Homecoming

Disclaimer – God dammit, two years since I re-discovered them and I STILL don't own the rights to BMFM, much less the characters D= Oh, what I wouldn't give to own Throttle and Charley…erhem! I DON'T OWN SO DON'T SUE OR I WILL SMITE YOU WITH DUST-BUNNIES! So there.

Prologue

Cataclysm loomed over the Catatonian commander. His eyes bore straight into his inferior's visor; the glare was so intense that the commander quaked in his boots. Cataclysm was huge, easily seven feet tall with a build that put even the mightiest depiction of Hercules to shame. Suddenly his gargantuan hand lashed out and gripped the officer around his entire body, lifting him effortlessly into a face-to-face meeting with the hulking brute.

"What do you mean, 'They're moving to Earth'?" Cataclysm rumbled. "How did they get off Mars?"

The commander gulped, but the sound was fortunately muted by his uniform neck-guard. "A Martian transport b-broke through our lines, s-sir. We don't know how, but they hit us hard and fast, managing to get a transport through before we could retaliate. It jumped just as we trained our cannons on it. We – AAAHH!" The officer screamed aloud as he was thrown into a flashing dashboard. His body went right into the metal, wrapping itself up in severed wires. The current of the circuits went straight through his body, electrifying him on the spot. His screams could be heard down the halls, but not a trooper flinched, for fear that Cataclysm would train his anger on them.

Cataclysm thundered to the window of the bunker and stared out into the desert. Damn, this changes everything… He turned to the nearest Catatonian. "You! Sound the evacuation signal. I want this bunker empty before dusk, understand?" As the trooper nodded and turned around, Cataclysm grabbed him and turned him back. "Leave the girl to me, understand?" The trooper saluted and left to do his duty, silently thanking the gods that he hadn't become the target of Cataclysm's rage.

Cataclysm turned back to the window, ignoring the flurry of evacuative activity behind him. He stared out at the blasting sand before turning on his heel and walking to the communications center. Flicking a switch, he activated a large monitor screen hanging from the ceiling. Flicking another switch, the screen turned on and hailed Ronaldo Rump and Cataclysm's degenerate brother, Hairball. Rump looked up from his model tower and leaned back in his chair. "Aiaiai, what is it now, mi gato amigo?"

Hairball was less attentive. Hannibal was rolling on the floor with a large ball of yarn, completely oblivious to the conference being called. Cataclysm, in no mood for games, leaned forward and snapped at him. "Get up you lazy runt and pay attention!"

Hairball jumped. At first there was surprise in his face, but it quickly turned to indignation. "Vhat do you vant, Catacleesm? I am busy vith ofeeshial beesiness."

Cataclysm growled at his brother before continuing. "The Mice are on their way to Mars, and I want to know what you two are going to do about it. I am busy keeping the hostage, so my hands are tied."

"What happened, mi amigo?"

Cataclysm straightened up and looked at Rump. "A strike force attacked our blockade and a transport jumped through before we had the chance to catch it. Our forces on Earth are too far out to catch them, and if they're doing what I think they're doing then we won't be able to catch them anyways. This changes everything."

Hairball shrugged. "Vhat you vorried about, eh? Ve just vait for them on Mars and blast them vhen they enter the orbeet."

"Martians are smarter than that, gato," Rump admonished, scratching his chin. "We need a plan, çi? They will strike any defence we can muster to let the transport back through, so we need to get that transport."

"Why not just let them land on Mars?" Cataclysm said. "If we can catch them there, then they'll be out of our fur on Earth and the Regenerator will be ours for the taking. I have complete confidence that Dr. Katorkian can create a decent replica if we can get a new one."

"Da, and ve can skvish them like the bugs they are when they land!"

Rump leaned back in his chair. "Ci, ci, but what if they come with a – er, how do you say… – contingent? An escort? They will not be so easy to beat, mi amigo. I think they will catch on to us before long, ci?"

Cataclysm grinned. "Leave that to me. I'll deal with them after they land, you just worry about backing me up." With that, Cataclysm turned off the monitor and started for the detention room.

Cataclysm pushed a button on the side of the wall, and a swishing noise marked the opening of a hidden door. Laying in chains on a wooden bed was Charley. Cataclysm walked up to her and gripped her chin, only to jerk back as she snapped at him. "Quite a fighter, aren't you?" Cataclysm rumbled, grinning savagely.

"I learned from the best, furball," Charley gritted.

"Well don't worry about it, dear." Cataclysm's voice was soft and soothing, deep and gravelly. "'The best' will be out of the picture before long." With that he pulled out a remote and pushed a button. The chains sprang to life as a current of electricity ran through them, shocking Charlene into unconsciousness. Cataclysm unchained her and tossed her over her shoulder. "Yes," he mused to himself, "It's only a matter of time…"

Author's Note

Ooo! Short prologue, but what's gonna happen now? I have a challenge for you lot:

What do you think it gonna happen on Mars? Leave it in your reviews, PM me, I don't care, but I'd like to see how well you guys can sense foreshadowing (hint: most of it is in the last chapter of Rock 'n' Ride).

Till next time, BMFM fans!

~Jon