The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and
rights holders. Trigun is the creation of Yasuhiro Nightow. Outlaw Star
was created by Morning Star. All original content is the creation of
Samuel Phoenix.

Trigun Star
Episode 1: Typhoon in a Box
By PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu)

Melfina breathed deeply, drawing in a deep lungful of air. It was
strange to her how the air on a starship, even with a complex life
support system could be different from room to room. She looked before
her, and thought that it fit. She was inside the cargo bay of Hilda's
ship, Horus. The air was stale and tasted old. It just some how fit the
atmosphere.

With a slight sigh to herself, she strode forward into the bay. She
doubted that she should be wandering the ship, but she wanted some time
alone. She was confused, upset, and lonely.

She sighed and thought back to nothing. She had no past. Why had she
even been created? What was her raison d'�tre? Was she even really a
person? She had hidden her sadness in front of the other people on this
ship best she could, but now that she was alone she could be honest
with her confusion and pain. She slowly slid down one of the crates,
tears streaming from he eyes.

Melfina had no idea where they came from, but words slowly started to
play through her head. It was a song. She wondered where it had come
from. She sighed and let the words flow from her lips.

"I don't know
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me.

Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby
I pray for reply.
I'm ready."

"Huh?" Melfina paused. She thought she had heard something. After a few
moments of waiting she decided to continue the song.

"Quiet day calms me
Oh serenity
someone."

Melfina stopped once again. There was that sound again... and again!
There was something making a pounding sound, and it was near by.

Melfina stood up and began to search around for the source. She
wondered what it could be. Her search for the source brought her around
a full circle of the cargo bay, back to where she had begun with no
luck.

With a sigh, she leaned back against the same pile of crates she had
slid down prior and looked up at the stack across from her. She
wondered how much time she had spent looking. She closed her eyes and
asked herself, out loud. "Why am I here... why was I even born."

There was a loud thud, and a series of shaking noises. It was near her,
right across from her. Her eyes opened to see that one of the crates
was shaking and moving. The crates in that pile were odd. While all the
others were metal or plastic, they were wooden.

Mel slowly stood up and walked over to it. She inquisitively knelt down
to the strange box. Seeing a knothole, she decided to peer inside, to
look directly into a blue green eye that was peering outward.

"AH!" Melfina cried out, falling backwards and landing on her rear.

"Don't be scared!"

Melfina blinked. "Hello?"

"Hello!" replied a muffled male voice from inside the box.

Melfina blinked once again, and moved back toward the box. "There is
someone in there?"

"Yep."

Mel blinked. "How long have you been in that box?"

"Oh," replied the voice, "about two weeks... give or take a couple of
days?"

"Two weeks?"

"Yeah, which is why I have to ask you this... Get me out of here! It's
cold in here, I'm hungry and I gotta use the bathroom!" the voice
exclaimed.

Mel paused for a moment. People were not supposed to be in boxes. How
did he get there? Still, he asked for her help, and you help people
when they ask... right? "Okay, I'll help you get out," replied Melfina,
in an unsure tone.

"Thank you!"

Mel looked at the box. It was sealed with four heavy metal spikes
placed into hinges. She gave one of them a pull. It was stuck. Mel
looked closely at it and saw that one end was scuffed and flattened,
like it had been hit many times with something heavy. She smiled. She'd
have to hit them to loosen them, not that difficult.

Mel quickly walked away from the crate and began searching for
something to use. After a few minutes of peeking in random crates she
found something that looked solid enough. The object was a long metal
shaft, which looked like it was probably a piston rod from a hydraulic
system of some kind. It looked like would do quite nicely.

Mel quickly rushed back to the crate and lined the piston up with the
spike, using all her strength she struck it. It moved slightly but
still held fast. She struck it three more time and it finally came
loose. Pulling the nail out she smiled. "One."

Melfina repeated the process three times and announced. "I think you
can come out now..."

The trunk all but flew open, and out popped a tall, imposing figure of
a man.  Melfina stepped back in breathless fear, a cold dread at what
she had released.

In the shadows of the cargo bay she could not fully make out his
features. With his blood red trench coat, the strange bindings on his
left arm, and the gilt of gunmetal from his hip he looked dangerous,
demonic even, like some kind of hell born fiend here for her soul...
and with a loud groan, the image of dread was totally shattered. He
limply fell forward, and with a loud impact, he struck the floor face
first.

Melfina couldn't help but wince in sympathy.

"Oh. I can breath again!"

The man hopped right back up laughing like a fool. A series of snaps,
crackles, and pops emanated from protesting joints as he stretched out.
"I can move again! Haha! I'm free!"

Melfina stepped back slightly. This man was, for lack of a better word,
quite strange.

The man smiled and looked down at her. Away from the shadow of the
other boxes, she could finally see his face. What caught her attention
most were his eyes. The twin blue-green orbs were soft and kind, filled
with love and gentility. His face was also soft, not like a child's,
but from a lack of harsh emotion. It was totally unlike Hilda, Gene, or
even Jim's face. It was like looking at someone without reservations,
or petty hatreds. She envied that. On top of his head was a broom like
mass of spiky blond hair. All in all, he was quite attractive.

The strange fellow smiled at her, gazing over her features. Her eyes
widened slightly in surprise as she felt her face grow warm. She was
blushing, and why did she suddenly feel so embarrassed to be wearing
one of Hilda's spacesuits?

"I thought I'd die in there, but then I heard you singing and knew that
maybe I'd have a chance," stated the stranger. His voice was kind too,
filled with gratitude. "Thank you."

"You... you heard that?" she asked, in a tone that spoke of great self
concern.

 "Yes," he replied. Suddenly his calm, serious, but kind demeanor was
shattered by a huge happy, friendly grin. "You have a great voice and
it was a very pretty song!"

Melfina couldn't help but smile at the compliment. "You like it?"

"Yep," he replied. "So, what's your name?"

"Mel... Melfina," she replied. For some reason she felt embarrassed,
but at the same time happy. "What's yours?" she added moments later.

The man in red coughed and changed his posture and facial expressions
to a dynamic, dramatic, and outright silly posture that for some
reason, made her blush even brighter and caused her heart to pound in
her chest. In a voice soft as silk, and filled with no lack of bravado,
he said, "I am Vash the Stampede, known to some as the 'Humanoid
Typhoon'. I'm but a simple Hunter of Peace that chases the Mayfly known
as Love... at your service!"

Melfina giggled. She didn't know why, but she found this terribly
amusing.

Vash smiled widely again, he face shining with contentment. He turned
around and closed the crate, taking a seat on the surface. "Man! It's
good to be out of there!" He looked to her and cocked his head
slightly. He smiled again, asking, "Could you do me a favor?"

"Ah... what do you want?"

"Finish that song, please? Come on! Sit down! If you teach me that
song, I'll. hmmm." he stood still for a moment, making hit look like he
was thinking, but it was obvious that he already know what he intended
to say. "I'll teach you a song! You teach me yours and I'll teach you
mine, a song for a song!"

Melfina blushed. "O-okay I guess."

Vash smiled and motioned for her to sit next to him. "Sit down, relax."

Reluctantly, she did so, sliding as far to the edge she could while
remain comfortable.

Melfina slowly began the song. It was hard for her to keep he
composure, be she could try...

"I don't know
What words I can say
The wind has a way
To talk to me.

Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby
I pray for reply
I'm ready.

Quiet day calms me
Oh serenity
Someone
Please tell me
Ohmm, what is it, they say?
Maybe I will know one day."

"Wow... that was great," replied Vash.

Melfina looked at him uneasily. One again, his demeanor had changed.
This time he had gone back from happy lunatic to sweet young man. She
wondered how one person could change gears so quickly. Was he
schizophrenic? His strange serious but at the same time happy-go-lucky
personality intimidate her, but at the same time, his kindness and
overtures of friendship made her want to stay. She was getting
confused, and her head was starting to ache. Socialization was just too
complex...

Vash placed his hand on Melfina's shoulder and smiled widely. "Is
something the matter?"

"No, I'm fine," she lied.

"Come on," he replied, "Tell me what the matter. I'll help if I can."

Melfina sighed. "I... I don't know. It's just too much."

"I have time," Vash replied.

Melfina looked him in the eyes for a long moment, judging herself and
this stranger. Stranger, he wasn't really a stranger, was he? She
probably knew him just as well if not better then the others on this
ship, or were they really just strangers too? She sighed. The entire
world was a stranger to her. No friends, no family, no roots, not even
an idea of to why she was created. She felt so empty inside. More to
herself then to Vash, she muttered, "I wish I was never born..."

"Don't say that!" replied Vash in a stern but caring voice. "Never say
that."

"W-what?"

"All life is precious," he stated. "Why do you wish that you were never
born?"

Melfina sighed, and the tears that streamed down her face earlier,
resumed their course. "I'm not a real person... I was created." She
looked up at him, "I don't even know what I was created to do, and the
one person who knows doesn't look like she is going to tell me! Why am
I here? What is the meaning of my life?"

Vash sighed and took on a distinctly philosophical air. At the same
time she could see a deep concern for her well-being in him.

He moved closer and gazed into her eyes. "You look real."

He caressed her cheek and gazed into her eyes, bringing a flush to her
face. "You feel real"

He moved his head to the nap of her neck, his nose a mere centimeter
from her neck and hair. "You smell real."

He grinned wickedly and brought he face to hers, and licked the tip of
her nose. "You taste pretty real too!"

Melfina eeked in surprised and scampered away, falling off the box. She
looked at him in surprise and shock.

"Hah! Come on, was only playing!"

He was laughing? She looked at his smile, heard his laughter, and could
not help but join in. This was strange, she was so embarrassed, but for
some reason, happy. This person was too strange for words to describe.

Vash smiled once again and knelt down, offering Melfina his hand, which
she took. He pulled her to her feet and said, "Sorry about that, but
you looked like you needed a smile."

Melfina sighed, and the confused but amuse smiled she had warn seconds
before began to slow fade. "It still doesn't change anything."

Vash sighed and turned his back to her. Did she offend him in some way?
"Do any of us know why we're born?"

"What?"

Vash turned around. He was serious again. "Tell me, Melfina, what is
the meaning of anyone's life?" He smiled and placed his hands on her
shoulders. "Mel... can I call you Mel?"

Melfina nodded.

With his voice, full of kindness and gentility Vash told her "Mel, what
gives your life meaning is not why you're alive but that you are alive,
how you live. You were born to live a happy life. That's all that
matters in the end. That all that matters for everyone."

Melfina took a step back. That answer was strange and confusing, but
for some reason it rung true. She was born to live, and be happy? The
idea comforted her, but... She shook her head. Everything was so new to
her. All the sensations, all the feelings of existence just confused
her so.

Mel paused and looked at Vash. The complexity of this person was
bewildering. He could go from one extreme to another in a word and then
back again with the next. His kindness was radiant and his concern for
her, a person he had just met, was so deep and honest. It made her fell
strange, warm inside, like...

Melfina's thoughts were interrupted by the hiss of an opening door.

Into the room stepped the owner of the ship, "Hot Ice" Hilda. At the
sight of the Humanoid Typhoon, her eye narrowed. In a blur, her weapon
was drawn and pointed at the man. "Melfina! Step away from him!"

Mel blinked, and looked at Vash and then to Hilda in confusion.

Vash looked the outlaw women in the eye then looked down to Melfina.
Slowly and purposefully he stepped away from Mel, taking a stand in the
center of the cargo bay, his stand clearly none threatening.

The cycloptian outlaw looked at him through a cold eye. "I don't know
who you're working for, but you can not have her."

Her face matching her name, she fired her weapon.

Both Hilda and Melfina gasped what they saw. Vash sidestepped the
bullet. He had dodged it so quickly that it appeared as if he had just
teleported six inches to the left.

"Mr. Vash?" muttered Melfina.

"How did..." Ice Hilda's voice trailed off as she looked down toward
Vash's feet. Her eye opened wide at what she saw, and her undivided
attention was on the piston like metal cylinder which Melfina had used
to unseal the crate. "Oh, shit..."

Vash blinked and bent over, picking the metal cylinder. "What's this?"

Hilda sighed very lightly and straightened her posture to regain her
cool demeanor.  "That is a PLX-30 binary demolitions charge. It is
powerful enough to blow up half of this ship. Put it down gently. The
priming mechanism is sensitive to impact."

"Ship," stated Vash in a serious tone.

"Yes," replied Hilda, "You are on my starship, Horus."

"Starship. That explains a lot," he muttered. Vash slowly rotated the
explosive charge in his hands, and examined it closely, his eyes
focusing on the scuffmarks and slight indentations from when Melfina
used it to open his crate.

With a big, silly smile on his face he turned to Mel. In a jovial tone
he asked, "Mel, this isn't what you used to..."

Melfina nodded.

The quiet of the cargo bay was pierced by a loud hiss as the cylinder
began to contract. On the top, a red LCD light began to blink.

Hilda gasped. Vash looked at the object in his hand, and then he
screamed.

--------------------

"ARGH!" cried Vash at the top of his lungs. He had to get rid of it! He
had to ditch this thing!

"GOTTA FIND AN AIRLOCK!"  Vash screamed as he tore out of the cargo bay
at a full run. He glanced at the door markers reading them as fast as
he could.

He tore down the Horus's halls as fast as his legs could carry him
paying little heed to anything in his path, almost running over a blond
kid in his rush.

"Gotta find an airlock! Gotta find and airlock!" Vash the Stampede
repeated the mantra again and again as he rushed down the hall, reading
the door labels.

Mess hall... Crew quarters... storage... maintenance... armory...
airlock... AIRLOCK!?

Vash skid to a loud, screeching stop and rushed back around to the
airlock door. "Haha!" he cried in triumph. With a huge grin on his face
he looked at something, which at that moment, what the most beautiful
things he had ever seen. The big black of deep space through a triple
reinforced shatter proof, Plexiglas window.

Triumphantly, Vash pressed the large, happy, brightly marked "open"
button. Nothing happened.

"ARGH!!!!" Vash cried, in desperation.

Horus's bass voice boomed over the internal speakers. "You are not
authorized to access this area."

Vash looked down at the charge in his hands. The red light was blinking
quickly and became faster by the second.

"I'm holding a bomb. It is about to explode! I you don't let me access
the airlock, it'll blow up the ship!"

"Scanning," stated the computer. "Active explosive charge has been
detected. Access granted."

Vash pushed the open button and threw the explosive into the lock. The
door quickly sealed, and Vash pressed the override. The outer door
opened and the explosive decompression blew the charge into space.

Vash sighed and let him self slide down the opposite wall as he saw a
bright flash in the distance.

"Ah... that was close."

Vash heard a click and he head wearily turned upwards. Standing in the
hall was the one-eyed lady again, her gun pointed at him. Coming up the
hall behind her was Melfina, and the boy he had almost run while he was
rushing for the airlock.

"Don't move," hissed the woman.

Vash groaned, and in a blur had his own gun pointed at her head. With a
weary smile on his face, he said, "Come on... I'm tired. Do we really
have to play this game? I saved your ship!"

Hilda looked him in the eyes. For over a minute there was nothing but
silence as the two outlaws studied each other intently. Hilda smirked,
and holstered her weapon.

With a sigh of relief Vash dropped his gun arm.

"Why did you trust him?" asked Jim.

"Jim, a truly experienced outlaw can read their opponents intentions."

"And what if you're wrong?"

"I haven't been wrong yet."

Jim shrugged and scowled at Vash. "You almost ran me over."

Vash blushed. "Ah, sorry about that! I kinda was in a rush."

Jim nodded. "Hilda mentioned the bomb."

Vash chuckled and looked at Hilda, "So, could you tell me where I am?"

Hilda glared at him. "First. Tell me who are you."

Vash sighed and nodded... "My name is Vash the Stampede..."

Hilda's eyebrow rose sharply. "As in the 'Humanoid Typhoon', the
infamous outlaw from Gunsmoke? The one every wanna-be badass on that
dirtball claims to be?"

Vash blushed and scratched his head. "Well, yeah..."

Hilda looked him in the eye. "From you skill level, and the physical
descriptions I heard while on that rock do fit you, I could believe it,
but you don't seem like a blood thirsty, mass murdering killing machine
to me..."

Vash blushed and began to wave his hands in protest. "Hey! Hey now!
Don't believe everything you hear in a rumor!"

"Hey, exactly where is Gunsmoke? I never heard of it," said Jim.

Hilda sighed. "It's a backwards, technologically degenerate colony
beyond even the frontier. Its on almost no maps, and has really nothing
of value. It's a footnote."

"Hey!" exclaimed Vash.

"Details aside, I left Gunsmoke weeks ago," stated Hilda. "Where did
you come from?"

"I was being chased by bounty hunters and decided to hide in a
crate..." Vash blushed and laughed. "I kinda fell asleep in there and
woke up in locked it your cargo bay! Melfina let me out."

"Is this true, Melfina?"

"Yes."

Jim blinked. "You were locked in a storage crate?"

"Yep, for over two weeks..." Vash grinned widely. "Say, can someone
point me to the bathroom? I *really* gotta pee..."

Hilda sighed. "Third door to your left."

"Danke! Danke!" exclaimed Vash, rushing off to 'do his business'.

Jim blinked and under his breath, he muttered, "He held it for two
weeks...?"

--------------------

Vash smiled in absolute contentment as he all but danced through
Horus's corridors. If Gene had been awake, he would have told Vash that
he knew a man name Fred with whom he get along with just wonderfully.

While Vash always tried to live each day to its fullest and appreciate
ever valuable second of life, everything seemed a whole lot brighter
and friendlier after spending half a month locked in a small wooden
packing crate.

Vash did a merry little spin and reflected on his current state. He was
fed, showered, and had a chance to use the little boys room. "Life is
wonderful!" he sung to himself.

"Well, I see you've cleaned yourself up," replied Hilda, from behind
him. "The smell was beginning to travel."

Vash cocked his head slightly. "Do you have a minute?" he asked, with a
smile.

Hilda nodded in response. "Yes, what do you need."

"I want to know if you'd be willing to take me home," he stated.

Hilda blinked. "You want to go back to that dustball? Why?"

Vash's smile faded as memories of his past came to the surface. He
found it strange really. He has escaped to a place where he would no
longer be hunted. This was a place where he very well could find his
Eden, where he could hang up the gun and live the rest of his days in
peace, but having something and wanting it are totally different. He
had his chance, and was reluctant. He found himself longing to return
to his exodus, all for the sake of Kane.

"I have unfinished business," Vash replied in a straightforward tone.
All of his usual joviality and his extraversion were absent; his voice
was soft, low, and completely serious.

"Who do you have to kill?"

Vash turned his head and looked at the lady outlaw through the tired
eyes of one who has seen far too much suffering in his lifetime. "I
don't kill. All life is precious, and I don't right to take it away
from anyone else."

Hilda blinked. "Surely you must..."

"No," he stated, "I have never taken another's life and I never will."

"You have strict principles. Must be difficult... So, why do you want
to go back?"

"A promise."

"A promise?"

"A promise."

"So, what then?" asked Hilda.

Vash smiled to himself and just tried to imagine. "I guess I'll retire,
try and find a place where I can live in peace..."

"Nice dream. Damn unlikely, but it's still a nice dream," Hilda voice
softened very slightly, "You're one hell of a character, Vash the
Stampede."

Vash smiled widely and snapping back to his 'happy idiot' personality,
he loudly asked, "You really think so? "

Hilda groaned. "Without a doubt."

"So, about taking me back home..."

"I can't," Hilda stated bluntly, "At least not at the moment. I have a
task that must be done. Once it is completed, I'll take you home."

"No way getting around it?"

"Not a chance," replied Hilda, "Only a small handful of the most
detailed outlaw starmaps even have Gunsmoke on them. Your chances of
finding one are miniscule at best. You're welcome to look, but you will
not have very much luck."

Vash sighed. "So, what's next then?"

Hilda looked at her watch and began to move toward the bridge section.
"Walk with me."

Vash did so and Hilda turned her head to him "We're about to stop at
the outlaw asteroid city Blue Heaven for supplies and repair. If you
want, I can introduce you to some people."

"Great," Vash thought to him self out loud, "Maybe there I can get some
bullets!"

Hilda froze in her tracks and turned to Vash with a wide eye. "What?"

"I'm completely out of ammo." Vash smiled, drew his revolver, and broke
it open so she could see the empty cylinder. "See?"

Hilda gawked at him. "You got me to back down from a Mexican standoff
with a empty gun?"

Vash smiled and snapped his gun shut, reholstering it. "Yep!"

Hilda stared at him for a moment and shook her head, walking back off.
"You're good... Damn good. I'm impressed. Not many people could pull a
fast one on me. Just don't do it again."

Vash smiled and followed. A collection of thoughts raced through his
mind about the nature of his situation. He was a stranger in a strange
land here, shanghaied onto a starship crew. Oh well, if he couldn't get
home, he might as well enjoy it. He looked at Hilda and grinned. Might
as well get some flirting in. After all, this woman was one hell of a
pretty lady. "Say, when we get Blue Heaven, you want to get dinner,
maybe spends some time 'alone'?"

Hilda cocked her head in thought and shrugged. "Why not, it's been too
long since I've known a man's touch."

Vash froze in his tracks, a look of total shock etched onto his
features. The last thing he had _ever_ expected was for her to actually
say 'yes'.

Hilda blinked. "What?"

"Y-you said 'yes'!" he exclaimed, his face rapidly approaching the
color of his coat.

Hilda blinked in confusion. "And, what of it?"

"No one every says yes!"

Hilda laughed. "With that approach I can see why. Guess it's your lucky
day now isn't it."

In a nervous voice, Vash managed to stutter out. "I wasn't being
serious! I was only flirting... I never expected you to say yes!"

Hilda looked at him strangely. "Are your seriously saying you don't
want to?"

Vash smiled sweetly and looked down, horribly flushed. "Y-you see, I
joke around, but honestly think of sex as a thing you only do with
someone really special..."

Ice Hilda looked at Vash through a mask of clear bewilderment. Even her
normal, subdued icy demeanor was completely lacking from her affect.
She sighed, and in a exasperated tone she said, "Vash, I have to go to
the bridge. We're about to enter Blue Heaven space. I'll... I'll talk
to you later."

Vash blinked, wondering if she was angry at him. "Ah, okay."

Hilda turned around and stormed off. Her posture was slightly slumped
and through his far above average hearing he could make out her
muttering some rather varied complaints about his personality.

Vash sighed and turned around. Maybe he could talk to Melfina again.
She looked like she needed a friend.

--------------------

Gene Starwind jolted awake on Horus's bridge. He was covered in sweat
thanks to one horrible nightmare. It was always the same, and this
nightmare was real. The death of his father.

"Oh." she groaned.

The door behind him slip open, and fighting down some bile he turned
around to see who it was. It was Hilda, and she looked strangely
uncentered. It was as if something had put a crack in her icy exterior.

She saw him and straightened up. "You're awake," she stated.

Gene blinked as she walked past him. "There a problem?"

The woman remained silent for a moment. "Why, what makes you think
there is a problem?"

"You seem awful tense."

Hilda looked back at Gene. "Do you find me attractive?"

Gene blinked. Where in the hell had that come from? "Ah, yeah. I do."

Hilda smiled. She said nothing, but relaxed visibly.

"Now entering Blue Heaven space," stated the Horus.

Why the hell did she ask if she found him attractive? "What was that
about?" Gene inquired.

"Mind your own business," she snapped.

Gene blinked. Touchy.

"Blue Heaven Network access complete. Now displaying useable docks."

Hilda looked down at the screen. "Use dock 8."

"Understood," stated the ship's AI, "Preparing to dock at Blue heaven
via route 2-2-1, transferring to Autopilot mode in three... two...
one... Autopilot engaged."

"So, you're afraid of space?" Hilda asked, probably just trying to kill
time.

"No," Gene replied in a calm voice, "Not really."

"Then what is it?" she asked.

Gene sighed. "Bad memories, that's all."

"Memories," Hilda repeated to herself.

"Hilda," Gene asked, "How have you been in space long?"

Hilda sighed and looked down ever so slightly. "A long time? Maybe."

Gene smirked. "There you go dodging my questions again."

Hilda scowled. "It's been a long day. I don't need..."

Hilda paused, and groaned slightly with the hissing of the opening
bridge door.

"Gene! You awake yet," asked Jim as he stepped in.

Gene looked lover and blinked. In the doorway stood Jim, Melfina, and a
tall blond man with a red coat. Looked like a real badass. "Hey, Jim,
who's the blond?"

"His name, is Vash the Stampede," stated Hilda, surprisingly she looked
at him with a ting of resentment. "He is an infamous outlaw and
gunfighter on his homeworld."

Gene blinked. "Never heard of him?... He an ex-boyfriend or something?"

Hilda scowled slightly. "Hardly."

"No, no, no!" exclaimed Vash. Was that a blush on his face? "We just
met!"

"There where the hell did you come from?" Gene inquired.

Melfina moved to speak but closed her mouth and inched back. A hand on
her shoulder stopped her. Melfina looked and locked eyes with Vash. He
smiled gently and nodded.

Melfina blushed slightly and said, "He... he was locked in a crate in
the cargo bay... I let him out."

Gene blinked. Locked in a crate? Did he even want to know the story
behind that one? He gave Hilda a side ways glance and wondered, did the
woman have some kind of strange locking-people-in-boxes fetish that he
should know about?

"So, you're still alive, big brother?" teased Jim.

"Lay off," snapped Gene in response.

"Ah, so cute!"

Gene snarled and looked Jim in the eyes. "I'll show ya 'cute'!"

--------------------

 "Ah! I'll take this over a spaceship any day!" exclaimed Gene as he
exited the ramp from Hilda's starship. To emphasize his point, the
Sentinel native outlaw stomped the deck a couple of times.

"I take it your cherry is officially popped," Jim remarked
sarcastically.

"I'll pop that mouth of yours if you don't shut up," glowered Gene is
what was mostly mock anger.

Melfeia smiled and looked up to Vash, who was walking by her side. She
wondered about his words. You're alive to live a happy life? She found
it hard to believe, but at the same time, comforting. She liked Vash.
He was a nice person. "Mr. Vash?"

The Humanoid Typhoon smiled widely and looked at Melfina. "Yes,
Melfina?"

"Is this your first time on a starship?" she asked.

Vash looked away, the smile still present on his face and took at deep
breath. "Nope," he looked back down to her and smiled, "I was born on a
starship."

Hilda looked over. "I find that hard to believe, considering the dust-
ball you're from."

Two figures slowly approached the group. One was a dark skinned human,
and the other was a spherical being with tiny limbs and a pair of small
beady eyes, a Carbonite. "Hilda!" exclaimed the Carbonite, "It's been
too long! Tell me that you can hang out for a while."

"Not now, I need you to repair and resupply Horus," replied Hilda.

"Got it. Just leave it to me," replied the alien.

"Big bro," Jim said under his voice, elbowing Gene in the side, "It's a
Carbonite. I've never seen one before."

"Yeah," replied Gene.

Vash smiled, and he bent over to whisper in Melfina's ear. She blushed.
"What's a Carbonite?"

"An alien," she replied.

"Who are they? Are you a tour guide now, Hilda?" asked the Carbonite.

"Heh," Hilda smirked, and nodded to Jim and Gene "Let's leave it at
that, with these two, Swanzo, but the blond is good."

"Not much to look at."

Hilda smirked. "He side stepped a bullet. Damn impressive."

Swanzo chuckled to himself. "He's that good?" He turned to Vash,
"What's you're your name, outlaw?"

"His name is Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon," interrupted
Hilda. Melfina wondered why Vash wasn't aloud to introduce himself. She
was probably trying to keep him from using his silly introduction.

"Hi!" replied Vash with a large, silly smile on his face.

Swanzo groaned and turned to Hilda. "Hilda, I've got a message for you.
But..."

"You can tell me here," she replied.

"McCoy says he can't make it."

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure, Looks like he just didn't want to get mixed up with a
bunch of pirates."

"Chicken-shit."

"I have one other piece of bad news. The McDougal brothers have been
asking about you."

"Fools."

"McCoy, this McDougal that," exclaimed Gene, "when are you people gonna
start talking some sense?"

"Don't butt into an adult conversation, kid," remarked Swanzo.

Gene snarled and drew his gun, pointing it at the alien. "Who's a kid?
Listen here, buddy..."

Vash visibly tensed but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder from
Hilda. Melfina looked him in the eyes. He didn't know the extra-
terrestrial, but for some reason seeing Gene point a gun at the alien
angered him. It was hard to see, but it was defiantly there. He didn't
like to see others put in danger.

"Hey now!" exclaimed the Carbonite engineer. "There is no need to get
worked up over everything. Besides, using gun is illegal on here."

Jim blinked. "Why would using gun be illegal in a free town?"

"Because," answered Vash in a serious tone, "If you break a air seal,
crack a window, or puncture the hull you would put the lives of every
person in this city in jeopardy."

"Spoken like a true spacer," said the Carbonite with a laugh. "If
someone is too stupid to follow the rules we don't want them here."

"Or maybe it's only idiots that follow the rules who live here. So,
this is what an outlaw really is, huh?" said Gene with a smirk on his
face.

"They're pirates?" inquired Jim.

"Sounds like the other kid doesn't understand either," commented
Swanzo. "There are three powers in space: The military, pirates, and
outlaws. The major difference is motivation. The military are motivated
by duty and the pirates by greed and the lust for power."

"What motivates an outlaw?" asked Vash. The large smile had returned to
his face.

The engineer looked toward Vash. "Well, you tell me. What motivates us
varies from person to person. So, what drives you, outlaw?"

Vash smiled. "Well, the force that motivates me is the chance to right
wrongs, and spread a message of..." Vash crossed the index and middle
fingers of his right hand and thrust him arm forward. "LOVE AND PEACE!"

"Hilda," Swanzo asked, "Where the hell did you pick *this* guy up?"

"LOVE AND PEACE!"

Jim just looked "I think he was locked in that box too long..."

"LOVE AND PEACE!"

"He's cracked," muttered Gene.

"LOVE AND PEACE!"

Hilda growled and rubbed her forehead. "Shut the hell up!"

Melfina just blinked. She couldn't see what was wrong with it. It
sounded like a beautiful ideal.

"Hey, Swanzo!" shouted the Carbonite starships mechanic from underneath
the Horus. "This ain't gonna be a one person job!"

"Blast it! Alright, hold on... see you later, Hilda."

Hilda smiled. "Sure. Take care of him."

Swanzo glanced over to Jim and Gene. "Alright, kids. Behave
yourselves."

--------------------

Vash smiled to himself as he stood in the conveyer-belt style corridor
that led from the landing bays to be main city. This was strange, but
at the same time, he liked it. Here he was off of Gunsmoke, seeing the
universe in a way that he never had before. He could meet new people,
eat new donuts, and maybe find a place in the greater universe that he
could never find back on Gunsmoke.

Who was he kidding. Gunsmoke was home, and he had unfinished business.
With the holes in he memory, he didn't remember any details of the July
City disaster and much that occurred before it was also a blank, but he
had something to do.

"No way!" exclaimed Gene. "I don't know a think about cloths shopping!
She's with you, Hilda, isn't she?"

Hilda looked ant gene and replied, "I have some place to go and Melfina
needs cloths. I'd rather she be with you, I'd know she'd be in good
hands that way."

"Can't Vash do it?"

Hilda thought for a moment. "Maybe, I was planning on introducing him
to a couple of contacts..."

Vash smiled, and looked at Melfina. "I'd be happy to take her shopping,
in fact I have to get myself some stuff, too..." he stated.

Gene grinned. "Great! Jim, you go with Vash and Melfina."

Jim sighed. "Guess so... I need a new PDA after all." He glared at
Hilda.

"So, I guess it's settled. Vash, Jim, and Melfina go shopping. I'll
show Gene around," stated Hilda.

"Well, not exactly" muttered Vash. "I'm kinda broke... Could you lend
me some money?" Well, that was not really the case. He had over fifteen
grand on his person, but he seriously doubted that the locals would
accept double dollars.

"Yeah," added Jim, "You owe me twelve hundred Wong for that PDA..."

Hilda sighed and pulled out her wallet. With a scowl on her face, she
handed Vash a wad of bills. "Two thousand five hundred Wong. This
includes his PDA, her cloths, and your current expenses. Don't ask for
any more."

"Welcome to Blue Heaven!" cut in an automated voice as the door to the
main section of the station slid open, revealing the streets,
buildings, and causeways of the city proper to them.

Gene chuckled to himself. "Jim, lets meet back at the hotel."

"Okay, Gene."

The two groups started off in different directions, with Vash, Mel, and
Jim heading toward the main streets commercial area.

Vash looked at the place with the eyes of a child. It was new to him.
There was nothing quite like this back home.

Jim looked over to Vash and inquisitively asked him, "What's with the
wide-eyes? Don't tell me you planet is so backwater you don't even have
cities."

Vash smiled and looked at the kid. Mentally he analyzed how to best
approach Jim. The boy confused him, and from what he'd seen, saddened
him. He was so adult, so responsible. No time to throw caution to the
wind and live for the joy of them moment. No time to be a child. He
looked very smart too, and mature. He couldn't treat him like he did
other children.

Vash shrugged. Oh well. He guessed his normal playful approach wouldn't
work. Hmmm... he had an idea...

Vas smiled widely. Nothing silly, just friendly and honest. "There are
cities on Gunsmoke. They just don't look like this."

"Oh?" asked Jim, "What do they look like?"

"Gunsmoke is a dry, desert planet. Most of the buildings are made out
of adobe. Everything is always yellow and dusty, even the major cities
are like that. There's nothing like this, where everything is bright
lights and cold metal."

Jim nodded. "Hmmm... makes sense. You said you were born on starship?
How long has it been since you were last in space?"

"Since I was a boy," stated Vash. He hoped that Jim wouldn't ask
details. He really didn't want to get into it.

"Hilda said you have a huge reputation back home. She made it sound
like you are a household name."

Vash sighed. His past always followed him around like...

A black cat with an absurdly large head and yellow eyes sped past his
feet chasing a mouse.

"Meow."

... well, like that. Oh well, might as well ham it up.

"Back home my name is feared across ever corner of the world."

Vash smirked at Jim. He took up an almost comical he-man stance. "The
vicious, undefeatable outlaw who has crushed armies of law-men and
bounty-hunters, who is considered personally responsible for the
destruction of a city of one point five million people!"

He changed into another equally ridiculous stance. "The slaughterer of
the innocent who leaves nothing but death and destruction in his wake!
A man so evil, and who's actions are so vicious and cruel that they
have placed a bounty of no less then sixty billion double-dollars on
his head!

Taking another stupidly macho pose, Vash continued. "The devil's
helper, a walking natural disaster, the Humanoid Typhoon... Vash the
Stampede!... That's me."

Jim blinked and looked at Vash. In a deadpan, he said, "Are you
kidding?"

Vash dropped the pose and smiled. "That's really what they say."

Jim looked at Vash. "I find it hard to believe. Every rumor has some
truth in it... have you really killed that many people?"

"No," stated Vash. There was no levity in this statement, none of his
normal sense of fun. It was totally honest, almost to the point of
being blunt. "I have never ended another life."

"All life is precious," muttered Melfina.

Jim turned to her and blinked. "What was that Mel?"

"All life is precious," she repeated. "Vash told me that when we met."

The Humanoid Typhoon nodded. "No one has the right to take the life of
another. To do so is to destroy something invaluable that can never be
replaced. Once someone is dead, it can't be taken back."

Jim blinked, "Ah, okay... so, what about the city?"

Vash remained completely silent then smiled. "Well, enough standing
around!" he exclaimed. "Lets get something to eat, then get Melfina
some clothes!" He stopped and looked at Melfina. "Or would could get
the cloths first if you want."

"I'm hungry. I could use something to eat..." murmured Melfina.

"Step right up and taste my delicious meat pie. Step right up,"
exclaimed a voice from behind them.

Vash turned around to see an old woman in a Chinese style robe pawning
meat dumplings. Farther down the line where a number of restaurants and
snack shows selling all types of food, from the exotic alien cuisine to
Terran classics such as Pizza, Italian, American, and the wonderful and
ever so divine donut.

"Well, isn't this convenient," muttered Jim

Vash could only look forward and stair, a thin trail of drool making
its way down his lip.

"Mmmmmm... Donuts..."

--------------------

"Don't even think about moving," snarled Jim looking at the "infamous"
Vash the Stampede. "Vash the Dirty Peeping Tom" was more like it. He
couldn't believe it. They go to buy Melfina clothes, and what does he
do? He tries to peep while she's changing! He hoped that he would never
get that bad. Gene's womanizing was bad enough but a grown man peeping
on girls was just sad...

"I'll be good," mumbled the Humanoid Typhoon, under the stern glair of
both Jim and the store's attendant.

Jim sighed and shook his head. Gene said that all the time, right
before he ran off to shag the next skirt to catch his fancy. Of course
there was one slight difference. He had a feeling he could trust Vash's
word on this. It was strange to him, he rarely trusted people he had
know for such a short time, but there was something special about the
outlaw. Despite his strange personality, Vash never really acted in a
cruel or detrimental way. He was a goofball, but a noble one.

"So, Mel? How is it going?" asked Vash.

The curtain opened to show Melfina standing dressed in her new outfit.
She wore a white dress shirt and tie, with a short blue cloak over
them. Her legs were clad in stockings and a Miniskirt. There was an
anklet on her left leg, and for shoes, she wore a pair of black heals.

"Hey, not bad!" said Jim.

"It looks wonderful!" exclaimed the attendant.

Vash just gawked. "Wow!"

-------------

Hilda smiled as she looked around the bar. It had been too long since
she had been to the place, and few things had changed. Same people,
same watered down drinks. The Ctarl-Ctarl striper that was currently
showing off her 'assets' was new, but besides that, same old watering
hole. It was good to have constants in an otherwise hectic existence.

"Okay Hilda, what now?" asked Gene, interrupting her reminiscing.

"This is an outlaw hangout," stated Hilda, "I figured if there was
anybody halfway decent here, I'd hire them."

"So Mr. Vash the Stampede isn't enough for you," Gene scoffed, "He sure
doesn't look like much."

Hilda sighed. Why did Gene have to bring *him* up? His rejection
annoyed her. She wasn't mad, but she was called _Hot_ Ice Hilda for
good reason. It was a blow to her ego. Not a big one, but it was
something she was not used to. She'd have to get back at him for the
slight. Too bad, he was cute too...  Well, back to the subject at hand.

"He hides it well. To get ahead as a starship Capitan you have to be
able to judge people well. He may look like a damn idiot, but under all
that ridiculous behavior is one hell of a gunman," she stated.

"You sure?"

"You fast enough to dodge bullets?"

Gene blinked. "What? Of course not!"

"He dodged one of mine." Hilda smirked. "I was impressed."

Gene nodded. "Okay, he's an idiot who knows what he's doing. So, why
are we here?"

Hilda looked at Gene. "He's a very nice guy... too damn nice in fact.
Principles I can respect, but he is an idealist. He even refuses to
kill. In this business that can get very dangerous."

Gene nodded. "I get it, you need someone good with a few less
scruples."

"Basically."

"So, are you going to tell me what the hell we're doing?"

"Alright," replied Hilda, taking a sip of her drink. "We're going to
pick up a certain ship."

"A ship?"

Hilda nodded. "It's a special ship. A grappler ship that has enough
power to dive into the Ether Sargasso."

Gene scowled and his eyes narrowed. Hilda mentally noted this reaction.
"A grappler ship?"

"Yes. If you're planning to come along, you might think it over. Make
sure it is what you want, because it sounds like you're a bit of a
space hater."

Gene glared at her. "Just mind your own damn business."

The two were interrupted by a voice that just made Hilda groan. A short
bearded man and two target thugs approached her from behind. "Hilda!
Well, Hilda, did I just hear something about you needing people? I can
help you out if you do."

"McCoy, you bastard..." she snarled, and looked over to him. "Not a
chance. I'm looking for people with skill."

"We've got skills!" replied one of McCoy's lackeys.

"Hey now, we're talking about making money! Don't be greedy! All
Outlaws are partners after all!"

Hilda looked at him and deadpanned, "Partners?"

McCoy smiled and leaned over Hilda's shoulder. "You came here looking
for partners, right Hilda?"

McCoy placed his hand on her shoulder. Hilda scowled. She truly
detested the fat swine, and having his greasy, sweaty palm
mucking up her cloths was enough to seriously push her. Her eyes
narrowed and she grabbed her hand, twisting and squeezing with the full
strength of her artificial arm.

McCoy cried in pain as she abused his limb and flung him away, into a
table.

Standing up, McCoy drew a knife. "That does it."

Gene jumped from his seat and drew his own knife. "You want some,
Bastard?"

Hilda sighed. Young bucks, they were always hotheads. Hilda stood up
and motioned for Gene to stop with her hand.

Drawing her stun gun, she said, "Watch this."

McCoy and his two thugs stood before her, knives drawn. McCoy smirked.
"You want some?"

"We ain't gonna play nice just cause you're a woman," added one of the
thugs.

Hilda charged them, and quickly stunned all three in a blur of motion.
There was a moment's silence, and almost as one, they all fell to the
ground.

"Now turn tail and run. Next time I won't be so nice."

Over the cheers of the crowd, McCoy growled, "We'll remember this."

"Guys like that are outlaws too?" Gene asked.

Hilda smiled. "It's like it is with stars. You've got the bright ones
and the dim ones."

"What kind are you?"

Hilda smiled and turned her head to him. He'd do just nicely... "You
decide. Want to find out?"

-------------

Melfina smiled as she looked at the small stack of packages that Vash
was hold for her as they entered the hotel. She had a fun day shopping
with Jim and Vash. She might not be a real human, but they made her
feel like one, especially Vash.... Although now that she thought of it,
did he even know that she was a bio-android? She looked up toward him
with some hidden trepidation...

"Gene and Hilda are sharing a room?!" exclaimed Jim, snapping Melfina
out of her inner dialogue.

"Yes sir," repeated the clerk.

"Damn it! That scumbag didn't tell me he was gonna make a move on her!
How could she have okayed this? No, I bet he was seduced this time"

"Probably," added Vash, a flush making its way to his face.

"How would you..." Jim smirked and narrowed his eyes at Vash. "Do tell
me you and her..."

Vash blushed bright red. "Well, she offered but I said no..."

Jim blinked. "Why? She's hot..."

Vash shrunk down, futilely trying to hide behind the pile of boxes in
his arms. In a shy voice, he all but mumbled, "I... I don't believe in
casual sex. I think it should be something saved for someone
special..."

Jim blinked. "Strange."

Melfina blushed slightly. She thought the idea was sweet, but why did
it make her blush?

"Here's the key to you're room, sir," interrupted the clerk as he held
out the door key to Jim.

"Our room?"

"Yes," replied the clerk "Room 345. It's a twin occupancy."

"Ah, there are three of us," mentioned Vash.

"Yes, yes there are," stated the Clerk.

"Is there another room?" asked Vash.

"No," replied the clerk, "But the madam who made the reservations had a
message for a 'Vash the Stampede'."

"Oh? What did she say?"

The clerk shrugged. "She said, 'Enjoy the floor'."

Jim blinked. "What a bitch..."

--------------------

"Damn it Gene," muttered Jim, as Melfina too a shower in the
background. "There is a time and place for this."

"Jim, don't worry about it," said Vash with a smile on his face.

Jim looked up toward Vash. "What do you mean don't worry? Someone has
to, and he isn't going to."

"You're young, you shouldn't have to worry," Vash replied. "Worrying is
for adults, and you're still just a child."

"Hey!" exclaimed Jim, "I'm not a kid!"

Vash smiled and patted Jim on the back. "Don't worry, we can fix that!"

"Huh?"

Vash grabbed Jim in a headlock and said, "Enjoy your childhood when you
can or you'll grow up too fast and regret missing it!"

Jim slipped out of Vash's headlock. "And what, become an overgrown kid
like you?"

Vash grinned. "Hey, nothing wrong with that! At least you can have
fun!"

Jim smiled, and pounced on Vash, getting him in a tight arm lock. "Hey,
maybe you're right! This is fun!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Mercy! Mercy!" cried Vash.

The door to the bathroom opened and Melfina stepped. She looked at the
strange position they were in. Vash was face down on the floor with Jim
holding his left arm at a very painful looking angle.

"Vash? Are you okay."

"Just peachy! Jim, you can let go now! I think my arm's coming
loose..."

Jim blinked and gave the limb a test squeeze. Under the cloth of his
nightshirt, it was hard and cold, like metal. "You have a prosthetic?"

Vash smiled wearily. "Yeah..."

"Can I see it?" asked Jim.

"Only if you let go!"

Jim blinked and released him. "Deal."

Vash sighed, giving his sore limb a test stretch, then pulling up the
sleeve of his shirt. Vash's artificial limb was rather primitive. It
ended in a flash like hand, but the main body of the limb was made of
metal.

"Doesn't look like much, pretty primitive really," muttered Jim.

Vash smiled and shrugged. "It works."

"Guess so," muttered Jim.

There was a moment of silence, then Melfina spoke. "So, how do I look?"
she asked.

"Okay, I guess," muttered Jim.

"You look great!" replied Vash.

Jim slapped him up the back of the head. "You're drooling."

Melfina flushed slightly. "Thank you Vash."

Vash, who was still lying on the floor, smiled and cocked his head
slightly, moving in the perfect position for a peep up her skirt. He
got a blow to the head from Jim for his efforts.

"Don't even think about it..."

Melfina looked around the room. "So, I'm sleeping here tonight?"

"Yeah."

Melfina sat on one of the beds, and looked down at Vash. "Would you
like to sleep with me tonight?"

Vash blushed. "Thanks Melfina, but no thanks. I can take the floor!"

Mel blinked. "Are you sure?"

Vash nodded. "After two weeks in a box, the floor is a blessing."

Melfina's face dropped slightly. "Oh."

"What's wrong?"

Melfina smiled. "Talk about it tomorrow?"

Vash smiled. "Sure."


Author's despriate request: Can I get some C&C this time? Please, PLEASE,
send commentary! Thanks a lot...



             .---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
             | Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
             | Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
             |     Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject     |
             `---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'