Heya! Me again with Chapter 10! It seems that last chapter I made it a little bit hard to follow in who was saying and doing what so in this one I've tried to make sure that you can tell whose who and what the hell's going on. Sorry about the last one. It happens to the best of us! I REALLY hope I worked it all out okay this time.

BW: You better've worked it out this time!

FB: I thought the last one was okay! It was okay in my mind honest!

BW: Pink fluffy monkeys! ARGH! They're coming to get me!

FB: (to viewers) The sheer brilliance of chapter 10 has made the poor thing go insane.

BW: And you're saying I wasn't insane before!

FB: (thoughtfully) Hmmm, let me see...

BW: (outraged) WHAT!

FB: Well, you could have done a lot more with the randomness in...erm...oop, lost train of thought again.

BW: Didn't you mean oops instead of oop?

FB: Hmmm...no it's oop.

(BW blinks)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outlaw Star series (bursts into tears and exits stage left)

-

Cat and Mouse

Aisha backed away from Hexen defensively. The gentleness in her face had completely thrown Aisha off. She wore the same expression as Melfina. How could Aisha strike someone like that!

"It's simple bad luck really." said the girl walking forwards. "To get someone like me."

"What do you mean?" asked Aisha. Her elbow brushed the side of the kitchen door as she backed into it.

"I look just like her don't I. The bio-android Melfina?"

Aisha snarled at her and lunged, charging forwards with unparalleled force.

Hexen's smiling face lapsed into a laugh.

'Why is she laughing?'

Aisha struck. Her claws swiped down on Hexen's kind face threatening to cut her to shreds.

But something was wrong. Hexen had moved.

Hitting nothing, Aisha spun round in mid-air and landed with her feet digging into the ground for friction.

"How could you move so fast?" asked Aisha unable to keep the awe from her voice.

Hexen's smile broadened.

"I didn't move Ctarl Ctarl, your aim was off."

Aisha breathed out furiously, readying herself for another charge.

-

Flynn and Osaka stood perfectly still, locked in a silent, internal battle. Flynn's sword was held slightly erect before him, Osaka had a black shot gun held limply by his side.

Eyes unmoving, Flynn shifted the gravel beneath his feet. Osaka watched him, he was like a coiled spring.

Suddenly Flynn attacked. He leapt forward, bringing his sword over his head in a great arc. Osaka grinned and shook his head. With one quick up thrust he had bought up his shot gun and had fired at Flynn.

Hurtling through the air, Flynn saw the flash as the gun was fired and changed the angle of his sword. The bullet struck the sword and Flynn was thrown backwards by the impact.

"You have skill." said Osaka, an air of impression in his voice.

Flynn made to stand up but the collected force of the shot gun shell had winded him, he doubled over.

"I hate wasting talent." spat Osaka venomously.

He bought up the gun to Flynn's face and suddenly Flynn was staring into a dark precipice. His sword lay slack in one hand, the other was clenched into a fist.

-

"Melfina!"

Melfina's tearful eyes met Gene's over the stairwell.

"I want you to go to the Outlaw Star, Gilliam can protect you much easier than I can."

"But-" Melfina started to protest.

"I won't let him get by and I won't let him hurt Jim."

Gene's eyes radiated flame. He meant what he said.

"Alright." agreed Melfina grudgingly.

The man holding Jim had heard everything. He knew he could get Melfina easily if he wanted to but he wasn't interested in her. No matter what Osaka or The Midnight Eye said.

"What's your name kid?"

"J-Jim." Jim stuttered.

"Jim…" he repeated.

Jim felt the grasp on his neck lessen.

"How old are you?"

"Twelve."

Once again, Jim felt the man's hand slip away. He could move his neck from side to side. Struggling slightly, he turned to look at the man keeping him from escaping.

The darkness veiled him, Jim couldn't see much.

"Let Jim go!" shouted Gene.

The man was shaken from his daze. Carefully he stood up, taking Jim with him.

"You have a light bomb in your pocket next to the caster, when I let the kid go, use it and tell the others to scatter if they're still able to move."

"You're helping us!" exclaimed Gene, mouth open.

"For the time being. I don't want to capture you just yet, you who wields the caster."

"But…" Gene trailed off.

Bending down once again, the man took his hand away from Jim's neck. Jim didn't waste a second in sprinting forwards and getting behind Gene.

"Now…" whispered the man.

"Throw the light bomb Gene!" yelled Jim.

Gene thrust his hand into his back pocket and pushed the timer.

"Everyone! Scatter!" he screamed.

The bomb landed just before Osaka's feet. Knowing what it was instantly, Flynn ducked under the gun and lurched sideways.

The bomb detonated. The intense white flash engulfed the building and lit the sky making it seem like the middle of the day. They were all blinded, Hexen, Osaka, Akira and the man who had told them to use the bomb. In the white chaos, Gene and the others scattered as instructed. When the bright ferocity cleared, they were long gone.

-

Melfina ran towards the ship, heart pumping wildly. The darkened frame of the Outlaw Star loomed in front of her. Under normal circumstances it would have looked nightmarishly hostile to her but in this situation she was flooded with a sense of relief.

She never saw the hand as it pierced the darkness and grabbed her round the waist. Melfina was pulled backwards with a violent jolt leaving her sprawled out on the cold concrete floor of the space port.

"Melfina?"

"What do you want?" Melfina's voice trembled slightly as she answered him. She left her face turned away, one cheek pressing the harsh stone floor.

"You do not need to fear me." the figure said in a bored voice. "I'm not here for you."

"Who are you?" asked Melfina, fearful and curious.

"My name is Vega, the last of the Twilight Generals." replied the figure dismissively. "I have a message for Gene Starwind. Tell him if he wants to know what Leyline Project: Phase 2 then he should go to the ruins of Mortalis. He's smart enough, he'll work it out. Or if not then I'm sure you will Melfina."

Melfina focused hard through the dark to make out Vega's face. But the darkness disorientated her making it difficult to make out any details.

"Why are you telling me this?" asked Melfina gently.

"You are destined to know." She could sense the look on his face.

"It is destined to happen again."

He pivoted round on one foot so his back was facing her before he walked off. She stood up, watching him leave, his words swimming in her head.

"Mortalis…" she whispered.

-

Suzuka stepped lightly through the veiled streets. Her eyes probed into every crack and crevice as she moved. She knew Akira was behind her somewhere, watching her.

"Stop hiding." she said in a soft voice.

There was a slight hesitation before Akira stepped up.

"I must commend your formidable skills Suzuka but assassins far more skilled have failed to hit me."

Suzuka thrashed forward. Judging her movements, Akira dodged her, catapulting her body backwards. Suzuka's eyes glinted. Akira cocked her head to one side and bought out a small knife.

"This is all I need to defeat you." She said, her smile was deadly.

'She can move her body in any direction, any angle. What if my attack hit every angle at the same time…'

Suzuka took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"If you don't mind, I need to wrap this up quickly. I have an engagement I can't be late for."

Akira's eyes sparked aggressively.

"What could be more important than fighting for your life?"

Akira manoeuvred forwards. It was exactly the move Suzuka had been waiting for. She bought her sword down like a whip, it cracked on the floor and vibrated. The force seemed to create a storm. Suddenly Akira was fighting a current of wind made of swords. The cuts appeared on her legs, her arms, her face. She howled in pain and dropped to the floor.

As if reacting to this, the storm died down.

"What do you call that technique?" she asked Suzuka without looking up.

"Violet Hurricane." replied Suzuka.

"Odd name." said Akira, frowning.

"Odd technique." said Suzuka.

"This isn't over. I will beat you Twilight Suzuka."

Suzuka didn't say anything. She turned from Akira, walking down a side alley to get to the space port.

-

Flynn staggered through the streets clutching his stomach. The impact of the bullet really had taken its toll on him, normally he would be over the effects by now.

Doggedly he looked up at the local pub sign. He was still a ways from the space port.

"This isn't good." he murmured to himself.

"It doesn't look like you're in any condition to fight me."

Flynn saw Osaka's yellowed eyes before he emerged from the dark

"What was that gun? That wasn't an ordinary shot gun." said Flynn questioningly.

Osaka grinned.

"It's a force launcher. A gun that feeds on the stamina of the individual firing it. Even if you block it the way you did, the impact should do the same sort of damage. Frankly, I'm surprised you're still standing."

"Thanks." Flynn's voice was lined with pain. He tried to focus as Osaka hovered over him but his vision blurred threateningly. He heaved to pull up his sword.

Emptily, Osaka flicked his sword away.

"You're no threat to me boy and you're not my specified target. For now, I'll let you live, you have talent, I hate wasting talent."

Osaka drew back and glanced at Flynn's stomach for a moment. As an afterthought he said:

"I'd get that seen to if I were you."

Flynn breathed out raggedly, feeling himself fade a little. When he regained himself, Osaka had vanished.

-

So, what exactly will they find at this Mortalis place? Why was the only nameless Twilight General so interested in Jim? What exactly was the extent of the damage done to Flynn? Actually, why is that last Twilight guy nameless? All questions shall be answered when I get around to answering them. Once again...OH THE POWER!