Forgotten Embers
By Kraven Ergeist
A/N: Sorry I took so long to update – I just watched OLS again and wanted to finish this story up while I could. It'll probably be done by the next chapter. Well, better late then never.
Chapter Four
Jim eyed his old partner warily as Aisha toyed with the kids. They were all seated for dinner. The restaurants on Capriccio were not going to be forgiving on Jim's pocketbook, but the young man had more important things on his mind.
"So what are we going to do now, Gene?"
The outlaw just sipped his glass. Water, not beer, Jim noticed. With two kids in tow, alcoholism was not among the most desirable of traits.
"What else can we do?" Gene shrugged. "We keep looking for the Galactic Leyline. We can't let MacDougal brothers coerce us into backing down."
Jim smiled, noticing Aisha's ears prick up at that. He wondered for a minute just what why he was doing this. Whose sake was he doing this for, Aisha's or his own? If it meant putting his partner's family at risk, was it even worth it?
Yes, Jim reminded himself. After all, Gene would be getting immortality out of the deal as well. His wife and kids would be a family forever because of it. They were all in this together, and they would all reap the benefits afterward.
"So where do you suggest we start looking?" The young man asked, troubled. "From what Mel says, the Leyline could be anywhere in the galaxy - Kei territory, Ban territory, the frontier, anywhere! It could even be beyond the range of human cultivation - we have no idea how expansive the ancient race was in the galaxy."
Suzuka wiped her lips with the tip of her napkin. "We also don't have any mad scientists or convicted prisoners to conveniently hand us the coordinates this time."
Gene pondered. "Our best bet would be to retrace our footsteps from seven years ago."
Jim rolled his eyes. "Yeah, cause we had so much luck searching on our own seven years ago."
Gene made a face. "Hey, shut up! It all worked out eventually, didn't it? Now listen, why don't we split up. Mel and I will take the kids and head back to the Outlaw Star. I'll contact Fred Luo and see if he can rustle up any leads."
Suzuka sipped her tea. "Why don't I check the Space Forces interstellar archives for any recent developments?"
Jim nodded. "Yeah, and I'll check with the natural history museum to see if they can tell me anything about the ancient civilizations."
Gene nodded. "Good. Head back to the ship when you think you've found all you can."
Mel placed her on Jim's shoulder. "Jim, Suzuka…If you run into the MacDougal brothers, make sure you contact us. Don't try to fight them on your own."
Jim and Suzuka nodded. Aisha just smiled, wrapping her arm around the young man's shoulders. "Hey, don't worry about Jim. He'll be with me!"
Gene winked. "That's what I'm afraid of."
Jim flushed. "Rrrrr…Gene, you scumbag!"
xxxxx
As studious and intelligent as he was, Jim was enjoying his tour of the interstellar museum, despite offering thus far no beneficial input on the Galactic Leyline. Aisha, on the other hand, could barely keep her eyes open.
"And here, we have a relic from the Corbonese monarchy. This artifact was once used as a peace pipe of sorts, dating back to –"
"Man, I am so bored!" Aisha complained for what must have been the sixth time.
Jim threw her a glance and shushed her, before returning his focus to the android tour guide.
Aisha sniffed. "Fine," she yawned and wandered off.
Jim returned his attention to the tour guide, reading the handout he had been given. The museum was chalked full of interesting artifacts: Terran lore, Corbonese relics, even C'tarl jewelry. Then something caught his eye.
"Say…what's this mention of an ancient Sub Ether Space Compass?"
The tour guide smiled at Jim's question. "It's a device recovered from the ancient civilization. Our archeologists believe it was designed with the intent of finding the Galactic Leyline."
Jim's heart skipped a beat. "The Galactic Leyline! Tell me, do you think I could have a look at this Sub Ether Space Compass?"
The android shook its robotic head. "I'm afraid that's out of the question. Due to the enormous public interest in the Galactic Leyline, it is necessary to keep it secured from the public for the purpose of keeping the artifact safe."
Jim groaned. "So you can't show it to me?"
"No. Besides, it's no longer in our possession."
"You don't have it?"
"Due to budget cuts, the owner decided to sell the artifact to a collector."
Jim didn't get a chance to ask him who they sold it to, as his tour guide, indeed, the entire entourage, began running around in a panic.
Whoever invented the phrase "Curiosity killed the cat" must have known Aisha Clan-Clan. No less that five minutes after going off on her own, and Aisha just about had the place in pieces.
"Whoops! Sorry about that! You can fix it right? You can't? Nya-nya-nya! Here, let me try!"
Quite suddenly, the archaic catapult she had been messing with found itself being put to use, hurdling Aisha and the unsuspecting android curator across the museum halls.
Aisha waved her arms around, flailing for purchase, digging her claws into the first palpable item the encountered.
Unfortunately for the curators, this item had been a colossal bone fossil statue.
Jim arrived to see what the commotion was about. About a split second later, he was ready to pretend he hadn't seen anything.
"Aisha…" he groaned. "Tell me you're not hanging upside down from a broken fossil skeleton."
The cat girl looked sheepish. "I'm…not hanging upside from a broken fossil skeleton?"
The panicked and practically useless android tour guides were replaced by much more competent Terran guards. Competent, mostly due to the fact that they had guns.
"Hey! You! Get down from there before you cause any more damage!"
Aisha leapt down from the prehistoric skeleton, grabbed Jim, and dashed for the door.
"Hey! Come back here!"
Jim groaned, once they'd reached the street. "Man…now I see why you're constantly getting bounties on your head."
Aisha replied to Jim's comment with a swift bop to the head.
"Ow!" Jim yelped. "Well it's true! Besides, now I've lost my lead. The tour guide said something about a Sub Ether Space Compass. I was about to pry more info out of him!"
"Sub Ether Space Compass?" Aisha blinked, halting in mid stride, still carrying Jim in one arm. "You mean like that one?"
Jim looked up and saw what Aisha's cat eyes had seen: an open auction for ancient artifacts and relics. Besides every item was a starting price tag and a name. Priced at 5,000 wong was something that looked like a Feng Shui swivel board with familiar twin dragon insignias.
Besides the price tag was written "Sub Ether Space Compass."
xxxxx
"Fred didn't have any useful information, but he did say that more and more rumors have been popping up saying that the Galactic Leyline still exists. Wherever it is, people are talking about it."
It was midnight, and the crew had found there way back to the Outlaw Star. The children were fast asleep, and the rest had filed into the galley, where Melfina busying herself with a pot of coffee.
"I've been told by the local magistrate that a lot of pirates and bounty hunters from Heifon have been talking about the Galactic Leyline."
Gene nodded. "Alright. Jim, Aisha, you guys turn anything up?"
Jim nudged Aisha, and she produced the swivel board.
"What's that?"
Jim shrugged. "The guy at the museum said this thing was designed by the ancient race as a method of finding the Leyline."
Gene reacted visibly to that. "Really? And the museum just gave it to you?"
Jim cringed. "Well…not exactly…"
Aisha shook her head. "The museum sold it to a collector, and the collector was selling it in an auction, so Jim and I snatched it up."
Gene raised an eyebrow. "An auction, huh? How much did you get it for?"
Jim cringed. "Well…the starting price was 5,000 wong…"
Gene frowned. "I'm not asking for the starting price, Jim. How much did you pay for that?"
Jim fidgeted, nervously. "Well…it could have gone up a lot higher if Aisha hadn't systematically injured most of the contenders…but we eventually nailed it at…"
The rest of the sentence was barely audible. But Gene caught it.
Taking a deep breath, Gene stood up.
"Okay…okay…um, Mel? Aisha? Would you two mind turning around for a moment?"
Melfina blinked. "Why?"
Gene gritted his teeth. "Cause I don't you to have to see me STRANGLE THIS KID!" Gene leapt up and grabbed Jim by the shoulders. "You spent 800,000 wong on this piece of junk!"
Jim held his hands up. "Relax, Gene! When I told him it was the legendary outlaw Gene Starwind, he was happy to take credit."
Gene smacked his forehead. "You even gave them my name? God, just kill me now! We have enough debt to pay as it is! Do we even know if this thing will even work!"
Jim shrugged. "We don't know. We haven't tried it."
Gene reached out and grabbed the stone tablet. While he recognized the twin dragon carving, he was still skeptical. Even if this was the genuine article, that was still no guarantee that it would work.
"Alright, but if it turns out it doesn't work, I want you to return this thing, pronto!"
Jim scratched his had. "That's the…uh…other thing, Gene."
Gene scowled. "Now what?"
Jim cringed again. "Aisha kind of…made a mess of the museum. We barely managed to escape from the cops. We should probably get off this planet as soon as we can, or they might decide to arrest us."
Gene rested his head in his palms. "God damn it…"
Aisha's ears drooped. "I'm really sorry, Gene…"
Gene softened at her expression. "Nah, it's okay Aisha. It'll be fine once your boyfriend here pays me back 800,000 wong."
Jim could only gawk as Aisha nodded.
"Nyao!"
xxxxx
The crew's next stop found them descending towards the Dragon's Tomb, a quick scan revealing the rubble that had once been the ancient ruins of the ancient race. This, of course, was after Gene and Jim had discovered that their "Sub Ether Space Compass" was a total knockoff.
Jim had bruises to show for it.
"Not only did you get us kicked out of one of the prime hubs of the galaxy," Gene complained. "But you also got us stuck with a hefty fine for all the damages done to the museum and the spaceport after we blasted our way out of dock! And all for a stupid space compass that doesn't even work!"
Jim rubbed his sore jaw. "Alright, alright, jeez, I said I was sorry! Besides, Aisha's the one who trashed the museum!"
Aisha, whose attention was currently diverted with arm wrestling Jenna, threw the two of them a glare. "Aisha did not 'trash' the museum! It's not my fault that Terrans don't make their relics a bit sturdier than C'tarl-C'tarl artifacts!"
Jim crossed his arms. "Those weren't just Terran relics, Aisha, those were from all races! And you can't mean to tell me that C'tarl artifacts are so strong that they retain their dexterity after millions of years! Relics are called that because they've become delicate and priceless over time!"
Jenna was still not having any luck besting Aisha's C'tarl strength, but she wasn't giving up. Aisha shrugged, not really paying attention. "Whatever, that's not even the issue here! The issue is that they shouldn't display things that are that delicate somewhere where someone could easily break them!"
Jim rubbed his forehead. "That's what the 'Do Not Touch' signs are there for, Aisha!"
Gene cringed. "The issue here is finding the Galactic Leyline! We still currently have nothing to go off of, and are now eight hundred thousand wong in debt, plus two hundred fifty thousand for docking and damage fees for both the dock and the museum! That leaves us over a million wong in debt!"
Jim sat down, defeated. "I said I was sorry!"
Melfina smiled from her tube. "Nobody's blaming you, Jim. You did what you felt you had to do to help us find the Leyline."
Jim smiled, weakly at her. "Thanks, Mel."
"Yeah…" Jenna grunted through her teeth as she looked up from where her fist was clenching tightly around Aisha's. Neither was giving ground. "And Aisha can't help but be curious."
The catgirl waved her free hand, smiling. "There, you see?"
Jim casually pulled her tail. "Off your high horse there, Aisha, the fact of the matter is, we still haven't made any progress."
Aisha let out a shrill meow as Jim pulled her tail, and her fist had hit the table with a dull thud.
Jenna let go of her discipline long enough to smile with self-satisfaction. Aisha just growled.
"Rrrrrrr…Jim!" She seized the young man by the collar. "You made me lose!"
Jim smirked at her. In the old days, whenever she got angry like this, he'd usually clench up in fear. Now, he just thought she looked kind of cute.
"I think she beat you fair and square," Jim said, patting her on the cheek.
Despite herself, Aisha felt her cheeks redden. "I only lost cause I agreed to only use a third of my strength! A C'tarl could beat a human any day of the week!"
Jenna stood up, straightening her outfit. "It was an honor to be able to match my strength to even a fraction of that of a C'tarl-C'tarl's."
Aisha blinked, dropping her captive, letting Jim hit the deck with another dull thud. "Oh…well, uh…thank you…"
Suzuka entered the cockpit, looking around. "Hello, Jenna. Have you seen your brother by any chance? I haven't seen him all day."
Not a moment before the words were out of her mouth, said rascal fell headfirst out of the ceiling bulkhead and onto the deck, covered with dust, and coughing up a fit.
"I've almost isolated the problem, Dad," the boy said, getting to his feet and accepting a clean washrag from his father to wipe his face off.
"Gene, have you got your son working on your ship for you again?" Suzuka asked, accusingly.
Gene patted the maroon haired boy on the head. "I can't help it if the kid's better with engines than I'll ever be. The least he could do is put it to good use."
Jace grinned. "That's just cause Uncle Jim's been teaching me so much."
Gene threw Jim a glance. "Oh, so you're to blame for all that, huh?"
Jim held up his hands. "And Gilliam! Be fair now, Jace!"
The circular highlights of Gilliam II whirled out and in at Gene's accusing stare. "I merely answer his questions pertaining to ship's maintenance when he asks it of me, Gene."
"Gene," Melfina chirped. "We'll be making atmospheric entry in two minutes. Kids, strap yourselves in now."
Jenna and Jace both snapped a salute. "Yes, mom…"
As Aisha watched as the two kids obediently got into their seats, Jim caught her smiling in a way he'd never seen her smile before.
"Hey, Aisha?" he asked, quizzically. "What's on your mind?"
Aisha looked up. "Huh? Oh, I'm just…thinking about those two kids, actually…"
Jim blinked. "Oh…?"
Aisha looked back at Jenna and Jace. "Yeah, I mean…they look so much like their parents, but they're both so different and so unique from each other…it's really weird, you know? And they're both so adorable, they're both so good at everything they do…"
Aisha turned her head back to see Jim still looking at her. Her cheeks began to color under his stare.
"…What?"
Jim raised an eyebrow.
Aisha's cheeks colored a little more. "Jim! Stop imagining things!"
Jim held his hands out. "I didn't say anything!"
Aisha scowled at him. "You were saying it with your eyes, and you know it!"
Jim kept smiling. "Oh, you mean to tell me you weren't wondering?"
Aisha furrowed her brow. "About what?"
Jim sighed, sitting back in his seat. "Well, weren't you just thinking of what it might be like-"
"I can't hear you!" Aisha sang, pulling her ears down. "I'm not listening!"
Aisha blushed even more when, despite her best efforts to drown out all sound, she heard the entire crew burst out into laughter.
xxxxx
The Dragon's Tomb had been a barren rock back then. And it was a barren rock now. Gene, his piloting skills improved (and landing skids upgraded), had managed to park the Outlaw Star directly within the ruins, eliminating the need to hike their way out and set up camp. All that accounted for the remains was half a pyramid with a broken entryway. Most of the halls within were under ruble.
Suzuka kept a lookout while Gene and Jim rustled what they could through rocks, rocks and more rocks. Meanwhile, Aisha was sitting cross-legged and fiddling with the Sub Ether Space Compass, still unwilling to fully accept that they had been had.
"Give it a rest, Aisha," Gene grouched. "We could use your strength for heavy lifting, you know?"
Aisha threw him a glare. "You'd make a lady like me do all your manual labor?"
Gene wiped a band of sweat from his forehead. "I would when the lady I'm referring to is stronger than both me and Jim put together. You always boast about how strong you are. Why don't you come over here and prove it!"
Aisha stuck her tongue out. "A proud C'tarl-C'tarl doesn't have to prove anything!"
Gene grumbled. "Good for nothing slouch…"
Jim sighed, a heavy boulder in tow. "Leave her alone, Gene."
Gene patted the young man on the shoulders. "Sticking up for your girlfriend again, Jim?"
Jim stumbled after Gene patted him, dropping the rock on his foot. Letting out a yelp, he grabbed his foot, wincing in pain.
"Damn it, Gene! You're not helping!"
The red haired man smirked. "Well, if your little princess over there would lend a hand, then maybe-"
"Quiet, please," came a calm yet commanding voice. "Both of you."
The two men glanced over toward where Melfina and the kids were sitting.
The three of them were seated in an evenly spaced triangle, the kids cross-legged, Melfina herself with her legs pretzeled in a yoga position. Her eyes were closed in concentration, her hands resting on her thighs, and her breathing was coming out in steady wisps.
"Hey, what are they doing over there, anyway?" Aisha whispered to the guys.
Gene smiled. "She explained it to me, but I just don't get it. Something about locating the dragon's actual tombstone? Though how she's managing it is beyond me."
Jim shrugged. "While Melfina may have become separated from the Leyline, she's still a Bio-Android made from designs recovered from the Ancient Civilization. Because of this, she'll always be connected with it. So, all she's really doing is expanding her sensory awareness to incorporate her surroundings. It's the same as when she's navigating the ship, it comes as second nature. And having two bio-android children of the same design strengthens the field."
Gene put his hands on his hips. "How do you know all this?"
Jim smirked. "I overheard her explaining it to Jenna and Jace this morning."
Gene nodded, remembering seeing their earlier pow-wow. "Oh…so that's what they were talking about."
He couldn't help but admire his wife when he saw her like this. She had reached such an understanding of her own makeup that she could turn around and put it such good use. Not only that, she managed it with such a calm, collected aura.
The kids, however, did not look quite so calm.
"Mom, I'm tired," Jace complained.
"Me too," Jenna said. "And my legs are cramping. Can we go back to the ship? I'm hungry!"
The raven-haired woman let out a sigh. It was times like these that made her really feel conflicted. On the one hand, if her search was successful, their family would ultimately prosper. On the other, her children had needs to attend to, and sitting here, meditating on their surrounding environment wasn't meeting them.
"Alright," she ceded. "Let's take a rest. Back to the ship."
As the kids got up, glad for the reprieve, Melfina shot a glance back at the men. "I think we should all take a break. Let Suzuka know, okay Gene? I'm going back to the ship with the kids."
Gene shrugged. "If you say so. You know, the longer we take, the more likely the MacDougal brothers are going to find us."
Melfina nodded. "I understand. That's why Suzuka and Gilliam and keeping their eyes open."
Gene sighed, elbowing Jim. "You heard her – let's call it a day. Let Aisha know; I'm gonna get Suzuka."
xxxxx
Gene found Suzuka atop what was left of the pyramid. She hadn't moved since they'd left her there that morning. Gene wasn't even sure she had breathed.
"We're calling it, Suzuka," Gene called. "Let's head back to the ship."
Suzuka turned and offered the same unreadable expression she always exhibited. Something between confidence, contentment and incalculable discipline.
"Alright," she intoned, stepping forward.
Gene turned to go.
"Gene…" Suzuka spoke up. "What are you planning to do once you've gained your immortality?"
Gene paused his step. "Spend the rest of my life with my family on the Outlaw Star."
Suzuka didn't smile or frown. "And Aisha and Jim?"
Gene shrugged. "They're welcome to join us, but they may choose to push on. Why are you asking?"
Suzuka let the thought hang.
Gene breathed in. "…Oh."
Suzuka closed her eyes. "Two kids, two wishes. Jim's immortality and yours. That leaves You, Mel, Jenna, Jace, Jim and Aisha with a life that will last forever."
Gene bit his lip. "Suzuka…I don't know what to say. Jenna and Jace may have children one day…I don't know, maybe…"
Suzuka shook her head. "It's rather generous to assume that I would live long enough to ask them."
Gene gritted his teeth. "Look, I'm sorry, Suzuka. You've always been one of us, but there's only so much I can do."
Suzuka sighed. "I know Gene."
"Jim's in love with an immortal, and so am I," Gene went on. "Jim and I need to live forever, not just for our sakes, but for the one's we love."
"I know that, Gene," Suzuka groaned. "I just…want you to understand my position."
Gene blinked. "Your position?"
Suzuka stepped forward and took Gene's hand. She wasn't sure what she was doing. Her usual stoic resoluteness suddenly weighed on her like an impossible burden. She wanted to let it go. She wanted to be heard.
"For the first time in so many years, I feel…truly destitute. Being a part of your life, Gene…has been the best thing that's ever happened to me…and I don't want to watch that slip away…"
Gene closed his eyes, sadly. "I know, Suzuka…I don't want anything to end either…but sometimes, things have to-"
Gene was cut off when Suzuka seized his lips with hers.
Gene's eyes flew open, his arms grabbing her by the shoulders.
"Suzuka!" he gasped. "What do you think you're doing?"
Tears began to flow from the lady samurai's eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Gene…I shouldn't have done that…"
Gene grasped her shoulders tightly, a look of sympathy in his eyes. "Look, I know you're in a difficult situation right now. I understand you feel like you're being left behind. But some things simply can't be kissed away."
He saw her eyes staring at the ground, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and shame. Gene took her face in his hand, locking eyes with her.
"You're a beautiful woman, Suzuka…and I'd trust you with my life. If the circumstances were different, I'd give you anything you wanted from me…but I have a wife and a family, and I love them. I love them enough to cross the galaxy a second time over, just to ensure their happiness for as long as I can. I can't give up on them, Suzuka…not even for you…"
Suzuka sniffed back tears. Never before had she shed tears, not like this. Never before had she thrown herself at someone so haphazardly. Never before had she been so embarrassed.
She couldn't have chosen a better confessional.
"Come on," Gene smiled, like the incident had never happened. "They're waiting for us back at the ship."
Suzuka wiped away the last of her tears and her expression went back to its former, unreadable phase. If nothing else in the past had proven to her that she could trust Gene with anything, this had proven it.
Her sense of purpose momentarily rekindled, Suzuka followed him to the ship.
xxxxx
Dinner that evening was tired and unmoving, though Melfina had outdone herself as usual. While Suzuka kept in complete silence, mulling over previous events, Aisha was still mercilessly fiddling with the Sub Ether Space Compass. Even Jim had just about had enough.
"Give it a rest, Aisha," Jim groaned. "Your food's getting cold."
Aisha, the Space Compass in her mouth (somehow, over the course of the evening, she had decided that it was a good idea to try to gnaw the stone tablet into submission) looked up from the task at hand. "Mrow?"
The young man sighed. "This is the first time I've seen you pass up food. Are you sick?"
The catgirl grinned. "Aisha's just trying to help!"
Jim shook his head. The concept of Aisha putting their mission before food was not lost on him, however. Then again, the way she was handling the trinket, it looked more like she was just having fun playing with it.
Jace was busy regaling his mother on some new concept he had worked out for the XGP's computer system, and Jenna was none too pleased at being showed up by her brother, and was doing her best to take Melfina's attention off of Jace and onto the subject of the latest book she had been reading.
Melfina was rather perplexed as to how to handle the situation. Usually, Jace could talk to his father about his interests, and while she was loath to admit any sort of preference, Melfina had to admit, she found greater interest in Jenna's fancies. She didn't want to alienate her son, however, so deciding to bite the bullet, Melfina decided on a change of pace.
"Why don't you tell your father about it, Jenna?" The navigator suggested, praying to whatever god's would listen to a bio-android that she wasn't making a grave mistake.
Jenna looked befuddled, but eventually decided to take her mother up on her advice, and looked towards Gene, who had been fairly distant all evening after the incident with Suzuka.
Minutes later, Gene was more convinced than ever that his daughter was ten times as brilliant as he ever would be.
"…So Hamlet set up this play to try to get under his uncle's skin, and…"
Gene smiled, pretending to follow, while silently wondering why a sixteenth century author was still a required reading in this day and age.
Melfina – having thought that, as the ship's navigator, she would be able to keep up with her son's prattle – was doing scarcely better.
It was a welcome relief when bedtime finally came around. Gene fell back onto his bed, exhausted. He didn't even bother with his clothes, he just collapsed. Blasting their way out of Capriccio hadn't been a breeze. And although he'd pulled it off, their landing on the Dragon's Tomb had been a tricky one. And after a long day of heavy lifting, having his faith to his wife put to the test, followed by the mental taxation of conversing with his prodigious daughter, Gene was ready for sleep.
He had almost shut his eyes when Melfina stepped inside, a smile on her face.
"The kids are asleep," she winked.
Gene sighed. "Finally. As tired as they said they were before, they sure do have a lot of energy now."
Melfina closed the door, kicking her shoes off, and undoing her suspenders.
"The kids are asleep," she winked again, indicating that there was more to her point than just that. As though to illustrate her point, she turned and locked the bedroom door.
Gene grinned.
Perhaps he wasn't so tired after all.
xxxxx
"For the last time, Aisha, let it go," Jim pleaded as he walked her to her room.
Aisha, who still hadn't released her grip on the stone tablet of the Sub Ether Space Compass, bared her teeth. "No!"
Jim hung his head. "You're wasting your time, Aisha. Just accept it, we got ripped off."
"This thing has got to work!" Aisha growled. "This thing has got to work so that it can lead us to the Galactic Leyline so that Jim can wish for immortality, and…"
Jim placed a hand on her shoulder. "Aisha…"
Aisha's ears drooped.
"Look…" Jim sighed. "We both know how important it is for us to find the Leyline…but this thing isn't going to help us get there…"
Aisha's lip quivered. "Aisha has to do something, Jim…while Mel and her kids are meditating and you and Gene was scrounging, Aisha has to believe there's something she can do to…"
There was a moment of silence as Jim kissed her.
"That's really sweet of you, Aisha…" Jim trailed off. He might have said more, but he was kissing her again.
This time, Aisha reacted. She felt her fur stand on end, and in an instant, she had him pressed against the bulkhead, her lips on fire as she devoured him. Her hands ran through his shaggy blonde hair, and he followed suit by gliding his hands down her sides until they found purchase somewhere below her back.
Aisha's mind was ablaze – Every time he did this to her, it was like she was finally alive! This was what it was supposed to feel like; this was how she was supposed to be living!
And with that realization, she pushed back, and all too soon, they had separated.
"Stop…" she whispered, desperately. "Please…"
Jim opened his eyes, staring back in confusion. "Aisha…what's wrong?"
Aisha stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can't, I…please…I can't…"
Jim ran a hand through his yellow hair. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Aisha. We're on our way to the Leyline. Everything's going to work out."
Aisha shook her head. "It's still a long way, Jim…and we don't even know if it's really there…you could still…you're not immortal yet Jim…"
Jim groaned. "Aisha…you're being unreasonable. You can't live in constant fear of the person you love dying."
Aisha glared through tears. "It's easy for you to say, Jim! You don't have to live with that fear!"
Jim shook his head. "Humans fall in love with other humans all the time, they manage to make it through somehow."
Aisha sulked. "You only have to live with it for a couple decades…"
Before Aisha could push him back, Jim had locked her in a solid embrace.
"If you were to die…heaven forbid…even a human lifetime would feel like an eternity of torment…"
Aisha returned the embrace. "I'm sorry, Jim. I'm sorry…I'm just not as strong as you are…"
The young man said nothing. He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, before opening her door for her. Aisha walked the distance through the portal, and Jim smiled goodnight as he turned to go.
xxxxx
The next day, they were at it again, the guys digging through rubble, Aisha fiddling with the Sub Ether Space Compass, Suzuka standing watch, and Melfina and children doing their little séance.
As successful as their previous attempts had been, the mood was relatively somber.
"Rrrrrrrgh! I can't figure this thing out!" Aisha hollered, hurdling the Compass with all her might.
Jim watched it sail over the ruins and sighed. "Well, there goes eighty thousand wong."
Gene threw him an annoyed look. "You're still paying for it, you know."
Jim sighed. Suddenly, it didn't seem like such a big waste of time to go and try to salvage it.
Setting down his burden, he turned in the direction that Aisha had hurled it, when he saw Melfina standing up, looking in the same direction.
"Mel?" he asked, looking at her.
Without saying anything, she suddenly took off, running as fast as she could in the direction of her gaze.
"Hey, Mel!" Jim cried, following her. "Wait up!"
Jim kept calling her as he ran halfway across the ruins, before nearly running into her as she stopped. Her eyes were closed in concentration and suddenly, without warning, she dropped to her knees, hands placed on the ground in front of her.
"It's nearby…" she said, suddenly. "I can feel it."
Jim blinked. Somehow, he didn't think she was talking about their wayward compass.
Gene caught up with them, both kids in tow. "Hey, Mel…what is it?"
Mel finally looked up at her husband's words. "The Dragon's Tombstone! It's right around here!"
Gene looked around. All he saw was ruble.
"Where, Mel?" he asked. "I don't see anything."
Mel shook her head and reached for the children. "Jenna, Jace, I think we've found what we're looking for. Come here, I need your help."
Happy to see the end in sight, the kids sat down with their mother and resumed concentration.
"Hey, Suzuka," Gene said quietly into his earring comm. "I think Mel's found something. You better get over here."
No sooner had he finished, when Suzuka appeared out of nowhere, silent as a lamb. She nodded to Gene who nodded at Mel. She understood, and maintained her already mute silence. Nobody said a word as Melfina continued to prod the earth, searching for a more precise location, when suddenly…
"Found it!" Aisha suddenly screamed, barreling onto the scene. "Aisha found it!"
Melfina and the kids grimaced at the disturbance.
Suzuka sighed. "Still as loud as ever…"
Everyone else just looked at Aisha.
"The Dragon's Tombstone?" Jim asked.
Aisha blinked. "What? No, the compass."
Aisha held up the Sub Ether Space Compass, somehow still intact after its journey cross-country.
Gene just about exploded. "Aisha, for the last time, would you please-"
"Here!" Melfina suddenly shouted, standing up, the kids slowly rising with her. "It's right beneath our feet! It must have been buried under the rubble when the ruins collapsed!"
Gene and Jim exchanged glances.
"It is?" Jim blinked.
"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Gene shouted. "Start digging!"
Gene and Jim had lifted about a foot into the ground, when Aisha clapped the two of them on the back.
"Aisha will handle this one…" she grinned.
Jim smirked. "What happened to ladies not being subjected to manual labor?"
Aisha stuck her tongue out. "It's a whole different story when there's something to shoot for. Now stand back you guys – I don't want any of you getting hurt."
Gene just sort of stared. "Huh?"
Jim, remembering how she managed to level a mountain in a single afternoon, grabbed him and ran.
"Just get clear, Gene…"
Melfina, Suzuka, and the kids all followed suit in time to witness Aisha veritably demolish the entirety of the bedrock beneath their feet. Rocks and rubble flew everywhere, and Gene instinctively covered Melfina and the kids, making a face.
"Aisha!" he shouted. "Could you cool it? You'll destroy whatever it is that's down there!"
No sooner had she begun, than the flying rocks and debris stopped flying.
"Nya…sorry…" Aisha grinned, sheepishly.
Gene was about to voice his discontent, before Jim stepped up to her, patting her on the back.
"Thanks, Aisha, that was a big help."
The cat girl smiled, lividly. "Nyao!"
Gene just sighed, unable to say anything harsh to that adorable picture. Instead, he checked on the kids.
"You guys okay?"
Jenna looked shaken. "I guess so…
Jace looked elated. "Do that again!"
Gene grinned. "Guess Aisha's good for a thing or two, right Mel? Mel?"
Gene looked around and saw Mel standing at the epicenter of the makeshift crater that Aisha had thus far constructed with her bare hands.
Gene stepped up to her, taking her by the shoulders. "Mel…what…oh…"
At the very center of the pit was an altar of sorts. Looking like it had been melded out of solid rock, the stone mount rose about five feet out of the ground, embroidered with ancient writing. And floating atop the altar was an identically colored stone cube about four inches square.
"Is that…?" Gene mouthed.
"The Dragon's Tombstone…" Mel whispered. "The Keystone of the Leyline."
Everyone stood aghast. No one dared approach it. Finally, Gene and Mel stepped up to it, hand in hand. Gingerly, they both took hold of the stone cube, before pulling it from its floating place atop the altar.
Everyone took a deep breath.
"So…what does it do?"
Gene never got an answer, because right at that moment, the stone altar crumbled into a million pieces, as did the foundation beneath it. Throwing Melfina back and leaping back himself, Gene barely clear the sudden drop that appeared where the altar had been.
Getting back to his feet, Gene peered down the newly formed hole in the ground. He then spun around and fixed his crew with a look of urgency.
"Back to the ship!" he shouted. "Get back to the ship!"
Suzuka and Aisha grabbed Jenna and Jace, before taking off at full gallop. Gene and Melfina ran, hand in hand as the ground began to quake.
"What did you see down there, Gene?" Jim urged, keeping pace with his partner.
"No time!" he shouted. "Just run!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a sudden explosion knocked them all to their feet. Looking back, an enormous white plume of energy had erupted from the hole they had left behind. As they watch the plume began to meld and take a shape. A split second later, everyone got back to their feet and redoubled their speed.
"Run!" Gene cried.
Hot on their tails was a giant glowing white dragon, long and serpentine, and looking and sounding very, very angry at having been disturbed. The Ancient Dragon roared into the heavens, before taking off after its prey.
Gene chanced a glance behind. It was almost on top of them! He stood before his wife, determined to protect her, when out of the blue, a castor blast hit the Ancient Dragon square in the face.
The dragon recoiled, letting out a roar that shook the air. Gene looked up and saw Jim, his castor smoking in his hands.
"Get Mel to the ship!" he commanded, fitting his castor with another shell.
Gene helped Melfina to her feet. "There's no way you're gonna be able to beat that thing on your own, Jim!"
Jim aimed another shot at the Ancient Dragon. "Well, once you get Mel to safety, you can come back and help me, but right now, your family comes first!"
Gene swore as Melfina stumbled, her ankle twisted. Hoisting her into his arms, he glared. "Damn it, Jim, you're part of my family too!"
Jim smiled, weakly. "And I'm willing to do whatever I can to protect that family! You've got to the do the same, Gene!"
Gene hesitated, torn between his partner about to face a dragon god, and his wife wincing in pain in his arms. Swearing again, Gene took off for the ship.
"I'll be back, Jim!"
Jim sighed, watching his partner leave. When he was out of earshot, he smacked his forehead.
"Damn it, Jim!" he growled at himself. "You stupid idiot! You're gonna get yourself killed!"
He looked up at the looming white dragon, preparing for another attack. Bearing his teeth, Jim tried his hardest to look tough at the beast.
"Don't get your hopes up, you big lizard!" he shouted. "I've got someone who's waiting for me! It's still too early for me to die, you hear me!"
xxxxx
Gene was giving orders to take off before he'd even grabbed onto the lift ladder.
"Where's Jim?" Gilliam asked when he finally boarded.
"Where's Jim!" Aisha repeated the question more fervorently.
"We're going to go pick him up," Gene said, dismissingly. "Gilliam, get us off the ground, already! Jim's not gonna last long against that thing!"
"You left him to fight alone!" Aisha demanded.
"It was the only way, Aisha!" Gene said, climbing into the captain's chair.
"Gene," Gilliam said. "How do you plan to pick him up in mid flight? This ship wasn't designed for something like that."
Gene gapped. "What? You mean we can't just grab him!"
"Well, there are always the grappler arms, but-"
"Then we'll use them!"
"But Gene…" Gilliam sighed. "The grappler arms weren't designed for that either, especially not while in mid flight. We would undoubtedly crush Jim."
Aisha looked desperate. "Jim…"
Gene pondered. "What if we had someone already in the grappler arms? They could just grab Jim themselves and hoisted him off the ground. That wouldn't require any finesse."
"I suppose that could work," Gilliam ceded. "But in order to maintain a grip of someone, the arms would still be using a crushing bit of force."
"Then let me go," Aisha demanded. "If anyone can survive being held by a grappler arm, it's me."
Gene nodded. "Do it. Jenna, I want you on this one – you're better when it comes to finesse. No need to injure Aisha any more than we have to."
Jenna nodded. "Got it."
Jace tugged on his father sleeve. "But Dad! I want to help rescue Uncle Jim too!"
Gene winked. "You will, son. While Jenna's busy picking him up, I'm gonna need you to fend off that dragon for us, okay?"
Jace's face lit up. "Roger!"
xxxxx
Jim let loose another castor shell into the beast. The energy absorbed into the Ancient Dragon's glowing white body, shimmered in a rainbow of colors, and sent its whole body reeling. The shots weren't really doing anything more than make it angry. Jim was starting to run out of bullets. And he was out of breath from running to keep his distance.
The dragon let loose a mighty roar as its body buckled under another blast and Jim took his chance to distance himself from the enormous beast. His legs were starting to grow numb and his body felt like his veins were pumping battery acid. He turned around, and the dragon was already hot on his tail once again.
"Gene…" he breathed. "If you're planning on coming back, now would be a very good time…"
He raised his Castor to fire again, when he was suddenly swallowed up by an enormous shadow. He looked up, and there was the Outlaw Star, moving as slowly as it could. In its left grappler arm was its shot gun out, which aimed and fired, putting round after round into the dragon, driving it back, as the ship positioned itself between Jim and the beast.
And in the right arm was…
"Aisha!"
In the grip of the XGP's right hand was the C'tarl-C'tarl of the crew, reaching out to him. Jim got to his feet, and ran over to the peak of the small knoll made in the rock, placing him as high up as he possibly could be. Aisha and her grappler arm mount edged closer, and Jim could hear her voice roaring his name over the sound of the XGP's engines and the maddening cries of the Ancient Dragon.
He felt her powerful claws dig into his arms and hoist him off the ground and into her arms a second later. He felt the engines suddenly kick in, as the arms retracted into the pod bays beneath the ship.
The bay doors closed, and all the light suddenly choked out, as the grip of the grappler arm released, and he and Aisha went tumbling to the floor of the pod bays.
Jim tried to get up, but Aisha was clinging to him like she was never going to let go.
"Oh, Jim…" Aisha sobbed, holding him as tightly as she dared. "I was so sure that I was going to lose you."
Jim returned her embrace, happy to be welcomed into those warming arms.
"It's alright, Aisha," he said, soothingly, stroking her back. "I'm home."
xxxxx
The Outlaw Star left the planet's orbit and disappeared into sub ether space. After the kids had gone to bed, the crew was all gathered in the galley to inspect their latest findings.
"Certainly a lot of trouble over this little thing," Jim pondered, looking the stone cube over. He had scanned it with the ship's computer and deduced nothing, save that it was made of five hundred sixty-eight trillion year old sandstone, and was precisely 3.98 inches square.
"I still haven't figured out what it's supposed to do," Melfina admitted. "But I feel a very strong connection to it. As soon as we lifted it from the stone altar at the Dragon's Tomb, I felt the life force behind the entire planet just…vanish. Whatever this is, it was very important to the Ancient Civilization and played a crucial role in the design of the Leyline."
Gene snapped his fingers. "Of course! That's it! Look at it, Mel – doesn't this look familiar? The way it's scribbled over in ancient writing, it looks exactly like that ark that we landed the ship on in the Leyline! Remember, when we were flying in through that storm cloud?"
Melfina nodded. "I do remember something like that…but it was rectangular. This is square."
Gene shrugged. "I'm just saying, I think we've got something here."
Jim grumbled. "Well, obviously we've got something, the question is, will it help us?"
Suzuka eyed the tombstone questioningly. "Maybe we should contact someone who can place it. Fred Luo perhaps?"
Gene gave a half grin. "You sure you're not just planning on another hit?"
Suzuka sighed. "Gene, you know I work for Starwind and Hawking now, any bounties I take up would be through you."
"Hey," Aisha interrupted. "Can Aisha have a look."
Jim handed it to her. "As long as you promise not to eat it."
Aisha didn't laugh. Instead, she inspected its every angle, before grabbing the space compass she'd been lugging around with her.
Gene let out a sigh. "Aisha, for the last time-"
CHUNK
Everyone stared, aghast, as Aisha slipped the stone block right into the center of the Sub Ether Space Compass, fitting in along the grooves in the circle of space.
Aisha blinked, in as much disbelief as everyone else. "Nya-nya-nya?"
Jim grabbed the compass out of her hands. "Aisha! You did it! That's how the compass is supposed to work! It needs the Dragon's Tomb to act as a keystone!"
Aisha just grinned. "Nya…I guess so, huh?"
Melfina inhaled. "Of course! Why didn't I think of this before!"
Gene stared hard at the compass. "Uh…I hate to ruin the moment, but…it's not doing anything."
The whole crew fixated its gaze on the stone contraption. It wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary.
Suzuka was the first to sit back down. "Perhaps it's a mock up designed after the original. The components would all still fit, but it wouldn't perform the same function."
Jim slouched in his chair, dark circles visible under his eyes. "Oh man…I was so sure we had it, too!"
Aisha shoved the tablet across the table, resting her elbows on the table, a look of despair on her face. Jim could practically see the last shred of hope disappear from her eyes. He was about to reach over and stroke her fur, when a tired voice called out from outside the galley.
"What's going on in here?"
Everyone looked up to see Jace, wandering into the galley to get a glass of water.
"Oh…hi Jace…" Melfina said, masking her gloominess perfectly. "We're just trying to figure out where to go next."
Jace nodded, yawning, his eyes gravitating to the stone compass. "Oh…what's that?"
Jim heaved. "This? A cheap knockoff. What's it look like?"
Jace shrugged. "Oh. I thought it looked like a sub Ether Space Compass."
That earned Jace a couple of stares.
"Jace, you know what this is?" Gene asked.
Jace shrugged. "We learned about them in Gilliam's history class. It was invented by the Ancient Civilization before they had things like computers. With it, they could navigate across the galaxy."
Suzuka nodded. "I see. Whoever made this must have really known what they were doing."
Jim sighed. "Yeah…I really got my money's worth on this thing…"
Jace blinked. "Oh…so it's fake?"
Aisha pouted. "Yeah. It doesn't work."
Jace almost laughed. "Well of course it doesn't work, it doesn't have a monopole."
Dead silence.
"You mean…this thing might actually work!" Gene exclaimed, grabbing the compass in his hands.
Jace took a look at it. "I think so… See, the compasses are just stone tablets, sort of like baguas in Feng Shui. There's nothing special about them, they just hinge a certain way. Anyone could make one. What matters is that it has something to act as a keystone…" his fingers touched the Dragon's Tombstone "…To give it the right coordinates, and a monopole…" he touched a small triangular notch above the keystone that was just about the size of a monopole "…To give it magnetic properties – essentially, to give it power."
Everyone in the room was silent as the grave.
"Gene…" Jim smiled. "You don't happen to have that old monopole that Gwen Khan gave you, do you?"
Gene grinned, reaching into his back pocket. "As luck would have it…"
Suzuka blinked. "You actually keep it on you?"
Gene smiled, offering it to Jace. "Sure, it's been my good luck charm for seven years now. I'm never on a planet as magnetically charged as that gravity prison, so it's not like I'm risking being sucked into the air or anything. Give it a whirl, Jace!"
Jace took the monopole and wedged it into the notch.
The space compass began to turn and swivel, just like a Feng Shui bagua.
Gene was practically beaming. "Mel, get this kid a dish of ice cream! Jace, you are a genius!"
Jace grinned. Jim and Aisha embraced.
It was Suzuka, however, who's attention was still on the compass.
"How exactly are we supposed to read this?"
Everyone paused. Melfina, busy with Jace's bowl of ice cream paused in mid scoop.
"Huh?" Gene blinked.
Suzuka pointed at the arrow made by the monopole. "It's pointing in that general direction. That's not exactly precise coordinates. This technology may be advanced, but it's still so different from ours. Gilliam's not going to be able to transfer this into readable data." She pointed where the arrow was pointing. "What are we supposed to do, say "go that way?"
Melfina finished scooping ice cream and placed the dish in front of Jace (Aisha giving him a jealous look) and took the stone tablet in her arms.
"You just leave that part to me," she winked.
Curious, Gene and the others followed her out of the galley and into the cockpit. Without further ado, she slipped into her Navi-Tube.
Immersed in bioelectric fluid and slowly establishing a connection with the ship, Melfina turned her attention on the stone tablet.
"Tell me your secrets…" she murmured, prodding the device.
The compass's patterns were alien and elusive, but she was still able to deduce its purpose. The stone tablet seemed to transform into a ray of light that shone off into the distance.
Melfina smiled. "That's it…"
xxxxx
"We have our heading, Gene," Gilliam said, proudly.
"Fantastic!" Gene exclaimed. "Get us moving, Gilliam!"
Melfina wiped her son's face of ice cream. "We're so proud of you, Jace…"
Aisha wrapped her arms around Jim. "We've found it, Jim! We're going to the Leyline! Can you believe it!"
Jim, ever the pessimist, was still bent up over something.
"So you mean to tell me that I paid eight hundred thousand wong for something I could have gotten at any Feng Shui boutique!"
Aisha pointed at the compass. "Well, this thing does have those fancy dragon patterns."
Gene threw a shifty glance at Jim. "You're still paying for it, Jim."
Jim scowled. "I want you to know that I just blew about a hundred thousand wong's worth of castor shells out there, trying to save your ass, Gene!"
Gene shrugged. "Alright, alright, I'll deduct a hundred grand from your bill."
Jim threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. I'll pay you back in a few hundred years!"
Gene's face softened up. "Heh…I guess I can afford to wait that long now, huh?"
Jim began laughing. Gene laughed right along with him. Aisha and Melfina joined too, each of them embracing their respective lovers. Even Suzuka got in a good chuckle. Everything just seemed to be falling into place, and they couldn't help but laugh in retrospect. The end was so close now, they could almost touch it.
"Well, it's time we let this little hero get some sleep," Melfina said, taking Jace into her arms.
Gene rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, it's certainly been a long day."
Jim yawned. "You're one to talk. You didn't have to fight off an enormous Dragon God."
Aisha put Jim in a headlock. "I still haven't forgiven you for that! What did you think you were doing, putting yourself in danger like that!"
Jim winked, weakly. "Just looking out for you, Aisha."
Aisha gave him an animalistic grin, before kissing him full on the mouth.
"You just stay alive till we reach the Leyline," she said seductively, as she parted with him. "Then we'll see who's looking after who."
Jim blinked, watching her slink off down the hall.
Gene elbowed him playfully. "You gonna let her just walk away like that?"
Jim started, before taking off down the hall.
Gene chuckled. "Honestly, the kid would forget his own head without me."
xxxxx
Aboard their brand new golden grappler ship Utopia, the two brothers stalked their prey.
"They've finished whatever business they had at the Dragon's Tomb," Ron noted, watching the small red blip on the screen move away from the planet.
"I wonder what they were doing…" Harry said, lazily, as he toyed with a program on his computer.
"Probably looking around for the same thing we were," Ron shrugged.
"Think they more luck than we did?" Harry said, closing down his screen and hopping into his Navi-Tube.
Ron shrugged. "Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. If they did, then they could be going to the Leyline right now. If not, then we'll continue to follow them until they do."
Harry smiled as his Navi-Tube slithered open to reveal him in his plug suit, a sick grin on his face. "And then, we'll finally have them. Gene Starwind, dead…oh, I've been waiting so long for that to be a reality, brother!"
"Patience, Harry," Ron cooed. "It'll happen soon enough."
Harry shook in his chair. "It can't possibly happen too soon…"
xxxxx
A tiny white sliver in space, the Ancient Dragon rose from its rocky tomb, drawn to its one source of solace. Robbed of its keystone and its peace, the angry god drifted through the blackness of space in pursuit of the ones who stole its tombstone and disturbed its slumber. It would follow them to the ends of the universe. It would never rest until it found its prey…
xxxxx
A/N: Yes, I'm leaving it off here. Again, sorry this took so long. It took me a while to figure out what to do with this, plot-wise. But I think I see the end in site. Hope to finish by the next chapter.
Thanks for reading!