Outlaw Star Fan Fiction ❯ Hearts Less Lonely ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Outlaw Star; I'm just a raving fan trying to work off excess creativity.

End to Dreams

By RosieBird

Chapter 2

"Harry McDougall!" Gene shouted.

"Hello Gene Starwind," Harry's smug smile flickered from the screen, "I've come for my Melfina."

"You keep your slimy, cyber hands off her!" Gene snarled at the screen.

Harry McDougall just laughed and Gene reached for the screen. Imara, fueled by Gene's sudden emotional surge, flung her arms around him to hold him back. Gene was surprised at how strong she was.

"If you break the screen, we'll lose Melfina!" she hissed and shoved Gene into an empty chair. She then turned her attention to the laughing face of Harry McDougall.

"My name is Dr. Imara Chatrelle," she said, sweating from the effort she used to push Gene's rage out of her mind and body, "Melfina is under my care and I must ask that you download yourself out of her system."

Harry stopped laughing, and regarded the creature speaking to him with cold, ugly eyes.

"No one tells Harry McDougall what to do, bitch!" he spat. The screen went blank and there was only the sound of the rapid chirping of the monitors.

"Do you think he left?" Imara asked.

"No, he's still there," Gene said through gritted teeth, "He won't leave until he gets what he wants."

"Who is he?" Imara asked, sitting down at the now blank machine.

Gene regarded her through ocean blue eyes.

"You might call him my competitor," Gene said finally, "In everything."

Melfina sat in her room, her arms wrapped tightly around her body.

"Why aren't you happy to see me?" Harry asked her, his voice sounding genuinely hurt, "I told you I would never let you be lonely again, don't you remember?"

"I'm not lonely!" Melfina cried, "I'm with Gene and he loves me!"

If Harry was angered by this proclamation, it was only visible by the sudden widening of his eyes, but soon she smiled at her.

"You think he really loves you? My God, I feel so sorry for you," Harry said, his voice taking on an oily hint.

Melfina tried to block out his voice, but he was everywhere and his words seemed to come from her very self.

"He doesn't love you." Harry was saying, "You're only a toy to him. You were used at the Leyline so Gene could get the treasure. He's no better than the Kei Pirates or Professor Kahn."

"Isn't that what you wanted me for!" she snapped at him, her brown eyes looking uncharacteristically hostile.

"Never," Harry said, "That's what my brother wanted you for. I told him over and over that I could navigate the way as well as you, but it took your Captain Starwind's attack on me to make the programming necessary."

Melfina felt torn in a hundred directions. One way showed Harry as the sadistic, wild-eyed man who had attacked her. Another way, she saw his warm smile and friendly extension of his hand. What was this man really like?

"You attacked me that day on Heiphong," Melfina said accusingly, "You hit me and tried to break into the Outlaw Star!"

"The part about breaking into the Outlaw Star was a job," Harry said smoothly, "As for my attack on you, I can only apologize and hope you'll forgive me. I was confused and I lost my temper. But what could you expect from me. The mere mention of that bastard Gene Starwind and I lose control. I can't stand to think that, with the way he treats you, that you can believe he loves you, Melfina."

"He does love me!" she cried again, "He and I are married and we'll be together for the rest of our lives!"

"Oh, Melfina," Harry said softly and the sudden pity in his voice startled her enough to make her look at him. He stared at her with sympathy and sorrow.

"How can you be together forever? You're not human."

Melfina opened her mouth to speak, but the reality of what Harry was saying stopped her.

"You remember how I told you that I was born a construct," Harry said, "That I never had any human parents. If it hadn't been for my brother and all my friends, I would have been lonely. Then I see you, so apart from everyone around you, I couldn't help but try and spare you that."

Melfina was silent, but Harry could tell she was thinking about what he said.

"I'm the only one who understands you, Melfina," Harry said, "I'm like you, except that I refuse to let someone walk all over me because I'm not like them."

Melfina sat, staring blankly ahead, tears welling in her eyes. She felt Harry sit down beside her and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Could a man who claims to love you, but you through such agony and torment? Could a man who loves you drag you across the stars to live like a peasant, when you deserve to be a queen?"

Melfina felt as though her mind was fogging over. A small voice in her mind screamed to her to fight and push this man away, but it grew steadily fainter.

"I never told you what I was going to wish for at the Leyline, Melfina," Harry whispered, "I was going to wish that you would be mine forever.

"There's nothing the Leyline could give me. All I want is for you to return with me."

Tears trickled down Melfina's cheeks.

"Oh, no," Harry said, his warm breath in her ear, "I made you cry again. Melfina, do you remember what you wished for?"

Melfina turned to look at him.

"I wanted to stay who I am. I wanted to be with you forever Harry!"

"That's what I want to," he smiled and bent his head to kiss her. At the meeting of their lips, Melfina Starwind vanished, and Melfina McDougall was embraced in Harry's arms.

"We need to try and isolate where Harry is," Imara said, clicking away at the computer, "If what you say is true, about his desire to possess Melfina, then it's very likely that he's found away to download his personality and memory into her, so that he can reprogram her memory. Gene?"

Gene sat beside Melfina, holding her hand in his. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so helpless, except for when, as a child, he had watched his father's ship explode and had been incapable of getting to him. That had been the fault of a McDougall as well.

"Gene?" Imara's voice seemed far away, "I can't concentrate if you're going to depress yourself like that."

"Oh, sorry," Gene said. He walked over to her and peered over her shoulder, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to use Virtual Technology to try and go inside Melfina's mind," Imara said, "From what you've told me, Harry sounds as though he would try and get to Melfina at the very heart of her being."

"She told me once that when she climbed into the Outlaw Star's navigational cylinder to escape Harry," Gene said, "she fled to a room where she would be safe. It didn't work really, but there was some sort of protection around it that forced Harry to leave."

"If that's the case, then she would be safe," Imara agreed, "But in her weakened state and, add to the fact that Harry has been reprogramming her memory, she probably won't force him to leave. Okay."

With a finally keystroke, Imara pulled a visor band from her coat and placed them over her eyes.

"Doctor, wouldn't it be better if I did this?" Gene said, trying to hide his obvious wish to do so.

"No," Imara said, sensing exactly what he was trying to do, "I know exactly what I'm looking for and what to do. Once in virtual space, it's a cut off from all outside activity and I wouldn't be able to feed you any instructions. Just stay here. If things start looking a little dicey, just pull this cord." She indicated a thin, gray cord extending from the monitor.

"Okay, stand by," she said, "Ready to initiate access. Password is 62531."

There was a rapid beeping and the monitor clicked on. The visor began to glow a soft red hue and Imara appeared on the monitor screen.

"Gene," Imara spoke from both the screen and from the chair where she sat, "You'll be able to watch the activities on here, but if you break my machine, I'll break you ass."

Gene chuckled and nodded, knowing that she couldn't hear him. He watched as Imara walked through the vast space of virtual reality.

Imara put her catlike instincts to work, knowing that she would be unable to rely on her abilities as a telempath in this case. In many ways, she liked going into virtual reality. She felt like a normal woman here and could walk through a space of emotional vacancy. She passed a few other people, who were using a virtual connection to access cyberspace, but she did not differ. Eventually, the other inhabitants vanished and she came to a small door.

"This must be the entrance to Melfina's memory," Imara thought.

The door opened and Imara stared around her. She was in an open meadow, springtime in full bloom.

"Well, this is rather pleasant," she said aloud, "Definitely one of the more colorful databases I've entered."

She walked through the meadow, looking around at the flowers and trees. The sudden sound of laughter caught her attention and she glanced off to her right to see a rather luxurious house that looked very out of place in such a simple meadow. She made her way towards the house and saw a young woman, dressed in an ethereal gown of blue running across the yard. She was being chased by a young man with long hair, tied back by a bow, and dressed in a black body suit, trimmed with red.

"Ah, enter Harry McDougall," she said softly, "No doubt taking advantage of the memory reprogram to upgrade his clothes a bit."

"Harry, you stop it now!" Melfina giggled, "I already promised Suzuka that I wouldn't tell."

"Aw, Melfina," Harry playfully whined, "Can't you give me a hint?"

"Nope, sorry," she smiled.

"You are being foolish," Harry said, in a would-be German voice, "Ve have vays of making you talk."

Melfina crossed her arms. Harry rushed at her and pinned her beneath him, tickling her mercilessly. Melfina screamed with laughter, although Imara seemed to hear faintly the terrified scream of a woman in the clutches of a monster.

"Give up yet," Harry said.

"Never!"

To Imara's horrified surprise, Harry did not continue to tickle her, but slapped a hand across her face, drawing blood.

"Talk now!" he shouted at her, squeezing her arms roughly.

Melfina continued to laugh and smile at him.

"Do your worst," she giggled.

Imara watched at Harry continued to pummel her, all the while watching Melfina laugh. She stood, frozen with horror, hearing the tortured screams grow louder until it was the only sound to be heard.

"That's enough!" Imara shouted, suddenly waking up. The meadow disappeared and she found herself in a soft, pastel-colored room. Harry crouched over Melfina, arm bent to strike again and Melfina, breathing hard, wiping bloody tears from her eyes.

"Why did you stop, my love?" she asked, seemingly unaware of the bruises blossoming on her face, "We were having such fun."

"We've been interrupted, angel," Harry said coldly and turned to look at Imara, his eyes maniacally wide.

"You've got some nerve interrupting a very intimate moment between me and my wife," he snarled.

"I think even the Marquee DeSade would be sickened by your idea of intimacy, Harry McDougall," Imara hissed and bared her claws.

"I didn't hear her complaining."

"But I did," Imara growled, "Because the real Melfina, whatever you've done with her, was screaming in absolute agony just now."

"Harry, who is this person?" Melfina asked.

"Just some stray cat," Harry said.

"Release her, Harry," Imara said, "You have no claim on her and you have no right to invade her like this."

"You'd know about invasion, wouldn't you?" Harry smirked, "You, who can invade other people's emotions and use them to your own designs."

"What I am is what I am," Imara said calmly, "I cannot change who I am. You on the other hand, are quite capable of willingly toying with emotions."

Harry was silent.

"Melfina," Imara turned her attention to the woman beside him, "Come back with me so we can make you feel better. We can get rid of this creature and get you back to your husband."

"I am with my husband," Melfina said, "I have had no other husband, only a disgusting excuse for a lover who used me as a toy. But Harry rescued me from him and he keeps me safe."

"That's not true, Melfina," Imara said pleadingly, "He's the one who's using you. Come back with me. Don't you remember Gene Starwind?"

"I will not let you mention that name to me!" Melfina and Harry shouted together.

Melfina struck Imara across the face and Imara felt the surge of raw emotional data flood into her body. Whatever Harry McDougall had done to Melfina, he had removed all the barriers that prevented constructs' emotions from being easily read. Wave after wave of emotions threatened to suffocate Imara and she faintly saw Harry come toward her, his hand raised in a fist when she was gone. Harry looked back at Melfina, smiling fondly.

"Well done, Melfina," Harry cooed, wrapping his arms around her body and kissing her neck and shoulders, "You've drowned the little kitty cat. We'll never have to hear the name of Gene Starwind again."

"Imara! Imara, please wake up!" Gene was shouting, shaking her shoulders.

Gene had watched the activities on the monitor in stricken horror. He wanted nothing more now than to strangle Harry McDougall, not only for intruding into Melfina's mind, but also for his attack on Imara. He had pulled the cord free when Imara had been attacked. She looked as though she had been suffocating. She had fallen to the floor and Gene bent over her, feeling for a pulse. She was not breathing and Gene quickly gave her mouth- to-mouth resuscitation.

"Come on," he said between breaths, "Come on, breathe!"

Suddenly, Imara began to cough and gasp for breath.

"Oh, thank God," Gene gasped, "Imara, are you okay?"

"I think so," she said, her voice very soft. She started to sit up, but she held her down.

"No, don't try to move yet," he said firmly. He stared down at her, checking over her for any place she might be hurt.

"You've taken first aid," she said, her voice once again a soft purr, "I'm impressed."

She reached up to stroke his face and Gene as though he were watching the whole scene from a theater seat. Gene caught Imara's lips with his own, kissing her passionately. He stroked her tongue with his and ran his fingers through her red hair. Imara wrapped her arms around his back. Gene moved his mouth down her throat and to her chest, the scent of wild honey and thyme on her skin. She moved her fingers deftly under his shirt and across his chest. Gene pulled her body suit down, freeing her breasts with were covered by red silk. He kissed frantically at her skin, as Imara moved her hands south, running her fingers across his hard abs, moving slowly downward. Suddenly, both Gene and Imara stopped and stared at each other.

"What are we doing?" Imara whispered, her voice alarmed at their behavior, "What happened? I remember Melfina and Harry attacking me and then I blacked out."

Gene sat up straight, putting distance between them. In a sudden wave of cold shame, he realized what he had done. The shame was replaced by blazing anger at Harry McDougall for starting it.

"You weren't breathing, so I had to give you," he trailed off, glancing up quickly to look into Imara's eyes.

"I see," she said calmly, readjusting her body suit, "Between Melfina's attack of emotions and then touching you in turn, well, it's no wonder it happened."

"I'm glad you're so calm about this," Gene said, "I feel awful for taking advantage of you like that."

"But you weren't," Imara said, "Because I wasn't there. Truthfully, you were with Melfina just now. Her emotions overwhelmed me and knocked me out. Something tells me that Harry McDougall had that planned."

"I'm sorry," Gene said.

"No," Imara snapped, "It's Harry McDougall that should be sorry. He's made it impossible for anyone to reach Melfina now. There's nothing I can do. If I try to go again, then Harry will pull the same attack, which could very well kill Melfina."

"Dammit, I won't lose her!" Gene shouted, "She's all I have left. She is my family."

"I would send you in, but there are too many unexpected factors that could come up. And there's no way to guide you through it from out here."

"Then perhaps someone should guide from the inside," said an elderly voice.

Gene and Imara looked around for the source.

"Who's there?" Imara asked, "Show yourself!"

"Yes, yes," the voice said, "Imara Chatrelle, such a pleasure to see you again. Such a pleasure, yes indeed. Of course I'll show myself."

The monitor clicked on and an elderly gentleman, with dark hair and glasses waved cheerfully from the screen.

"Captain Starwind," Gwen Kahn said, "It's been a long time, a long time. Well, you seem to be having a trying ordeal with young Harry McDougall. Yes, yes, very trying. Well, I can guide you from the inside. Yes, yes, I am data and data is needed."

One more chapter left! Congratulate me, this may be the first multipart story I have ever successfully finished! Well, final part is coming soon. Don't forget to R&R!

Stay cool minna-chan! From here on in, this will be fun!