JIM HAWKING

Gene's eleven-year-old business partner is the person most likely to remember that fuel, repairs and ammunition actually cost money. Jim is a gifted computer specialist, mechanic and strategist who often behaves more like the responsible adult of Starwind and Hawking Enterprises than Gene does. He worries, plans and complains because somebody has to, but his caution never stops him from following Gene into increasingly ridiculous danger. Jim also forms some of the crew's warmest relationships, especially with Melfina and the endlessly exasperating Aisha. His brief friendship with Hanmyo shows a gentler side that the constant jobs and firefights rarely leave room for. Outlaw Star treats Jim as a real partner rather than a mascot, and the crew would fall apart quickly without him.