin picked up her paper and headed for the front door.
"Where are you going?" the Outlaw asked, wrinkling his brow.
"To the library, it's far too noisy in here to read," she replied.
"Humph!" Gene turned from Suzuka back to the laptop.
The door opened suddenly and Jim walked in, appearing to be in good spirits.
"Hi, Suzuka." He closed the door behind him.
"Hello, Jim, how was your day?" she asked politely.
While Jim considered giving the assassin a longwinded response, going over all he did both to the ship and at the various vehicle yards he often ventured to for spare parts, he knew Suzuka was simply being polite and had no real interest in hearing about the specifics of his day, so instead he simply replied, "Fine, and yours?"
"Uneventful, for the most part."
Niceties aside, Jim walked further into their home, only to have his sunny mood darkened by the sight of Gene banging away on his computer.
"What are you doing here? And why are you using my laptop?" he snapped.
"Well, for one, I live here, and two, I was just checking the account to see where we are at," Gene threw back.
"We're still in the red and we still owe Fred over 1.7 million wong. Anything else you want to know?" the boy snarled.
Gene narrowed his eyes at his partner, closed the laptop, and walked towards the kitchen.
Suzuka, while anxious to leave, decided to stay awhile just to make sure Gene didn't decide to retaliate against his young protégé.
Jim walked over to his laptop and flipped it back open. Sure enough, the only thing up was a listing of their account. No nudie pictures as he suspected, and no deductions from the account as he feared. "Hmm." He looked over towards the kitchen as Gene walked out with a glass of juice in his hand. The Outlaw plopped himself down on the easy chair across from Jim and immediately stiffened. "Shhh!" He gritted his teeth as the pain from his wound made his rear end throb. "Rrrrr" Anger was etched on his face as he stared at his partner, but as the pain subsided, so did the hard expression, until he was able to relax back into the chair and turn his attention to his glass.
"So what's your plan for getting us the rest of the way out of debt?" he asked.
Letting his earlier anger subside, Jim brought up a spreadsheet he had made up the day before. "Well, if we can make at least 300,000 wong a month, we should be caught up with all our current and future debts – at least for the coming year – within eight months."
"Oh, is that all? 300,000 a month, yeah, no problem. By the way, how much did we make here in Heifong during the, what, seven, eight months we've been here? Oh, yeah, less then 30,000 wong, but now we're going to start making 300,000 a month, no problem." He finished taking a drink of his juice.
"I didn't say it was going to be easy, you jerk! I just said what we could do if we managed to make that much!" Jim yelled.
"Well, any prospects?" the Outlaw asked.
"No, but we only got back yesterday. I'm sure we'll get some interest soon enough," the boy genius replied.
"That's what you said over a year and a half ago. Remember how that worked out?" Gene countered.
Reassured that Gene and Jim were at least conducting themselves civilly, if not friendly, Suzuka turned to leave, but before she could reach for the doorknob, the door opened once again.
"Oh!" A startled Melfina stepped back for a moment, then smiled and walked in. "Hi Suzuka, are you on your way out?"
"Melfina?" Surprise was evident in both the long-haired woman's voice and expression.
"Yes?" The bio-android looked at Suzuka intently, expecting to be asked a question, but none was forth coming. Finally realizing Suzuka's surprised expression stemmed from her new look, she simply smiled and walked over to the dining table, placing her bags on it.
"Hello, Mel," Jim finally said, interrupting the conversation he and Gene were engaged in. "How… WHOW!"
Gene immediately turned to look at Melfina. Instantly, his eyes went wide and he jumped up to his feet. "Melfina, what did you do?"
"What do you mean?" she replied innocently.
"He means your hair, your clothes. You… you look like a different person," Jim squeaked out. "Wh-why the change?"
She was searching in her bags looking for something and didn't stop to answer until she found it. Turning to her two male companions, she said, "Well, after last night…"
Gene instantly shrank just a little, not enough for Jim to notice, who was now giving Melfina his full attention, but enough to attract the two women's attention.
"… when I decided I was no longer Gene's girlfriend…"
Jim shot Gene a look, this time noticing the proud Outlaw's shoulders drop just a little further.
"… I asked myself, who am I? Navigator of the Outlaw Star, cook for her crew, but what else?"
She paused for a moment, turning her attention to Suzuka. "Oh, by the way, I just wanted to thank you once again for helping me yesterday, Suzuka. I hope this gift can in some small way express my gratitude." She handed her a small purple satin bag that closed with a gold braided drawstring. "I hope you like it."
Suzuka graciously accepted the gift, opened the bag, and removed from it a jade handled hairbrush. The woman turned the brush in her hand one way, then the other. The intricate carvings of dragons and tigers decorated the brush as she recognized the bristles as being natural animal hair, not nylon or plastic.
She looked up at Melfina's smiling face, her own completely void of expression. Melfina's smile began to fade. Suzuka noticed this, causing her to finally respond.
"Yes… I do like it, Melfina. It's…" she looked at it once more. "It's beautiful." She looked up at Melfina again. "Thank you." She walked up to Melfina. Placing her hands on the younger woman's arms, she drew the bio-android close, pressing her cheek to Melfina's forehead.
Surprised by the assassin's action, Melfina hesitated, but only for a moment. She reached up with her arms, taking gentle hold of Suzuka's elbows, and said softly, "You're welcome."
Suzuka separated herself from the bio-android. "Excuse me," she said, and proceeded to walk up to her room, locking the door behind her.
Gene and Jim looked at each other and shrugged. When Melfina began speaking again, they turned their attention back to her.
"So I decided what I wanted to be, who I choose to identify myself as, is a partner of this company," she concluded.
"PARNTER?" they both blurted out in unison.
"Mmm hmm," she nodded, smiling widely.
"Mel, you can't just make yourself a partner," Gene said loudly and firmly.
"Oh, well, why not?" she asked, genuinely surprised by Gene's reaction.
"Because it's not done, that's why not." Frustration was starting to show on the red haired outlaw's face.
"Buy why?" their young female companion asked innocently.
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Gene on this one, Mel. You can't just decide to be our partner and expect us to go along with it without adding something to the business that helps us succeed," the fair-haired boy replied.
"But I already navigate the ship and prepare all the meals, both on the ship and at home," she responded.
"True, but it takes more than that to be a partner. You would need to work at helping us generate new business and actually perform the jobs, or at least parts of the job we get. Otherwise, you're really nothing more than an employee," the boy genius explained.
Melfina paused for a moment, considering Jim's words. Finally, with all seriousness, she replied, "So what has been my salary this past year and a half since I've been in your employment?" She looked squarely at Jim.
"Aaa…" Confusion and fear etched themselves on Jim's face as he broke into a cold sweat.
"We've given you money as you needed it," Gene threw out.
"But only when you had extra money around, and only when it was convenient for you. An employee gets paid regularly, regardless of whether the business is making money or not. Besides…" She pulled out a softbound leather briefcase from one of her bags, opened it and pulled out a paper, placing it on the table. "If generating business is a requirement, then I've already met that criteria," she smiled.
Both Jim and Gene walked up to the table to inspect the paper Melfina had placed there. After giving Gene a minute to read it, Jim picked it up and scrutinized it carefully.
"This is a contract."
"Mmm hmm," she nodded.
"Agreement to deliver 30,000 wong of Hairbright hair care products on the 3rd day of each month. Items to include six cases of shampoo, six cases of conditioner, four cases of hair treatment solution, two cases of each of the following hair coloring products: Jet Black, Autumn Amber, Wheatfield Brown, Golden Blonde, Platinum Blonde, etc., etc.. Negotiated shipping fee, 7, 650 wong. Agreement to take effect on the 3rd month of the Toward Star calendar and to remain in effect for one full year. If major unforeseen events were to occur resulting in increased cost to ship the products, the customer agrees to renegotiate terms in good faith."
"Melfina, you signed a contract. Do you know what you've done? You've obligated us to fulfill this contract for a year. Do you know what the Kaspar System is like? It's a graveyard for most independent merchants because it's right in the heart of Bon Pirate Territory. We will spend twice this shipping fee in weapons replacement each month, not to mention repairs for any damage we may incur. I can't believe you did something like this without talking to us first." Jim said, sadness and disappointment clearly evident on his face.
Melfina lowered her head and shook it side to side. "I can't believe you think I'm really that naive. If you look at the bottom of the contract, you'll see that it is not binding until both you and Gene sign it. And…" she reached into her briefcase again and pulled out seven other contracts, placing them on the table. "Three of these are for products manufactured in the Kaspar System, the other four at Anami 4, which is on route to Kaspar. As for pirate trouble, I went over the numbers with Gillium just a little while ago, and we calculated that it is possible for the Outlaw Star to come out of sub-ether space within a gravity well. By doing that we can avoid contact with the pirates on our arrival to Kaspar at least. Departing will be more dangerous, but that's half the challenge, isn't it?" She smiled.
Gene listened intently while Jim thumbed through the contracts.
"This comes out to nearly 50,000 wong a month," the boy said excitedly.
"For what should be no more than five days of work per month, three if we optimize the Outlaw Star's sub-ether drive to run over 30 consecutive hours," Melfina added with a smile.
"That's amazing, Melfina," Gene said, his tone flat, his face expressionless.
"Ah…" Jim's wide-eyed expression really said it all. "You really thought of everything," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Melfina's smile grew. "Well, if I'm going to be taken seriously as a partner in this business, I need to treat it seriously." She grinned, her smile so large that her eyes were practically shut. Suddenly, her eyes flew wide open. "Oh! By the way." She searched in her bags again. "I got you each something." She handed each of them two boxes.
They looked at the items, not sure what to do with them.
Finally, Melfina explained, "They're business cards and a business card holder."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "What did you get these for? We never needed business cards before."
"Well, I found that everyone I spoke with wanted a business card from me, so I thought you should have some too." She removed her carrier from her purse and pulled out one of her cards, handing it to Jim
"Starwind and Hawking Enterprises… Melfina Eirbright?" The surprise was plainly evident on Jim's face and in his voice.
"What?" Gene turned and took the card from Jim's hand. "Who's Melfina Eirbright?" A hint of anger and confusion was obvious in his voice.
"I am." Melfina grinned widely.
"You gave yourself a last name?" Jim asked.
"Mmm hmm." She nodded.
"But why?" Gene wondered aloud.
"Because everyone I spoke with expected me to have one," she answered plainly.
"But why Eirbright? How did you decide on that name?" Jim's curiosity was peaked.
"Well, it's kind of silly really. I was in the salon getting my hair done when I overheard a couple of the employees talking about how they were going to have to change their line of hair care products because shipping costs were getting way too expensive. Well, I decided to take the opportunity to talk to the owner, so I went to their restroom and changed into this outfit, then went and asked to see the owner. When she came out she told me her name, and when I told her my name was Melfina, she sort of waited, expecting me to give her my last name as well. So I thought for a moment and come up with Eirbright," the bio-android explained.
"But why Eirbright?"
"Well," she blushed a little. "Does it sound familiar?" she asked.
Jim and Gene thought for a moment, then looked at each other and shrugged. Suddenly, Jim gave a knowing look and flipped through the contracts. Finding the one he was searching for, he said, "Hairbright! You named yourself after the shampoo?"
"Actually, I changed it to Eirbright, but I needed to change the spelling so people wouldn't get confused with the product," Melfina answered.
"Well, Miss Eirbright…" Jim smiled, "Let me welcome you as an equal partner to Starwind and Hawking Enterprises." He extended his hand.
"Really! Do you mean it?" The dark haired young woman asked, raising her hands to her mouth in an effort to contain her excitement.
"I don't see why not. What do you think, Gene?" The boy genius turned towards his partner.
Gene was still looking at Melfina's business card.
"Gene?"
Slowly looking up, first at Melfina, then over at Jim, the red-haired outlaw replied, "Whatever you decide, Jim. It's okay with me." He turned to Melfina again. "Congratulations, Mel, I guess you were right, if you want something badly enough, you can change. You are a totally independent woman now." Gene pocketed the card and walked over to the sofa to grab his coat. "I've got some things I have to do. I'll see you guys later." And he was out the door.
Jim and Melfina stared at the door for a moment longer.
AN: Well, it took me long enough, but here it is. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, though it was wholly missing excitement, but sometimes that is necessary to allow a story to progress. The next chapter should prove much more interesting, I'm sure.
I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to read my story and a special thanks to those who also reviewed it.
And a very big thank you as always to my awesome beta-reader, Janice. Thanks so much, Janice.
Thank you all,
A. Amishi