Disclaimer: I do not own the Biker Mice From Mars. This story is for your reading pleasure. I do not make a profit from this. I'm writing this because of my love for the show and the enjoyment of other fans. I also have a few art works available. Anyone may download this story or the art if they desire to keep it. Karn and her background come from a unrelated, and unfinished novel. Any comments or ideas concerning the Lupercan background would be greatly appreciated. I will finish that one someday.

Prologue:

The small scout ship phased into normal space, just inside the orbit of the Earth's only moon. It's sensors had brought it here, over ten light years from it's place of origin. It rolled slowly, floating in space, scanning the area. It's twin rear pylons were easily the length of it's body, which was nearly flat and oval shaped. As it rolled lazily, the spike covered top of the ship turned out of sight to reveal the flat, sandstone texture of it's belly. It was sand colored, and looked like a horned beetle, with spikes. They were here, someplace. The pylons swept the area with a scanning phase, tuned to one scent only, the enemy, the invaders who had dared to ravage Dau, the home world.

Part One
Fishing is an Art of Patience

The Lupercan scout ship stopped it's rolling motion. The sensors had detected two sources of the enemy, the stronger of the two was coming from the fourth planet, the red one. The smaller signal was coming from the water planet, nearer to the scout. The lone pilot, a female, flipped the tip of her shaggy tail absently, much like someone would tap their fingertips. Which source should be investigated first? Karn's four fingered hands flew over the controls, re-activating the scanning phase for a more detailed report of the enemy's numbers. The scout ship began to roll again. The ship turned to point the business end of the pylons at the blue, water planet, seeking the locations and number of the enemy.

She was alone, after all, and she didn't want to be detected by the enemy. She wanted the coordinates of their home world before she would send the probe back to Dau. Neither one of these planets had the numbers present to indicate that she had found it. Karn though over possible plans of action as she absently pulled a handful of her tan and sand colored hair back behind her ear. Her long hair blended into a thick mane, that covered most of her shoulder blades and tapered into her three foot long, brown tipped tail. Tan and cream colored, with a dash of dark brown, which was a common color for her kind.

Karn shut down the scanner and activated the cloaking phase. The spikes on the top of the small ship shimmered in a heat wave effect. She would find the Plutarkian base, slip in and get the home world coordinates from their own database. Seems like a good plan, she thought mildly, wondering what the natives looked like. Still, there was a lot of work to do, if she had to blend in with the citizens. It wouldn't do to be caught as she was. The Plutarkians would destroy the data and flee to anywhere but their home world. Other scout ships like her own had reported this behavior when they came across Plutarkian ships or bases.

It is a good plan, she decided. They would not escape this time. If she appeared to be a native, then gaining the information and escaping would be a simple matter. As the ship entered the atmosphere, it slipped into invisibility, still rolling slightly as it descended. Karn had decided on the city by the large lake. It was called Chicago.

*******


*******
At the Scoreboard base, a game of Chinese Checkers is in progress. It was Throttle's turn, but Vinnie was past the final stages of boredom.



"HEY! No fair bro!" Vinnie shouted, "That was an illegal jump!"

"It was good and you know it, Vinnie." Modo leaned back and grinned. Chinese checkers was his best game, one Vinnie couldn't beat him at often.

"Throttle, you saw it, it's not legal, right?" Vinnie wasn't giving up.


"No way, bro, I'm sittin this one out." Throttle knew how this game would end, and got up from the table. He decided he'd rather lube his bike than join in this time. Throttle walked over to the tool chest and began rooting through the jumble of tools while Vinnie and Modo continued their quiet conversation.

He was preparing the grease gun when Vinnie, roaring with good humor, launched himself across the table at Modo. Throttle turned to look for a second, to see if they broke the game board. Nope. Still in one piece. Modo flipped over and threw Vinnie halfway across the Scoreboard's interior. They always broke the table, but it was the folding kind, and easy to fix.
Modo, grinning like a kid, threw his huge bulk at Vinnie, who side-stepped Modo's charge easily, to grab him by the arm and flipped him over. Modo skidded on his back plate into the tool chest, just missing Throttle, who looked a little bored with the whole thing.


"Ha! Vinnie howled, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall!" He was enjoying himself immensely.

"Hey, hey, bros! Throttle said, "Take it outside before you bust up the place again! We just finished repairing the furniture two days ago." Vinnie either didn't hear him, or didn't want to.

"AHAHAAAAAAAA!!!! Vinnie threw his smaller, muscular body at Modo. Throttle shook his head.


"I give up." Throttle said quietly, and carrying the grease gun, headed for his bike. Party on, bros, he thought, you'll be busy later cleaning up the place. The radio began to bleep. Throttle went to answer it. Vinnie and Modo hadn't noticed it yet. He punched the receive button.



"GUYS!! GUYS!!" It was Charlie. Throttle's boredom was going away. Charlie sounds like she's seen something that requires their loving touch. He noticed Vinnie and Modo rolling across the room, which now looked like a junkyard. His bros certainly needed to reach out and touch somebody. Limburger had been quiet for the last three days, and Vinnie was really tuned for action. Relaxation wasn't in his vocabulary.

He had to admit, he was bored too, and too much quiet from the Tower usually meant another major Limburger plan was in the works. They hadn't seen a goon on the streets for three days. He had wondered if they shouldn't go shake up the Limburger Tower tonight, just to see what the Big Stink is up to this time.



"What's up, babe?" Throttle asked with some enthusiasm He laid the grease gun down on the radio.

"Throttle! I would ask you the same thing. Where are you guys?"

"At the scoreboard, babe." Throttle said. The sound of battle continued in the background. Something turned over with a resounding crash.

"Oh, you're home?! Charlie said. "Hey, what's that racket?"

"Vinnie and Modo." He said mildly. "Are you OK, Charlie?"

"I'm good, Throttle." Charlie said. "But somebody is rattling Limburger's cage pretty good. His goons are shooting up the tower, and I thought you guys went without me!" Throttle whistled loudly, to catch Modo and Vinnie's attention. They stopped immediately and looked up. Throttle jerked his head in a come here motion. They came.

"Throttle." Charlie said smoothly.

"Yeah, babe."

"DON"T WHISTLE ON THE RADIO! Charlie shouted, "You nearly scared me out of my wits!"

"Sorry, Charlie." Throttle said brightly. Vinnie grabbed the mike.

"Sweetheart!!" Vinnie's face somewhat glowed with infatuation for Charlie. Modo brushed debris off of his self while he listened intently. He needed some real action. A few goons to pound on would do him good.

"Can it, Vinnie." Charlie said, "Get your tail over here and pick me up. I don't want to miss anything, I get bored too, Vinnie."

"On my way, sweetheart!" Vinnie said loudly. Charlie hung up on him.

"Owwhh, she is so hung up on me, bros!" Vinnie ran to his bike, mounting it and starting it in one smooth motion. His tail flipped back and forth in wide arcs like a cat that was watching a bird.

"Come ON, BROS!!" Vinnie yelled excitedly, "We're missing out on the action!" Modo and Throttle mounted their bikes. The heavy thrumming beat of Modo's engine joined Vinnie's.

"Come on, a little SPEED, bros" Vinnie revved his engine for emphasis. Throttle put his helmet on, then kick started his own bike. It's low, heavy sound joined the bikes' song of power. Music to any biker's ears.

"Let's do it." Throttle gunned his bike, the heavy roar of it's huge engine mingled with the sounds of Modo's and Vinnie's bikes in a soul satisfying roar of sheer power as their bikes made the leap out of the scoreboard's window into the field.

"LET'S ROCK AND RIDE!!!"


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Disclaimer: I do not own the Biker Mice From Mars. This story is for your reading pleasure. I do not make a profit from this. I'm writing this because of my love for the show and the enjoyment of other fans. Anyone may download this story or the art if they desire to keep it.

The characters of Dr. Karen Dean, and Zoey belong to Hayden Davidson, and are used with her permission. Karn, Kylo, Jarras and their background are mine and come from a unrelated, and unfinished novel. The next section of Beginnings will be a co-write with Hayden!

Written by Gabrielle
Copyright 1998 Gabrielle all rights reserved
********************************

Thunder rumbled over the dark, dreary skies of Chicago the day the Lupercan scout appeared over the Tower in Limburger Plaza. The day of the beginning of the end for one race, or the other. The balance of power between the two species, if they became equal this day, could mean the Plutark would stand unchallenged in their conquest of the entire galaxy. But not without a fight. The Lupercan were once the conquering force in the galaxy, until their own power corrupted them, and then destroyed almost the entire race. The Plutark would not take their place.

The Plutark attack on Dau was merciless. Karn's anger grew as she remembered the total destruction of Cannae Prime, as she stared at the two figures in the window arguing. Nearly one million dead. The city of children was gone forever, and Dau's future with it. Nothing but an empty plot of land was left now. They had transported the entire city into space, into some sort of space bucket.

Stupid of them to attack us, she thought, arrogant too. Dau's technology was light years ahead of most of the galaxy. Plutarkian ships still used engines, and were constructed of metals. Lupercan Vikers, Dau's fighter force, had sliced every Plutark ship in the area, a fleet of over fifty ships into small pieces moments after the attack. Their ships were no match for the dark matter Vikers. Those fish that survived, became a victory banquet.

"Some victory." Karn muttered to herself.

With Cannae Prime gone, she thought, we are dead already. Seeming to sense her anger, scout 4714 moved in a little closer to the window. The small, flat, oval shaped space craft had no windows or ports. She "saw" only through the scout's optical sensors. Moving closer to the window would make no difference. She barely noticed the change in position.

They think they are the masters of the Galaxy. They had to know who we are. Those CONTEMPTUOUS WORM EATERS1 They destroyed the one city state that couldn't be rebuilt. Every child, and the Bio/Gen. centers that grew them was gone, forever.
Dau will be no more in a single lifetime. Karn felt tears of rage clouding her eyes as she watched them. Those overconfident, pompous, slimy assassins of children! Did they truly believe the Lupercan Empire to be toothless and extinct? Or, were they simply trying to destroy us?

And now, Plutark will not survive. There were over 500 scouts searching the galaxy for them.
If the current planetary Galactic Council had forgotten the domination of the Lupercan Empire, then the destruction of Plutark would certainly refresh their memories. Dau's councils didn't expect any criticism from the PGC. Most of the Council's members were fish species. She stared at the figures, behind the window's rain spattered glass, wondering if they were Plutark.

The scout's invisible form hovered silently less than 5 feet from Limburger's office windows, more than 40 floors from the ground. She could see a large, heavyset male creature, clothed all over, with a small tuff of hair on top of his head. He was walking back and forth, waving his huge arms and shouting at another large, extremely large, bald male. She noticed both of them have five fingered hands.

It began to rain. The scout was phased slightly out of normal space, so she knew she couldn't be seen, or detected. Thunder rumbled low, in the gray blue clouds to the west of the tower. Karn noted this, and decided she had plenty of time to study the situation, and get this done right. She got out of her chair and stretched, then walked around the back of the chair and leaned on it. Karn looked around at the sparse, mostly bare walls of the command cabin. Got to make a plan, and calm down, she thought. She'd developed a short fuse, after 3 months alone in this tiny ship.

She'd been cruising about the galaxy for over 8 months, and she was sick of it. After losing Jarras 3 months ago, she'd been in isolation. And Karn didn't like being alone. Now, she'd be going home soon, maybe today, if nothing else goes wrong.
Karn linked to the scout. The simulated comlink, attached to her brain, connected instantaneously to the scout's command systems. It responded immediately.

*47, how many Plutarks are in there?*

*One*

The rain was getting heavier, Karn could now see it passing through the scout's partially phased cabin. She looked back up at the slowly rolling clouds. It had grown considerably darker in the past few minutes. Should be enough time for this, she thought. Karn went back to her command chair and settled back in it.

*Where is the Plutark?*

*You are observing it now*

Karn studied the two figures. The larger male seemed to be cringing, as the slightly smaller one continued to wave his arms about, and pointed at the fur covered floor, several times. The skin of the large, bald one seemed to be covered in dark liquid. She magnified the scout's sensor link for a closer look at it's skin.

Karn's face curled up in astonishment. His skin was dripping, like sweat, but more, actually drooling the black, slimy looking stuff on the furry floor! What is that floor made of? She leaned closer. Not fur. Some kind of clothes, or material on the floor. There were small puddles of the large one's skin sweat on the floor material. The smaller male was pointing there again.
Makes sense. Karn thought as she sat back in her chair again. It's angry because the other is drooling on floor. So the angry one must be the Plutark. Fish don't drool liquid. Thunder rumbled again, closer now, but Karn didn't notice it this time, she had zoomed in for a closer look at the Plutark.

*47, scan the building and locate their computer core, then take me there for a drop.*

*Scanning*

The scout fell silent.
How odd. It's never done that before.

*47, scan info and drop location now.*

More silence. Karn groaned, my luck is still rotten, if this ship fails, I'm stuck here, I can't fix it! Oh, Jar, why did you have to mess with that stupid Plutark transporter, anyway? It was obsolete and worthless, and now I might get stuck here! She slapped at the silent board on the arm of her chair. Lights on, but nobody's home.

*4714! Answer me!!!*

Nothing. She glanced back at the windows.
The rain running down Limburger's windows was blurring the view, the rain was pouring down now. Too late, Karn looked up, just as a burst of lightning lit the sky. The thunder cracked loudly, very near the scout, causing Karn to jump in her seat. Her heart raced, startled by the noise. And worse, the Plutark was looking right at her, his jaw dropped open, and eyes wide and staring. HE SEES THE SCOUT!!!

*47! EMERGENCY AB9!! *

The scout dropped like a rock, taking Karn's stomach with it, allowing full gravity to pull it's half phased form towards the ground at a dizzying speed. Karn held on to her chair, her heart in her throat. Oh man, this really BITES! Karn swallowed back, her stomach churning. Why did I have to say AB9?

The scout fell. A small, tight, sampler beam shot out from it, seeking a form to replicate. It found, and hit a passing vehicle on the ground below. As it approached the ground, the scout re- phased and replicated into a duplicate of the vehicle it had sampled.
An old, rust flecked, faded, army green step van hit the ground heavily in Limburger Plaza. It rocked and swayed heavily on it's creaking springs. Karn was thrown to the floor. Her head was virtually swimming, and her stomach wasn't to think about.

*47! Get moving, copy vehicle protocol!*

It went, its engine knocking in protest, as it squealed across Limburger's Plaza, leaving black marks on his sidewalks, as it ran towards the streets. Karn groaned, and swallowed back more bile, as she tried to get back into one of the two chairs the scout now had. The jumping, swaying motion of the step van, was making it hard. Karn's stomach rolled in protest at the movement of the van.
She grabbed the edge of one chair and hauled herself into it. The van lurched sideways into a right turn, hurling her into the chair. Yowwch! Her tail burned like a stubbed toe. She'd bent her tail the wrong way, and the pain was fierce! These chairs are nasty! The one she'd crawled onto was well worn, with a hollow in the center, but she still managed to kink her tail trying to sit in it. Her stomach was threatening total revolution, she had to get out!
Karn looked out the windshield and saw nothing, the rain ran in streaks over the glass blurring the gray day even more.

*47, fix the window view, and slow down too, I can't see.*

Small rubber blades suddenly began to sweep the glass, clearing the view of the street. The right blade moved out of sync, slower than the left one. The windshield cleared. The street was unlit, but she could see quite well in the dark.. There wasn't much to see, but crumbling buildings and craters. It looked like a heavy battle area. but there! to the right was a field of rumble, with the remains of a building still standing in it.

*47! Go there and stop.*

It turned, slowing as it went, lurching over the curb and the debris, starting the van's body to sway again. Karn's stomach lurched with it.

*47, STOP THIS MOTION! NOW!*

It stopped hard, skidding it's rear end around to rest along side the remaining wall of the battered building. Karn was thrown sideways against the other chair, slamming her back good in the process.

*Ohh, I really hate you, you evil little machine.*

Karn groaned. Her stomach had had enough, and was ready for action. Got to get out now. Her tail and back ached like a sore tooth when she tried to pull herself up, grabbing at the slippery, mud slimed chair.

*Order not comprehended, request command.*

*47, shut up, and open the door.*

Karn had gotten up, her face pale and ashen, and was leaning on one of the sliding doors. The door slid open and she toppled out, face down, straight into the mud. She raised up on all fours, mud dripping from her face, and let her stomach have its way with her. In frustration, she thrust her leg out and kicked the offending van. Her foot landed solidly, and gave a resounding hollow bang, knocking off a few flecks of rust. This was turning out to be a very interesting day, indeed. Nasty machine. She kicked it again.

The rain was coming down heavily, but it was soothing, after that sickening ride. Karn got up and leaned against the van's body, letting the rain pelt her face. Felt good. She always liked the rain. Motion sickness, Karn thought miserably. Thought I'd gotten over that. Guess not. She looked up into the still dark skies and watched the lightning flash and dance through the slowly moving clouds.
Should've paid more attention to the storm, then come back later. The scout sat silent. Karn glanced at it. It was in a ugly form, all green, dented, and boxy. But then, she hadn't seen anything pretty here. This metro looked like a war zone, and the greasy citizen she'd seen was repulsive. And the only way a Plutark looked good was grilled, and on a bun with trill sauce.

The building scan. That was five minutes ago. Why didn't the scout answer her?

*47, did you scan the building?*

*Scan completed, analysis in progress.*

Still analyzing ? Karn wondered at that. Something is really wrong here, shouldn't be any time involved in a scan! Karn turned to the door and climbed back in. She sat down carefully on one of the chairs and looked around. The rain pounded, reverberating on the flat metal roof of the van. Orange furry material on the floor. Ugh. The interior walls were covered in wood plates, with a small living area in the back.

All in green and orange, the bed, curtains and chairs were rough looking, the colors seemed to compete for the eye's attention. The dark wood walls didn't help. The natives here do like color clash. Well, Karn thought, A camper is a good choice if I were staying, but I'm not. I just won't come back here. Too hard on the eyes. She went back to the passenger chair and sat down on the edge.

*47, scan analysis info?*

*Analysis in progress.*

*47, do a self analysis before you complete scan analysis.*

*Analysis complete. System is efficient. Re-initializing scan analysis.*

It's answer was instantaneous. So why so long on the scan info? Uneasiness crept into the back of her mind. Maybe she should at least report her location to another scout, before doing anything else.

*47, locate 4713 and report our location.*

*Done. Scout 4713 confirms communication*

Karn felt a little better. Kylo knows where she is, now. If anything really bad happened, 47 would call Kylo the instant it lost communication with her. Kylo would be here in seconds.
Got to make a plan, and quickly. How much did that fish see anyway? Enough to recognize it?

Lightning ionized the sub particles located in normal space, and caused a halo effect, outlining a phased ship. She knew that, and just didn't really think about it, and now her carelessness may have tipped off the enemy. He might be transporting out right now, destroying the data she came for. She got up and headed for the storage bay, and stopped. It wasn't there right now.

*47, re phase interior passage to the storage bay interior*

*Done*

Karn saw the short, narrow hall to the rear bay and walked past her living quarters and the core to the rear bay. The rough, sand textured floor and beige ceramic walls were a welcome sight, after all of that green and orange. She found the small, four inch long laser knife quickly, and attached it to her left arm. The universal data system link was in Jar's landski, in the lower docking bay. She went to get it, not realizing the trouble she was about to get into. Karn found it, and returned to the portion of the scout which was still step van. She attached it to her right arm after she checked it's power cell.

*47, re-phase vehicle interior*

*Done*

*47, give me info on your current form's operation, and protocol on this metro.*

Got to hurry. The feeling of urgency, of something about to happen, was making her nervous. She had to get moving. The information she'd asked for flowed into her brain. Karn slid the door shut, and half leaning, half sitting on the driver's chair, keyed the engine to life, and found the switches for the lights and wipers. The van rolled and swayed over the debris again, and reaching the street, headed back to Limburger Tower.

On second thought, maybe she shouldn't use the lights. The Plutark may notice. She didn't need the light anyway. Karn flipped off the light switch. Sitting on the edge, Karn gripped the huge, round steering wheel, and grappled with it, trying to keep the van straight on the road. And it wasn't working, even with the info the scout had given her. The petals were hard to reach, as she was more leaning on the seat than sitting on it. It wasn't designed for tails. This really bites, Karn thought, feeling frustration rising again.

*47, take over navigation, and where is my scan data?*

Karn let go of the wheel and getting up, moved to stand between the chairs. Both of the seats were mud caked now, and filthy. Karn plucked at some of the drying, caked mud on her body. It stank. Her tail, thick and bushy, was still damp, still dripping the stuff. She flicked away a piece she'd picked off her shoulder fur. Not like molo, just plain, sticky mud, full of gravel and other gooey things.

*Done. Scan analysis complete.*

Karn was afraid to hear it. No scan had ever taken over a second, that she knew of. Either the scout had problems that couldn't be detected, or, she was in for real trouble.

*Dark matter core detected, anti-Baryon shielding. Standard bucky ball matrix core with interior anti-Lepton field at twelve percent *

*47, stop motion*

The copy of a Chevy step van pulled over, and stopped. They were in sight of the Tower, straight ahead, less than two blocks now. Anti-Baryon. That explains why it took so long. The scout can't handle anti-Baryon, because it is the opposite. She looked out the windshield, to see if anyone was watching her. The rain was settling down to a gentle rain, and she could see the tower clearly. It was dark. No lights.

Karn's heart skipped a beat, then throbbed faster in fear. Oh no.. She looked up at the dark tower again, wondering how, where did they get it? A brief flash of lightening in a nearby cloud, illuminated the tower in a blue, white light. Looked like a bad omen, she thought. A feeling of dread, and fear washed over her. Karn slumped into the passenger chair, forgetting the mud there. Things just went from bad, to worse.

Anti-Baryon shielding wasn't stable. And a anti-lepton interior at 12! This explained why the scout refused to drop her in. The scout's shielding was Baryon, but with a positive lepton charge of 43 percent. If she had phased through the building, the reaction wouldn't taken the scout, and the entire tower complex with it. Karn looked back at the tower.

But if they have a core with a Baryon shield, they are very close to finishing it. Where did they get the info? The Plutark transporter Jarras had disappeared in leapt into her mind, unintentionally. She pushed the thought out, not wanting to think about it.
How close are they to the phase converter? Karn felt a race of cold fear run down her spine, raising the fur ridge up the middle of her mud soaked mane. I think maybe I better find out how much they know, and if this Plutark is the only one with the information.

*47, relate new info to scout 4713, and request standby status*

*Done, Scout 4713 confirms communication, at standby status*

*Scout 4713 requests explanation of standby*

Tell them the data is not confirmed, and I am investigating source of detected material. Karn simlinked this to the scout, but wished she could talk to Kylo in person. She missed him terribly, and after losing Jarras, she felt terribly alone in this ugly city state.

*Done*

Just do it. She told herself miserably, get it done, so I can go home.

*47, resume motion, park next to a air delivery duct system, and add markings to your sides proclaiming air system repair*

*Done*

A few minutes later, an army green Chevy Step Van bearing the logo of Robertson's HVAC Repair backed up to a large air conditioning unit at the back of Limburger's main tower. Karn studied the unit, looking for a entrance into the air duct system, and found one.

*47, locate core source by floor level and report location*

*Third floor, 40 feet inward east from our location*

Lucky, for once, she thought, not too far in. This tower is huge, and it could've been the top floor. If this is the only source of data, then I'll just blast this tower before Plutark prime gets the data. She thought of Jarras again. Karn shivered involuntarily. If Plutark prime already has this, then I may already be homeless. I hope I'm not too late. Karn checked the system comlink on her right arm, and the laser knife on the other. I guess I'm ready. She slid open the van's door and got out into the rain. Just get it done.

*47, initiate procedure DE1 on standby status* The scout would destroy the tower instantly if she lost contact with it. She didn't like DE1, but it was standard protocol.

*Done, standing by*

Karn slid through the dark to the bottom of the main air duct, and sliced a hole big enough to crawl into. Taking a deep breath, she climbed in and disappeared into the belly of Limburger's Tower.

She could smell the odor of fresh Plutark as soon as she sliced open the air duct. It was invigorating! Made her think of filet of Plutark, marinated in trill juice, cooking over a slow grill. Karn grinned, thinking of this, as she crawled quickly down the air duct, looking for a passage up to the next floor. Maybe I'll just take a small hunk of that fish back with me for dinner, before I blast this place.
She could almost taste it. The odor was strong here. Yes, I think maybe a big piece. The next level adjoining duct was here, and it went up, it looked like, all the way to the top of the tower. Piece of cake, Karn thought, and scrambled up two levels to the proper floor.

*47, Which way from my location*

*23 feet forward from your current position*

Karn saw air vents all along this duct, opening into a hallway on one side, and rooms on the other. One of these vents must open into the place I'm looking for. Perfect. Karn calmed down a bit. This was getting easier, shouldn't take long now. She began crawling with more confidence. They'd never notice her in here, and it's a direct path to the source of the dark matter core.

There was someone in the hallway adjacent to the air duct. She could hear a small child yelling, and a male voice yelling back. Karn's curiosity was enticed, and she crawled towards the vent the sound was coming from. She heard a loud slap, and then nothing. Her mane rose slightly. Something was wrong here. Karn crept up quietly and pulled her blade down when she reached the vent.

Karn saw the same large, greasy bald male she had watched in the tower's windows less than an hour ago. And he had a baby of some sort by her hair, shaking her. The child appeared to be a rodent or primate female, and she stood deviant, tears running down her face. She noticed the little girl creature had been injured.
Karn's anger boiled as she saw burns, places where the white fur had burned away, to reveal blistered skin. She could smell the burn flesh, and the little one's fear, along with the disgusting odor of black grease and male sweat coming from the other. He shook her again.

"I can't hear you, girlie,"

"Yes, sir," The little one whispered, still not afraid, her deep, green eyes still staring defiantly at him. The male's oil dripping fist was clamped tight on her brown, white streaked hair braid.

It jerked her by the hair again. Karn's eyes glowed in smoldering anger, her muscles tensed, and her mane ridge puffed out and up, even before she knew she meant to attack. This was cruel, and that male was with the fishfry earlier. Plutark slugboy!
He raised his other hand to slap her again. A low toned growl, rolled up slowly from within her. Karn's rage burned and overflowed into fury. Without thought, Karn exploded into action.

In a single motion, she burned off the vent cover in front of her and propelled herself at the vulgar creature holding the little girl. Karn slammed into Greasepit, her mane ridge high, small fangs bared, and snarling with frenzied, accumulated fury. Not another child!
He let go of the little girl, to grapple with her. The young, white furred child fell back on floor, screaming in blind panic.
Karn hit him chest high, twisting, snarling and entangled in his huge, beefy arms. Her small, heavy nails clawed for a grip on his oil slick shoulders, trying to gain a better position for his throat. She meant to rip it out, wanting to see the color of his blood. He grabbed her, pulling her arms away, and threw her against the wall.

The little girl's screams intensified into high pitched, breathless shrieks of terror. Karn twisted around and launched herself at him again, in a near frenzy. He caught her in mid air by her chest and squeezed hard. Karn threw back her head, and let out a long, wailing cry. The pain was mind numbing, and immense. Her ribs felt like they were being crushed, and she couldn't breath. That howl of pain was her last breath of air. She was blacking out. Pinpoints of dim light blurred her eyes.

"Got ya now, doggie!"

Greasepit grinned, chuckling to himself, and squeezed harder. Karn's body went tight with agony. She could hear many footsteps approaching. Got to end thisher thoughts were getting jumbled. Childcorethis.can'tgetcaught.. She leaned forward and sank her small, sharp fangs deep into his huge, plate like chin. Her lips were slimed by his oily blood. Nasty. He dropped her, bawling like a baby. Karn spat the foul taste out of her mouth.

"Yowwwwch!! Oww, Oww, Oww, Oww!"

Satisfaction. Karn thought nastily. Dirty, greasy creature. He'd turned his back on her, holding his jaw in both hands, adding his incredibly loud yowling to the noise the child was making. She laid on the hallway floor in a crumpled heap, looking at the screaming child. The panic in the baby's eyes was terrible to see. The fear she put there.
So sorry, little one. She closed her golden brown eyes, not wanting to see such fear. I only wanted to help you. I never thought Karn gasped for breath, the pain was worse then, and she whimpered in pain. But they're coming, closer now. Karn rose to her feet, another moan escaping. That vile creature had picked up the girl by the arm. Karn reached for her knife.

"What are you doing!! Put her down! NOW!!"

A woman wearing white was running down the hall towards them, with more white suits hot behind her. Out of time! They have seen her!

"STOP DAT NOISE!"

Karn's ribs were fractured, and her head was swimming, but the fury still burned hot. He would not get that child!! She stumbled towards him from behind and stuck her blade into his huge right buttock, right up to the hilt. She flicked the laser to "on". The new, intensified sound coming from him now was ear shattering.

Karn jerked the blade back and pushed at the now screaming, oil covered, male. She noticed the child running towards the black haired female, who fell to her knees and grabbed the sobbing child. It's done. I think the childsafe.. oh my head the noise the greasy male creature was making was beyond description, and loud.using the last of her strength to bypass the pain, Karn leaped into the vent and disappeared.

Dr. Karen Dean couldn't believe what she just saw. Zoey was trembling in her arms, still crying, and old Greasepit was holding his butt with both hands and dancing in the hall, and squealing his lungs out. And what was that mud caked alien mauling him? It looked injured. How did it get in here? Thank god, it didn't get Zoey! Karen hugged Zoey closer, trying to stop her terrible shaking. The poor child seemed to have everything happen to her.

"Zoey, Zoey, don't cry, honey," she crooned softly. " I'm here now. Nobody's going to hurt you sweetheart."

Zoey looked up at her, with her dark green eyes. It hurt her heart to see such terror in her innocent eyes. Karen wiped tears from Zoey's face, her fur was soaked with them.

"I saw ohI felt..I saw.." Zoey's voice was raspy, and broken.

"Hush, baby, you can tell me later," Karen said, pulling her close to her chest.

" I've got to get you someplace safe."

The poor child must have screamed her lungs out. The other doctors behind her had stopped Greasepit's caterwauling and Limburger's goons had shown up and were trying to talk to him. Greasepit looked drugged, swaying unsteadily on his feet. She couldn't hear much, all of them were talking at once. Karen picked up Zoey and holding her close, went down the hall past more late arriving goons. Karen wanted to get Zoey to a safe place. She knew what happens when that many goons gather in one place.

Karn could hear them behind her, back in the hallway. The sounds echoed loudly in the narrow space of the air duct. Another few seconds, and they would have caught her. She crawled slower now, her head down. Drawing breath was painful, and sharp. Grease and dried mud dripped from her fur, and her hand slipped in it. Karn fell on her face, biting her lip. Dizziness swirled round, clouding her senses, mixed with the hot, copper taste of her own blood.

Oh, such pain! Why did I have to lose my temper? She thought miserably, that could've gone better. Another plan shot to crap. Karn laid still until the worse of it went, then raised up to crawl forward. Carefully this time. She could hear others trying to get in the ducts, and weapons fire.

Stupid! Oh I have such a talent for STUPID! Didn't get the coordinates, didn't even see the dark matter core, they saw me, that Plutark will get away, before I can do anything, and to top all of THAT off, I let that filthy creature bust up most of my body!

And I thought this would be EASY! Oh, that really BITES! She continued her mincing crawl forward. I'm gonna get him, oh you bet, I'm gonna get that slimy creature for this! Something exploded behind her. A blast of hot air blew past her, rank with the smell of burning plastic.

Karn reached the edge of the downward air duct and rolled over into a sitting position. The noise in the ducts was becoming extremely loud. Sounds like they're shooting out every wall in the building. Her head swarmed with blackness, and dots of light.

*47! What is my location?*

*Third floor, 8 feet from outer frame wall*

Karn knew she couldn't get down that duct. Had to take a chance. She was really hurt. She'd have 47 destroy everything before she would let a Plutark take her prisoner. But that little girl was in here, too. Karn saw the wall on the other side of the downward air duct. Rolling over carefully, She headed in that direction, clambering over the downward duct, towards the outer wall. Someone was in this duct, she could hear them coming clumsily towards her from the adjoining duct to the left. She pulled off her blade, switched it on, and sat down, facing the outer wall.

*47, Emergency AB3*

She slashed at the wall, cutting an uneven, round hole in it, opening the air duct out to the sky beyond. She caught a brief sight of the dark sky, and felt the cool wind and rain rushing at her. Then the docking bay hatch of the scout covered it. A clanking crash behind her, and the sound of a weapon being cocked. She turned to see a bright light, blinding her eyes. Karn half jumped, half fell into the scout's open hatch. Then, the ship faded away, silently, like a ghost. It was gone, as if it had never been there.

Greasepit's goon clambered over to the hole and looked down and then up, at the sky. His light had reflected in it's eyes, and all he had seen was something mud caked and furry, curled up against the wall. Nothing. Whatever it was didn't fall. And he didn't see a ship or helicopter. Cold wind and rain drifted into the open hole in Limburger's Tower. The goon didn't have a clue what to tell Greasepit. The grimy creature had just vanished into thin air.



The Biker Mice rolled to a stop just in front of the main Tower, their radios blasting out heavy metal music, the only sound to be heard near the silent building. The rain was falling gently in the streets, now. Throttle looked up at the battered, perforated top of the tower and could see random weapons fire flashing in a few of the upper levels near Limburger's office. Most of the windows were blown out of the upper levels.

Whatever had happened here was over now. There weren't any goons in the streets, and it looked like all the action had happened around Limburger's office. Odd.
Throttle zoomed in with his helmet scanner for a closer look. The lights were mostly off, and he could see Greasepit's goons shooting at shadows, and mostly hitting each other. Maybe somebody dropped in through the transporter that didn't agree with the big stink cheese.

"Awwh !! Looks like we missed the party!" Vinnie said, discouraged at the lack of action. Modo grinned good-naturedly, and slapped Vinnie on the back.

"Well, bro," he replied, chuckling at Vinnie's sullen face, "we can always start our own party." Both of them looked over at Throttle, who was still studying the building.

"Let's shake old haddock butt up a little more." Vinnie suggested, "What you say, Throttle?"

Throttle turned to them, grinning.

"Let's do it." He said evenly, "Somebody's given Limburger a bad day, bros. Maybe we need to find out who that somebody is. Could be trouble.

"Yaaahhhhhhhhooooohaaahaahaahaaaaaaa" Vinnie, gunned his engine, cranked up his radio, and was halfway up the side of Limburger's tower, before Throttle had finished his last sentence.

Throttle sighed and shook his head slightly. Uncontrolled laughter escaped Modo, his body shook with it, as his eye followed Vinnie's bike, boosters flaring, up the side of the tower.

"Well, We better hurry, or Vinnie's going to bash Limburger before we can talk to `im." Modo said, trimming his laughter down to a few chuckles.

"Let's do it." Throttle said grinning. Both of them revved their engines, and raced up the wall after Vinnie. The sound of their engines and heavy metal echoed down the dark, empty streets, the flames from their boosters lit the front of Limburger Plaza like fireflies glowing from high above.


"NO! NO!" Limburger flinched, as he saw, and heard the scream of a motorcycle, heading for his office window. Again. Not now. Not them too. Limburger thought irritably, First, that thing in the window, a spy on Karbunkle's floor, and now those revolting rodents!
Ohhhhh, mother always said I would have days like this. He turned and ran for his desk, punching buttons in a wild frenzy, just as the window exploded inward. It was the white one. Limburger groaned. But why, oh why, do I have so MANY days like this? He wondered.

"HEY, STINKPUSS!"

Vinnie slid to a stop against Limburger's desk, bumping it into Limburger. Limburger fell back, landing flat on his ample, well padded butt. Throttle and Modo slid to a stop, seconds later, right beside Vinnie.
The loud, blasting sound of "The Shortest Straw" by Metallica blared in his ears. (challenge liberty) The gray one was laughing his furry little head off. Typical. He thought, resigned to the inevitable outcome.

I should have surmised they would arrive. Limburger got up, and straightened his suit. He stood in a stately manner, as if he were in a business meeting. (live in infamy)

"What, may I ask," Limburger said smoothly, "Do you want now? And do you MIND turning off that repugnant clamor?" (rub you raw)

Modo grinned, and cranked his radio to the max.. (this shortest straw has been pulled for you) Limburger quickly covered his ears and grimaced. Vinnie howled in laughter, and twisted his radio as high as it would go. (your hell is multiplied)

Throttle chuckled, enjoying Limburger's hatred of heavy metal music. (the fallout has begun)

"Cut it, bros," he said, "I want to hear what ole feta face has to say."

They reluctantly turned the radios down to a mild roar, but left them on. Apparently, they had to have some tunes to bash his goons by. Detestable taste in music, if one could call it that. He put his hands down, and began to brush the dust and debris from his hair.(oppressive damage done)

Their engines grumbled, and their music was reverberating through what was left of his office. Dust, glass and water littered what had been a new carpet, only two days ago. With Greasepit around, he had to replace the carpet on a weekly basis. (your many turned to none)

Throttle was watching him intently. As usual. The others were apparently waiting for his signal. He cringed slightly. Throttle noticed this, and grinned. Evil, flea bitten hamsters, he thought to himself. Your turn to cringe is coming. Oh yes, indeed.(with vertigo make you dead) Horrid noise! He brushed at his arm, trying to appear composed and calm. He picked off a few flecks of glass.

" If you don't mind, I'd like to retire for the night." Limburger said. "I've had a rather arduous day." (shortest straw has been pulled for you)

"Yeh, we noticed." Modo said. "Why are your goons shooting up your tower, cheese whiz? Did you miss us, and decide to blow it up yourself this time?" Throttle and Vinnie laughed agreeably at this, enjoying his predicament.

"Hey, party peoples!" The voice of Sweet Georgie Brown bellowed from their radios. "Here's another Metallica tune for ya! "AND JUSTICE FORRR ALLLL!" Limburger flinched. That song was by far, worse than the one before it. Those wretched rodents are going to kill me with that nauseating noise. He thought with resignation. Ohhh, I YEARN for this day to be over. (halls of justice painted green)
The white mouse, unable to resist, turned his radio up again. (power wolves beset your door) Limburger didn't react this time. Instead, he straightened his tie. (soon you'll please their appetite) He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. In spite of the fact that the clashing screech of that noise grated on his ears like nails on a chalkboard. (they devour)

"Hey, no fair starting the party without us!" Vinnie shouted.

"Wheeuuhh!" Throttle said, "Does it smell a little worse in here than usual?" (hammer of justice crushes you)

"Nah, Vinnie said giggling, "Seems like the same old stench to me, bro!"

"Seems a little riper than most days to me." Modo grinned evilly at Limburger. (overpower)

"Mind telling us why your goons are shooting up the tower?" Throttle asked quietly, studying Limburger's reactions closely. He had been plucking at his necktie, absently. (the ultimate in vanity) He put his hands down on his desk.. (exploiting their supremacy)

"Not that it's any of your business." Limburger crooned, "But I know you vicious weasels won't leave until I tell you ." He leaned heavily on his desk and said quietly, in almost a whisper.

"It's simply a labor problem." He said. "A little altercation over pay raises and promotion assignments. Nothing really." Limburger looked at them expectantly. (justice is lost)

"Now, If I may be so bold to ask," He said, "Would you please leave?"

"Sorry, barnacle butt." Throttle said, "But we're just gonna check out your building for ourselves."

He revved up, increasing the racket with the heavy, low toned roar of his engine. As he whipped his bike towards the hall, the other mice turned with him, as one. (justice is raped)

"Maybe, just maybe, we'll leave your tower standing tonight." Throttle yelled on his way out, "IT'S TAIL WHIPPIN TIME!!"

"Yeh," Modo shouted back, "You do look a little tired tonight."

He blew out a large portion of the wall connecting to the hall with his arm cannon. Throttle flashed through the ragged hole, his engine roaring. (find it so grim) Modo was right behind him.

"Ta, Ta, Tubby!" Vinnie howled, "Here's a little nightcap for ya!" (so true so real)

Vinnie tossed something, and then burning rubber, vanished into the hallway after the others. The fading echoes of "And Justice for All" followed them.
The reek of burning carpet filled the office. Limburger's eyes fell to the object the white one had tossed. It was ticking.

"Oh, wonderful."

Limburger barely had time to duck behind his desk before it blew up, with a resounding boom. Plaster and pieces of everything else rained down on his head. He laid on his belly, tapping his fingers on the floor. A irate look on his face. The sound of more weapons and shattering glass sounded from a couple of floors down. They where headed for the third floor. No, no, no they mustn't see that.

Limburger rose up too quickly, and knocked his head on the bottom of the desk. He grabbed his mask by the hair, and ripping it off, threw it across what was left of his office. He slapped his hand down on the interoffice comm.

"KARBUNKLE! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU ENCEPHALETIC HEADCASE!"

Karbunkle answered immediately. Limburger glared at the receiver. The dust and smoke floating about the office was irritating his gills. He wanted a bath, and his bed, very badly. He pulled at his trousers, readjusting them for more comfort.

"You called, Oh Flatulently Fragrant One?" Karbunkle crooned eagerly.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" Limburger shouted angrily. "The Biker Mice are in the building.!"

"Why, on the third floor, Your Cheddar Cheesiness."

"Did you get that untidiness cleaned up in the hallway? I don't want those bothersome vermin seeing anything." He remembered the window.

" Oh, and, Karbunkle, did your sensors reveal any information about that cloaked ship outside of my suite's window?" A falling hunk of plaster hit him square on the head. Wincing, he slapped it away.

"Oh, of course, Your Overripeness. " Karbunkle keened.

"They won't find a thing. Everyone has vacated the area, and I've even had the hallway mopped down. There was quite a lot of mud and grease spattered about. As for our unwelcome visitor, my sensors detected nothing." Karbunkle wondered if Limburger had really seen something.

"It must have been an illusion, a trick of the lightening, perhaps." Nothing in existence could escape his sensors, that he knew of. The incident on the third floor must be unrelated.

"Good." Limburger relaxed a bit. "Send Greasepit up to my private rooms as soon as those fur bearing flea factories leave the tower. He revised that. "That is, if they are so good as to leave it standing. I'm going to take a bath."

"Ahh, so sorry, Your Mozzarella Cheesiness." Karbunkle said. "Greasepit seems to be, oh should I say, a little under the weather?"

The sound of motorcycle engines increased, then faded, across the intercom. They had arrived on the third floor, near Karbunkle. He could also faintly hear the sound of heavy metal music. (hear them stalking) Still playing the same tune, he noticed.

"What are you babbling about, you malformed curiosity!" Limburger yelled, "I don't have time for this.!

"The creature apparently has some sort of toxin in it's bite." Karbunkle said, "Greasepit is unable to walk, numb, and quite speechless. (they devour) His remarks are muddled and quite unintelligible. He has been injured slightly, my doctors are patching him up, as we speak.."

"His speech is ALWAYS unintelligible!" Limburger shouted. "I want to know what happened down there! Find someone who can give me an account of it, NOW!"

"Perhaps, Dr. Dean," Karbunkle said. "Or the prototype? Both of them were involved in that little fracas in the hallway."

Limburger considered this. He could hear the muffled sound of idling engines and heavy metal music across the intercom. They were near Karbunkle, (justice is gone ) but apparently hadn't located him yet. There was no sound of weapons fire.(justice is done) A good sign. Karbunkle was good to his word. The third floor was evidently deserted.

"Doctor Karbunkle," he asked calmly, "Your other project, was it disturbed in any manner?"

"No, Your Cultured Creaminess ." Karbunkle said.

"Quite safe. There was no sign of intrusion." He added, " I plan to analyze the toxin affecting Greasepit later, and attempt to define the species it came from."

"Excellent, my dear doctor!" Limburger brightened a bit. "Find the prototype and Dr. Dean."

"Send them to my private quarters in an hour providing, the building is still here." He added,
"And send your report on the toxin analysis when it is ready." (seeking no truth)

"Right away, Your Cheddar Chee.."

Limburger slapped the intercom button off. That appalling music! He stepped carefully over the smoldering remains of his office, stood on his elevator pad and activated it. His underwear was sticking to his bottom in a most undesirable way. Ohh, to be in my nice, hot bath!

He looked back at the remains of the windows as he descended. He had seen a ship. That was not a trick of the storm. He had been looking out the window at the city, when the flash of lightning suddenly revealed a large, oval shaped craft mere feet from his face. There were backward curving spikes on the top, in even little rows.

The shock of it, seeing the lighting dance over that huge shape, directly in front of his face had caused a childhood problem to re-occur. It hardly ever happened anymore. His sister, Latoya, still called him "Drippy Drawers" to this day. Luckily, no one had noticed his, ah, little accident. And, he had a good idea where that ship had come from. The visitor on the third floor had come for Karbunkle's new project, without a doubt. I must speak to the doctor regarding the security on that floor.

The dark, burst open wall where his windows once were passed from his view. The rain pouring in had blended his little mishap in with that lard laden lunkhead's oily drippings. An eventful day, indeed. But I will have the last laugh, after all. The project is safe. Grinning, he disappeared into the floor, to his apartments below.