The Clans of Mars

	Sign In Sign-Up

Disclaimer: I own all of the characters within this work except for the BMFM and any characters from that show (generic enough for ya?) In all actuality, I own the Firestars (Goldenmane, Taura, Pikestar, Kat), Fireblades (Sharpshooter, Roughrider, Longbow, Hunter), Monarchs (but not the Monarchs themselves), Shimmers (Nazira, Stonewall), Sandstalkers (Kiritana), Longbows (Ehlani, Iritan), Sharpspears (Alala), Redmoons, Skytails, Raptors, and the Blackmoons. Confused? Good, 'cuz I am...

This story should clear up some things that started in "When Love Breaks" and finished with "Homecoming". That is, from Junior's time line, how the mice exist and work (or lack thereof) to rid Mars of the Plutarkians who remain. And why so many units (Rockers and Sabers aside) have names.

This story is set in Junior's time but after the events in Defiance, Rescue, Memories and Reunited. I make no money from this and do so only to bug people <wicked grin.>

The Clans of Mars

Part One

Separation of the State

By Goldenmane

"For decades now," Throttle began, pacing back and forth before several mice who sat at the large table. "We have fought to free Mars from the Plutarkians. Some of us remember the initial invasion when we had to fight to keep Mars in one piece. But it has gone further now. We all want Mars for the mice, and that I can understand. Yet we squabble and fight amongst ourselves. Why?"

Throttle paused, turning to face the others. "Why, I ask again. We should band together, not pull apart. What we could do as a unit, we fail to do as individuals."

"Nice speech," Alala said, leaning back in her chair. "But you have no say in how we act. You once said yourself that the Freedom Fighters were no more. Not when the units pulled away to their own little niche on Mars."

"All we're trying to do is survive," Ehlani said. She looked to Alala with a mix of understanding and hatred. "And you Sharpspears aren't helping. You keep encroaching on Longbow territory."

Alala rose, her dark eyes burning with anger. "Who are you to tell me where and what my group can do? You're barely old enough to fight, let alone command a unit."

Ehlani leapt to her feet, hand going to her laser. "Take that back."

"Please," Throttle shouted. "This is what I mean. Mouse against mouse while the Plutarkians pick us off one by one. The latest news is that the Redmoons are down to only a handful of fighters and the Blackmoons have been wiped out. We can't afford to remain divided."

"Serves them right," Sharpshooter said. "Blackmoons were nothing but trouble."

Goldenmane shook her head. "They may have been a rogue element like the Redmoons, but no more so than the Longbows or the Sharpspears who will not answer any distress calls from the other units."

"We help only ourselves," Alala said, sitting with a thud. She would not take her eyes off of Ehlani, though the other female had seated herself already. "This 'war' has turned into a battle of wills. It's the 'survival of the fittest'. And only those who hold out in the end will be able to claim Mars as theirs."

"Listen to yourselves," Nazira said. "Fighting already amongst yourselves when you should be fighting the Plutarkians. Throttle's right. Mars is doomed, but not from the Plutarkians, but ourselves. It is we who shall cause the destruction of Mars."

Throttle wearily sat. "This council is getting no where. I suggest we retire. Return to your territories, your 'clans'. Maybe in another month we will see some headway."

"Hasn't happened yet, never will," Alala said, rising. She strode out the door, followed closely by Ehlani and Sharpshooter.

"The Fireblades may be our allies, but only barely," Goldenmane said, leaning ahead. She rested her tan chin in her hand.

"Unfortunately, you're more right than I'd care to admit," Throttle said.

Nazira rose. "I'd better be going with the Shimmers. We've had it rough recently. The Plutarkians seem to have their sights on part of our lands. We think they might be setting up base near the old Blackstar's settlement."

"Day by day they reduce us. Already in perilous numbers, we can ill afford to loose anymore," Goldenmane said. "If you ever need help, we will be there."

Throttle nodded. "It is handy to have transporter bikes."

"Handy, yes, but also a curse," Goldenmane sighed. "So easy it would be to go back and stop all this, but we can't. For us, we can never change the future, that, we know. But what we don't know, is how the future will be."

"And right now, I'd say not good," Nazira said, walking with Goldenmane out the door.

Throttle turned to Kiritana. "You've been quiet."

"Too much to think about," she said. "The Sandstalkers are under constant attack by either the Plutarkians or the Redmoons, thought I don't think the Redmoons'll any time soon attack."

"Has it really gotten that bad?" Throttle asked.

Kiritana sighed. "Unfortunately. And when you consider that units had broken apart over the years to form new units, named after some famous warrior of the past, grudges linger on."

"You mean the story of Sandstalker and his arch rival Redmoon?"

Kiritana nodded. "Redmoon had a vendetta against Sandstalker and broke his unit up. Then Redmoon led his band against Sandstalker and the remaining mice. Raid after raid, attack after attack, that is when he wasn't fending off Plutarkians. Then his daughter takes over where he left off and we are right back where we started."

"Mars can't take infighting," Throttle said, rising. "Better get back to your unit. Get some rest. We need all the help we can get."

Kiritana nodded, rising and following him out the door.

When they arrived at the bike bay they paused. It seemed a fight had broken out and every mouse present was either attacking or defending. Including the remaining Monarchs.

"What happened?" Throttle shouted.

"Longbows attacked the Sharpspears and all hell broke loose," Kat shouted.

"One of the Longbows accidentally knocked over a Fireblade bike and they joined in," Rimfire shouted. "Any other group is trying to break this up."

Throttle drew his laser and aimed it at the ceiling. He let off three quick shots. The combatants, most of them, froze. The small knots of fighting were quickly subdued and the offending units separated.

"Now that I have your attention, I ask that the Sharpspears and Longbows leave Luna Base. Now. And do not come back," Throttle said. "Fireblades, go too. But you are welcomed back. You of all units should have resisted the temptation to strike back."

Throttle turned, weary, and headed for his quarters. Something told him this would be a long night.

Kiritana scanned the horizon through her binoculars. She noted and sketched a rough map of the Plutarkian forces and their base. She would have to ride hard through Shimmer Territory to reach Luna. The Monarchs had to know about this.

Kiritana went for her bike, kicking it into gear. She sped along the sands, checking her radar to make sure she was not being followed. She grimaced when she saw a beep on her radar screen. She checked the signal, breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be friendly.

She watched as a biker came at her at top speed, breaking quickly. Kiritana stopped before the biker, parting her helmet. "Stonewall, word to the wise, Plutarkians have set up near the Blackmoon's borders. Large force far as I can tell."

"Headed back to HQ?" he asked, pulling in beside her and turning to face her direction.

Kiritana nodded. "I've got to get going."

"Then at least let me escort you through Shimmer Territory," Stonewall said. "We still have the occasional Sand Raider attacks, though not as frequently as before. They were as hard hit by the Plutarkians as us."

They began to ride back to Crater City, the home base of the Shimmers. Kiritana sighed. "The Sand Raiders may have been allies to the fish at the start, like the rats, but in the end, even they found out how turncoat the Plutarkians could be."

Stonewall only nodded and they resumed radio silence. So far out from friendly territory did not bode well for the two mice. However, once the sun began to set he breathed a little easier as the sands around them began to turn a darker shade of red brown. One of the 'markers' that indicated Shimmer Territory.

"Nazira, I've got some bad news for you," Stonewall said once he dared to resume radio communication. "Seems like the fish have their sights set on the old Blackmoon lands. I've got me a Sandstalker who's done quite the number locating them."

"Sounds good here, Stonewall, bring them in and we'll see what we can do," Nazira said.

Stonewall clicked the radio off, though the two mice said nothing. Kiritana felt like something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint it. Almost like . . .

When the deadly rain of laser fire began to pour down upon the two mice from behind, Kiritana cursed and Stonewall activated his rear defences. "Nazira, we've got hostiles on our tail and a few miles to go."

"We're on it," Nazira said. "Hold on."

"Help's already there," another female voice said.

"Roger that, Goldenmane. Waiting the Firestar's arrival," Stonewall said as he primed his laser.

Kiritana had already drawn her laser and waited for the chance to return fire.

"Be ready for a high speed pick up," Goldenmane said. "In and out."

Stonewall moved his bike closer to Kiritana's and waited. He had been part of this manoeuver before and he knew what it would be like. From the confused look on Kiritana's face, she had no idea what soon would hit her.

At the thunderous boom of four bikes simultaneously transporting in and the blinding flash as they exited along with Stonewall and Kiritana had been enough to shake the young mouse's nerves. Kiritana nearly lost her laser as she clung to her bike for dear life.

When the light faded to dark, then all shades of grey before finally materializing back to solid Martian soil, even if it lay in the centre of a city, Kiritana breathed a sigh of relief.

She skidded to a halt behind Stonewall and dismounted when he did. She holstered her laser and followed the burly mouse into what she assumed had to be the HQ of the Shimmers. She was not disappointed when she saw Nazira and several mice gathered around the central table.

"Still got the map?" Nazira asked.

Kiritana nodded and laid the sheet of paper down on the table and took a step back, though when she felt Goldenmane's hand on her shoulder and noted the small nod, she moved closer to the table.

"This is the new base," she said as she indicated a rough scrawl on the map. "And this is the general perimeter of the new camp."

Goldenmane whistled. "That big? No wonder they wiped out the Blackmoons. How could we have missed this?"

Nazira only shrugged. "One thing's for sure, we need to hit them before they can do any more damage. I'll let Throttle know about this."

Goldenmane snatched the sheet up and headed for the door. "I'll transport it to him now, if you want and bring you back a better copy."

"Go for it. We'll keep Kiritana here so she can rest," Nazira said.

Goldenmane nodded and headed for her bike.

"Well," Nazira said. "Looks like the action's about to start."

Kiritana only weakly nodded. This could bode no good.

"What do you think of this?" Goldenmane said as she plopped the scroll down in front of Throttle. "Kiritana whipped this up today. Looks like we've found the reason the Blackmoons fell so quickly."

Throttle only nodded as his ruby gaze scanned the scrawled lines on the paper. "This is more than we can handle. We don't have enough mice to cover what little ground we hold."

Goldenmane nodded. "What we need to do is get together, that I understand, but also, what about the two missing units?"

Throttle looked up and lowered his shades before removing them entirely. "They left Mars never to return," he said. "We can't hope for something that's not here. We have to look to the present, not the past."

"Not so," Goldenmane said. "I'm not from your time. Yes, Taura, Pikestar and I've been here long enough that this seems like our home, but it's not. I was born over a hundred years ago. A hundred years! Everything I knew is gone. Everyone I cared about is gone. But we're here and we are help."

Throttle sighed. He remembered all too clearly the day the two units left. It had been one thing when Mari had looked up and said she and her Rockers had to leave, but when her daughter went with her and took the Sabers, Throttle knew the end of the mice would draw near. Something about the cryptic mark Mari left before the mass of mice transported out had left a chill in him he could never escape.

'Something's coming, I can feel it,' Mari had said the night before she left. 'I don't know what it is, but I intend to find out, that's why we're going.'

'Who's "we"?' Throttle had asked.

'The Rockers,' Mari had said. 'They agree with me that something's wrong.'

'What could be so wrong?' he had asked.

Mari had only shrugged and left the room. 'Don't worry, we'll be back when things are right.'

But they hadn't returned and it had been nearly ten years. Ten long years when the Plutarkians had migrated from the Earth after their final defeat there to Mars to finish what they had started so very long ago. Old and tired, Throttle had just wanted the fighting to stop.

Now, however, it looked like it would never end.

"You ok?" Goldenmane asked and startled the leader of the Monarchs.

"As I can be," he said and rubbed at his weary eyes. "We'll dissect the info and get back to you."

Goldenmane nodded, though she did not move. "Nazira needs a copy and I told her I'd be back with it."

"Have the boys scan it and take it back," Throttle said.

Goldenmane slowly nodded and walked out of the room. She couldn't help but wonder. She knew Mari had talked with the Monarchs . . .the Biker Mice before she left and took the Rockers and Sabers with her. Maybe one of them could help her to figure out where they could have gone and why.

Determined she headed first for the scribes then she set off to find the one mouse she knew had to have the answers she sought. Then she would return to her base and seek answers of her own.