Outlaw Star Fan Fiction ❯ Revenge ❯ Chapter 9

Jim sat on his cot, leaning against the wall. There was nothing else to do but wait, and it was driving him nuts. All the room had was a cot, an overhead light, and a door. The door was locked, and there was no way to open it. So Jim sat there dwelling on his own unpleasant thoughts.

He jumped suddenly as the door opened. Harry entered the room carrying a stool, and set it in the middle of the room. He then left Jim alone.

Jim looked at the stool, but knew there was no chance of using it as a weapon. At least not with his arm injured. He walked cautiously to the door, and looked out curiously. Judging from the hallway, Jim knew he was on a ship, which meant he could be anywhere. He looked up and down the corridor, and boldly took a step out.

"Get back in that room," Harry barked, appearing in the hall.

Jim backed to the cot fearfully like a cornered, wounded animal. Harry entered the room with a tray and closed the door behind him. He laid the tray on the cot, and took a bowl of noodles and a beer for him self, leaving a second bowl of noodles and water for Jim.

"There's your food," Harry said, pointing to the tray, and sat on the stool. Ignoring Jim, he began to eat.

Jim looked at the noodles. Although he hadn't eaten in days, food had lost its appeal. The pain he suffered robbed him of an appetite, but Jim knew there was no guarantee as to when he would see food again. He couldn't hold the bowl with his arm injured, so he leaned over it, forcing himself to eat.

Jim glanced at Harry nervously while he was eating, then did a double-take, and a bewildered expression fell on his face.

"What?" Harry snapped.

Jim averted his eyes, and whispered, "Nothing." How was he supposed to ask Harry if he was a dead person?

Harry grumbled to himself and ignored Jim…until the boy looked at him again, and he growled, "What?!"

"No-nothing. I was just wondering who you were," Jim stammered.

Harry frowned, and asked, "Why would you care?" He continued eating his food.

Jim blinked in surprise, and tried to answer the question for himself. When he thought about it, the identity of the violet-eyed, blue-haired person across from him mattered little. Whether the man was Harry MacDougall or not had no effect on Jim's future. He was dead either way. He had been in the dark about more important things most of his life anyway, so not knowing this man's name really shouldn't have bothered him…but that didn't mean he wasn't disturbed by his own ignorance.

"Guess you're right," Jim whispered, almost too low to hear. "Your name is the least of my worries."

Harry lifted his head to look at Jim, surprised that he had spoken. Most would not have even heard him, but Harry had been taught how to listen to low voices. Jim sat there looking ready to die. Harry couldn't blame him. He knew the boy would in the end be tortured to death. He took pity on Jim and said, "I'm Harry MacDougall."

Shocked that he had answered, Jim looked up at Harry. Then a more puzzling question came to his lips. Before Jim could ask it, Harry supplied the answer in a tired voice.

"I know, I know. I'm supposed to be dead. My memory was on the ship's computer, and all Ron did was get it transferred to a new body." Harry picked up the beer and looked at it with a soul-weary expression. He took a swig of it, and asked, "So, does that make you more or less confused?"

Jim thought a moment and answered truthfully, "I don't know."

Harry laughed bitterly and stood. "I don't know my answer to that question either." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pill bottle, matched the arrows and opened it. He poured out two pills and offered them to Jim, who held out his hand and watched the pills fall into it. He looked at the pills cautiously, then at Harry.

"Trust me, in an hour you'll be glad you took them," Harry remarked.

Jim swallowed the painkillers dry. "Thanks," he said, somewhat confused by the gesture.

Harry looked down at Jim, and stared transfixed at blue eyes. Shocked at himself, Harry shook himself free.

_*_*_*

Harry punched the wall in frustration. He felt almost dirty, because of the way he had looked at Jim minutes before. He shouldn't look at anyone, except Ron, like that. Ron had given Harry everything: life, love, a home and bed, and even a new body. Ron was more than a brother or even a lover to Harry; he was a god. And Harry loved Ron, even if he had changed. He still saw the man that nursed him when he was ill; let him be free to make decisions even if Ron didn't necessarily approve. He remembered the man that loved him like both a brother and a lover.

Harry had shut his eyes long ago to the new Ron, forged in the fires of hatred and revenge, the same Ron that locked Harry in the ship, and no longer treated him human.

"Harry." Ron's cold voice sent a shiver down Harry's spine.

Harry spun around to see Ron. Before he could return the greeting, Ron gave a sharp order. "Get us out of here. Then meet me in my room."

Obediently, Harry left to go to the cockpit, but turned once to look at Ron sadly.

_*_*_*

After the ship finished an ether jump to nowhere Harry entered the room which only yesterday had belonged to both of them, but was now apparently only Ron's.

"Come here, Harry," Ron called from in front of a computer. Harry walked over to him, and Ron pulled him into his lap. "Watch."

Harry watched the monitor as it replayed the "conversation" Ron and Gene had had. It played Gene screaming and pointing his gun. Suddenly a third party appeared, trying to hold Gene down.

Ron froze the image. "Do you recognize that man?" he asked, pointing to Fred.

Harry studied the frozen image on the screen, and shook his head. "I recognize the face, but I don't know who he is."

"He is Fred Lou, the head of the largest weapons distributor in the known galaxy," Ron explained, changing the image to a profile of Fred. "He inherited his family's business nine years ago and since then has expanded it to its immense size. He has money and power, two dangerous things…and he has a history with Starwind.

"It has never been a secret as to Lou's sexuality; the man's very open about it. And he has harbored a crush on Starwind for years. He has lent Starwind more money than can be counted, and would do almost anything for his unrequited love."

"What are you getting at?" Harry asked.

Smiling mirthlessly, Ron answered, "The Lou Company has developed a large information network in the past few years, only surpassed by those owned by major governments and pirates."

Ron paused, then continued, "I ran into one of his informants tonight, looking for me." He brushed his lips against Harry's ear and whispered, "It seems to me Mr. Lou has stuck his neck out too far for Starwind. You know what that means, don't you?"

Harry sighed. "He must be eliminated."