DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Biker Mice From Mars, and I make NO money from this. This is just made by a fan, for other fans. In respect of the show. ... BUT, - I do own The Survivor's Log story-line, and it's characters! Please respect that! Feel free to ask permission to use them. just ask first. :)
Thanks! .. To; Jake Crepeau, for letting me in and sharing her ideas of Martian culture, and helping me sort my own,(either she know she does that, or not;), - Thanx sis!.
NOTE; This story takes place by the end of the last fiction in the "Brotherhood Trilogy" - "For The Love Of A Brother". More precise before the last scene, and directly after Harley reached the escaped Ff.'s and they returned to base. Happy reading! - And please tell me what you think!

"Hey! Wake up sleepy!!!!!"
"....Uuuuuuggnnn...uuuhhuh? ...." Paul rubbed his eyes and looked questioning at Amber.
"Surf's up dude!!!" The Martian girl laughed and threw a pair of jeans in his face and started to investigate his room further.
Paul sat up and blinked, trying to figure out what was happening. Then he woke up.
"HEY!! What are ya doing in MY ROOM???!!" The human boy glared at Amber, who was busy looking through the small cupboard by the opposite wall.
"Hey! Get away from my stuff mouse!!!" Paul grabbed the jeans Amber earlier had thrown at him, jumped inside, and rushed out of bed.
"What???!" Amber grinned angel-like. "... you did it in my room!!!!" She giggled and continued to search through the boxes and the cupboard, while Paul tried to stop her.
Amber pulled out some papers from a small bow, lying in the cupboard.
"Wow.. who's that?" She eyed the photography curiously.
"Gimmie that! It's my dad!" Paul snatched after the card.
"Your... oh!" Amber looked at the blond man in the photograph. He was standing on some beach, clad in a red T-shirt and a white baseball cap. Shelly and Paul were with him, and he held them around their shoulders as they laughed. The Martian girl handed the card over to Paul. He glared at her.
"Uhmm.. sorry." Amber looked regretting. "You miss him much, eh?"
Paul didn't answer, just continued to dress himself.
"I.. Uhm... I missed my dad, when he was captured... " Amber began. ".. Even though I only was just a few years then..." She sighed.
"Yeah. But as the telepathic-race you mice are, I suppose it's not so strange." Paul said as a matter of fact as he tried to find his other sneaker.
"How do you mean?"
"I heard.. uuhhgn..." Paul stretched under his bead after the shoe. ".. Your mom say something about.. uuh, touching antennas during pregnancy, and with small child's, can create bonds.. or something..." He brushed off his jeans, and made a mental note that he'd probably had to obey his mom and clean his little room, sooner or later.
"Yeah.. I think that's right. Don't know really.. I'm not so good at the 'telepathic-thingie'.." Amber smirked.
Paul sighed and sat on the bed, trying to tie his laces.
".. Yeah... I miss him...."
Amber sat down silently beside him.
"Mom and dad weren't getting along so well in the end.. but I knew they loved each other.. And that he loved us... His work just forced him to go on trips and work late often.. But it could be worse..."
Amber laid an arm over his shoulders.
"I remember mom used to tell us stories about Martian mice..." Paul grinned. ".. dad always thought they were silly... "
Amber smiled.
"You liked 'em?"
"You bet. I LOVED them." Paul smiled wide, and the girl laughed.
"Forgive me for digging around in your stuff?" Amber said looking guilty as she smiled angel-like.
Paul smiled and glared at her.
"Weeeeeeeell............ okay."
Paul looked at the photograph.
"I miss him. But I will always do that. Guess it has stopped to hurt intense.. maybe because I got mum back, that we didn't loose her.."
"War has a strange influence on ya for sure." Amber commented absently and watched the man on the photo.
"Yeah."
They stood there a moment. Then Paul jerked up, and looked tricky at the Martian girl.
"Hey! What are we doing here?.. I say we go find sis and maybe have some... fun."
Amber lightened up and grinned. They rushed out the door.

"Ooooh, my sweeeety!. He's soo cute!" Bordeaux smiled and leaned on the end of Throttle's bed. Vinnie looked up from his comic.
"Hey, what about ME?" He grinned. She answered with a sly smile.
"Yeah, what about you? .... "
Vincent stood up, and eyed the woman on the other side of Throttle's bed.
"...." Vincent hardly got the time to open his mouth as Terrance was in-between.
"WHAT are you two doing! He needs REST, and that is always far away from you two, so OUT!" Bordeaux and Vinnie looked at the irritated scientist and doctor surprised.
"I said. OUT! OOOOOOOOOOOOUUUT!"
"Seeesh!" Vinnie said. "Cool it Doc, we won't disturb anyo..."
"OOOOOUUUT!!!" Terrance glared daggers at them, and shoved them towards the door.
"Go and do some use, like getting more bandages and medicines from the cellar!!"
He threw them out the door, and closed it with a slam.
"Geee.." Vinnie started and looked at the closed door. "Nothing as easy raged as a rat with the Plague,... "
"...Or an over worked Scientist and Doc... " Bordeaux finished. They grinned at each other.
"Race ya to the cellar, hunk!"
"Wa..haha!" Vinnie rushed after the red female down the corridor.

"Damn!" Terrance growled to himself as he with shaky hands tried to find a certain box of pills against fever.
"Problems?"
Terrance eyed the Martian teenager and cursed again under his breath. Then he sighed, and stopped.
"I haven't slept for 27 hours.... And we are short on staff skilled enough to take care of the wounded... "He massaged his temples.
"Hmmm... hard." Rex watches how the almost black mouse sighs again, and grabs the box, and trots back to his duties.
"Hard. Haaaard...." Rex winches as he walks out from the medical department, trying to lay as little weight on his wounded thigh as possible.
The young leader sighs and leans against the wall in the outside corridor. He eyes Shelly's fast bandage on the wound.
.. Won't be good for so much longer. Better find someone who can put a real one on, if I want to have a whole thigh till next summer festival... He smirks to himself, and remembers someone.

..... One paper, two papers. One lost, many losses......
Carbine's eyes followed Strain's hands as he carefully looked through, and sorted the papers on the office desk he sat by.
"How... How can you stand it? ... "
Strain looked up at Carbine, a bit questioning. She hugged herself and absently let her eyes wander over the walls. After a while they ended up on the papers again.
"Each paper... is a dead...." Carbine's voice trailed off.
"Sorting the lost soldiers files are a standard procedure General." Strain returned to his sorting.
Carbine walked nervously around the little General's office.
"But... we knew them. Terry... and that white haired man.... too young..... But....." She paused and sighed. "Now they're just a piece of paper, on our desk."
Strain eyed the strangely behaving female.
"Maybe. They died for Mars. We should remember them and honor them by not giving in."
He continued to look through the papers and photos like it was any routine job, scribbling down some notes now and then.
Carbine continued to watch the empty wall.
.... Meaningless so seemingly meaningless..... She sighed as memories of lost friends and hard battles flashed in front of her eyes. .... aaa... ooowwww.... The world faded.
"You've been working hard General, you should try and consider some sleep. I'll do this if it feels bad for you Car...." Strain turned to look at his female Commander, and his muscles tensed a glimpse of a second as he realized what was about to happen.
The cream-hazel brown male threw himself forward, almost hitting the desk over, to catch the falling woman and prevent her from hitting her head on the floor. Carbine fell limp into Strains waiting arms. He put down a knee to regain his balance and eyed his partner half-lying in his arms, half sprawled on the floor.
... Over worked? No, more like stubbornly convinced that you can stand without sleep..... He thought ironically, and shoved Carbine up into his arms.
Strain walked grumbling out of the office.
" ... Grblmlgrblm... stubborn....mrlmlmn.... women...grglblm...grblm... "

"Hey, C'mon Monie! Just this night!"
"Shhh! You're such a nutbrain Jape! And my name is NOT 'Monie', - it's MONSOON!"
The light gray Martian female hushed to the gray-brown male, and gave him a glare. He chuckled and eased his position of leaning against the wall. Not taking his eye of her, Jape pushed nonchalantly back his Military cap, and put down his rifle on the floor.
"Oooo... Private Monsoon is scared to bump into "Strainy" while standing just a little off guard...!"
Monsoon gave him a glare from the corner of her eye, not moving a muscle in her perfect military stand on post outside the door leading to the inner rooms of the Military base.
"... Aaawww... Monie.... Would a kiss hurt THAT much?.... Like it's an EXTREME chance a Plutarkians pops his ugly head around a corner down the hall... Yeesh!" He snickered. "And besides, General "stone face" Strain can't see EVERYTHING! .... " Jape snickered again.
"You... " Monsoon growled, but suddenly stopped, and stood frozen in strait attention.
"Huh?..." Jape looked lazily at her, then down the hall, and almost choked on his own air by the sight of Strain standing there, looking irritated but not too surprised in the middle of the hall, just about 20 feet away.
Strain smirked ironically at the young male as he stumbled over his rifle in an attempt to do a correct salute.
The two soldiers watched their General walk slowly towards them, and realizing that their OTHER and highest commander was hanging limp over his shoulder. Strain stopped infant of the door, and gave the light gray female a look and a nod, then he gave the dusty brown male an eye. Strain watched how the young Martian swallowed and stood tensed. The general raised an eyebrow, and leaned closer.
"If Jape "- Baloney Bravado Nutbrain" would care to understand that a no is a no, and that this is no play... he might spare himself many toilet-scrubbing nights."
With Carbine hanging fainted over one shoulder, Strain opened the door with pressing his hand against a plate, and entered. The door closed with minimum sound.
Monsoons giggled as Jape breathed out in shock and leaned against the wall for support.


The cream-brown male sighed and shook his head, and opened another door to walk inside the little room.
green walls, a bed and a desk flooded with paper, and a wardrobe in a corner. over the stool by the bed, hung an extra gun together with a helmet. Strain sighed once again, and gently eased Carbine down on the bed.
He put his hand on his hips and looked down on her.
... Stubborn as a... a... Strain gave an ironic chuckle when he couldn't come up with anything to match.
He walked over to a chest in the other corner and pulled out a blanket, and carefully draping it over the knocked out woman. He watched her for a minute, then gently pulling a strand of hair out of her face with a finger. He put his hands in his pockets, then turned to leave.
Strain suddenly stopped, and he watched the green wall in the light of carbine's small lamp, that spread a warm orange light around the room. The Martian general stood as hypnotized and watched the wall and the orange light. Orange... yellow... red... warm... fire.. flames...
Strain blinked as the light twisted and turned infant of his eyes, until shadows of flames danced over the green wall. He turned slowly, letting his eyes sweep over the small quarter. Flames in the roof, flames on the floor. He backed up against the wall. No fear, no feelings, not yet. Strain looked over at Carbine, laying unmoving, breathing calm on the bed. Carbine? No. Strain's eyes widened as the woman in the bed no longer had dusty fur, but honey colored. Her eyes staring into the ceiling with an empty stare. A string of dried blood coming from her right nostril. Strain's heart went berserk.
"Uuuhm..uh...."
The cream colored male blinked as the whole illusion faded as Carbine moaned and turned in the bed.
"Oh.. God... Oh... damn..." Strain whispered and leaned against the still closed door to regain his breath. Then his face froze and he shook his head, and exited The female General's room.

"There."
Rex eyed his thigh and tried to move it slowly. He nodded.
"Mhum. Much better. Thanks Doc."
... Will he ever stop calling me that? .... Ludwig Shaddack sighed but smiled as he closed his little bag.
The street teen stood up, testing to lay some weight on the new wrapped leg.
"The bandage should hold a day or two. If you don't climb around TOO much that is..." The human boy gave him an ironic look.
"Yeah, whatever." Rex chuckled.
Ludwig grabbed his laptop on the table, where he'd working with some music before the young leader had arrived and demanded his help. He was about to say Rex another thing, when he spotted someone in the door.
"Uhm.. maybe I should get over to Terrance as you said Rex......"
Rex gave him a questioning look as the human boy hurriedly grabbed his things and walked out the opposite door, not without giving Rex another ironic look, this one saying; "good luck, you might need it."
"Huh?" Rex looked after the young scientist a little confused at first. Then he noticed that someone had entered the room. He turned.
"Hi."
Rex eyed Shelly surprised. She was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a red velvet looking shirt, and her hair was in a low sitting ponytail. The human girl leaned herself against a table, arms folded.
"Uhm. Hi."
Shelly couldn't help but smirk at the young leader's face showing that he was totally lost.
She walked as boldly as she managed up to him, grabbed his cheeks, and gave him a kiss.
"!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?"
"There. That's HALF of the agreement, right?"
"??????????????"
"Right."
She grabbed his arm, and walked out the door.
"Yikes!" Shelly's pull in his arm made the still shocked Rex spin around and stumble after her.
She could feel her cheeks getting warm as she dragged him down the corridor.
.. Oh no! I'm NOT letting the street idiot win!... Shelly briskly told herself. .. I'm gonna get this done!.. .. Oh lord.... ... She almost giggled due to both the embarrassment and the stupidity of the matter.


" .. as I was saying... " Charley stopped surprised when Shelly came dragging Rex behind her, in the crossing corridor.
"Uhm. Hi mom."
".. eh.. .... Good day Mrs. Davidson... ..uh..." Rex gave a sheepish smile, and tried to get his balance right as she dragged him onwards.
Charley looked after them still surprised.
"Well, waddya know.." Paul peeked around the corner where Shelly and Rex had disappeared.
"... seems like she's about to pay her lil' depth.... .. " Amber looked at Paul. They both grinned.
Charley eyed her son and Amber.
"Okay. NOW what?"
"What?"
The two kids looked totally innocent up at Charley.
She answered by looking defeated up to the ceiling.
"Aw man, I need a nap!" Charley smiled and opened the door to her quarters.
Paul and Amber trotted down the other corridor.

Ludwig Shaddack looked inside the medical department. Stressed to the limit mice, were running to and fro with food and bandages. A wounded or ill Martian took every bed in the ward.
Sanri was there, along with all personal available. Still there were at least eight Martians in need of help on each nurse. Ludwig did his best to stay out of the way from the stressed workers while he searched for Terrance. After fifteen minutes he gave up searching in the chaos.
"Uhm... Miss, ... do you know where...? ....... .... Apparently not. Hm." The human boy sighed after the occupied nurse hurrying by him. Then he spotted another nurse, standing unloading some small bottles of germicidal fluids from a box. He walked up to her.
"Excuse me Miss.. Do you know where Mr. Terrance are?"
The nurse looked up confused.
"Hm? What?"
".. Well.. I was wonderi.."
"Oh. Terrance. He's in his room." She pointed towards a door over her shoulder. "But I think he's busy." She waved him away.
"Hrm. Thank you."
Ludwig shrugged and headed towards the door. He stopped outside and knocked two times. No answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. He tried the handle, and the door slid open.
The young boy peeked inside. The mess in the small office-like room was worse than the one under Paul's bed.
"Hmm..." he stepped inside quietly, and spotted the mouse he was looking for.
Terrance stood leaning over the archive cupboard, apparently writing something, his back towards Ludwig.
Ludwig cleared his throat. The Martian male didn't move. Ludwig raised a brow.
Terrance stood absolutely unmoving, leaning upon the archive boxes. His black fur and hair looked tangled, and the white coat needed a wash. Ludwig cleared his throat again. STILL no reaction.
The human boy walked up to the head scientist, and tapped his shoulder.
"...sszzzrrnnnn...lllmmnnrr...."
Ludwig smiled surprised when he realized Terrance was half-asleep.
"Uhm... Mr. Terrance?"
"... Szzzzzrrrnnnkk..... ? " The black mouse blinked. "Wha...? AaaH!"
Ludwig jerked back as Terrance almost jumped up strait and looked around.
".. Wha..?" The Martian grabbed the cupboard for support and looked questioning and surprised at Ludwig.
"I .. um.. Heard you needed some help." Ludwig couldn't help but smirk at the tired scientist, he was so exhausted he almost seemed drunk.
"..Uhm..? Help? .. Oh.. yea.." Terrance blinked again and looked at the paper he was scribbling down notes, before he had fallen asleep. He took it up, and tried to read it.
"..Help... yea... right. ..."
Ludwig watched the overworked mouse as he tried to read his own notes.
".. we.. surely need some.... help... .... What the heck does it say here?..." Terrance narrowed his eyes and tried to figure out which way to hold the paper.
"Let me try." Ludwig took the paper and studied the shaky written words.
"I think it's a prescription for anesthetics. .... And then it says that patient 072 needs to change bandage on his biceps at least one time a day." Ludwig nodded and eyed the words again, and added. "I think."
Terrance laughed tired and pulled a shaky hand through his hair.
"Anesthetics... feels like I've seated myself upon a box of 'em or something.... " He massaged his temples.
"SIR! We need to take care of no022 RIGHT AWAY! We think it's a 'bug-grenade', so if we wait much longer it'll eat his stomach out!"
Terrance gave the in-storming nurse a tired look.
"Yea yea... Comin'.."
The nurse ran out again, and Terrance gave Ludwig a look, then he eyed his shaking hands again.
"Like it would be any difference. I bet these hands would be more deadly to jump into a man's stomach now, than that 'bug-grenade' splitter." He sighed.
"Suicide I'd say." Ludwig commented and got a vision of a scalpel in one of the mouse's trembling hands.
Terrance chuckled.
"Got that right sonny."
"I can do it." Ludwig gave him an honest look.
"Are you sure?"
Terrance watched the human boy nod slowly. The dark Martian gave a long sigh and gave the surprised Ludwig a hug and ruffled his hair.
"My savior, kid." He released the boy and just held his shoulders. "Just promise you'll wake me if there's ANY problem, key? Don't want you to take any responsibility that's mine. Got it?"
Ludwig nodded.
"Got it." He smiled a little.
Terrance gave him a clap on his back and walked him to the door.
"Look up Menda, she's the red-beige woman with a white patch over her nose. She'll help you to get orientated."
Ludwig nodded again, and exited the room.
The black male stood silent with his trembling hands in his pockets. He breathed out and sat down on the floor where he was standing, and fell asleep almost immediately.

"... -- You're nothin' but a hound-dog...da-dum-hum-- .. crying all the time... Ooo-oh.. you're nothin but a... .. -- Hmm?...."
Mac looked up from washing the dark metal of the wing on the T2000, and towards the noise coming down the stairs.
"..O-oFH!.Ao-UueeooFfF-uhmF! ..."
Mac blinked where he laid on all four on the wing, as Vincent came tumbling down the stair and coming to a stop some steps from the end of it.
"Aooo......" The white mouse rubbed his head where he laid. Just then a red blur jumped over him, and landed neatly on the floor of the underground garage and cellar.
"Hah! I win!!" Bordeaux gave Vinnie a smile of triumph. He just answered with another moan. Mac chuckled at the two.
"Yo Mac! Whaddya up to?"
The ex-pilot looked down at the red-hot female as she stepped around examining the ship curiously.
"Oh.. nothing fancy.. just some polishing." He answered and jumped down from the wing.
"Polishing? By HAND?.. Geeee..." Bordeaux smirked.
"Hey! NO ONE lays a hand on MY bird except me, and certainly no stupid machine!" Mac grinned.
"I see." She walked up to the ship and knocked on it. "Whoa.. Amazing. Seems like she's almost forged from ONE piece, or something... I can't see a single seam where the protective plates should be mend together!" She stroked her hand over the dark metal in amazement.
Mac nodded.
"No kidding. She IS amazing. And you're not the only one that can't find a single seam, lass. If anything broke down, I have NO idea where the service hatch is!"
Bordeaux gave a chuckle.
"A mystic bird that knows how to keep her mysteries a mystery eh?"
"Mhum."
"I bet the stink-fishes is mad as hell cause we got her here."
Mac nodded at Vinnie's comment.
"Awww man! That those stairs is dangerous!" He moaned and rubbed his neck.
"Only if you are to occupied watching my 'shapes' move when I run, to watch your step." Bordeaux commented flatly.
"Ehe.."
Mac had to hold his breath not to laugh.
Vinnie cleared his throat and looked around obviously wanting to change subject.
"Soo. Hrm. .. Where's the bandages n' stuff?"
"Terrance send ya?" Mac asked and threw the sponge he was holding in a bucket and dried off his hands.
"Kind of." Vinnie said and thought .. More like kicking us out... He chuckled.
"Well, they're over there I think." Mac finished to dry his hands and hung the towel over a chair.
Bordeaux walked over to a stack of green-blue metal boxes and started to open them. Vinnie and Mac followed and helped her.
"So hot shot, you starting to come back to normal again?"
Mac eyed the female from the corner of his eye while unloading a box of dried food.
"Yea, I guess."
"Sounds a little tired there cutie."
"Just those dreams again hun'. I dunno why, but the seems to come more frequent now."
"Dreams? What dreams?"
Bordeaux and Mac looked at the questioning white male. She rolled her eyes.
"Well, kinda a long story punk,.." Mac started. ".. Hmmm.. You know about my 'accident'?"
"Uhm..." Vinnie thought about it. "No."
Bordeaux sighed.
"Well.... Several years back I had some kind of 'accident' while flying in space. It left me with amnesia of what had been before it. Only thing I remembered was my work, what I had learned there. Nothing about my family, not even my name."
"Bad."
"Yup."
Mac dusted off his clothes while Vinnie and Bordeaux continued to unpack the boxes.
"So you don't know your real name? So your name is NOT Anakin MacCloud then?" Vinnie gave him a fast look between his occupation.
Mac nodded half.
"Well, when I woke up, which is my farthest memory for time being btw, I was laying beside a wrecked fighter plane of Martian army style on a the deserted moon of Cala5."
"Cala5?!!" Vinnie looked up surprised. "Wow, that's waaaay out in space waste land!"
"No kidding" Bordeaux added absently. "But it's a not to often used passage between some places. Like to the Mars colony of OlympMoons 2 for example."
"Yea." Mac tapped his chin and his short beard.
"Anyway... I didn't remember a shadow of who I was, but it was a label inside my half-demolished pilot jacket that read 'MacCloud', so I adopted it. Though I can't prove it's my REAL name. But it feels right."
"Oh. But What about 'Anakin' then?"
"Dunno, I think someone gave it to me as a nickname, and it got stuck. I had to have a name after all."
"Uh-hum. But why didn't ya look the name up in the military records id you knew you had worked there?"
Bordeaux rolled her eyes.
"Vinnie! Where were ya back then? The military records and files was what the Plutarkians and company destroyed FIRST!"
"Oh, ehe... I knew that!"
The red lady chuckled.
"Uh,.. but what about those dreams then?"
Mac eyed the two younger freedomfighters with a smile that then faded.
"The dreams..." Mac sighed." ..It's like this. I can't remember for my life, what I did, or who I were before the accident! I mean, I don't even know how OLD I am!"
"Tough."
Bordeaux gave Vinnie an elbow in his side. The older male didn't seem to notice however.
"... It's just those dreams... I can bet my life they're bits of my past. the parts I can't remember. There's especially ONE dream that's been coming more often lately. .... I am in a room, almost as I am invisible. There's this three persons, two males and one woman. The woman seems so familiar somehow. The most marking about her is that she's pregnant. She and one of the males seems to be saying good-bye to the second of the males. And that's it."
He stared off like lost in thoughts.
"Just that? No action?"
"Vincent!"
"What?" Vinnie gave Bordeaux an not understanding look. She just laughed.
"What? What's so funny?"
The female laid her hand on Mac's shoulder.
"Don't worry Mac. SOMEDAY you'll manage to remember enough from the dream when you wake up, that you can dig up your past. I'll bet on it!"
"Hmm.. Thanks."
She turned around and grabbed a couple of boxes.
"C'mon now hunk! Let's get this to Terrance!" She started towards the stairs.
Vinnie grinned as if he thought of something naughty, and grabbed himself some package too.
"Hey lad..."
Vinnie looked at the tan-beige furred male.
"What oldie?"
"Don't play with fire if you can't stand the heat." Mac grinned.
Vincent looked at him, then at Bordeaux who had reached the stairs by now.
"Hunkie! I won't wait for ever you know!" She started up the stairs.
Vinnie snickered.
"We'll see about that oldie." he grinned and trotted after her.
"Oh yea, we will lad. You will."
Mac shook his head and smiled. Then he got back to work.

"... Ya know... You're pulling my arm oooouuuut....... ... - Where are we goin'?..."
Rex bumped surprised into Shelly as she suddenly stopped.
"I dunno."
"WHAT?" Rex eyes the blond human girl. "You mean you've dragged me along without knowing WHERE to???"
"...Uhum.. Yea."
Rex slapped his forehead.
"Well... I just thought that if the OTHER half of the 'deal' was to be made, maybe we should try to get to a place that was not so crowded." She folded her arms.
.. Hmm.. THAT sounded naughtier that it was... I think. ... The young Martian slapped himself mentally for even imagine in that direction.
"Uhm. Right. Hrm." Rex cleared his throat. "Guess it's preferable to have a date without having your folks running around huh?"
"Depends what you mean with folkS." Shelly looked at him.
"You know what I mean." Rex answered simply.
"Yup." Shelly smirked.
The started to walk down the corridor.
"So.. Mr. "I'm the Best, to Hell with the rest".... What shall we DO on this date?"
Rex smiled ironically at the name.
"I dunno, Miss "Don't play with me, I sting like a bee", -whatever you say..."
"Ha. Ha." Shelly gave him a look, but he just strolled by her side, hands in pockets. Smiling, looking up at the ceiling.
"Hmf... You was the one wanting this Smart-ass.... Just say something."
"Hey! Wasn't MY idea, it was Amber's. Don't blame your life on me baby-cakes..."
"Oh, yea. I forgot. ... But YOU agreed to it, Sky-brain."
"You too, Blondie."
"It was an emergency, Mr. Big in word, but small in world."
"O yeah? .. Really Miss Middle-class-babble?!"
"Yeah, REALLY! ... Mr. Brainwashed rodent!!"
"Oh yeah??!.. You don't say, Miss Chimp!!"
"Says WHO??!!!!"
"Says I!!!!"
"Says YOU???!! - Mr. PRINCE-OF-ALL-FOOLS-DAY!!!!???, - To who???"
"To YOU, - Miss SWEET-SIXTEEN-FAKE!!!!!"
"YOU DARE, - MR. JUNK-FOOD-FOR-IQ????????!!!!!!"
"YEAH YOU BET, MISS TIDY-AVIRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!"
".....YOU... YOU.. AAARRGGHH!!!!!!!"
................
"Hah!!! I WIN!!" Rex grinned wide.
Shelly gave him a red-faced glare.
"Ha-ha.. .. OooOH!!" Rex felt a hand grab his wrist, and the next moment, the floor punched against his back hard, and something weighed on his chest. He looked up more than a little surprised at Shelly, who was pinning him to the ground with her right knee.
"No. I win."
"...Wo-ho-hoa.... Never knew you knew self defense baby-cakes...."
"Don't call me that." Shelly cave him a 'I'm sicken tired of this' - look, and then jumped a little, which made her come down with all he weight on his chest.
"..UuuggghhHHUUNNNGGHH!!!!"¿
"It's VEEERY unpolite to talk about a woman's weight." Shelly said sweetly and smiled.
"...uuugghh... li-...light as a feath- hh- er....er.... Ehrr-eh... " Shelly almost laughed at Rex's goofy and faked smile, from where he laid.
"Yea, I know." She gave him an angel-like smile.

"Hey, what was that...?" Shelly looked up and down a hallway.
"..Uu..huh?..." Rex rubbed his head and looked in the direction she was, after successfully gotten loose from her grip.
They looked down the corridor, only to see Jack, Sliver, and a nurse standing talking exited to someone sitting on a bed.
"What's going on?" Shelly looked at Rex.
"I dunno."
"You don't know? I thought you were the leader."
Rex gave her a glare.
"Hmm.. " Rex stood up, eyes fixed on the group of people in the other room. "..you think we could spare this 'date' to another time?..."
Shelly looked at him.
"Yea. Sure." She sighed in embarrassed relief, but was careful so he wouldn't notice.
Rex walked towards his talking kin, and she followed him some steps behind.

"..It's... It's.... AMAZING! Talk about coincidence!" Jack 'the Ripper' laughed and waved his arms excited towards the Martian sitting on the bed before him. Sliver just grinned as always.
"There." Menda, the little older red-beige nurse, smiled and knot the bandage around the young male's sore arm.
"If you eat well, and don't run around too much son, you'll be fine in a week." She said warmly at the black furred mouse.
" Thank you ever so much my lady." He smiled charmingly at her and bowed his head.
She grinned. Sliver rolled his eyes and Jack laughed.
"Five years of imprisonment by Plutarkians hasn't changed ya a bit !" Sliver smirked at the young male sitting in the bed.
Rex and Shelly slowly entered the room. The stopped in the door. Rex's eyes widened by the sight of the Martian on the bed.
Shelly looked at him curiously, and then at the other male. She couldn't help but smile, he was cute. Black fur all over, worn and a little dirty blue jeans, a blue vest, a sapphire-blue bandanna around his forehead, black and white - though they were dirty gray at the moment - sneakers, and brown leather fistbands. He didn't look much older than Rex.
"I DON'T believe it..." Rex mumbled surprised.
"What?.." Shelly looked from the young man at the bed, and to Rex. She REALLY wanted to know what was going on.
Then Sliver noticed them standing in the door. He grinned slyly.
"Hey.. lookie what we found......"
Jack stopped his excited babbling and looked at them. Come to think of it, Shelly couldn't remember ever seeing the big mouse overacting until now. The, to her, unknown male looked surprised at them, and smiled wide by the sight, then suddenly grasped his chest as if he got a heart attack. Shelly blinked surprised. Rex folded his arms.
"Ack! .. My heart! ... Such beauty!!"
Shelly swallowed a giggle and tried her best not to blush as he held his heart and reached out a hand in her direction. Rex didn't seem too think it was so funny though. He just went a shade darker in face and glared at the other male.
"Oh, lay off Nightstalk."
Nightstalk looked over at Rex and raised a brow.
"And.. WHO are you?"
Jack laughed again.
"You mean you don't recognize him, Night?"
Nightstalk eyed Rex, and then looked back at Jack.
"No. ... And actually.. I'm more interested to get to know THIS wondrous thing over here..." He smiled wide and sweetly at Shelly.
"Uhmm.. " She giggled. "Thank you.. But does anyone mind to clue me in here..? I thought you guys didn't know anyone at the base?"
"..Oh, but I wish..." Nightstalk gave her a dreamy look.
Rex was starting to see red.
"Oh, we don't Shelly..,"
"Shelly? Shelly?... Oh, wonderful....."
"Nightstalk, I'm talking here.."
"Sorry Jack my man..."
She smiled as Jack continued.
".. You see... Nightstalk here.. is a Sky-Walker.."
"Waayy Cool!!! Was he captured by Plutarkians??!!" Everyone turned to see Paul and Amber sitting behind another bed. Paul eyed them exited.
"Typical.." Shelly sighed.
"Oh.. don't mind us..." Amber smiled.
"Ooo.." Nightstalk began, but was shut up by a look from Jack. "Hrm.."
".. Yes.. he was. We know now." He finished.
"Oh. So he was among those we rescued?"
"Yes Shelly."
"He could have stayed there..."
Shelly turned to Rex, who grumbled to himself.
"What IS your problem?!"
Nightstalk smiled lopsided.
"My question exactly."
"Never mind. Why don't you tell them who you are Night?"
"O, sure.." He smiled a wide 'don't worry, be happy' smile, and cleared his throat.
"I'm just a common Sky-Walker.... Name's Nightstalk, nineteen is my age... And I'm the third cousin in that family.." He pointed lazily at Sliver and Jack.
Shelly looked surprised.
"Oh. I can see why you're upset." She smiled. "But how did you get caught by the fishes?"
"Oh.. looong story... But long story short... I was tired of the bitter mood.. and wanted to see da world.. ..."
"Didn't come far huh? Sandraiders caught ya, and sold ya.. Hmmm? Right, Mr. Casanova?"
Nightstalk gave Rex a flat look.
"YOU are tap-dancing on my nerves idiot." He said low.
Amber and Paul watched in suspense.
".. Hey, Paul.. how come that guy threats Rex like that?.. I mean.. if he's a SW... Rex's his leader..."
Paul shrugged.
Jack and Sliver looked at each other, and then at Nightstalk and Rex, who was glaring daggers at each other at the moment.
"Uuuhm.. Nightstalk, cousin..?" Jack began.
"WHAT?"
"SURE you don't recognize him...?"
Nightstalk looked at his older cousins, and back at Rex. he looked him up and down. Then he suddenly got a funny expression.
"I don't... BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!!" He fell back on the bed laughing hard.
Shelly, Amber and Paul looked at the scene in almost a shocked surprise.
Rex growled.
"DA PUNK!! IT'S DA PUNK!!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!"
Shelly couldn't help but giggle a little.
"Ooo-ho-ho-ho-hooo....." He sat up straight again, and wiped his eyes.
"I CAN'T believe it!! He's alive!! He hee.. I thought ya'd jumped off a building YEARS ago!!..he he..."
By now Rex was seeing nothing but dark-red.
"..Nightstalk?..."
"What?.. "Nightstalk was still breathing hard after laughing so intense while he looked at Jack.
".. I think there's something you should know...."
".. Oh yea?.. hi hi... Now this is juuust too much... .. Da punk. oh my.. he he.."
"Stop me before I kill him..." Rex growled.
"Oh, gosh. I'm almost scared.." Nightstalk wiped another laugh-tear from his eyes.
".. Btw Ripper.. Now you just haaave to update me on what's going on at home!"
"Yea, it would be for the best." The tall gray mouse eyed his younger friend, and leader, who soon was about to jump his newfound cousin.
"Soo.. how's Foxfur?"
Sliver giggled.
"Who's Foxfur?" Paul asked.
"Our ex-leader." Jack answered firmly.
" EX-leader?" Nightstalk looked curiously at Jack.
"You mean you don't know Rex is the leader?" Shelly asked surprised.
"No I don.... - WHAAAT???!!"
"I'm not joking.. I WILL kill him...." Rex continued to mumble.
"Oh, yar kidding me aren't ya!??!! HE? LEADER!!?? .. NO way..!!"
"Actually..." Jack began. " We was just as surprised when it happened."
"O gimmie a break! You can't mean it!"
.. ooh yes... Rex growled and imagined Nightstalk's neck break right off.
"This conversation is really loosin' it..." Amber commented from behind the other bed.
"Yup." Paul agreed.

Jack sighed at the up-raging chaos. Everyone was talking at the same time. He scratched his head.
"ATTENTION!"
Everyone shut up and looked at him.
"Thank you." Jack sat down on the bed beside his younger cousin.
"The Crescent Bloods were at our borders again, and Foxfur was taking on the same old tactic as ever, staying steady and holding back. Unfortunately it wasn't working, since The Twisters had seen their chance and bothered us from another direction. Easily said, we were loosing it."
"So, what happened?. I mean, we've must been outnumbered." Nightstalk looked doubtful.
"Oh yeees...." Sliver flipped up a stiletto. "But someone came up and showed up how to play the game right..... " He grinned sly.
Nightstalk raised a brow.
"In a matter of speaking, yes." Jack smiled at his crazy red-furred cousin.
"So, what happened?" Paul asked exited.
"Well, Foxfur - our leader back then, wasn't doing much. But no one else knew what to do. So when Rex suddenly faced Foxfur, AND sent him onwards.... No one really understood it at first. In the confusion that was, everyone followed the new orders, since they didn't know what else to do."
"I don't believe it. ... What did you do?" Nightstalk eyed Rex who still looked dark faced at him.
"He made thanks to our name, and counter attacked." Jack smiled.
"Huh?"
"Sky-Walkers. We left the ground and climbed, and took them one by one, instead of out in a field. We won. AND our borders expanded."
"Unbelievable."
"Yes."
"I STILL can't believe HE did all that!" Nightstalk pointed at Rex.
"You don't seem like being the best of friends.." Shelly said.
"But, of course we are princess! .. We just have out bad times too..." Nightstalk grinned.
He chuckled and shook his head.
"The punk is leader... who would have thought that... Guess this means.."
"That you have to watch your words, Mr." Rex glared at him.
Nightstalk smiled, but then got serious.
The two young males stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Making the others feel somewhat uneasy.

Jack just wished Nightstak had understood the serious part and remembered enough to understand Rex's signs to him, which was clear enough that he was not so little pissed off.
The black and the sandy-orange male continued to stare at each other. Suddenly the first spoke, in a low voice.
"So what's the tune.. Chief..?"
A sudden glimpse could be seen in Rex eyes and a sly smile formed on his lips. He held up one of his hands a little, and did a fast sign. Nightstalk looked, and then turned back to face Rex. He started to hum lowly, not letting his eyes of his, now new, leader.
"...We have the chance to make things over... We can write what we wanna write... We gotta ends meet before we get much older... .. "
Rex smiled dark in return and answered in the same low humming tune.
"... We're all someone's daughter.... We're all someone's son.... How long can we look at each other.... Down the barrel of a gun..? ...."
Shelly, Paul, Amber and Menda looked surprised on as the four Sky-Walkers suddenly grinned wide at each other and threw back their heads and sang for full throats.

" - You're the voice try and understand it!!
Make a noise and make it clear!
oh-wo-wooo- OOOho! oh-wo-wooo- OOOho!
We're not gonna sit in silence,
We're not gonna live with fear!
oh-wo-wooo- OOOho! oh-wo-wooo- OOOho!!"

Rex grinned wide and clapped his hands in rhythm along with his feet, as did the others. The young leader picked up his voice and sang clear out over the ward.

" This time we know we all can stand together!
With the power to be powerful,
Believing we can make it better!"
Nightstalk jumped off the bed and joined Rex.
"... We're all someone's daughter,
We're all someone's soooon,
Oooowwhoowo..
How long can we look at each other,
Down the barrel of a guu-hu-uun?!"

" You're the voice try and understand it!!
Make a noise and make it clear!
oh-wo-wooo- OOOho! oh-wo-wooo- OOOho!
We're not gonna sit in silence,
We're not gonna live with fear!
oh-wo-wooo- OOOho! oh-wo-wooo- OOOho!!"

Jack and Sliver sang the background for the two younger males, and together it sounded better than Shelly ever could have imagined Rex or the others sing.
When the song ended the group looked at each other grinning, and they they laughed.
"WOW! Cool, I didn't know ya could sing!" Paul looked at the street-males wide eyed.
"Yea, and it was good too!" Amber exclaimed. Shelly nodded with that, as did Menda.
"Well, thank you." Jack smiled.
"Hmm.. yea, you still can sing pretty good.. with consideration that you've been a slave for the last five years." Rex said mockingly at the black male, with a grin.
"Pretty?"
"Yea.. kinda. Pretty good." Rex chuckled sly.
"Aaah, shut up, or I'll sing 'Wake me up before you Go-Go'.." Nightstalk answered and took some bug-steps.
They laughed.

Charlene Davidson, ex Davidson-Berg, yawned and stretched. She looked around the little room that was her quarters. She smiled a little by a memory.
She remembered coming her, and wondering how she should be able to live with her family in a barrack. It had felt so great when Throttle gave then own rooms, her being on the opposite side of the corridor of each of her children's, and their room had a door between them too. It felt both more secure, and more private to have an own room to quarter in. She smiled again at the memory of how surprised she'd been when Throttle had told her about the base, and why there was so many single rooms.

"But, isn't this an ex-Military base? I mean shouldn't it be more economic to build barracks than these single rooms? And I've seen that there's some small individual kitchens here too, except from the main kitchen that serves the fighters." She looked up at Throttle as they walked down one of the many underground corridors of the huge base.
"Oh, it's quite a funny story Charley girl. And it goes back to before the FIRST Plutarkian-Martian war."
"Oh?"
"Yea, it was built as a Military bunker, that's right. There's the barracks, the big food hall, the air garage, the motor garage, and the storage halls. .. "
"But what about THIS part?" Charley waved her hands at the many doors of private rooms along the wall, and the small kitchen and bathroom they just passed.
Throttle smiled.
"Oh, that's because this base was built for a SPECIAL mission if war occurred, back then."
"Which was?"
"Being the safe place where the Military could protect Mars' government and all it's branches. I guess they paid good time to not have to sleep in barracks." He laughed.
Charley couldn't help but do the same.
"So this palace is that old? it doesn't look that way."
"Well, it ain't either. They were too lazy to build it complete before the Plutarkians invaded, so it was unused during the first war. And when the peace finally came later, we decided it was the perfect place to restore if we ever was to make war again. And.. sigh.. we was right."
She nodded.
"But then it at least was a good investment."
"Yea. And thanks to the rock and the mountains around here, it's hard to detect. So it's been a good headquarters. Along with the smaller, and newer Military base next door."
"Mmm.. The transporter, and the two tunnels connecting must mean a lot."
"Mhum. But the M-headquarters is in a corner of this base. It worked best that way. We share as much we can without arguing.. TOO much." He chuckled.

Charley stretched and sat up in her bed. ... Man, I needed that sleep!... She smiled and slipped out of bed, and started to put on her clothes.

"... oooh yes you're right about the motor-mouth! And when he's not babbling, he's either demolishing things, or just waaay behind somewhere where ya don't want him.... Btw, how are ya doin' Cutie?"
Throttle smiled and whined.
"All perfect when YOU are here.. of course.."
"Now WHY didn't that sound totally sincere?" Bordeaux pretended to look unknowing.
"..Glmfm..."
"You hurt?"
"....glmff-m!..."
"Only when I laugh..."
"Oh, very funny Throttle. But guess that's fine then, you never laugh anyway." The red-furred Martian female gave him a strait stare.
"...GLMFMH!!.."
Throttle chuckled, then whimpered by the pain in his lower chest area and stomach.
"Take it easy Throttle." Charley laid a hand on his shoulder. He smiled weak in return.
"Thanks sweety... But it's not easy when having them two around.." He nodded slightly towards Bordeaux and Vinnie, sitting on the other side of the bed.
Charley smirked.
"..GLMFBGRMLFH!!!..."
".. And I think.. - WHAT??!" Bordeaux gave Vinnie an irritated look. He glared back at her.
"..MLEMEFLO!!!.."
"Huh?"
"FLEMMEFLOOSE!!"
Bordeaux rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Never satisfied, are they?"
Charley couldn't help but laugh at the situation before her. And Throttle had to concentrate to not do the same.
"Tell me.. Bordeaux.. Just WHY have you.. Uh.. .."
"My tail around his neck and mouth?"
"Uhm, yea.." Throttle eyed his younger bro., trying to talk with Bordeaux's tail successfully keeping him from it.
"Oooh.. he wasn't following put... He might be one cute hunkie.. But really.. I can't take how much ego-babble even!" She snickered, and loosened her tail around his nose.
"And besides.. I like having my men in a leash..." Bordeaux tickled Vinnie under his chin and purred sexy. He blushed and grinned goofy.
Charley sighed and shook her head smiling, then she turned to Throttle, squeezing his shoulder.
"How are you feeling Throttle?" She smiled but her face was worried.
Throttle took a deep breath and smiled back, weak, but he smiled sincere.
"Fine, how couldn't I be. With you caring for me." He took her hand and squeezed it back.
Sure, his stomach was numb, his legs sore and weak, his head spun as soon as he moved it too fast. But he was home, he was among friends, family and loved ones. And they were all right. Throttle couldn't remember the last time he had felt this whole.

"You two in here again?"
Vinnie and Bordeaux looked up from their playful quarrel, and met Terrance's eyes.
"Uuh...." Vinnie grinned innocently. "We got the boxes, n' bandages Doc.."
Terrance looked flat at him.
"In here? We?.. Naa.. We're already gone!" Bordeaux whirled her tail around Vincent's waist, blew a kiss to Throttle, and rushed through the door.
"WhooooaaahH!.." Vinnie yelped.
Charley looked at the scientist as he followed the fleeing couple with his eyes. He wasn't wearing his lab coat, just his boots, green FF-pants, and a red tight T-shirt.
.. He appears just like any other Freedomfighter. That this broad shouldered man hates, and sweats in fear by a battle is hard to think from just looking at him... Charley smiled as the black Martian walked up to them.
Terrance smiled and pulled a hand through his short thick black hair. he looked new awake, but now he at least seemed rested.
"So, how are we feeling?"
Throttle smiled back.
"Except from the fact that I hardly has a stomach, I can't feel it, my legs are numb, my head spinning from Bordeaux's babble, and I'd die for a root beer, but are not allowed to drink... Just fine here Doc."
Terrance chuckled at the sarcasm in Throttle's voice.
"Good then, stay put there and rest, and you'll be able to join us at the table for breakfast tomorrow. Not eating anything of course."
"Great." Throttle gave the tubes and wires sitting in his right arm, providing him with fluid and nourishment a glare.
"Hey, couldn't ya give this any taste at least? It makes me wanna throw up."
Charley giggled and ruffled his hair.
"Now be nice to the charming Doctor who has sewed you back together, Throttle!" She smiled. Throttle couldn't help but grin.
"So, you've gotten some sleep Charlene?"
Charley smiled at the scientist, who by pure habit, stood and studied Throttle's reading on the panel beside the bed.
"Yes, I think my body had gotten too much. But now I'm fine, thanks. But I can't understand how Shelly, and especially Paul, can keep up so well. I was almost fainting when I went to sleep."
Terrance nodded as he looked out over the ward.
"Both you and your children has taken this more than well, I'd say."
"Oh?"
"I must say I was waiting for one of you to collapse." He grinned as Charley gave him a strange look. "After all Charlene, not only have you as we, worked yourself out, but you also has had to adapt to a whole new environment."
"Hmm.. Yes. Guess I forgot that." She smiled and remembered how it had been the first days after their arrival to the red planet. They've had been totally exhausted thanks to that the Martian day is so much longer than the normal Earth day.
"Except from the fact that especially Paul is a very active little man, children often adapts faster than adults. So it's not that strange actually." He smiled.
Charley answered in the same way.
"Right as always Terrance. But how are you? You seem to have gotten some well deserved sleep too."
The black furred male sighed, and looked over to a desk, in the other side of the room, covered by paper, and boxes, and at the small figure half laying over it.
"Yes, thanks to a very talented little guy." He answered calmly. Charley and throttle followed his eyes.
"Seems like he's just as exhausted as you were my friend." Throttle eyed the sleeping form of Ludwig Shaddack, laying over the paper-covered desk.
Terrance nodded where he stood hands in pocked. he looked almost a little sad.
"Yes. He's been a miracle, thanks to him we're been able to save many Martians, and I've been able to have some sleep. If I'd kept going in that condition as I were before, I probably had been to more damage than anything else."
Charley nodded and smiled sadly.
"Mhum.. " She sighed. "He reminds me so much of Frank. I can't help it."
"No harm Charley, sweety, you're right. They are alike." Throttle squeezed her hand. "Frank was a good guy, and so is his son."
Charley nodded sadly, and Terrance joined her. He sighed again.
"I can't help but feel sad when I think about it." The black mouse looked almost hurt. "Ludwig is such a great kid, he shouldn't have had to live the life he has lead."
"Yea." Charley closed her eyes, and Throttle felt how she squeezed his hand harder.
"It's a shame that his father can't be here to see his son now. He's survived both Plutarkians and gang-life, and has shouldered the responsibility of a grown man for quite a time. It isn't right."
Charley looked up by the pain sounding in Terrance's voice. She eyed him wondering. By the looks on Throttle's face of understanding, she figured there was something here she didn't fully knew.
"You sound in pain friend. What is it?" Charley asked worried.
Terrance looked to the floor and shook his head.
"Oh, nothing Charlene... It's just.. that... " He bit his lip and looked over at Ludwig again.
"Such a great kid shouldn't have to be without his parents, and his parents shouldn't have to loose a life with such a fine son."
The dark furred Martian met Charley's eyes. He smiled weak.
"Sorry, I can't help it.. I just feel so much for this stuff.... "
"It's okay Terrance..." Throttle began.
"Oh, not to worry friend.. it's not like it's a secret. Sensitive, but not a secret."
Charley looked at the two males.
"What?"
Terrance looked at her, Charley could see in his eyes that he was sad.
"I've always loved kids Charlene, and I hate seeing family part. Maybe it has somewhat to do how Arrence and I lost our family, but there's another thing too... why I feel I have to help, and I feel pain in cases like this." he paused a little, then looked at her again.
".. I'm not able to have children."
Charley gasped. She felt a tremendous pain in her chest.
"Oh Terrance..." She stood up, and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry."
"Yea, me too." Then the black male smirked. "Not that it'd be totally impossible, not with all the advanced technique we have today, but it wouldn't be the same."
"You could always clone yourself."
"THROTTLE!"
"Sorry, must be the anesthetics or something.."
Terrance laughed.
"Btw, shouldn't someone take care of the boy in question, before he not only get an headache but also some real ache in his back too?"
Charley gave Throttle a funny look, then eyed Ludwig Shaddack's sleeping form again.
"Yes, we'd better. He surely has deserved some real sleep."
Terrance nodded agreeing.

The human female stood silent for a while between the two Martian males. Then she smiled calmly, and turned to the black-furred one.
"You take him."
"Huh?"
Charley smiled at Terrance's unsure expression.
"But,.. I thought you'd like that.."
He scratched the back of his head absently.
"Yea, I'd like that. But for now.. I've got One hyperactive son, one running loose daughter... AND a lost circle of friends to mend together." She smiled again. Then turned and ruffled Throttle's hair.
"And not to forget, a mouse with a hole in his stomach."
Throttle smirked ironically.
The Martian scientist still looked unsure.
"You sure?"
Charley laid her hands on his chest.
"As sure as I can be."
Terrance sighed, but he smiled.
"..Hmm.. I guess I can." He smiled. "I'll do my best."
"Oh, I know you will.. you ARE a Doctor after all.." She winked, and he smiled in return.
Terrance turned to walk over to Ludwig, but stopped, and went right up to Throttle instead. He leaned over him with a very determined look.
".. Soo.. I'm going off for a while.. I trust You'll STAY PUT, and BE A GOOD PATIENT. Okay? NO 'I'm-fine-nothing-can-hurt-me-really' - actions. Got it?"
Throttle glared at him.
"Really Terrance, you worry too much.. I feel fi-- .."
"Oooh, shut up Throttle." Charley folded her arms and glared equally back at him.
"But.."
"You were half dead, and even more when I found you, and if Mac hadn't spotted us as he was escaping with the T2000, NEITER of us would've be here now. Get the point?!"
"Eh... Yes Ma'am! I shouldn't get up 'til I'm ready, and I won't!"
"Good."
Terrance smirked.
"Why don't they ever listen to me when I say that?"
"Because ya haven't got any boobes Doc."
Throttle's ears went down his sides, and he glared at the one who spoke the comment.
"..Oh, and here Doc, reports from Menda.." Bordeaux smiled sexy, and then turned to walk out again.
"How come she's ALWAYS where you don't want her..?" Throttle growled under his breath to none in particular.
Charley giggled.
Terrance shook his head, and walked off.
"See you at breakfast!"
Charley smiled and nodded as she gave a wave.

Charley watched Terrance gently pick up Ludwig in his arms, take his bag with his tail, and then walk out of the now silent ward.
She folded her arms and smiled, and sat down on the edge of Throttle's bed, next to his pillow.
"Nooow, tell me... WHY do I get the feeling Bordeaux and you knows each other better than you want to admit?"
Throttle put on a careless face, and looked at her.
"I do not understand what you mean."
"Oh, I see.." Charley raised a brow, and smiled a little mystic.
"I mean.. she always seem to know where to strike to tease you the most..."
"Uhum..."
"So she's right? That IS why you three mice was so nice to me?... I should have known..." Charley smirked and gave him an accusing look.
"You believe that would be the only cause we'd like you, and follow you Charlene..?"
"Weeell..."
Throttle moaned.
"Ouch.. this hurts..."
Charley looked up blinking.
"What? Your stomach?" She eyed him with upcoming worry.
Throttle turned to her and smiled weak.
"No... More like in the left chest area.."
Charley looked at him, then she sank back on the edge on his pillow again, trying her best to hold back a smile. And failed.
"Oh."

With an easy swing with his tail, Terrance lit one of the lamp in the small room. He looked around. Dark, green-gray walls, a large bed, a cupboard, a desk covered with papers and a computer, clothes hanging over the chair, and a bookcase full of book by one of the walls.
he put down Ludwig's bag by the door, and then carefully laid down the sleeping human on the bed.
Terrance smiled sad and undressed Ludwig of his lab coat and shoes, and then gently wrapped a blanked around him.
"Not that I don't think you'd get your sleep with Rex and the others.. but it definitely is quieter here.. Hope you don't mid the mess...." He smiled and patted the boy's dark hair.
"There... Sleep well kiddo.. You've earned it."
The Martian scientist and Doctor looked at the sleeping young human over his shoulder, before he exited his quarters.

"Hey, where's my guitar?"
"Mac, I have NO idea where your guitar is."
"Strange..."

Bordeaux watched the elder, ex fighter pilot, exit the large public dining hall. She shrugged, and took her plate of breakfast, and walked over some long tables by one of the walls, where the others had seated themselves.
"Where's Mac going? Ain't he gonna eat?"
"Mac's guitar is on the run."
"Huh?"
"Never mind Vincent."
She sat down beside the white male, and looked at the others.
"Mornin' folks!"
"Mornin'."
"Mm.."
"MMNGFM.."
"Paul, don't talk with your mouth full."
"Mffg..sorry.."
"Hey Pike, pass the bread."
"Here ya go Shell.."
"HEY! Who took my root beer??!!"
"Vin, who'd steal your root-beer?"
"I dunno, but someone HAS!"
"Yeesh."
"Mum, can I have more waffles?"
"If you eat more, you'll get like Vinnie Paul."
"I guess that's a no, huh?"
"Got it."
"So what's wrong with gettin' to be a studly hero guy like me sweety?"
"Don't flex biceps by the table Vin."
"Why not?
"YOU'RE PULLING DOWN THE BREAD!!"
>>CRASH<<
"Oops..."
"Sigh..."

"Hey look, mum and dad!!"
Amber flew up from the table and towards Modo and Sanri. She hugged them, and then helped the to the table. Sanri helped her husband to sit down, and then joined him with a smile. I could easily be seen that Modo was weak, but judging from his smile, it wasn't serious.
"Hi mum, dad." Ashes gave his dad a hug, and placed a plate infront of them.
"Thanks son." Modo smiled and ruffled his son's multicolored hair.
"No prob."
"Hey, here comes Luddie!"
"Don't call me that, please..."
Ludwig Shaddack walked inside, followed by Terrance. He gave Amber a funny glare.
"Ehe.. sorry!" she laughed.
"So..yaflvth weflsfh..?"
"PAUL! I said DON'T TALK WITH YOUR MOU.."
"Why do you even try mum?" Shelly rolled her eyes. Paul answered by shooting a click of jam at her. Shelly however, jerked back fast enough and it hit the one sitting by her side.
"HEY!! You little.."
Paul gulped, and giggled.
Rex stood up, and acted just as if he was going to give Paul a good smack, but instead, he snatched his plate with waffles and bread.
"HEY!! Mum! He stole my food!"
"Paul, don't whine.. you shouldn't shoot food anyway, and you know that."
Shelly giggled, and Paul glared at her.
"Hmpf."

"Hey, has anyone seen my guitar?"
"No."
"Nope."
"Uh-uh."
"Not lately, - ask Rogue."
"Good idea Stoke"
"Nope. Sorry."
"Mac, I SAID I haven't...."
"Hey, is this a private party, or can a mouse with stomach-withdrawal join too?"
Everyone looked up at Menda and Terrance who came in again with Throttle between them, sitting, half laying in some sort of wheelchair.
"Hey!! Throttle, my man! You're up bro.!!"
"I wouldn't call this 'UP' Vin.. but feelin' fine anyways!" Throttle grinned as he was placed by the end of the table, between Charley and Bordeaux.
"Great to see you with some spirit Throttle."
"Indeed Cutie-butt."
"Are you SURE you haven't seen my..."
Everyone looked up wondering why Mac suddenly got quiet, and followed his glare to another approaching Martian.
"Well well.. So why's the Angry General doing us the honors..?"
"Shut up punk."
"Always as friendly Strain, ain't you?"
The dark cola colored male gave the red female a stare, and then turned to the other's.
"Strain, what are you doing here? I notice there are many more M's around here than usual, care to fill us in?" Stoker played as polite as he could while meeting eyes with the stern general.
"SOMEONE was sneaking around the Military HQ last night.. and ACCIDENTLY happened to tripped over some cables, how that is possible.. and BREAK them.. Leaving the whole military eating hall, kitchen and some barracks in COMPLETE DARKNESS!"
"Uuuuh..."
"Cool.."
"Paul! Sssh!"
"I'm sorry to hear that and your men can dine here 'til it's fixed, but I HOPE you're not saying it was one of US?" Stoker gave the male a hard look.
Strain snorted.
"Oooh, I know who it is all right... And IF HE DOESN'T GET OUT OF THIS ROOM NOW I'M GONNA GET MAD!"
It suddenly got quiet around the tables.
"You're ACCUSING US??!"
"Why you..."
"Calm down Mac.."
"I'm not accusing you, or your men Stoker.."
The FF.'s gave Strain a doubtful look.
"Then WHO...?"
Strain pulled out his long lazer, and slowly looked it over.
"You'll find out in a nasty way if he's not gone is twenty seconds..."
The FF.'s looked at each other, and at Carbine who had joined the room, but was watching from a distance.
"...3.."
Strain checked his gun.
" ...9.."
The mice tried to figure out what was going on really.
"..14..."
"Hey, can I take your bread hun'?"
Shelly eyed Rex strangely.
"What? Get your own bre-..."
Rex snatched it from her.
"Sorry babe, you ca get more later.."
"...18..."
"This is really getting on my nerves." Mac folded his arms.
"..19..."
Strain unsecured his lazer.
"..TWENTY...."
>>>>!!!!BOING!!!<<<<
"TAG!! YOU'RE IN!!! BWAHAHAA!!!"
"AOUCH!!!"
Sliver grinned wickedly as he smacked down the guitar he was holding right on top of the Martian General's head.
Mac bolted out in laughter.
Strain rubbed hi head.
"Why you little... I'll..."
He didn't had time to say more, before his head once more was pulled down by a weight from above.
"Tally-Ho-hoo Military-tail!!"
Rex grinned wild as he with one hand pushing down the General's head, and did a split jump over him, holding a root beer in his other hand. Nightstalk gave a smiling salute, and jumped over the table, snatching some food with him with his tail, and shouted back at Strain, who was struggling to get back to balance.
"Gettin to know your new turf is everything Mr. General!" he fled after Rex, and Sliver on light feet, laughing loudly.
"Hey General.. Have mercy... We just pulled the wrong plug.." Jack shrugged, and smiled.
"..ROUGHLMGRMH!!..."
Jack flipped backwards, and speed out with his friends, with a surprising speed for a man of his building.
"RRAAAAGGHH!!!!"
"Aaa-hahah!!!.. oo-ho... Why'd I never think of that way of using a guitar?" Mac laughed and grinned at the totally mad Strain.
The General stomped off.

As the laughs settled, everyone went back to enjoying breakfast together.
Modo hugged his wife close and smiled.
"Home sweet home. There's nothing like it."
"Nope."
Sanri smiled warmly back and kissed his cheek.
"Family is home." Charley smiled and hugged her son and daughter, then smiled at her friends and the ones so close they too had become part of that family.
"So right they're beautiful." Mac squeezed her shoulder and sat down.
The mixed group gave each other warm smiles, and then the welcomed chaos of too many mice, family members and friends in the same room once again broke loose.

...............................