|
Episode 14
"Final Countdown"
Gene has a "station job"--being a tugboat--and is bored. On the phone, Aisha says they should just enjoy it. Gene has Jim cut off the transmission. They see a giant advertising ship which advertises engagement rings and plays the theme song to Outlaw Star; they have to tug it into port. But they suddenly get grappled by the ad ship which changes its message to "Gotcha!" The Outlaw Star shuts down because of a virus. A message says, "Congratulations; you've been selected to go on a tour of heaven!" A cartoon mouse called "Crackerjack" comes on-screen. He explains there's a bomb on the ship, and they have a five-hour time limit to meet the demands. The "People's Liberation Front" wants independence for Heifong. If they try to dismantle the bomb, it will explode.
On the news in Heifong, the Viceroy says they can't give in to terrorists. Aisha asks who could be stupid enough to get in that situation and does a spit take upon finding it's Gene.
On the Outlaw Star, the grappler arms and oxygen systems still work; the rest doesn't. And even if the bomb doesn't go off, their new orbit will hit the station and blow it up! The station is evacuated and the PLF say everything's according to plan...
Suzuka says to help, she'll go ask the man behind the bomb how to disarm it. If the Outlaw Star hits, the whole planet will be in danger. The Viceroy wants to blow up the ship, but the PLF says it's loaded with radioactive material, so they can't. Gene will try to disarm the bomb with the grappler arms. It turns out, the ad ship is mostly hollow.
Suzuka and Aisha "ask" about the ship (rather violently). Gene finds a door to the ship--it says "No Entrance"...and it blows up, taking the right grappler arm with it! There's a new transmission--the PLF doesn't want the ship to blow up until the Viceroy gives in. Gene says he should just try to disarm the bomb; the PLF says to go ahead and try. Gene asks him to set up a jamming signal. He does, and the PLF loses its communication with the OLS. Melfina finds the part of the ad ship that sounds hollow; Gene uses the buzzsaw (on battery power) to open a door. They find the bomb. There's two wires going to the bomb; if they cut the wrong one, it will send a signal to the real one and blow them up, so there's a 50-50 chance. Jim laughs because when he's scared, stupid things seem funny. Melfina puts her hand on his shoulder and comforts him.
Gene tries to cut one wire but is interrupted by a laser signal from Aisha. Suzuka and Aisha had Fred Luo (well, demanded him to) tell them about the terrorists. The ad ship was a dummy from the pirates/a gang of robbers.
The Viceroy agrees to the demands--but the PLF isn't satisfied.
They're robbers; the bomb scare is a scam to empty the space station, so the robbers can take the jewels which are inside.
Gene figures the bomb's a dummy that'll blow up if they cut either wire--Gene thinks the real detonator is in the part that already blew up (they figured Gene wouldn't check there again).
The robbers try to get out of the station with their loot, but Suzuka and Aisha are in the doorway... They beat the bad guys except Crackerjack, who tries to run away. Crackerjack desperately offers them half his loot (trying to get out of the station); Aisha and Suzuka tell him not to worry about the ship heading for the station. Said ship crashes into the station. Gene jumps out and shoots Crackerjack's gun out of his hand, then sucker punches him in the jaw.
Episode 15
"The Seven Emerge"
Hazanko-sama and the Anten Seven are gathered to assassinate someone... Shimi was sent out to get the man who stole the XGP--that is, Gene Starwind. Gene's strong chi makes him a threat...
Jim complains that they're still in the red. The whole gang hangs around, Jim still complaining that they need to do something. Someone calls for Gene to come out. He does, and Shimi challenges him to a duel at a specified location, at noon tomorrow--and if he doesn't show, Shimi will kill Gene's friends. Gene challenges him right there. Shimi draws faster than him! The duel is set for the next day.
Gene waits for the duel, and plays Aisha's love-simulation game. Jim says he should prepare; Gene notes you can't prepare for a duel. He goes out for a drink. Gene gets propositioned, but says this is the first time he's ever felt like drinking alone--he thinks he might not live through the duel.
Gene meets a man named Leilong and drinks with him. Leilong's been through a lot of duels, he says.
Jim checks the OLS and sees that it hasn't been tampered with--maybe the dueler is going to fight fair. Aisha makes Ctarl-Ctarl stew; Jim wonders if humans can eat it and live.
Gene complains that someone will die in the duel. He goes home and lies down and tries to sleep; Melfina asks if he's okay. She touches his scar, and Gene tries to hold her. She pushes him back, and Gene gets mad and makes her cry. But he doesn't know why he exists (just as Melfina doesn't know why she was made)...
Gene dreams of getting shot in the duel. He gets up and eats breakfast, saying it may be the last egg he ever eats. Jim insists that's not funny. Aisha says if something happens to Gene she'll take care of things. Jim says they should win even if they have to fight dirty.
Gene goes to confront Shimi; Jim watches, hidden. They shoot, and Gene and Shimi both go down. Gene gets up (he only has a cracked rib) and holds his gun on the guy, who says he doesn't want to leave behind a pathetic-looking corpse. He blows himself up.
Leilong--or the real Shimi, by trade name, confronts Gene with a sword.Leilong has a really good wrist shield to deflect bullets, casters, etc. Gene aims a missile launcher at Leilong, with no effect. Gene throws Leilong on the ground and holds his gun to Leilong's face, but the guy pushes it away and punches and kicks Gene. He's about to kill Gene, but Jim points a gun at the guy, and Melfina shows up and tells Leilong to kill her first. Leilong says he couldn't kill Melfina, but he'll kill the others. Aisha and Suzuka show up too, and they all try to fight him. Aisha is taken down by explosives. Jim shoots at Leilong, and the guy knifes him. Suzuka gets mad and goes for him, but is taken down too. Melfina goes to Gene and puts her arms around him. Leilong agrees to a one-shot fight with Gene.
Gene is breathing hard, wounded. He lifts his gun unsteadily. They shoot and Gene goes down. He opens his eyes...Leilong is on the ground.
"I'm dying because of a dud gun. Talk about bad luck," he says. Gene thinks everyone who tried to save him has been killed, but they all wake up. Jim says that since Leilong didn't kill them, maybe he's a good guy. Suzuka blames her defeat on Aisha's Ctarl Ctarl stew. Hazanko complains about Shimi being worthless...
Cut to a cross; it moves, and Leilong complains that they buried him deep enough. Seeing everyone helping Gene had made him feel weird, and he decides maybe he'll be an Outlaw, too... |
