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I do not own the BMFM and take no credit for there creation. How ever Magel, Tela, and Messhua are from my active imagination. This story takes place in the "Thail" storyline, which is also my creation.
Nexus
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A bond or tie between the several members of a group or series ***by Morning
"But Charley, you sure you want to do this?" Vinnie pleaded with his very pregnant wife.
"Yes Vinnie, the doctor said I have at least a month before the baby is due and getting out would do us both some good.
"Yeah but sweetheart I don't think she meant…."
"Vincent!!!!"
Vinnie sighed defeated. It was a losing battle especially when she said his full name in that particular tone. Besides there shouldn't be any real danger, they wouldn’t be going very far, only a mapping mission. Taking some photos and land measurements and with Modo riding look out, Charley and the baby should be safe enough. Besides the planet was in a relative state of calm.
"Okay Babe okay. But we take one of the all terrain vehicles and you sit in the back with your feet up."
"Thank You Lovecup." Charley smiled in her sweetest," all I wanted was my way," voice.
At the garage the vehicle was loaded with equipment and ready for them. Vinne secured his bike to the back and made sure Charley had enough pillows in the back seat so she wouldn't feel a bump.
Modo could only shake his head at the changes in is younger bro. The tall gray Martian held his own wife securely to his side. "We shouldn't be gone but a day at the most. You take care of your Momma Tela," he reached over and lifted his daughter snuggling her neck playfully.
"Tela giggled wrapping her little arms around his neck giving him a big good bye kiss. "I'll will Daddy."
Putting her down he pulled his wife into a long kiss. Leaving them was an ordeal even for a short amount of time with death of his late wife and daughters still was looming in the dark recesses of his mind.
Magel smiled up at him "Don't worry Pooh we'll be fine. You just be real careful and take care of our soon to be new momma. Hey Charley, don't let these hero types drive you too crazy. I know how they can over do things."
"That's going to be kind of hard but I'll try. See you both when we get back. Come give me some sugar Telie." Charley said holding her arms out.
Tela climbed up in the truck and gave Charley a big hug and kiss then bent down to kiss Charlie's stomach. "You be good too and don't kick Auntie Charley too much." She patted her new cousin and oddly the baby moved as if to respond. "Good Girl." Tela smiled and hopped off the truck.
Charley looked at her puzzled; wondering why she would refer to the baby as if she really knew it was a girl. "Telie how do you know what the baby is?"
" Donno, just do," The little girl answered causally.
Charley looked at Vinnie then to Modo excepting to get and explanation.
"I have no idea Charley, some times our kids can do stuff like that." Modo said as he cocked his head eyeing the little innocent face of his daughter.
"Well time will tell," Vinnie said as he hoped into the truck. Modo climbed onto his bike and they were off.
The ride was very pleasant and uneventful. They periodically checked back with the base letting Stoker know their location. Once at the desired area Vinnie stopped to set up camp getting Charley comfortable before setting on their task.
Modo was beside himself laughing as he watched Vinnie act like the typical overly protective Daddy- to -be and Charley trying her best not to show how much of a pain in the rear he was actually being.
" You should be okay now, Dollface" Vinnie said as he tucked the blanket around her feet
Charley smiled enduringly, being too hot and not wanting to sit in the lounge chair he had brought, considering she had already sat the entire 4-hour ride.
"We'll only be about a mile away Hon and you got the radio right next to ya. Need anything else before we leave?"
"No Vinnie I will be fine. Please go, do what you came here for I'll just take a little nap."
Modo had gotten the equipment unpacked so he and Vinnie boarded their bikes and set out get the need information.
Once they were out of site Charley kicked the blanket off and stood up to stretch her legs.
Funny, her lower back was twitching but nothing she felt was of any real concern. It was probably those false labor pains Dr.Torlie' had warned she'd feel the closer her due date came. Still trying to get use to the tail and having the large bulge in front of her made walking a little bit of a challenge but, whether Vinnie liked it or not she was going to set up things and have dinner ready when they got back. It wasn't any real strenuous lifting everything practically set itself up. All she had to do is take the satchel from the truck and push a few buttons.
After rubbing her hand down her stomach she grabbed the sack from the back of the truck and let it fall to the ground. It wasn't very heavy at all but when she attempted to pick it up she felt a sharp pain in her lower back causing her to stop immediately. Closing her eyes she took a couple of deep breaths until it subsided. "So you are not the super women you thought, huh Charlene?" She scolded herself. "Okay just take your time, breath and you’ll be fine"."
A few minutes past but then another pain hit. "Don't panic Charlene. I'll just sit for a minute and relax that should help." Charley slowly walked over to the chair and sat down lying her head back and taking some deep breath. "Okay… okay, now just breathe slowly and it will stop. It has to stop; it's too soon. Oh heavens what have I done."
Before she could condemn herself any further another pain came, this one more intense.
Charley knew she would have to call Vinnie and get back to the base.
Vinnie and Modo were busy setting up the equipment when the radio buzzed. "See I knew she couldn't be with out hearing my voice for too long." The white mouse boosted as he went to answer the call.
"Vinnie!??" Charlie's teary frighten voice came over the radio.
"What's the matter Babe?"
"I need you to come back, please. I did something stupid Please come back now."
"Sure babe we'll be back in 5 minutes. Don't worry." Vinnie slammed the radio off. "Modo, it's Charley something's wrong we gotta get back pronto." Vinnie didn't wait, he tore off back to his frightens wife and Modo followed.
Charley tried not to think of everything that could go wrong trying to wish the pains into stopping but it wasn't working. "Hurry Vinnie please hurry." Her mind pleaded.
Before too long Charley sighed a bit relieved as she heard her husband's bike coming and saw the dust in the distance.
Vinnie flew off his bike and was at her side. "What the matter Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He said putting his arm around her.
"Oh Vinnie, I tried to lift…and the pain started….I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." She cried on his shoulder.
"It's okay Sweetie, it's okay." Vinnie consoled not really sure of what was wrong.
Modo walked over kneeing down placing a hand on Charley stomach. "I think we should try to get her back to the base as soon as we can bro. I'll call Stoker and tell him to contact the doctor. We can come back for this stuff later."
"Okay bro." Vinnie tried to lift his wife but she shrieked out in pain. " I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry" He apologized guilt ridden for causing her pain.
"This…*sob*… isn't.. suppose to happen. Oh heaven…*sob*.. I've hurt *sob* our baby. "
"No Sugar it wasn't anything you did. We'll get ya back to the base and everything will be fine."
Modo looked over to the frighten couple with more bad news. He motioned for Vinnie to come over to where he stood by the truck.
"I'm going to see what's takin' Modo so long to contact Stok. Try and relax Babedoll I'll be right back."
Vinnie could see in Modo's eyes that the news was anything but good. "Stoker says we have a bad sand storm comin' our way. There is no way we can make it back to the base we gotta find a safe place until it passes."
"What!! What about Charley? What if the baby is comin'? What if there really is somethin' wrong?"
"You gotta get a grip Bro. You can't help Charley or your baby by freakin' out!" Modo grabbed Vinnie's shoulders. "There's a cave not to far from here about a mile around that ridge. We get to it and wait it out. Angie will be in contact with us and she will tell us what to do for Charley. We have to tell Charley what's going on. It won't help her if she doesn't know what's happening." Modo suggested to his frighten bro.
Vinnie took a strengthening breath and agreed. "I'm okay now. I'll tell Charley girl and we do what ever you think is best."
Modo rearranged the pillows in the back of the truck to make the ride as easy for Charley as possible. Then he loaded up any equipment and supplies they might need while Vinnie told his wife of their situation.
Charley looked into her husband’s concerned face and smiled wiping away her tears. "We've been through worst and survived, we will all survive this." One hand was touching his cheek and the other on her stomach. "You guys have always taken good care of me this time is no different,"
"That's my girl" He smiled proudly. "Okay you ready?" He gave her a minute to brace for any pain she would encounter when he lifted her.
"Yeah let's do it."
Vinnie, as gently as he could, lifted her up and Charley grit her teeth trying not to cry out.
He knew she was in pain but concentrated on getting her to the truck so they could get to safety before the storm hit. He strapped his bike back in place as Modo jumped on his bike and they took off to the cave not far away.
Just as Modo had said there it was. The opening was big enough to pull the truck right up inside, and none too soon as the sandstorm hit with tornado force. The cave went at least a mile deep so they could pull in far enough not to be effected by the swirling, punishing, red raging tempest.
Modo set up the radio and turned on the portable lights. Vinnie made a comfortable place for Charley to lay down. With extreme care he took her out of the truck and carefully lay her down. Breathing a sigh of relief, she lay flat on the palate he'd made for her.
"You okay Sweetie?" Vinnie comforted as he pushed her hair from her face.
"Yes, I'll be fine."
Modo contacted Stoker but the reception was very poor. He could manage to hear bits and pieces but nothing clear. Doctor Torlie was there but her voice faded in and out. Modo knew from experiencing the birth of both his daughters that Charley was not supposed to be going into labor this early but some times premature births did happen. All they could do now was keep her calm, comfortable and time the contractions if they were actually contractions.
He also knew to keep Vinnie busy so he wouldn't go crazy and take them with him, patience not being one of the white mouse's strongest personality traits. " Vinnie, I'll sit with Charley why don't you get the heating unit set up. We need to keep it as warm as possible in here."
Vinne, reluctant to leave Charlie's side, knew it would be better if he were doing something. Anything so he could keep the over supply of adrenaline from making him explode.
"It would be nice to have something warm to drink Hon. I brought some of that Nuterian tea I love. Would you fix me some?" Charley smiled holding his shaking hand.
"Sure babe anything you want."
Modo took his place next to Charley taking her hand rubbing it consolingly.
"Thanks Modo." She smiled
"Well, we know the boy isn't the best in these kind of wait and see situations. Besides it will give me time to be with one of the favorite ladies in my life. You know Charley girl you've made such a big difference in the kid. Made quite a man outta him."
"He always had it in him, you know that. I was just one little piece that made him what he is now. I'm so proud of him Modo and I love him so much.
"Modo." She paused, trying not to sound morbid but needing to tell him what she was feeling. "If things don't go well and I don't make it through this, make sure he's okay. He still can be such a frighten little boy at times."
"Hey no talkin' like that missy! Everything is gonna be just fine."
"I know, I know but just in case?"
"Okay, okay I promise I'll take care of him. But that's a promise I won't have to keep because you are going to be there to do that your self." He kissed her hand sealing his promise.
Charley could feel a pain beginning to grow inside her not the sudden stabbing pain like before but more of a gradually increasing ache. One that made her groans and hold tightly to Modo's hand. She tried to keep her voice low so as not to alarm Vinnie. Modo counted silently trying to calculate just how long the pain lasted. He watched knowing that if she was in labor this pain would slowly subside. Just as he thought it did and Charlie's grasp on his hand loosened.
"Modo, I think I'm in labor. What are we going to do?" Charley asked in a breathless worried voice.
"Don't worry Charley girl. We'll figure something out. You just rest and save your strength."
Vinnie walked over carrying the tea and sat down beside her. He noticed the concerned looked on Modo's face and the anguish one on Charley's. "It's begun hasn't it? She's in labor?"
"Yeah bro looks like. You stay here and when the pain starts again, time it." Modo said as he walked over and got a watch from the equipment on the truck tossing it to Vinnie. "Tell me when they start how long they last and how long between each. I'm going to try and see if I can boost the signal on the radio and get through to the base."
Before he could get started the faint sound of motorcycles coming from deeper in side the cave made him freeze in his tracks. From the sound it appeared like they were heading straight for them.
Vinnie pulled out his blaster knowing that some of the caves lead to, what some said, was the underground city of the Rat population. The conflict between the rats and mice had slowed to the point where they had just left each other alone but the underlining mistrust was still strongly felt by both sides.
Modo released his arm canon ready to deal with any of the vial creature he'd always had a loathing for. They had never really done anything too him but from childhood he was taught never to trust them. That they were as many had said," second class vermin."
As the cycles continued to approach Vinnie held Charley close to him ready to protect her at all cost. Modo knelt down next to the truck equally ready to do what ever he had to in protecting Charley, Vinne and their unborn child.
They could see the headlights of three large gray bikes coming directly towards them. The machines screeching to an abrupt halt not ten feet away. Three riders dismounted and walked closer to the wary mice. Modo stood and holding his weapon directly at the approaching helmet clad figures and called out a warning.
"Okay that's close enough! We aren't here to cause any trouble. We just need some place safe to ride out the storm." His voice was threatening.
Two stopped but one figured definitely female continued to walk closer. She stood looking at the suffering woman laying on the ground and the protective male that held tightly to her. The female reached up and took the helmet from her head shaking out long tan hair and smiled. "Hi guys"
"Harley?" Both mice said dumbfounded.
"Yeah it's me." Their long lost friend whispered as she walked slowly toward them.
"Harley." Modo put down his weapon and reached out to hold her. "Girl, I never thought we'd ever see you again." He pulled her into a warm, loving sisterly hug.
As if trying to recapture the missing years she wrapped her arms just as lovingly around his neck. "I've missed you, I've missed you all so very much."
"But how?…. Where?…. When?" Modo questioned lifting her chin to look at her face.
"It's a long story." She smiled as she turned her attention to a still very stunned Vinnie,
who wasn't sure how to react, looking at an old love while holding his pregnant wife?
Harley smiled and put everything in proper prospective. "It's okay Vinnie it's been a long time and life go on. I have a mate too one I love very much." He smiled nodding his head gratefully.
"Hi I'm Harley if you haven't guess already." The tan female bent down taking hold of Charley's hand.
"Yes, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Charley Vinnie's wife and sorry that I'm a little under the weather at the moment." She started to chuckle but an on coming contraction turn it into a moan.
"We had better take you to a place a little better able to accommodate you. We've been monitoring you since you pulled into the entrance and figured you would be needing medical attention." Harley comforted. She turned her attention to the other two figures and motioned they come join her. The two figures removed their helmets and there stood Mace and another dark brown rat.
Modo and Vinnie instinctively pulled up their weapons, which made the rats pull out theirs. "No," Harley stepped between them. "Mace is my husband!!!!"
The mice looked at her finding it hard to believe what she had just said. "Look guys, like I said it's a long story and I promise to explain but let's take care of Charley first."
For Charlie's sake they had to agree and they knew there was no way that Harley would ever do anything to harm them no matter how much time had past. Trusting her they agreed to follow the group to were Charley could get the need medical care. Carefully placing his wife back onto the truck they followed Harley further back into the cave. After about 20minutes they were at a large open elevator that allow them to ride in and closed quickly camouflaging the area to keep it a secret. Silently they rode down many miles deep into the interior of the red planet.
Coming to a halt the doors opened to reveal a whole city filled with life. People of all kinds were moving about on their daily task of living and surviving. As they rode through the city Modo and Vinnie looked at each other confused beyond words never imagining that such a place could have existed without them having known about it. There had been stories of a rat city but it was nothing like what was spread out before them.
They pulled up to a large structure that looked like it had been forged out of the side of the red stoned wall. As if they had been waiting two females walked up to the truck with a gurney. Vinnie looked suspiciously toward Harley not sure if he was going to let them near his wife.
"Vinnie you can trust them they are just going to take her to our maternity ward. And if you will allow it, let the doctor there exam her to see if she and your baby are okay."
"Okay Harl if you say so." Vinnie helped them get Charley on the bed and followed the medical personal.
Modo watched until they were inside then his attention was directly focused on both Mace and Harley. He needed an explanation and they knew it. "Why don't you come with us to our home, we can talk. Don't worry Vinnie’s bike and the truck will be safe." Harley suggested.
"Okay Harley girl. Just tell your friends not to go near Vinnie’s bike. She has a habit of reacting badly to any one unfamiliar." Modo advised as he suspiciously eyed the few rats that had come into the garage.
"They will be fine. Like I said you have nothing to fear from any one here." Harley smiled trying to reassure him.
Modo followed the couple. Their reaction to each other much different from the last he'd remembered. The feeling was strange and disturbing as they rode through streets of the hidden city and what was even more confusing, to the bewildered mouse, was the fact that other mice were mixed in among those citizens they past. Not prisoners or slaves but they were very much a part of this new strange world he was seeing. He’d even seen a few Sand raiders and Plutarkian mixed among them.
They stopped in front of a small modest hut shaped dwelling nestled in among others that looked almost identical. Mace who had yet to uttered a word walked up and opened the door. Modo was almost floored when as they entered happy voices filled the air and three children of various ages came rushing in almost tackled the brown rat and tan mouse.
"Daddy, Corona was bad today at school." The youngest of the three children shouted flying into Mace's arms. A strangely beautiful combination of both parents a little girl all of 4 years old. The dark brown fur of her father and a head full of curly tan hair much the color of her mothers with the most enchanting garnet eyes Modo had ever seen.
"Oh stop being such a little tattle tale. You little big mouth," said the next in line a young boy of 6. He had taken most of his looks from his mother. The same tan fur and hair that he wore in a long ponytail. His features were very much that of a Martian mouse except for the large almond shaped black eyes more like his father's.
The last of the children, a boy around 12 years old, walked in behind them was as strangely silent as his father. He too had the exotically beautiful looks of the mixed pairing but his fur was a soft gray and his hair an ebony black. What added to his striking appearance was the assure blue eyes that seem to glow in contrast to the thick black mane that wildly covered his head. He too had a complaint but showed his by using a strange hand language.
"Excuse me people but I think we did teach you some manners? I'm sorry Modo but this is our brood. Kids this is one of mommy's old friends. Modo this is our youngest Strata, our middle son Corona and the oldest Nova." Harley also used the hand language as she talked.
The children keeping close to their father smiled and politely greeted the dumbfounded Modo. He smiled in return.
Mace stills not speaking and with the youngest child in his arms nodded and they followed him out leaving Modo and Harley alone to talk. Modo all but ready to pass out from what he'd just experienced.
"You'd better sit down and I'll explain as best I can," She indicated he take a seat in the modestly furnished living room.
"When did all this happen and why hasn't Mace said anything?"
"He can't Modo. I guess that's one of the reasons we are together. Okay let me start at the beginning. When Mace grabbed me that day after we trashed Stilton's castle and destroyed the tug transformer I was more scared then I had ever been in my life. He transported us to a ship he had waiting. The only reason he took me was to make you all suffer. He really didn’t know what he was going to do with me. I thought he would sell me to the Sandraiders or the Plutarkians but he didn’t. In fact he never hurt me but I was still his prisoner and I vowed that as soon as I had the opportunity I would get out and pay him back for his treachery.
The cell being close to the control room and I could hear his radio transmissions. He was still dealing with the Plutarkians. He would run supplies for them and they would pay him well. I couldn't understand how any one could sell out his own planet. When he'd bring me food I would throw it back at him and told him what I thought of him and his filthy people. I hated him so much.
Well that went on for about 2 weeks and soon I got weak then sick with Couvarian fever. He could have just let me die but he didn't. He brought me to this hidden city and only then did I begin to understand. For all my life I was told that the rats weren't like us, they were dirty ignorant people who never wanted anything good for Mars. I guess like most of us it was easier to believe then trying to know the truth.
"What was the truth Harley?"
"That our government had taken the land long before the Plutarkians ever came. Forced them into these underground dwelling that were little more then prisons." She spoke quietly shame filling her voice. "Did you know that our government had sold many of his people as slave labor to the Plutarkians to help mine the land they sold to the fish. When the Plutarkians finally came in full force they felt no loyalty to our government so they took advantage of the situation to care for their own people. I found out that the money Mace got he used to buy food and medicine for the people that lived here. Not only that but he also used it to improve the condition down here. The Plutarkians never knew the location of the city so they lived pretty much unaffected by what was happening on the surface."
Modo just stared at her never realizing any of this had ever happened. Harley continued.
"You know once you get the fever it takes a year for you recover if you ever do. I was so close to dead so many times. I was ready to give up but he wouldn't let me. He'd tell me how he knew mice were just cowardly weaklings who couldn't stand up to a real fight. The more he said the more I fought to prove him wrong. That fighting saved my life and he knew it. Once I realized that I couldn't hate him any more. Then as I got better he'd come and we started talking. He told me about his family, how his parents died in the soil transfer pits when he was just 10 years old. I began to feel we were becoming friends. There wasn't one day he wouldn't be there for me. I got to know his people, their pain and his. I learned that they were victims that had been abused and forgotten. And even though they didn't openly attack the Plutarkians they did raid some of the prison camps. Some of those freed prisoners came to live here the others were free to do what their conscious dictated."
"It's hard to believe all this." The disillusion Martian shook his head sadly. "So tell me what happen with Mace."
It happened during a raiding mission. When I was completely recovered I wanted to do my part. There was a plan to rescue some prisoners being transferred to Plutark. I got careless and didn’t see the Sandraider that crept up on me but Mace did. He pushed me out of the way taking a blast in the throat. We barley got him back to the city before he bleed to death. I knew then that if he survived I would tell him how I felt and we were married soon after. I never regretted that decision. He’s been a loving and caring mate and a wonderful father.
"But why didn't you let somebody know you were still alive, Harley. We went almost crazy wondering what happened to you?"
"Because I became part of this world, part of his people. My family is everything to me and I couldn’t choose between those I love from my old life and those I have in my new one."
"Things have changed Harley girl. We learned a lot of hard lessons. Some because of what the Plutarkians did to us. And some because of what we did to ourselves. This planet belongs to all of us and we need to start trusting each other. I promise I’ll keep what I know about this place a secret but one of these days you gotta come outta hiding.
"I know Modo but for now the wounds are just too fresh. These people have a lot of harsh history to work through and they just aren’t ready and neither am I." Harley looked up to see Mace standing at the doorway and walked over to him taking hold of his arm. Modo stood and extended a hand toward the cautious tall brown rat. "It’s gotta start somewhere bro?" Mace nodded and took his hand in acknowledgement.
The moment was broken by the sound of the telephone ringing. " Mommy they want Mr. Modo to come back to the hospital right away." Corona informed them.
"Oh Man I forgot about Charley and Vinnie. Something must be up we'd better get back." Modo was up and heading for the door. Mace went in to give some extra instruction to the children then he and Harley followed Modo back to the hospital.
Once there the three were taken directly to the room Charley and Vinnie occupied.
Vinnie noticed that Mace held Harley's hand in his and would have had a thousand questions if most of his attention weren't focused on his wife. She had been put her on a monitoring system and the contractions were coming very regular. She was also given medication to help her through the pain but was still very much aware of what was going on around her.
She smiled bravely noticing the look of concern and worry covering Modo's face, "Now don't look like that. These nice people seem to have everything under control. She said as she reached out for his hand.
Charley looked up at the other concerned faces in the room, "I know there is probably a fascinating story to why you and Mace are standing there like you've loved each other all your lives but I'll wait until I can really appreciate it. Right now it's enough that you are."
Harley was glad that Vinnie had found such a wise and wonderful woman to love him. She had always been very concern with how his life had turn out knowing that her disappearance must have hurt him deeply. She could only hope that Stoker's life had been equally as complete.
An older stocky white rat walked into the room who, from the looks of him, was the doctor that was taking care of Charley. "Hi my name is Doctor Hans Belman and I have to privilege of caring for this lovely lady. He extended a friendly hand out to Modo.
Modo took the Doctors hand and returned a firm handshake. "Good to know she's getting what she needs here doc thanks."
"So what's goin' on doc?" Vinnie asked sitting on Charlie's bed picking her hand up cradling it between his own.
"I'm going to be very honest with you both. You are very fortunate that circumstances brought you down here other wise you would have probably lost your baby."
"Why? Even though I’m not a full Martian the doctor that did the transfer procedure said I shouldn’t have any real problems, our physiologies are almost identical." Charley was visibly shaken by what the doctor said.
"Strangely my dear that’s where the problem lies. Because all races are so much a like we, as I’m sure your doctor did, hadn’t taken into consideration the length of the pregnancies being different. Earth women, from my knowledge, have a nine-month long pregnancy. For Martian women it's 10 months and each has a different time table of fetal development, not to mention the Plutarkians or any of the other races that live here. Once couples started intermarrying we didn't think it would have made that much difference but sadly we were mistaken and some precious lives were lost. We were able to develop a procedure to prevent the lose of any more of the children. Once labor starts we closely monitor both mother and child in a special birthing chamber. In that controlled environment we can assure that the child gets what it need to survive and most of the time the babies are fine and healthy after they’ve been given what ever time is need for them to finish developing.
"Most of the time?" Charley questioned warily.
"Yes on some very rare occasions the babies are affected. Some of the children have been born blind, some deaf. The upside is every one of those children were remarkably beautiful and highly intelligent. Of course none of this is a definite. I just wanted you too know all the facts."
"I want what ever will help our baby to survive if the worst happens we will deal with it." Charley said looking to Vinnie for his support.
"Tell me Doc how much danger will my wife be in?" The maturity in the young Martian’s voice shocked everyone in the room, everyone except his wife who merely looked at him lovingly.
"Any birth has an element of danger to both the mother and child but we will do everything in out power to insure both their safety."
Vinnie looking into the eyes of the women that he loved more than any words could describe, "I'm with you what ever you decide Charley girl."
"We have no other choice my love. Okay doctor let's get our baby out into the world." She smiled not taking her eyes from Vinnie's and running her hand softly down his cheek.
Back at the base:
"How long has it been since the last transmission?" Stoker asked concern riveting his voice.
It's been about 4 hours but that doesn't mean anything. With the storm this strong it's surprising they got that one transmission out before they were cut off." The radio tech informed him.
Throttle, Magel, Angelica, and Carbine stood nervously hoping the news was better.
"We gotta do something Teach? We can't leave them out there with who knows what's happening to Charley."
"Look Throttle I won't send anyone out there in that stuff and don't even think about trying to go yourself that's the worst storm we've had in years and it would be suicide for anyone to tried. Remember you have a wife and son to think about now. You can't go flying out like you did in the old days. Modo knows something about childbirth and I'm sure he has everything under control. We'll keep trying to contact them and as soon as there is a break in the storm we'll head out."
Throttle had to agree with him. He had to think about more than what he wanted. His wife and child had to come first in his mind, direct his actions. He walked over to Carbine and put his head on her shoulder holding her close to him. Angelica slipped her hand into Magel's and gave it a squeeze. Magel looked at her and sighed grateful for the support. All any of them could do was wait, hope, and pray.
To be continued…..