Here's Chapter 4; sorry it took so long! I hate typing….

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Spike peered at the mug shot of the convict.

"You sure that's him? A big bounty, but he doesn't look very intimidating…"

"He's really a small fry, but he's smart and has eluded capture several times," Junefrost remarked from his shoulder. He felt a few tugs on his ponytail, and he turned his head a bit to find a long braid instead of his expected fall of green.

"What did you DO?!"

She looked indigent. "I braided it, that's all."

He grabbed it back and starts unbraiding it. "Having long hair was bad enough; I don't need to look like a country girl from the farmlands, " he muttered.

Junefrost sniggered. "That can easily be accomplished."

"Now Junefrost, be nice," Lefer chided playfully from his perch on the rail. He hopped off and sat next to her on the couch (which was becoming crowded). She immediately attacked his long silver hair and began braiding it. Spike sighed and went back to reading the bounty's information, scrolling down with the chip. An alert blared out; Lefer and Junefrost got to their feet, heading for the bridge. Junefrost looked back over her shoulder and waved him forward.

"C'mon, Mr. Sirius. We've gotta check in."

Spike sighed and stood up, following her. The door swished open and closed behind them. He smiled sadly.

"The stars are all the same."

She looked over her shoulder at him. "What did ya think we named the syndicate after?" She turned her head and stared out the huge windows to the right. "Twenty years isn't that long in the grand scheme of things."

"Alright, you two. Enough celestial pondering; the checkpoint's coming up," Lefer interrupted. Junefrost started guiltily, then walked over to seat herself next to him in her own chair, plugging in her music player to the mainframe, using it as her link between the technology of the Bebop and herself. Spike settled himself in the last chair and put his hands behind his head, leaning back. He didn't have to handle any technology (not that he would even if he could), so he just relaxed and stayed out of the way of Lefer and Junefrost as they manually docked the Bebop in the scanning station. Spike glanced at them and nodded to their questioning stares.

The main starscape before them suddenly flickered and distorted, revealing the cloaked scanning station. Metal beams and struts were all around them, colored a dull gray, free of any graffiti or guild marks. A subscreen opened up and zoomed its way into the center of the screen. The sturdy-looking man in it looked at the three of them dispassionately then consulted two files on the desk before him.

"Lefer Angebot. Brown hair, long, blue eyes. Roughly 200 lbs.; blood type O. Confirmed," he droned. "Jule Valenti. Your hair has changed color. That is unauthorized."

Junefrost pouted and flipped her platinum and ruby hair over her shoulder. "Aww, but Inspector Bradley…" she whined. "I filed the report and everything. Maybe you just haven't got it yet…"

Inspector Bradley made a note on his paper. "I'll let it slide if I find the files. Green eyes. About 150 lbs.; blood type B. Confirmed." He turned his attention to Spike. "And who is this, Mr. Angebot?"

Lefer waved a hand in the air. "Our newest crewmate. I sent his files to you a few weeks ago."

Bradley picked up a few sheaves of paper and considered them.

"Alphonse Sirius. Green hair, long, blue eyes. Roughly 180 lbs.; blood type A. Affiliated with the Bebop and its crew, works as a bounty hunter. Owns the Sailfish 7. Former resident of Archain City." He looked up at Lefer. "It seems legit, but we will be checking Archain's files. For now, we'll let you through. Make sure he gets a bounty pass so the Patrol doesn't arrest him if he blows up something in pursuit of a head."

Lefer nodded and Bradley cut the communication line. All the Bebop crew had a sensation of moving forward, then the scan station disappeared. Lefer and Junefrost busied themselves with launching off again, maneuvering to the jump gate. With a speed boost, they hurtled in and were immediately caught by the waiting current. Swept away, the stars turning into blurs on every side of them, Lefer and Junefrost dropped their disguises and assumed their natural colorings.

She sighed and flipped her now black hair over her shoulders, fastening it back into a low ponytail, then got up and wandered off in search of food. Lefer held his position, confirming their destination, then got up and left. Spike stayed in his chair, looking into the warp and remembering.

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So, the story begins! Please review now that you've read it; Kim-san gets a chocolate chip cookie cause she reviewed!