Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate

Chapter 4: Pushed to the Edge

(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)

Fear. That is a feeling all living things are familiar with. Danger. The uncertainties of the future. The well-being of friends and loved ones. Failure. Death. Each of these are known to be sources of terror for people, with countless individuals succumbing to his or her personal demons or forever running away from them. To do so is easy. To fight and free the soul from torment is not. However, just because you are afraid of something does not mean you are destined to always be. It is true that if one tries to face their fears, the road ahead of them will not be simple. But never let that be enough to stop you. Be curious of what you do not know. Pursue your interests, no matter where they take you. But more than anything else, acknowledge your fear as well as the desire to conquer it. For to take that first step forward is what truly matters.

(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)

"How the heck does he keep finding out where we're going?" Jim asked exasperatedly, referring of course to the eccentric professor that kept contacting them.

"Good question. Did you plant some sort of transmitter on our ship?" Gene asked Kahn directly, whom was currently on the station and was now speaking to them via a com-link.

"Oh my! How did you know that?" Kahn responded with genuine surprise.

"Yeah! How did you know that, Gene?" Aisha asked as well.

"Well, can you think of another explanation as to how he is able to continuously track us down, including all the way out here?" countered the red-headed outlaw, his tone matching the bluntness of his words.

"I...er..." Aisha stuttered.

Gene, however, was more concerned with something else, 'The thing is, I can easily understand the pirates and even the MacDougalls doing this, but what's Kahn's deal?'

"Very clever of you to deduce that. Yes, quite clever," stated the Professor. "It is true that I planted a bug, well a sort of bug, on the ship, but that was all the way back during the planning stages of the XGP. Yes, since the planning stages."

"Wait a minute! What do you mean back in the planning stages?" Gene demanded.

"Forget about it," Kahn said, brushing aside his question. "I have found someone who knows the coordinates of the Galactic Leyline. I actually found someone. So why don't you go ask the man yourself? The thing is, he's been incarcerated in a prison and has been sentenced to 300 years. Additionally, he isn't allowed any visitors. However, you must go see and ask him for the coordinates, Gene. Yes, yes, you do."

Chapter 4: Pushed to the Edge

"What the hell are you babbling about? There's no way I'm going into any prison!"

"But Gene! He actually knows the coordinates of the Leyline!"

At this point, the two began arguing over whether or not there was an alternative option. The truth was, high-ranking pirate guild leaders were already aware of the coordinates, but Kahn didn't want to get involved with them. Gene, however, had no qualms with directly confronting the Kei Pirates for answers, thinking it was a better idea than entering a highly-secure prison to ask a convict because some bizarre stalker told them to.

'But something Kahn said is bugging me,' thought Gene. 'If the pirates already know where the Leyline is, why do they need the Outlaw Star to go after it? If that last fight with the pirates proved anything, it's that they already have capable ships. So why haven't they gone there before now? And what does Mel have to do with this, if anything at all?'