OUTLAW STAR VOL.1 (part 1) By Takehiko Ito Translated by Hecate Typed by Mene GENE Enemies…? Melfina, how many ships are there?! MELFINA Thee…at about 420 kilometers. All are grapplers. JIM Three grappler ships?! Only our first trip and we're headed for the other world?! GENE So tell me, who do those guys think we are? And what are their motives? Only 'cause we'd rather he held onto our loooong list of debts and fly off with him?! Remember that we're outlaws and won't let this stop us. Because we're gonna become the best known outlaws in the galaxy!! *(two page spread) JIM Best know of all, eh? I like the sound of that. MELFINA Well…then…let's go. To the sky!! GENE Yeah baby!! To the galaxy!! * JET,ER, NARATOR Once man perfected the navigational techniques required, he set out upon the sea. That time, remembered for the great ocean voyages, whetted man's appetite for fantastic adventure on the seven seas, and birthed the legends of pirate bands and explorers. But in a short time, the world seemed to shrink, and with the end of ocean travel the stories died too, until there were none left to tell. –a few centuries later- "Toward Stars" * NARATOR The name of pirate, long ago fallen into disuse…was reborn in space. In a world with laws, far from governmental power…pioneers sought safety on the paths through the stars. Security fell into the hands of private militias who impressed soldiers…this cause the pirates to stand and fight, preying on the other zones. Intimidated by these brigands, people left for other stars, or other known worlds. And so a époque swarming with dreams was born, such as had never before been see… * FILLER CHICK Say…where did you really come from? GENE Come…? In what sense…? * FILLER CHICK It's not too dangerous? Seems to me that he might not be ready for another round. GENE Look, if she can devote herself to it, I can always go another found for a lady… FILLER CHICK Hmmm…. JIM …Hey, you want us to have the edge or not?! Gene, brother!! & JIM Heeey!! GENE Jim…knock it off and get going. JIM Don't you get it?! That bastard Reis is here to kill you, bro. You're in danger!! Move it, in another minute they'll be around the corner and right here!! GENE Reis? Who's that? JIM That rogue you killed six months ago!! FILLER CHICK Killed? Six months ago? GENE Forget it, if he's dead he must be a ghost: go call a priest. JIM Are you nuts?! Reis is from Liberty Bell and can regenerate, and now he's back and more alive than ever!! So what're we going to do!? All the other guys just called you a wimp because you've never been to space. REIS Wimp, where are you?! Come on out! GENE Why…that!! * GENE I won't lose to you, Reis!! #1-Fire and Ice * GENE Hand me the belt. FILLER CHICK Say, wouldn't it be better to just scare them with the gun you're holding? GENE Sheesh. * Sentinel III, Lotus City, 4:03 pm * FILLER CHICK Well if this only takes a minute, that'll be good. He's sure not a wimp! He's really good. Are you a little boy, or are you a moron? And don't get too excited. GENE Let's go. Just stay cool, after this, it'll be even better. Yeah, after! FILLER CHICK Ah, of course, I'll just wait then, shall I…? Sayonara sucker! Go on, Gene. JIM Come on, move it! * GENE Those losers, did they just come after the price on my head? I'm not even that bad, I get sick to my stomach every time I kill someone! JIM Yeah, yeah, whatever, just to be sure to load those guns if you don't want to wind up dead!! * GENE So who's the wuss? * REIS You look awfully sure of yourself, Gene!! But I will relieve you of the title of fastest gun on Sentinel, without even considering the fact that you've never been in space, cowardly wimp. GOON A Ya hear that? GOON B Ya really are a wimp. * REIS I think you're just envious of navigatin' guys like us, eh? So you're just like all the other spineless wusses on this damn planet. JIM Listen Reis, I'm warning you!! When you hear Gene's classic battle cry, you're gonna get dead, you and your friends. REIS Oh goody, now Gene hides behind a wise old owl? And just what is this famous battle cry, eh, can we hear it? GENE You've talked enough…NERDS!! JIM He said it!! GENE Oh good, it's gonna be three to one, eh, nerds!! Well? What'cha waitin' for, nerds!!! * GENE So who's going to start? Look, I'm not holding any guns, so I'll let you shoot first!! REIS Hee hee hee, you sure are stupid!!! You only have a gun with cartridges!! How can you even compete with our blasters? * REIS Whaaaa…. * REIS Whoa! Waaah!! H-he repelled them?! GENE (laughs) Did I surprise you? Come on! NERDS!! REIS Bastard!! What're you using, shields?! That's enough playin' around with toys!! Now we'll play with big guns!! * GENE You sure? PASSERBY Ahhh, heeeeelp! JIM Gene, you're just getting the people around here caught in this!! Do you understand, bro!? GENE Aw, stuff it!! This's fun. * GENE After all, this is a new round with new toys. REIS Shit. GENE My my, you haven't been able to hit me?!! Oh, it's not working anymore, batteries must have died!! GOON B Umm, boss…. REIS Those are Tinpa military's light shields!! He's got them on his gloves. Where the devil did you find those?! * REIS SO what are you going to do now?! We're not going to give you time to change the batteries!! GENE Same goes for your guns, of course. REIS AND CO Whaaa!? Arghh * GENE Hmpf…! What a joke!! Hmm… * GUY1 He really is the best bodyguard on Sentinel!! GUY2 Nooo…but I almost died of fright!! GUY3 And those two guys who were with Reis…rumor is that they were anglers specially sent from Liberty Bell. GENE Heh, look at crowd we drew!! But how long do they think they can boast for!? JIM To tell the truth, now that you've beat him, you're really are kind of a wimp, huh? GENE Quiet, young James, speak not that which might be misinterpreted by a woman. * GENE Hu hu hu, so what d'ya think, honey… FILLER CHICK My goodness, such incredible strength!! Are you a killer too? JIM Handling guns is his second profession! You know, me and my brother Gene are the best mechanics on Sentinel. Spaceship problems! Romantic problems! You know how it is, in our line work we fix all kinds of trouble. GENE Of course, you must understand that I also handle things…if you follow me, honey… VOICE All you do is destroy things, not repair them!! That's how it is!! JIM Of course, a fondness for females is his biggest defect. Jeeze! FILLER CHICK A fondness for females, eh? * GENE What the? FILLER CHICK Hu hu REIS Gene, you are strong, there's no doubt about that…but along with that, you're also incredibly stupid! * GENE Y-you… GOON B Hua hua, look what you can do with smoke and mirrors. What can I say, it's a space age mechanism! GENE Shit! Shit! B-but how did those bullets!? REIS Switched…by my woman GENE Noooo!! Her?! JIM Switched?! * GENE But still…what a woman…oops! JIM Oh lord, oh lord. Farewell… REIS Hey!? That light… * GENE Run for your life, Jim!!!! JIM Slow down, I can't go as fast as you… REIS Kill them!! I won't let you get away this easily!! GENE Switched the bullets!! I really am an idiot! JIM Yeah, and that's not the first time! You're such a moron!! * JIM And you wasted the power in those gloves I got for you! And the supplies? GENE So what? Did you see how many people were there? I was at least giving them a good show… REIS This way? They're not back here! Bastards!! GOON There they are! GENE Hey! * JIM 'Scuse us lady, we have to get by!! * REIS Move it, woman!! Hmmm!? Hang on. You remind me of someone. Ooops, no, no, no, my bad, I thought you were someone else, there's no way that she could be on this planet! I…I don't know you, so just let it go and forget about me!! * GENE Hey, Jim, stop! JIM Watch it!! GENE How weird, they're not following us anymore. JIM Bleh, why'd we have to stop here?! GENE Heh heh, better seize the moment, Jim!! JIM Tsz, wonder what'll happen next, eh. Hey hey, wait up, Starwind!! * GENE Uahhh…I think we've done our running for the year. JUM well I should hope so….and it's all because of a woman! GENE Aw, shaddup and tell me what's going on. JIM You know, bro, despite your boasts, you're oddly wimpy… Hey, the police channels are really hopping. * JIM Whoa!! Looks like they found the bodies of Reis and those other two!! Near Paradise Street where we lost sight of them!! GENE What!? JIM Man, I don't believe it! Let's see…how they died…what! They won't tell me anything else!! GENE Chill out, Jim! Isn't this good for us? We're rid of those idiots without firing a shot. That's not bad for Sentinel, eh…? JIM Well, what'cha gonna do? He's right, so…. & GENE Oh yeah! JIM What do you want? I'm done looking up work. GENE I was thinking about that chick: she was fine. JIM Oh, come on…your brain is so not in your head. Two messages from Fred Luo…one from Kelly…and one from Creid… GENE Huh? Oh, I don't need a sermon from a stick-in-the-mud like you. Besides, you're nine years younger than me! JIM It's not a lecture, but just look at this, will ya…first job: women. Second job: more women. Then all you do is eat and sleep and then when you get up you find a woman…I'm the only one here who does any work! GENE Whoa…oh, come on… * GENE Hey, Jimmy, I bet you're hungry, how about I make something? JIM Suit yourself! Anyway, you're the one who's hungry. GENE Heh heh, come on, let it go! After a little exercise, we have to regroup. * GENE Excuse me, but did you switch some of the ingredients? But it's pretty good, you know… JIM Hmmm….there's some new stuff on the pirates…this is big. Liberty Bell: The giant cargo ship "Fore Play", en route for Sentinel, fell victim to a large attack as it was exiting hyperdrive…the private guards were useless against adversaries armed with grappler ships… GENE Hmpf…Did you say grappler ships!? * JIM How sad, but what can you do against the fastest pirate ships around. Ahhh, how appalling, it says that everyone died. GENE When something like that happens there's nothing you can do. JIM How terrible! Well, we're safe enough in this place with the friends we've got. Istadakimasu! GENE You're right. JIM But I don't understand, why does everyone think about money, only money? I hate it, but it's the same for us, but maybe with a little more romance. * GENE Come on Jim, eat a little egg. Eggs are very nutricious… JIM Knock it oooffff, all day everyday, it's always eggs…And anyway, even we have to find money to keep this store open. Money doesn't only attract humans. GENE Ooof, man I'm full. Now I'll head over to Creid's store to tease Iris. JIM Huh…? Hey, bro, wait. GENE What is it, don't tell me someone's upset about my moves? JIM No, no…but we've got a quick little job. * GENE What do you want me to do after seven in the evening? What kind of work is this? JIM There's a shipment of micro components for some mechanisms, and it looks like the client is female!! GENE Whhhhhat?! No kiddin'? That stuff must be worth a bloody fortune! We can do nothing less than escort it. JIM There's no visual in the letter, but she must be quite the specialist. This really seems like a dangerous job to me. GENE Nah…it'll be a blast, you'll see…we can't do anything but go meet this lady! *(times3) GENE Look, the West Vaginia spaceport! Small but pretty, don't you think? JIM This is 80 light years from Earth? It's such a far-away light…. GENE You have to live 95 years to be able3 to see it…the light that will come here one day. JIM Don't make stuff up, bro. Let's go, once you cure your bad habits, to a bigger planet. GENE Nyeh… * GENE That, over there, that's Heifon. And over there is Orashion. * GENE And right by those three stars is Hallmidge. Jim…that's where you were born. * GENE Jim….time has gone by since you came to this planet…It's already been a year since we opened the store, and still new things are always opening up…nevertheless you keep urging me on…but I… * GENE Someone's coming. HOT ICE HILDA Did you manage to get me everything? GENE Heh heh heh, she has a real seductive voice. Don't worry. But two or three pieces are a little old- HILDA I'm not going to ask for them again, not on this confining planet. Thank you for getting me the electro-organic mechanisms from Nano prometeus. GENE That lady from before!? JIM Noooo, this is 120% danger. HILDA Here's the other half of the money. As long as you're herem bwhy not take on another small job? GENE Eh, what the hell… * HILDA At the moment, I really need…a bodyguard. You see, for a while now I've been having some problems. GENE A body guard? Heh heh, you sure do need one. Oh, but hey, are you a good guy or a bad guy? JIM B-bro…let's beat itttt! HILDA Try and ask them. * PIRATE Hey, you!! GENE Whuup!! My my, what a surprise!! PIRATE You, what did you say!? * GENE Hey, didn't anyone ever teach you any manners? Look at who you're messing with and kill yourselves as a legitimate defense. PIRATE Shaa!!! (die!!!!!) * GENE Hey, looks like you three're having some trouble, eh?! This is a special gun, you won't be able to dodge it that easily. To tell you the truth, it even got Reis in one shot…eh, let's not get off the subject, that's another story. JIM Gene! HILDA I know! * HILDA I saw everything. That is why I chose you. GENE What…the hell? HILDA Only you can help me…my name is Hilda. GENE Hilda!? * Character Profile * Click 1 An ingenious outlaw Loves women and sex! Gene Starwind A young mechanic living on the planet Sentinel III As a second job, he acts as a bodyguard. Although he at first seems to be a flaky and frivolous person, in moments of crisis, he is calm, and lets his cool and astute side show. He wants to explore space, but the reason is unknown. His destiny will probably take an abrupt turn now that he's met Hilda… He's handled arms for a long time, and his skill is well-known. * #2- Night of Sentinel * GENE If I don't get rid of them now, they're going to keep coming after me. When I'm having dinner!! When I'm win bed with a woman!! FILLER CHICK- The Sequel What what GENE When I'm in the bathroom!! When I'm washing!!! Practically always!! And a guy like me doesn't handle anxiety well. JIM You're so full of it!! GENE She'll notice that I'm not a wimp!! JIM Someone tried to tell you that no good could come of those guys. Gene Starwind, will you listen to me for once!? This woman, Hilda, is dangerous!! * GENE Hmmm…? This lovely thing? JIM Geeze, think what you like, but what if she's the lady we saw in that video a while ago? The most dangerous woman in the galaxy!! GENE What do you say, Hilda…I don't buy it. Little James is a little 'fraidycat. HILDA And you're not scared? If you're really the best on the planet, then you can help me, hmm? * PIRATE A Ni budejie!! ( you have not escaped!!) Ni hulijin!! ( you, seductive woman!!) PIRATE 2 Jiushi ni taozhuao!! Women yeyaobuzhuo ni!! ( We won't let you run like this!! We will take you back and put you back in your place!!) PIRATE C Women liequan!! (We are bloodhounds!!!) PIRATE 2 Hilda!! Ni buneng daoda anshen zhi!!! ( Hilda!! There is no land where you can hide from us!!!) GENE The language of the Grand Territories? They sure didn't come from Heifon… JIM I sure haven't ever seen anything like it. PIRATE C Now we will stop here from causing us problems…boys! & PIRATE A No matter how much she gave you, this woman is not worth your life!! PIRATE 2 We will not stop until we have completed our mission! GENE So, let's see, if your mission is to kill the pretty lady, wouldn't that mean that you'd have to kill us too, as eyewitnesses? JIM Waah!! Why are you explaining that! GENE Jim, I'm decided, in part because these guys don't strike me as the type to have any intention of letting us go. JIM N-none, eh… HILDA Hu hu hu, boy, but aren't you quite the interesting fellow. GENE Aw, c'mon, not really… * GENE Wha…!? I'm too fast!! Let go!! * GENE D-d-d-d-d-d-dangerous!! What do these guys have, blades!? No good can come of this! PIRATE C Ha ha ha ha. JIM Hey, stop it and go for the eyes!! Don't worry, bro!! With your courage, you'll win without any problems! * JIM You want me to get the caster from the car!? You could take 'm all out in one blow with that!! GENE Don't even!! That thing is too powerful!! If I use it for something this small- The Guuuuuun! JIM oy vay! Hey bro, there's one behind you! Uaaah!! There's one here too!! GENE Stop being a pain in the but, will ya?!! * GENE Jim, get to the car!! JIM Roger!! GENE Hey, beautiful! The least you could do is help me. * GENE Bastar- HILDA Hmph! GENE So, little lady's got teeth, eh? HILDA …nothing to write home about… * HILDA My powers are greatly diminished! GENE What?! What the hell…you really don't know anything!! * GENE Playtime's over….NERDS!! * GENE And that should've taken care of all three!! Ok, Jim, bring the car around!! JIM Waaaaaah, brother!! GENE Noo, Jim!! JIM Waaaaaah!! He's hurting meeeeee!! PIRATE C Tss….hu hu, don't move or I'll kill the boy. * HILDA How frightening….you missed one… GENE Hey, beautiful, you chill out. Yo, Jim!! Show the pretty lady what you can do!! JIM Gheh gheh. You idiot!! You underestimated me because you thought I was just a little kid!! I shouldn've told ya that if you get me mad I'm worse than Gene! * GENE What do you think of that, beautiful? JIM Waaah!! GENE Man, that's vicious, you shredded him. Was that really necessary> JIM Ok, enough!! Let it go!! GENE Well then, miss Hilda….could you give us our money so that we can go home? HILDA Do you really want to leave such a beautiful girl behind? Why don't you come with me? There is one more place that I need to go, you know… * GENE Man, what a desolate place. HILDA It used to be an agricultural agency, once upon a time. * GENE We're here, beautiful… HILDA Let's go… JIM Bro, I'm scared. GENE Oh, come on, Jim, this is a piece of cake. JIM She really could have come alone. GENE Well you can walk back if you want, it's only 30 km!! A granary? * JIM Do you know what she's doing with the electro-organic microcomponants? GENE What's hidden there? HILDA A treasure…. JIM A… GENE …treasure…? * GENE Huuuh?! JIM Wh-what is it!? HILDA I've kept you waiting so long…let's do a little test. *(times3) GENE Waaaaaah!! JIM Gyaaaaaaah!! GENE A….a dead body!? JIM Waaaaah, bro, I'm scared. * GENE Hey, Hilda!! HILDA (laughs) What do you think of this girl? GENE Huh?! Well, she's really cute. JIM Don't you know how to think with your head?! GENE What's your problem, little boy?! JIM What's yours, sex fiend!! HILDA Fools, she's an android. But men quite like her…eh? *(times2) COP Ok, back off, back off. Captain!! There are three bodies total, and all seem to be Kei Pirates!! CAPTAIN Kei? On this planet? This area is in Ban's sphere of influence. There must be some regulation in flux. * GENE Go on! * GENE Hey Jim, why are shaking? After all, you're sitting with two babes back there. JIM Yes, but… HILDA Hu hu hu, what a funny guy. It's been a while since I've seen someone fight with all their heart. I'd like to repay you, Gene Starwind. * HILDA Wouldn't you like something other than money…? GENE Other than…money!? HILDA Anything…. GENE Heh heh heh, well, let's see, there's something I'd like to do with you. HILDA Would you like to go into space? GENE Wh-wha…!!! HILDA You shouldn't let this chance pass. * HILDA Am I right? But how shall we do it with the little boy? JIM Hang on a sec, Hilda!! Our paths separate here. I know that anything personal is asking for trouble. HILDA Why is a man of your courage not in space yet? * HILDA Well? GENE Hmph, I'm goin' soon, just as soon as I make enough money. HILDA I saw you, you know…At night, in that animated place…you fought Reis and his two goons. You would do well with people in space…you know that it's a much more "motivating" world…. * HILDA Since you helped me, I will take you away from here. My dear cowardly Gene Starwind! Oh my, such a face. Have I offended you? GENE No…not really. HILDA You can go when you like…with me. * NARATOR On a night of falling stars, the door of destiny opens before his eyes…Gene, what will be your decision!? *(times2) Character Profile*Click 2 A Staid and Cool Informer Finds information using his skills as a hacker. He's more intelligent than Gene. Jim Hawking Born in a slim, he is now Gene's buddy. His father was a legendary hacker, best known as a technomage, and Jim has his natural talent for computers. Convinced that Gene's irresponsibility will get him in deep doo-doo someday, Jim works at his side, helping no matter what the job or what happens. End of #1 To Be Continued… The pirates are speaking in pinyin (Phonetic Chinese)