Title: Define: Outlaw
Theme: #9- dash
Notes: Set post-series

Just as in the last great age of sailing, pirates were reborn in space. But in this new age of odysseys, a new breed of sailors appeared who worked outside the law yet sided with neither space pirate nor space forces.

Outlaw. This was the name given to those who traveled in space with only their freedom as their guide.

He hadn't done this in forever.

Rainwater splashing up from the ground's puddles and into his eyes. Veering in and out of narrow alleyways; never knowing if a bullet, knife or something worse was waiting for him around the next corner. The adrenaline pumping in his veins. The thrill of the chase.

And now he was getting to share this haphazard addiction with someone new.

"Gene, turn left up ahead," Her voice instructed.

Cape flaring out behind him, he gripped her hand tighter and rounded the next corner.

The alleyways were bleak, damp, and simply put- not the ideal situation for a cross-city chase. But, thanks to some quick thinking and a tracking system that Gilliam and Jim developed, it was now very easy for Gene to track anyone once they'd been bugged.

That is, if he had his bio-android partner along for the game.

"Next turn, go right," She said quietly, knowing that they were drawing near.

Their target, not too happy about being trailed, fired a few shots in their direction as they came around the next bend. Gene quickly dodged, rolling to the ground and protecting his companion while he was at it.

"Don't move," A gruff voice ordered from behind them.

"Shit! The bastard had backup..." Gene cursed inwardly.

"Why don't you put down your gun?" The man muttered; firing a shot through Gene's cape and successfully knocking the gun from his hand.

"Damnit, he can see through our clothes; that's just gross man! At least it looks like a cheap system, so my ace should be safe..."

Gene frowned, glaring over his shoulder at one he assumed to be the gang's leader.

"Look man, I've already got one too many gay men in the galaxy checking me out- so why don't you turn off your little x-ray vision there?"

"So you can draw another weapon?"

Cursing, Gene tossed out his other handgun onto the ground. "There, happy now?"

"What about your lady friend?" The man queried, ulterior motives present in his tone.

"Don't you dare, you goddamned bastard!"

Gene pulled her closer, hoping his body would act as a shield. Tucking her head under his chin, he barely made out her faint whisper.

"Is the safety off?"

"Huh?"

"The gun. Is the safety off?"

Trying not to draw the suspicion of the gangsters, Gene leaned in and whispered.

"You can't be thinking of..."

"I'll be fine. Cover me."

"But..."

"You still have your trump card, right?"

"Mel!" He harshly reprimanded. This was far too dangerous for her to be doing, especially on her first job on a bounty.

She looked up at him, smiling. "Trust me."

And despite how all logic and reason defied it, how worried and concerned he was, and how much he was damning himself for dragging Melfina into a situation like this- Gene couldn't deny her that trust.

"I do," He replied; and in a moment- she was gone from his grasp.

No one- Gene thought in retrospect- would have ever suspected quiet, little Melfina capable of such a feat.

She dashed forward, snatching up the waylaid weapon in a blur.

"Is it an adrenaline rush? Wait... do bio-androids have that?"

Turning, she fired a shot that knocked the gun from the gang-leader's hands. It was an expert's aim.

"I guess if she's programmed to fly a spaceship, the knowledge to aim and fire a gun can't be too complicated for her..."

She jerked back slightly, not accustomed to the recoil from the gunshot. But even so, she remained focused intently on the situation.

"Gene, behind me."

"Damn, she's good..." He thought to himself, quickly drawing his Caster and leveling it on the man.

"Don't move."

"B-boss, they've got a Caster!" Their original target stammered, eyes widening at the ancient weapon.

Ever since the incident at the Leyline, and Gene's boasts in bars across the galaxy about the caster shells he'd fired there, word had gotten out amongst pirates and even other outlaws that there was some powerful dark magic involved in Caster guns.

Lucky for Gene, and any other Caster owners, this meant that most of their bounties anymore were at least semi-wary of the weapon and its uses.

Keeping his gun on the target, he moved closer to Melfina and whispered to her.

"On the count of three, switch directions. You keep an eye on him over here and I'll baby-sit the others until the cops get here."

Melfina nodded, "I shall signal Gilliam to contact the authorities."

One...two...three...

The two spun around, not giving their captives a chance to move. Gene grinned, "Okay, why don't you all put down your weapons. I'd hate to waste one of my rare fourteens on scumbags like you."

One of the gangsters quickly threw down his gun; then panicked, glancing to his comrades.

"Guys- haven't you heard? Those guns use dark magic. If it's a rare bullet then..."

The gang hesitated, a few others slowly lowering their guns.

"Fourteen? Is that the one that even cancels out Tao magic?" Another gangster murmured.

"Actually," Gene spoke up, trying not to laugh and blow his buff, "Fourteens create black holes and suck their victims into it. It's gross really, seeing a guy's body turn inside out and..."

Within moments, each of the gang members tossed their weapons to the ground and surrendered. Mission accomplished.

It wasn't long before the authorities had arrived on the scene. They rounded up the ten member 'Sea Vipers' gang and gave their thanks to the two daring enough to take on the vicious group.

"It was nothing," Gene assured them, tossing an arm around Melfina, "The two of us can handle anything."

Gene would have preferred a lively bar after his adventurous day; a place to relax, brag and get drunk. But Melfina, despite her odd penchant apparently for firing guns and chasing bounties, simply felt out of place in such a bawdy environment.

They decided on middle ground- a not too wild, but not too quiet, tavern.

Once the formalities of "what do you want to drink?" and the perusing of the menu was done, the two fell into a moment of awkward silence.

Melfina fidgeted nervously, finally bringing herself to speak up.

"Gene?"

"Huh? What is it, Mel?"

"Did I... do okay?"

Mentally, Gene kicked himself for not praising her sooner; reaching across the table he ruffled her hair.

"Okay? That was damn more than okay!"

Her face lit up, "Really?"

"So what came over you anyways? One second you were just tracking the guy, the next you were firing guns and giving me orders."

She blushed, glancing away, "I'm not sure. I just realized that you were in trouble and wanted to do something about it... and suddenly, I thought of a way."

Gene nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"But, it was sorta fun. I mean...not like having guns pointed at you is fun or anything but..."

He reached up and hushed her with a finger to her lips.

"I know. That's why I love doing this so much. It is fun. Like a game in which you gamble everything with just your skills and luck to back you."

"That's what outlaws do, right?"

It was an innocent inquiry, but Gene was slightly surprised by the question. He thought of Hilda and chuckled to himself, wondering what the skilled woman would think of Melfina developing an appetite for an outlaw's way of life.

Then again, after running from the McDougall brothers, the pirates and the Anten Seven- perhaps even someone like Melfina would get bored returning to the normalcy of everyday life. Once you get a taste of adventure, you keep coming back for more.

"That's the way this outlaw works at least," He replied.

Melfina nodded, poking about at the food on her plate.

"Gene?"

"Hmm?"

"The next time you go out- can I go with you?"

Gene blinked; thinking to himself that with some proper training that Melfina could be one hell of a partner. And if Jim was along as well- they'd be a downright unstoppable team.

"Of course! You're part of Starwind and Hawking, aren't you? Plus..." He leaned across the table and gave her a wink, "I've always thought it would be great to have a hot babe fighting off pirates and bringing in bounties with me. Looks like my luck finally won out, huh?"

Melfina blushed, "Gene..."

He pecked a quick kiss on her lips and leaned back to pick up his glass.

"To outlaws?"

She smiled, lifting her glass as well.

"To outlaws like us."