Chapter 2: By dawn's early light
Gene Starwind awoke to the bustling sound of Heiphong, it was the sounds of the big city he had come accustomed to over the past few months since moving to the busy city planet.
As he walked down into the Kitchen area expecting to find Melfina however she was no where to be found. On the floor lay shattered Glass. Gene clenched his head in pain. As if a memory was trying to come to him yet was being blocked. His cries of pain woke the other residents of the Starwind and hawking building.
"Gene, are you ok", Jim asked as Gene dropped to his knee's holding his head. Almost screaming in pain.
"It... hurts", Gene managed before dropping into the fettle position.
Jim rushed to the Medical kit but was stopped by Suzuka "That won't do any good, Jim"
"But...", Jim protested.
"There is nothing in there that can help him", Suzuka interrupted.
"Then what can we do", Jim asked there was a long silence.
Suzuka walked over to Gene and kneeled down beside him, "Gene, I want you to focus"
"I... can't remember" Gene Spoke.
"Gene Focus on my voice, imagine yourself as the raging rapids, now slowly imagine the tides calming, moving slower, until its completely still, there is no pain, only calm"
Gene quickly stood up the pain gone. "What was that Suzuka?"
"A Meditation technique", Suzuka simply replied.
The videophone started to ring Jim answered, the caller was masked by shadow, only a pair of single red eyes were visible. "Gene Starwind, you have 30 minutes to decide what's more important to you, the XGP or this...Female", even though it could not be seen you could feel the stranger licking his lips at the last word as the Videophone cut-off.
30 minutes, that's all they had,
30 minutes to alter their lives
30 minutes to make up their mind
30 minutes to finally decide.
"Melfina..." Gene whispered her name, as if he thought that by saying her named it would bring her to him. He closed his eyes. "We can't give up the ship and we can't give up on Melfina either"
*******
They were driving to the location that the stranger had specified, it was an abandoned factory In the old industrial district. After the new complexes were built the entire area became obsolete and was abandoned, the area is scheduled for demolition and redevelopment.
The arrived at their destination Aisha and Suzuka scattered. Leaving Gene to stall the Stranger. They pulled up in front of the factory a person dressed in a Dark Cloak stood at the doorway and approached them.
"So, You're Gene Starwind", the Person hissed out
Gene nodded and said "Yes, and you're the scum sucking bastard that had to resort to kidnapping I assume?"
The Person hissed at this comment.
*******
Suzuka Stealthy ran through the one side of the empty factory, coming to an underground entrance.
She walked along the underground corridor Bokkato at the ready. She Saw Melfina tied to a chair and gagged, as she approached, several Pirate Robots de-cloaked on the walls. With a Deadly swipe of he sword, a lethal gust of wind cut through one of the Pirates. With another swing of her blade, she cut through another two robots. A Pirate Robot was bringing its deadly arm back to decapitate Melfina.
Suzuka leapt into the air and sliced through the offending pirate she was about to untie Melfina when a thought came into her head "What am I doing...I'd be better off if she died wouldn't I?" Suzuka Looked at Melfina who was struggling with her ropes. Melfina stopped and looked into Suzuka's eyes. There was a hint of something she recognised.
Two Pirate Robots approached from behind, Suzuka heard the clumsy fools and span 360 degree's cutting through both at the waist. "What's wrong with me?" Suzuka pondered as she untied Melfina and signaled Gene that all was clear.
*****
Gene smiled after one single almost inaudible beep in his ear singled Melfina's safety, now it was payback time.
Gene reached for his shotgun. Aimed and fired two rounds straight into the enemy's chest. It took the stranger by surprise and he was barely able to rise his light shield in time. "Kill her! Kill that fucking bitch I'll teach you to mess with me!", the Stranger Yelled but there was no reply.
"Funny", Gene said; "that's exactly what I was going to say to you! JIM"
"Got ya!" Jim yelled popping up from behind the car door with a rocket launcher, gene dropped to the deck as the rocket passed over head, hitting the stranger.
"Got him", Jim said Happily, but when the explosion quickly cleared all that was burning was the strangers cloak. From the Factory roof the stranger leapt down at Gene with a Laser Cutting torch at the ready. Gene quickly moved out of the way as the torch swiped through the air.
"I'll Cut you in Half you little shit", the Stranger said charging Jim, Jim Ducked back into the car for cover but it wasn't much good as the blue beam of the laser torch sliced the door in two.
Jim quckly moved to the other side of the car and used it as a barrier between him and the assassin though he didn't know if it would do much good.
Gene Fired he Pistols at the assassin but the bullets bounced off his light shield, the assassin turned quickly and spoke "Top of the line, anything you use will just bounce off".
Gene Smiled, "Jim, Last resort time"
"Oh crap", Jim said Ducking for cover as gene pulled out his caster gun,
"A number 18 should do it", Gene said as he quickly loaded the gun.
"Bounce this off asshole!" Gene Yelled pulling the trigger
The Assassin was engulfed in a pillar of green fire. That reached well into the sky.
"Oh fuck! I think I over did it a bit", Gene shouted running for his life, the Pillar of Fire expending behind him. Vaporising anything in its path "Aisha, Suzuka get the hell out of there now!"
********
Back at the Starwind and Hawking Enterprises building life returned to normal. Gene flicked through the Tv Channels and stopped at the news.
"Today the old Heiphong industrial complex was rocked by a mysterious explosion several eye witness speak of a Pillar of green fire reaching miles into the sky engulfing the area", The Camera switches to an Arial view of a large Crater the size of the complex.
"Luckily the area was abandoned and scheduled for demolition, there are no reported casualties at this time", the news anchor finished as Gene turned off the Tv.
Aisha came out of the bathroom clad in only a towel fresh from the shower. She walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Jim...Can you smell that?" Gene said simply
Jim nodded
"Yes there is certainly a distinct smell", Suzuka added.
"Smells like burnt cat", Gene said.
"Hey, that's not funny you guys", Aisha protested, then smelt herself and did indeed still smell like burnt cat and headed back to the shower.
************
Authors notes:
Again not much Just a little Chapter to add to the story not really linked to the first other then Suzuka's feelings. But hey ^^ its not like she's gonna declare her undying love of him overnight now is it ^^
Gene Starwind awoke to the bustling sound of Heiphong, it was the sounds of the big city he had come accustomed to over the past few months since moving to the busy city planet.
As he walked down into the Kitchen area expecting to find Melfina however she was no where to be found. On the floor lay shattered Glass. Gene clenched his head in pain. As if a memory was trying to come to him yet was being blocked. His cries of pain woke the other residents of the Starwind and hawking building.
"Gene, are you ok", Jim asked as Gene dropped to his knee's holding his head. Almost screaming in pain.
"It... hurts", Gene managed before dropping into the fettle position.
Jim rushed to the Medical kit but was stopped by Suzuka "That won't do any good, Jim"
"But...", Jim protested.
"There is nothing in there that can help him", Suzuka interrupted.
"Then what can we do", Jim asked there was a long silence.
Suzuka walked over to Gene and kneeled down beside him, "Gene, I want you to focus"
"I... can't remember" Gene Spoke.
"Gene Focus on my voice, imagine yourself as the raging rapids, now slowly imagine the tides calming, moving slower, until its completely still, there is no pain, only calm"
Gene quickly stood up the pain gone. "What was that Suzuka?"
"A Meditation technique", Suzuka simply replied.
The videophone started to ring Jim answered, the caller was masked by shadow, only a pair of single red eyes were visible. "Gene Starwind, you have 30 minutes to decide what's more important to you, the XGP or this...Female", even though it could not be seen you could feel the stranger licking his lips at the last word as the Videophone cut-off.
30 minutes, that's all they had,
30 minutes to alter their lives
30 minutes to make up their mind
30 minutes to finally decide.
"Melfina..." Gene whispered her name, as if he thought that by saying her named it would bring her to him. He closed his eyes. "We can't give up the ship and we can't give up on Melfina either"
*******
They were driving to the location that the stranger had specified, it was an abandoned factory In the old industrial district. After the new complexes were built the entire area became obsolete and was abandoned, the area is scheduled for demolition and redevelopment.
The arrived at their destination Aisha and Suzuka scattered. Leaving Gene to stall the Stranger. They pulled up in front of the factory a person dressed in a Dark Cloak stood at the doorway and approached them.
"So, You're Gene Starwind", the Person hissed out
Gene nodded and said "Yes, and you're the scum sucking bastard that had to resort to kidnapping I assume?"
The Person hissed at this comment.
*******
Suzuka Stealthy ran through the one side of the empty factory, coming to an underground entrance.
She walked along the underground corridor Bokkato at the ready. She Saw Melfina tied to a chair and gagged, as she approached, several Pirate Robots de-cloaked on the walls. With a Deadly swipe of he sword, a lethal gust of wind cut through one of the Pirates. With another swing of her blade, she cut through another two robots. A Pirate Robot was bringing its deadly arm back to decapitate Melfina.
Suzuka leapt into the air and sliced through the offending pirate she was about to untie Melfina when a thought came into her head "What am I doing...I'd be better off if she died wouldn't I?" Suzuka Looked at Melfina who was struggling with her ropes. Melfina stopped and looked into Suzuka's eyes. There was a hint of something she recognised.
Two Pirate Robots approached from behind, Suzuka heard the clumsy fools and span 360 degree's cutting through both at the waist. "What's wrong with me?" Suzuka pondered as she untied Melfina and signaled Gene that all was clear.
*****
Gene smiled after one single almost inaudible beep in his ear singled Melfina's safety, now it was payback time.
Gene reached for his shotgun. Aimed and fired two rounds straight into the enemy's chest. It took the stranger by surprise and he was barely able to rise his light shield in time. "Kill her! Kill that fucking bitch I'll teach you to mess with me!", the Stranger Yelled but there was no reply.
"Funny", Gene said; "that's exactly what I was going to say to you! JIM"
"Got ya!" Jim yelled popping up from behind the car door with a rocket launcher, gene dropped to the deck as the rocket passed over head, hitting the stranger.
"Got him", Jim said Happily, but when the explosion quickly cleared all that was burning was the strangers cloak. From the Factory roof the stranger leapt down at Gene with a Laser Cutting torch at the ready. Gene quickly moved out of the way as the torch swiped through the air.
"I'll Cut you in Half you little shit", the Stranger said charging Jim, Jim Ducked back into the car for cover but it wasn't much good as the blue beam of the laser torch sliced the door in two.
Jim quckly moved to the other side of the car and used it as a barrier between him and the assassin though he didn't know if it would do much good.
Gene Fired he Pistols at the assassin but the bullets bounced off his light shield, the assassin turned quickly and spoke "Top of the line, anything you use will just bounce off".
Gene Smiled, "Jim, Last resort time"
"Oh crap", Jim said Ducking for cover as gene pulled out his caster gun,
"A number 18 should do it", Gene said as he quickly loaded the gun.
"Bounce this off asshole!" Gene Yelled pulling the trigger
The Assassin was engulfed in a pillar of green fire. That reached well into the sky.
"Oh fuck! I think I over did it a bit", Gene shouted running for his life, the Pillar of Fire expending behind him. Vaporising anything in its path "Aisha, Suzuka get the hell out of there now!"
********
Back at the Starwind and Hawking Enterprises building life returned to normal. Gene flicked through the Tv Channels and stopped at the news.
"Today the old Heiphong industrial complex was rocked by a mysterious explosion several eye witness speak of a Pillar of green fire reaching miles into the sky engulfing the area", The Camera switches to an Arial view of a large Crater the size of the complex.
"Luckily the area was abandoned and scheduled for demolition, there are no reported casualties at this time", the news anchor finished as Gene turned off the Tv.
Aisha came out of the bathroom clad in only a towel fresh from the shower. She walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Jim...Can you smell that?" Gene said simply
Jim nodded
"Yes there is certainly a distinct smell", Suzuka added.
"Smells like burnt cat", Gene said.
"Hey, that's not funny you guys", Aisha protested, then smelt herself and did indeed still smell like burnt cat and headed back to the shower.
************
Authors notes:
Again not much Just a little Chapter to add to the story not really linked to the first other then Suzuka's feelings. But hey ^^ its not like she's gonna declare her undying love of him overnight now is it ^^
