Everyone! IT'S BW'S BIRHTDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BW! (sings) Happy birthday to you, Squashed tomatoes and stew, you look like a baboon, and a happy new year! (shatters glass)

BW: A happy new year? It's May!

FB: Indeed! You are so going to hate the cliffhanger at the end of this chapter! PARTY AT BW'S HOUSE!

BW: Um...I don't think a party at my house would be- WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M GOING TO HATE THE CLIFFHANGER AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!

FB: Happy birthday BW! (puts the smallest party hat known to man on BW's head and runs for the hills)

BW: (holding up brand new fully loaded plasma blaster still with birthday bow on top) Get back here! I still need to try this thing out!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outlaw Star series but it is BW's birthday and on BW's birthday it is possible to defy the laws of physics and catapult oneself out of a giant cannon into the producer's back yard with several assortments of deadly weaponry...are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Hmmmm...apologies for the physics defying violence, listening to Silverchair and it is affecting my brainwave patterns...

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Experiment Number: 2058

Notes: Experiment 2058 was conducted after an igneous white rock of unknown compunds was found in the space region near Heifong. On the discovery of 3 intact strands of DNA inside the rock, Dr' Nobutsu and Haiami began work on reconstructing their owner. Both the rock and the DNA were believed to have come from Atlantis.

Experiment 2058

The words she had said to him played over his mind, 'Listen to me! The power sleeps within the city, locked behind the walls. You have the key to that power Flynn, you have to go back! The bio-android girl, she knows the way!'

Flynn opened one pierced eye and glanced over at Melfina, stewing over a hot stove, carefully flipping strips of crispy bacon and humming her song.

'What do you know Melfina? Where am I supposed to go?'

In the next room, Jim sat hunched over his computer, scrolling down the list of computerised costs and investments the Outlaw Star crew had made recently. His eyes reflected the red figures on the screen.

It was all mounting up again, parking costs, ship maintenance, weapons and equipment, groceries and building rent. At the bottom of the list was a number Jim had labelled as 'Gene's Spendings', the money Gene took out to go out of a night.

Jim sighed, with all these costs coming together they could be considered pretty much flat broke…again.

"How's it going Jim?"

Jim peered back over his shoulder at Melfina and his eyes widened gratefully as she put a plate of eggs and bacon down on the desk beside him. The aroma of freshly cooked food hung over the air.

"Thanks Mel. I'm afraid it's not going too good, we've got absolutely no cash and there are no big jobs at the moment. This is what I hated about Heifong when we came here last time, everything's expensive and there's no work! And where the hell is Gene, I haven't seen him all morning!"

"Oh, he's still sleeping." said Melfina cheerfully.

"Is he hung over?" Jim asked in a low voice, fearing the worst.

As if on cue, Aisha jumped up from behind the computer taking Jim off guard and making him jolt backwards.

"He's probably hung over, that guy doesn't know his limits when it comes to alcohol!"

Aisha's statement was punctuated with a sharp crash as Jim's chair tipped backwards and he fell onto the floor.

"Aisha!" he growled holding the back of his head, face contorted in agony.

"Are you okay Jim?" Melfina crouched down beside him and pulled him into a standing position. Jim nodded gently, trying not to provoke the pain in his head.

"Pft, you humans. You scare way too easily!" Aisha scoffed.

"Unnnnnnghhhhhhh!"

The low moan made Aisha jump forward and crash gracefully into the back of the computer, shrieking wildly. The screen blinkered and went dead.

"Need I say anything at this point." Jim commented in a sardonic tone.

The owner of the moan trudged downstairs, holding onto the banister with one hand and his head with the other. His shocking red hair stuck out in tufts through his fingers, his back was hunched over so it looked as though there was some sort of deformed horn growing through his black shirt. His eyes were shut tight against the light.

"Finally Gene!" Jim grumbled clipping a wire back into it's socket so the computer flickered back to life. "Now we can get some work done."

"Is that eggs and bacon?" Gene asked eyeing the plate beside the computer.

"It's-"

Before Melfina could explain, Gene had already spooned in half of the egg.

"Hey, that's mine!" Jim fumed, tugging at the plate.

"You snooze, you lose!" Gene said resisting Jim's attack.

"Then you must lose all the time!" Jim retaliated.

For a moment, the duo were locked to the plate, neither one willing to give up, neither one moving. Gene knew he could easily have the plate if he pulled hard enough but he wouldn't risk spilling the breakfast.

Silence.

It was only when the shrill ring of the phone shattered the tension in the room and Flynn leaned in to pick up the receiver that either of them chanced looking away from the plate.

"Hello? Starwind and Hawking Enterprises…oh…hello Fred."

The mention of Fred's name required all of Gene's attention. Normally if Fred was on the phone it meant they were going to come into a lot of money or they were going to lose a lot of money, usually the latter and now wasn't really a good time. He relinquished the plate to Jim and vaulted towards the phone.

"I've got it Flynn!" he said holding his hands out for the receiver.

"Be my guest." Flynn muttered dropping the phone into Gene's outstretched hand and walking over to the empty sofa on the other side of the room. "Better you than me."

"Gene!" Fred's voice squealed. Gene held the phone cautiously away form his ear to spare his hearing.

"What do you want Fred?" Gene asked with all the subtlety of a bull in a China shop.

"It's always straight to the point with you isn't it Gene. Why can't I just call and have a nice conversation with you once in a while?" Fred whined.

In answering Fred's question, Gene made to put the receiver back on the hook.

"Alright, alright!" Fred's voice shrieked. Gene pulled the phone back up and glared at him expectantly.

"I was wondering if you would consider doing a job for one of my clients a-"

"Wait a minute Fred, I'll put you on speakers."

Gene flicked a small switch beneath the video screen and stood back a little so Fred could see everyone. Fred waved heartily at them all. The only real response he got to this was a beaming smile from Melfina, everyone else shuffled about awkwardly. Fred cleared his throat.

"As I was saying, I was wondering if you would consider doing a job for one of my clients. When he came to purchase some of my products he said something about looking for a missing person, a girl. He said he's offering 30,000 for her safe return and I thought you might be interested in earning some money out there on Heifong."

"Hang on a minute while we consult will you Fred?" Gene didn't wait for an answer and held down the mute button. "Jim?"

"It's easy money but…"

"But?" Gene prompted impatiently.

"I'm a little concerned, it's a lot of cash for a small job Gene, there's gotta be more to this girl than Fred's letting on! What if it's a trap by that White Fire guy or something?"

"Hey, no worries Jim, if something goes wrong, well we've always come out of it okay before. This time won't be any different." Gene's eyes were burning.

'And besides…somehow I would really like to fight White Fire again…'

Jim opened his mouth to say something but Gene was already back on the phone to Fred.

"What does this girl look like?"

"The report I got him to do says ice blue hair and similar coloured eyes, one blonde streak in the front of her hair."

Flynn's colourless eyes widened. He could feel his heart beat quicken although he couldn't understand why. He didn't know a girl like that! He would remember someone with an appearance like that! So why did he feel so panicked about this girl's disappearance?

Unwillingly, he bought his hand up to his face and felt through the single black streak that covered his eye.

"She was last seen wearing a large leather jacket and white pull string trousers and looks about 14 years old." Fred continued.

Jim shook his head and stepped forward.

"Gene I-"

"We'll take the job! It's not like this girl's gonna be hard to find with an appearance like that!"

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She stood facing their leader in a circle of machines, her clothes were tattered and torn, her eyes were blood shot from fatigue. The dim light given off by the street lamps and the neon sign for the pub a little way down the alleyway picked out her features perfectly. Their leader smirked, she was the one alright. Experiment 2058.

"No use running, you're surrounded." he whispered his voice carrying a menacing smile.

Her eyes darted this way and that about the circle as the faceless machines started closing in. She had already seen them in action, they were faster, stronger and more agile than her, daring to perform moves she had previously thought physically impossible. There was no escape this time.

She closed her eyes. Her heart pounded as she listened to them draw ever closer. Her emotions despaired for her to get up, to try anything but her head told her to stay as still as possible. Her breathing slowed.

All she could hear was the heavy thump of her heartbeat in her chest and the light clink of metal footsteps on concrete as the machines came in towards her. Then silence as her thoughts cleared. Her mind was black.

Nothing but silence…

Their leader drew back instinctively shielding his eyes against the burning white aura that had suddenly ignited itself around her. Her hair flew about her face like a flame made of ice.

"W-what's happening? Draw back! Retreat from her!" their leader shrieked but it was too late, one of the machines had already shifted.

She could sense the machine as it slipped through the air towards her, moving at speeds questionable to the human eye. Her hand flicked out to the side.

All their leader saw was the moment when the machine made contact with her outstretched arm, her arm caught the machine at a glancing blow. There was a grinding crunch as her arm tore straight through the metal, electric sparks showered the air, bits of twisted metallic debris littered the abandoned street.

She opened her eyes.

Their leader struggled to keep eye contact with her as her aura vanished and the familiar terrified expression crept back over her features. For the moment her power was fading but one sample was enough for him.

'So…that was the fabled power of Atlantis…'

He watched her growing steadily more panicked in the dim light of the street lamp. Her eyes were skimming over the bits of rubble and debris in a clueless manner, it was as if someone else had done it. She seemed to be having trouble remembering anything at the moment. This could work to his favour.

"Listen to me." he said in what he pictured as a soothing tone. "You have been through a great ordeal and are a little disorientated at this present time. If you would like to come back with me I can-"

He knew he'd made a mistake the moment he had suggested she come back with him.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed. Acting on impulse, she sprang towards the gap in the circle of machines. Still infused with the aftermath of her burst of blinding power she had made it through the gap and was halfway down the alleyway towards the neon pub sign before the machines could even comprehend the thought of movement. One by one they arched their backs and sank low to the ground readying themselves for the next part of the hunt.

"Save your strength." their leader said in a calm voice. "It's not like we don't know where she's going."

A brief manic smile flickered over his face as he read the neon sign flaring out in huge capitol letters: 'Shooting Star Inn'.

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"She's here." he whispered. He could sense the fluctuations of her power on the air, her signature was faint but distinctly familiar. He could feel the uneven pulse of her aura.

"So she's proving to be a little more difficult to find than I thought, bite me!"

Flynn opened one narrow eye glaring at the back of Gene's head in the front of the car.

"Gene, you know you should never have taken that job without checking the client's credibility first, I mean this girl's a missing person for God's sake, the police should be handling this. I know we need the money but I would still like to stay on the right side of the law if it's okay with you!"

Gene snarled at Jim across the front seat.

"And then you had to go and leave Aisha with Mel when you knew Suzuka wouldn't be able to help us out seeing as she's busy with something else. What was the point in that? Aisha would be much better off with us!" Jim continued angrily.

Gene didn't even bother to respond to that. Jim didn't know what had happened on Mortalis, he didn't know what he was saying. What Melfina had said, Atlantis…and she had chosen to go to Mortalis on the advice of one of the enemy. At the moment, Melfina seemed to play an important part in the unfolding plot. He knew, he just knew someone would try to get their hands on her at some point and there was no way he was going to let that happen.

Suddenly Flynn's eyes shot wide open.

"Stop the car!" he barked.

Jim slammed his foot on the brakes and the car juddered to a halt. The force had Gene throwing his hands out to stop his head colliding with the dash board.

"What the hell was that all about!" Gene snapped, turning around to scowl openly at Flynn.

Flynn wasn't paying attention. His eyes reflected the neon sign directly opposite them, he could sense the chaos inside, he could sense the pressure on her power mounting. The burning white aura bulged in his mind's eye.

"She's in there, she's being hunted. We've got to get a move on."

Gene only had to see the urgent look on Flynn's face to pull out his caster and kick open the car door.

"Hey, hey, watch the paintwork!" Jim grumbled.

"Jim, I want you to meet us in the pub once you've parked the car. I'm gonna need you to back me up on this one partner."

Jim nodded, the seriousness in Gene's voice had made him remember their situation.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Gene's indigo dark eyes watched Jim as he revved up the engine again and sped off round the corner. When he finally turned to the pub Flynn had been watching so intently in the car, black smoke already hung over it like a dark cloud.

The action had already started. Swarms of screaming people were already fleeing the scene left, right and centre.

Cursing himself for wasting time, Gene sprinted over the smooth tarmac towards the door to the inn.

Flynn hadn't had the patience to wait for Gene to mess about. Already inside, he made his way stealthily to what he assumed was the main bar and crouched low outside the double doors. The sword in his hand glinted in the slight crack of light illuminating the hallway. Inside, he could just make out a tall angular man approaching another figure. He caught a flash of ice blue hair.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter." the man's voice was gravely and emotionless. "You have to come with us."

"I don't want to." her voice. It shook slightly as she answered him but Flynn felt the slight tugging sensation at the back of his mind. Where has he heard this voice before? Where did he know this girl from?

"It's not a case of what you do or don't want girl."

There was a pause before she answered this as though she was contemplating his answer before asking the next question.

"What is it you want?"

He faltered. She had taken him off guard.

"What…does it matter what I want?"

Outside the double doors, Gene crept up beside Flynn and loaded up a number 19.

"What's going on?" he hissed, listening out for the swift click telling him the caster shell had successfully loaded.

"She's confronting her hunter." Flynn whispered, eyes unmoving.

"Can you see him?" Gene muttered, drawing closer to the door straining to see inside.

"Yeah, he's tall, has a tattoo of a dragon on the back of his head and by the looks of it…the other figures in there are Kei Pirate machines."

"Kei Pirates! This involves the Kei Pirates! Damn! What's so special about this girl anyway?"

Flynn hesitated before taking the next breath, that's what he wanted to know. That and what this girl had to do with his past.

"Wait a minute!"

Flynn glanced up sharply, the angular man's shoulders had suddenly tensed up, his head was cocked sideways, ears pricking up.

"I heard something…"

Both Flynn and Gene tried to stifle their breathing.

"You," the man said pointing to one of the machines. "Scout the area, kill anyone you find." He turned back to the girl.

"I won't have anyone interrupt this."

Flynn gripped his sword tightly, the smooth handle feeling good in his right hand. As a skilled fighter, he was able to drown out all sound but the slow walk as his opponent, the machine made it's way to the door.

"You ready for this?" he asked Gene beside him.

"Kind of a stupid question!" Gene retorted holding up his caster.

"I'll ask you again girl, what does it matter what I want?" their leader took a step forward and she responded by taking a step back.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of silver and knew the blade of a sword instantly. The machine their leader had sent to scout the area was reaching for the handle.

"What you want, your inner most desires, they can change the course of history." she said simply and braced herself.

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So Gene and the others have taken on the job of finding the illusive Experiment 2058 eh? But what has she got to do with Atlantis? Why does Flynn seem to recognise her? What did she mean when she was asking her hunter what he wanted? Is that even significant? And is someone actually going to go after Melfina after the whole Mortalis incident or is Gene just being paranoid? Well if I told you all that you wouldn't come back to find out and I would be-

BW: I'm going to kill you, that was terrible! Tell me what happens damnit!

FB: Please BW, calm down!

(bang)