▁a ▁short ▁time . ▁As ▁new ▁colon ies ▁were ▁formed ▁throughout ▁the ▁vast ▁reaches ▁of ▁outer ▁space , ▁pir ates , ▁assass ins , ▁and ▁out la ws ▁began ▁to ▁threaten ▁human ity ' s ▁new ▁front ier . ▁To ▁create ▁order , ▁the ▁Earth ▁Federation ▁established ▁four ▁emp ires : ▁USS A , ▁Ein horn , ▁Pi otr , ▁and ▁Ten pa . ▁However , ▁internal ▁power ▁strugg les ▁within ▁the ▁fa ctions ▁and ▁conflicts ▁amongst ▁one ▁another ▁become ▁abund ant , ▁leading ▁to ▁in ev itable ▁law less ness . ▁The ▁story line ▁starts ▁shortly ▁after ▁an ▁inf am ous ▁out law ▁named ▁" Hot ▁Ice " ▁H ilda ▁fle es ▁from ▁the ▁Ke i ▁Pir ates , ▁a ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁T in ' Pa . ▁H ilda ▁has ▁st olen ▁from ▁them ▁a ▁highly - ad vanced ▁prototype ▁ship ▁dub bed ▁the ▁X GP 1 5 A - II ▁and ▁a ▁suit case ▁containing ▁a ▁bio - android ▁called ▁M elf ina , ▁the ▁only ▁being ▁capable ▁of ▁inter f acing ▁with ▁the ▁ship . ▁ ▁Out law ▁Star ▁opens ▁on ▁the ▁back water ▁planet ▁S entin el ▁III , ▁on ▁which ▁the ▁protagon ist ▁Gene ▁Star wind ▁and ▁his ▁ 1 1 - year - old ▁business ▁associate ▁James ▁" J im " ▁Haw king ▁run ▁a ▁small ▁jack - of - all - tr ades ▁business . ▁After ▁the ▁two ▁take ▁a ▁job ▁as ▁body gu ards ▁for ▁a ▁dis gu ised ▁H ilda ▁and ▁eng age