Yay! Chapter 8! (manic exclamation marks that won't appear on screen). So this chapter is dedicated to Flynn's flashbacks so I apologise to those reading if it's not that clear in my layout. But if you don't get the general idea you can tell me and I'll change it. Also this chapter is a little longer than some of the others I've written. So enjoy!

BW: Flynn! Argh! (melts)

FB: Am I good or what?

BW: I got to read it before everyone else too!

FB: You're not supposed to tell everyone! (clamps hand over BW's mouth and mumbling) They'll all want sneak previews!

BW: Mmmmmpppppfffff (rips hand off) This is friend's priviledge though, not to mention payment for the portrait I did!

FB: (awed and staring into distance) It was so life like... (glomps Flynn in mind)

Flynn: Argh!

FB: He's getting away!

BW: CHARGE!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outlaw Star series or characters but Flynn is mine! ALL MINE!

-

Lost Memories

He stood on the edge of a ruined city. Black smog thickened the air making it impossible to determine the extent of the damage done, but he knew.

He took an uncertain step forward, hand brought over his eyes to protect them from the glowing embers caught in the torrents of smoke. His light footsteps scattered ashes on the ground.

He shifted through the rubble like a phantom, only stopping when detailed stones caught his eye through the fog. It had been an elaborate city, the cravings on the stones indicated as much.

He carried on, not sure where he was going yet his feet seemed to know the way. He knew this place.

Suddenly something loomed out of the fog. A great stone wall making a never-ending barrier in front of him. This too was etched with intricate carvings, he stepped up to the wall to feel them gently. He could feel the story beneath his fingers. His brow furrowed, this story wasn't new to him either.

He recoiled from the wall, heart throbbing madly in his chest.

As if on cue, a woman's voice rang out over the dead city.

"Don't let it happen again…"

-

Flynn's eyes snapped open, he sat bolt upright, a cold sweat breaking out over his forehead. His hand shot to his heart to hold it in his chest.

"That dream...again…" he muttered taking a deep breath to calm himself.

Swinging his legs round he stood up from the temporary sofa bed and ambled into the kitchen. It had been too short notice to set Flynn up with a proper bed so he had had to make do with the couch. Agitatedly, he massaged a stiff neck and sat down with a nearly empty milk carton. He sniffed the milk and scowled.

"Flynn?"

Wearily, Flynn glanced over at the kitchen doorway where Melfina stood, a troubled and concerned expression on her face.

"What's the matter?" she asked keeping her eyes downcast. Flynn stared at her. She was almost…embarrassed.

'She's so human.' thought Flynn to himself. 'Her emotions are just as complex and they change so quickly.'

"I'm okay, just had a bad dream."

"Are you sure? What was your dream about?" asked Melfina coming to sit down.

At that moment, Gene stuck his head round the doorway. His eyes were glued shut against the light from the window and his face was slightly pale. His hair spiked out at odd and vertical angles where he had tossed about in the night. They were classic signs that Gene had a hangover.

"What's for breakfast?" Gene asked, slightly slurring his words.

"Are you sure you wouldn't just like a drink? Or did you have enough last night?"

Blearily, Gene looked down at Jim who was standing just behind him with his arms crossed in a frustrated manner.

'Here we go.' Gene rolled his eyes and braced himself.

"I can't believe you just went out like that again last night, we've only just cleared our debt to Fred and we're supposed to be saving our funds to help Melfina out. What are you playing at!"

"Look Jim," said Gene leaning on Jim's head. "I only had a couple of pints. I didn't rack up that much of a bar tab!"

"Yeah, you sure look like you didn't." mumbled Jim sarcastically. Swatting Gene's hand away he went to sit down at the table next to Flynn.

Watching Jim sit down, Gene noticed Flynn for the first time.

"I need to talk to you." he said walking over.

"About what?" asked Flynn indifferently.

"Have you ever been up in a ship before?"

"Yeah, it's the only way to get around in space." said Flynn in a mocking tone.

"I meant have you had any working experience, like were you a pilot or a gunner?" growled Gene defensively.

"I can pilot." said Flynn without hesitation. " I'm not bad either."

Gene nodded, brow furrowed as he tried to work out the floor plan in the cock pit of the Outlaw Star.

"If Gilliam can run some virtual flight simulations I can test your skills." he muttered thoughtfully.

"I'd be happy to assist you Gene!"

Gilliam's sudden appearance from nowhere made Gene jump. He spun round and pointed an accusing finger at the small pink maintenance robot.

"Don't do that you rust bucket!" yelled Gene.

"Rust bucket!" exclaimed Gilliam in an insulted tone. "I'll have you know that I-"

"Am the most advanced 'ship' in the universe, we know. You don't have to keep on harping about it!"

Sighing exasperatedly, Jim walked back out of the kitchen throwing a 'Melfina, I'm skipping breakfast!' over his shoulder as he left.

Melfina completely ignored Gene and Gilliam's argument in the background, too busy concentrating on making breakfast. Flynn was watching Gilliam.

'First Melfina, now this Gilliam thing. These people have some advanced technology on their hands.'

-

Gene's sweaty hands gripped the controls. He swerved left and right past the acute missiles that had been fired from the enemy craft.

"How long until we can jump to sub-ether?" shouted Gene.

"Newton Reactors 1 and 4 malfunctioning. They're seismic missiles!" said Melfina's voice from the navigation chamber.

"Reactors 1 and 4..." whispered Flynn.

-

"Reactors 1 and 4 are down but we're only going up for a cruise. You still up for it?"

Flynn felt himself nod, excitement swelling in his chest. He looked up at the girl before him adoringly. She had barren white hair like his, cascading down her back in falling folds. Her skin was the same pale colour as his. He knew this girl. She was-

-

"Flynn!"

"Huh?" Flynn's head snapped back violently and hit the seat. He grit his teeth together painfully and rubbed his sore scalp.

"I need you to re-rout all power to reactors 2 and 3." snapped Gene urgently.

"We still won't be able to jump to sub-ether." Flynn pointed out. His head gave a painful twang and he grimaced.

A slight smile flickered across Gene's face. So he knew what he was talking about when he said he could pilot after all.

"Pressure's building." Melfina's voice cut through Gene's thoughts.

"Gilliam!" Gene whined. "I thought this was supposed to be a real life simulation, not Die Hard!"

"I'm supposed to put you in any sort of situation to monitor the speed of your reactions." explained Gilliam's voice calmly.

"Yeah, but not all at once!" Gene yelled.

"If y-"

"Done." The simple word cut Gilliam off mid-sentence. Flynn's slackened hands hovered over switches and joy sticks.

"Pressure's dropping back to normal." informed Melfina's voice in a flat tone.

"That was quick. How did you know what to do? It usually takes people a while to get used to the positioning of the controls in an unfamiliar ship but you seem to know where everything is like the back of your hand!" exclaimed Gene disbelievingly.

"I had a ship like this once…" Flynn's voice was distant.

-

She stood over him, watching his hands work over the intricate controls of the space ship. Her eyes and smile radiated pride.

"You really have the knack don't you."

"You think so!" Flynn asked in an astounded voice.

"There's no doubt that you were born to fly the stars." said the girl.

'who are you?'

-

Flynn stood up suddenly. From what Gene could see in the dim light, Flynn's shoulders were stiff, his face was taut.

"Are you done with your tests?"

"Uh…um…I guess so." stuttered Gene. "What's going on Flynn?"

"Nothing." he assured simply. With a face like thunder, Flynn tramped passed Gene's seat and Melfina's navigation chamber opening the door to the cock pit and leaving without a word.

"What's his problem?" huffed Gene lazing back in his seat.

Flynn stepped out into the fresh air and took a deep breath leaning against the bridge.

"What was that all about?" he asked himself dryly.

The girl's image swam in front of his face. Who the hell was she? Why couldn't he remember her!

-

Silence.

He was in a deep darkness. A darkness that ensnared his senses, made it difficult to focus. He reached out for her hand but she wasn't there. She never would be again.

His eyes fluttered open.

For a moment his vision was blurred, out of focus, as though he had been away for a long time and his eyes weren't used to being used. He breathed in slowly and let his vision clear in it's own time. The first thing he saw was the twisted metal fragments that once made up the ceiling of the ship. Something had happened. What? Why couldn't he remember?

He made to sit up and a low groan escaped him. He pulled his hand up to his head to feel it but recoiled when he felt something sticky. Blood.

"What happened?" he whispered to himself.

Picking his way through the ruins of the ship he found his way outside. The land he entered was a black wasteland. The sky was pitch black, the ground was ash grey. Embers still fragmented the sky. There had been something here, recently by the looks of things. What was left behind the destruction was a hollow shell, a ghost of what was originally there.

What was left was him.

-

Flynn pulled back from the edge of the bridge, hands shaking. His frightened eyes looked over the Outlaw Star. That ship. He had been in one like that before. He smiled to himself.

"I've never had memories as clear as those before, just the dream. It looks like I might find the answers I'm looking for if I stick with Gene and his crew."

Standing tall he walked across the bridge towards the space port elevator.

-

So in this chapter we've found out a little bit more about the mysterious Mr Flynn. But what happened to him? Why can't he remember? And when will I get around to mentioning what the Twilight Generals have to do with anything! They were only in a minute paragraph in the previous chapter. Not to mention the old favourites, who shot Gene in chapter 3? What is the 'Leyline Project:Phase 2'? And...and...TOO MANY QUESTIONS! But all shall be answered eventually. Same bat time, same bat channel.