Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate

Chapter 1: Miracle of Destiny

(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)

Fate. Destiny. Some believe that the past, present, and future are all set in stone and cannot be changed, for better or for worse, no matter how hard one wishes. Others believe that the future is full of infinite possible outcomes, and that one's fate is far from predetermined. Which of these explanations is the real answer? Is there truth to be found in both of them, or is the answer something else entirely? The concept has inspired countless theories, with every individual coming to his or her own conclusions. Nonetheless, one simple question remains unanswered. A question that has existed since the first sentient life form came to be, an answer to which has yet to be given and proven to be absolute, with no room for doubt. Is fate real or not?

(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)

The lights inside the ship had stopped working. Hanmyo knew that her ship, the Torata, was about to explode. There was a good chance that with all of the attacks her ship had suffered, Hanmyo might have also been hurt badly, but even if she had been, it wasn't going to matter. Soon she would be dead, just like her feline companions, Kemi and Matta, who had been the ones controlling the grappler arms of their ship. Hanmyo began to wish that she had ordered her cats to return to the ship so that they could pull back, but immediately she pushed that thought aside. Even if they had successfully escaped, Hazanko would have had them executed for giving up on their mission and thus shaming the rest of the Anten Seven. Hazanko had been angry at Shimi and Iraga for failing to accomplish their objectives, but at least they had died while trying to carry out their assignments.

"A dead ship. The Torata won't respond. Kemi...Matta..." said Hanmyo quietly.

Chapter 1: Miracle of Destiny

Tears began to stream down Hanmyo's face from under her control helmet. Internally, the young pilot was apologizing to those she considered close, her cats and Jim, the first boy she ever had feelings for, perhaps even loved. "Kemi...Matta...I'm so sorry I couldn't save you two. Jim...please don't feel sad when I'm not there tomorrow. Let me be the only one hurting, so that I can take that hurt with me."

In her mindscape, she sighed deeply. "You're so nice and honest, and you try so hard at everything. Jim, you were the first boy...no, the first person to show me true kindness that I can recall, and you barely knew me. Someone like you deserves far better than a pirate like me."

Back outside of her mind, Hanmyo glanced at the flowers Jim had given her earlier through her helmet. The bouquet was tucked inside her shirt, resting right in front of her heart. With a sad smile on her face, Hanmyo closed her eyes and silently gave one last farewell to Kemi, Matta, and Jim.

Suddenly, time seemed to come to a standstill. Two orbs of light, one green and the other blue, appeared between the Torata and the Outlaw Star. The lights, completely invisible to both ships raced towards the Torata, one towards each side. They phased through the walls, entered the cockpit, and came to a halt right in front of Hanmyo. The two orbs seemed to turn towards one another, as if to share a knowing nod, before turning back towards Hanmyo and entering her body. The cockpit was filled with a bright light, followed by time beginning to move once more. The Torata gave off a spark of electricity before it exploded a few seconds later, but there was no longer anyone inside to disappear with it.

(Scene change)

Jim had been unable to hide his happiness when Gene announced with a sigh that they would have to return once again to Symka 5 for repairs. The repairman at the hanger hadn't been too pleased that all of his hard work had been undone so quickly, but given the fact that it wasn't often that he got to work on a grappler ship, and that Jim was a good negotiator, the two worked out an agreement. If the entire crew helped him out with his work around the space station's various docks and hangars for the remainder of the evening, the repairman would start fixing the ship the next day while the crew slept, all while charging them the same amount as last time. So for the next few hours, everyone did their own tasks. Gene helped out with fixing ships in the repair hangar, while Aisha carried cargo onto and off of docked spaceships. Suzuka alternately supervised the two, making sure they didn't slack off or get into any trouble. As for Jim and Melfina, they were in the office, with Jim helping out with all of the financial records while Melfina helped search for and provide Jim with particular files that needed attention. But both Melfina and the repairman were shocked with Jim's behavior. He was so excited about his date that would take place the following day that he plowed through the mountain of paperwork like it was nothing. Jim was so into his work, in fact, that the only possible way to have gotten his attention away from it would have been nothing short of finding Aisha and having her scream in his ear.