Author's Note: Very sorry with the large gap between updates. I'm working on two other fics at this time as well. I've not given up with this at all. If somehow you didn't guess...the two characters that appeared last chapter were obviously the MacDougal brothers. I'm gonna try and fit a description of Locke in here somewhere. If I can't, then definitely next chapter. Anyway...

Disclaimer: I don't own Outlaw Star.

On with the show

Chapter 10: Old Guns Reloaded

"Incoming transmission." Gilliam said, just as another screen appeared. It housed a familiar face with a familiar voice.

"Long time no see, Gene Starwind. Have you been taking good care of Melfina for me?" Harry MacDougal said with a sadistic grin to go along with his sadistic laugh afterwards.

It was shocking enough to see his face again. He was dead, right? So how could he be here now?

"Harry MacDougal? But, you died at the Leyline!" Gene shouted.

"Only my old body did. But that doesn't matter, we're back for revenge." Harry replied through the transmission.

"We?" Aisha asked.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Ron's probably taking care of your other friends right now." Harry said, putting a finger to his chin in thought and laughing.

"Damn it! Why can't you two just give up already?" Gene complained.

"Shut up! Get ready to finally die, Gene!" Harry yelled, ending the transmission.

"Stubborn bastard. Alright, prepare for Grappler Combat!" Gene announced.

The lights in the room dimmed and the Grappler system booted up. The Outlaw Star's Grapplers arms prepped themselves for hand-to-hand combat with the Shangri-La. Harry's ship sprouted its four Grappler arms.

"End of the line, Gene!" Harry snickered.

"So, round two finally came along, huh?" Gene said with a smirk.

"I hope Jim and the others are alright." Melfina commented, worried for her companions.

"Ah! You! I thought Gene killed you!" Jim shouted, pointing at the, very much alive, Ron MacDougal.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken. Now...hand over the boy." Ron said, glancing to Locke.

Jim looked over to Locke then back at Ron. "What? No! You can't have him!

"It's not open for discussion." Ron declared, bringing up his Caster, aiming at the three and pressing the trigger.

The Caster charged up and let loose a huge blast of energy. It ripped apart the hallway as it travels towards its targets. Luckily, they jumped back around the corner and a little ways a way before the beam annihilated the spot where they were just a second before.

"You two stay back. I'll handle this." Suzuka said calmly, standing up straight with her sword ready.

"Okay." Jim nodded, grabbing Locke's wrist and pulling him along with him to a safer spot.

As they ran, Jim's watch started to beep. He stopped around a corner and pulled out his computer. "Finally! Now we can contact Gene and the others!" he exclaimed.

After vigorously typing in some keywords, a person appeared on the computer screen. It was Gene. "Gene, we got some serious trouble down here!" Jim yelled.

"I know! But, I'm a little busy at the moment." Gene snapped back. "Agh, damn it! He's got stronger Grappler arms than last time."

"What?" Jim asked, confused by Gene's last comment.

A loud boom went off in the background. "We'll be there as soon as possible, Jim. Just hang in there 'til then!" Gene shouted, cutting the transmission.

"Wait, Gene! Dammit!" Jim shouted in anger, slamming his computer shut. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then turned to Locke and said, "I suppose you don't have a Caster gun on you..."

Locke checked in his green vest that was held up with two brown belts on each shoulder, he checked his pant pockets and patted down his white T-shirt. He even ran a hand through his brown hair. No Caster Gun to be found.

Jim slapped his hand to his own face. "You could've just given me a simple no." he grumbled.

Locke emitted a small smile and shrugged a little.

Suddenly Ron's voice echoed through the maze of hallways. "I found you!"

After a quick sound of a Caster charging, a blast of energy demolished the walls as it tore its way towards Jim and Locke. Fortunately, they made a run for it before the blast could get to them.

"Your fight is with me, not them." Suzuka claimed, holding her sword forward and facing Ron.

"Humor me," was all that Ron said in reply, while loading a Caster shell in his Caster.

Suzuka narrowed her glare then rushed in to attack. Ron swiftly blocks Suzuka's attack with his Caster. Sparks from scrapping metal jumped from Ron's Caster as it was hit time after time by Suzuka's sword swings.

"You've gotten rusty, assassin." Ron taunted.

"Humph." Suzuka scoffed, bringing her sword down on the Caster hard.

Ron blocked the attack, then jumped away and quickly aiming the Caster at Suzuka. "Play time's over." He boasted, pulling the trigger

As energy charged up, Suzuka instinctively jumped up and sliced the ceiling open, taking cover up there as the blast mangled the hallway.

"Tricky...but not enough." Ron said, smirking as he reached into his jacket and pulled out another Caster.

It looked identical to his other Caster but was a silvery color. He reloaded his other Caster, then pointed them both towards the ceiling.

Jim and Locke watched on as Ron blasted holes through the ceiling, trying to hit Suzuka.

"Oh man, what do I do?" Jim asked himself nervously.

"Jim! Locke! Get out of here, now." echoed Suzuka's voice from a vent shaft above the two boys.

Jim looked up quickly at Suzuka. "But about you?" He asked hesitantly.

"Forget about me. Use the other staircase hurry." Suzuka shouted before running out of view.

"Suzuka!" Jim shouted. He turned to Locke and then to the staircase next to them. "Ooh, come on. Let's...let's get outta here."

Meanwhile with the Outlaw Star, the Grappler fight was going either way. Both pilots were struggling, but Harry was gaining the advantage with the two extra Grappler arms.

"Augh, dammit. This is getting us nowhere." Gene growled.

"Ahahaha, what's the matter, Gene? Getting tired?" Harry snickered to himself.

"Gene, could we try the Assault Bolt like before?" Melfina asked.

"Hmm…" An idea quickly came to mind. "…Yeah, let's use the Assault Bolt. Just gotta wait for an opening." Gene said to himself.

"And what exactly do you have planned, Gene?" Aisha asked.

"Only a little distraction. Launch the Assault Bolt when I give the word." Gene replied.

"Just leave to me!" Aisha responded, jumping into Jim's seat, ready to fire the Assault Bolt. "Let's waste this jerk!"

The Shangri-La's two extra Grappler arms were slowly breaking the Outlaw Star's Grappler arms as they applied extra power. "Only a matter of time, Gene." Harry sneered.

"Gene, the arms won't last much longer!" Melfina stated.

"Right, fire the Assault Bolt! Now!" Gene shouted.

"Gotcha!" Aisha slammed her fist on the button that activates the Assault Bolt.

Gene managed to maneuver the Outlaw Star upwards so the bolt could get a clear shut at Harry's ship. As the Assault Bolt launched at the Shangri-La, Harry let his grip on the Outlaw Star's Grappler arms to move to the right, barely dodging the bolt.

"Gah! You son of a bitch!" Harry yelled.

"It's over!" Gene exclaimed.

The Outlaw Star's left arm went forward and snatched the base of one of the Shangri-La's right arms. Quickly twisting it off, Gene was quickly able to get the other arm off as well. An explosion blasted out from the Shangri-La's right side.

"You won't get me that easily!" Harry snapped, launching all of his missiles at once.

"Shit!" Gene quickly revved up the engine flying under the barrage of missiles.

The fleet of missiles swiftly followed suit and pursued the Outlaw Star. But to no avail as the ship out flew them as they detonated. Harry used this time to make his getaway before Gene could retaliate.

"Damn it! He got away!" Gene said, slamming his hands down.

"Gene, we still must get Jim, Suzuka and Locke." Gilliam remarked.

Gene nodded and turned the ship around. "Let's get them, so we can get outta here." He replied, flying the Outlaw Star back towards Bastion.

Jim and Locke finally reached the first floor, to the vent where they came in from. Climbing in and to the outside, they both turned back towards the door.

"Where's Suzuka?" Locke typed.

"She'll come. I just know it." Jim replied nervously.

"Jim! We're coming in. Get to the rendezvous spot fast!" Gene said through the walkie-talkie.

Jim brought the walkie-talkie up to his face. "But Gene, Suzuka's…"

Suddenly the door collapsed and fell apart into two evenly cut pieces. Suzuka walked outside.

"Uh…Nevermind Gene. We're on our way." Jim said to his partner.

"MacDougal got away." Suzuka stated plainly.

"We should get going." Locke typed.

The three made their way back to the Outlaw Star and quickly got aboard. As the ship took off again, and everyone got to their seats, pirates began chasing after them.

"Gene, we got a bunch of pirates on our tail!" Jim exclaimed.

"Time for a last resort." Gene replied with a smirk.

Jim grinned as he armed all of the missiles. "One last resort, ready to go. Launching all missiles!"

As the Outlaw Star continued to speed away, it let loose an array of missiles back at the pursuing pirates. The large line of explosions took off and covered the Outlaw Star's escape. They did it; they succeeded in swiping information from Bastion Laboratory. Now maybe the mystery behind Locke and Project LH4570 will reveal itself.

Room was as pitch black as ever, excluding the sole light in the middle of the room. There, in the light, stood Kyen. Footsteps echoed throughout the complex and Angelglory appeared at the edge of the light.

"Thera is dead then?" Kyen asked, not turning to face his accomplice.

"No…she went home to her syndicate. Angelglory replied with a hint of anger in his voice.

Kyen cracked his neck and sighed. "Ungrateful bitch. I'll have to kill her myself when I have some free time." He declared. The cold-blooded man turned to Angelglory. "Go to Heiphon and wait for them. I trust you will not fail me." He ordered.

"Yes lord. I'll bring the child first It won't be hard at all." The blonde haired man answered, tipping his shades done slightly to show his blood red eyes. "You'll permit me to kill who I please?"

Kyen gave a silent nod. "Very well. Have your fun." He said.

Angelglory nodded and vanished back into the shadows.

TO BE CONTINUED…

After getting back from raiding Bastion, everyone decides to take some time off and relax. Then outta nowhere, Aisha runs into an old friend of hers. Just great, another guy to keep an eye on. I don't trust this new guy very much. Next time on Outlaw Star: Omega Project…Chapter 11: Speaking with a Past Memory. You better get ready!

So, how was that? I.M.O, I don't like this chapter. I really had to force myself to type it. But I'm really looking forward to typing Chapter 11. So that won't take almost two months to get up, TRUST ME. I got spell check now so, misspelling is way down now. R and R, please. Thanks!