Just a reminder. Bold some one speaking in the native Martian language.

Chapter 8

After about twenty more minutes of "fresh air" Marvin decided that even the mild negative 10 degrees temperature of the Martian night was a little too nippy for him right now. He took one last deep breath of the crisp air before heading back into the palace.

He was still annoyed, but this time for a much different reason. He lost all control back there. In the billions of years he'd been alive, he had never been one to let his emotions gain the upper hand. Even when he had felt murderous rage threateningly bubbling toward the surface, he had always managed to keep it on a short leash. It was visible, but had never erupted in such a degree. It had never managed to make him shout at such a loud decibel or mouth such scathing remarks. He chalked it up to old age and the ever piling amount of stress he was under. Still, it was no excuse. Such mannerisms were unbecoming.

He would apologize. Profusely. Even if he had to lie through his teeth while he was saying it. His inability to control his instincts may have very well jeopardized the mission. He could already hear his wife's nagging voice berating him for letting his emotions cloud his better judgement.

When he arrived back at the table, it was eerily quiet. And no wonder. Everyone was gone. There were a few dirty dishes left over. Obviously, old habits were hard to kill. He'd have to have a chat with his children about that later on.

Still, he couldn't just. . . leave them there. They threw the whole room off balance. And he could already visualize the filth caking on with each second he left them. Verbally cursing his obsessive compulsive tendencies he gathered as many dishes as he could manage with one hand and limped toward the kitchen. He wound up making three trips all together before he settled down comfortably into the ritual, elbows deep in suds.

There was something rather relaxing about certain manual labor, especially cleaning. If nothing else, his constant need for order helped cut back on palace expenses for servant work. As he meticulously scrapped with his thumb at some dried gristle on a bowl, he found himself wondering. . .what was it about those two Earthlings in particular that had driven him so insane?

He certainly had experience working with an enemy before, and it wasn't like he had any real prior knowledge of them beforehand. Guilt by association was not a philosophy he cared to go by normally. The former Earth rabbit was dead. Or if by some miracle of science, he wasn't, he sure wasn't planning on showing his face anytime soon. As for Dodgers. . .Well, he saw the duck go to his final rest with his own two eyes. Even if he did manage to produce a lineage, there was no guarantee the later generations would be anywhere near as annoying or troublesome. No, there was something else.

He had forgotten. Or at least, he had willed himself to forget. He had been all too happy to put aside any images and association with the two meddlesome animals who had been such cornerstones in two separate times in his career. One would think that someone could not forget such encounters, yet he willingly chose to ignore them all to the point where they were just vague names and faces. The appearance of their spawn centuries later had burst open the floodgates, causing every single raw emotion associated with them to come bursting forth.

Yet, was that the whole story? Was he really just caught off guard and had lashed out instinctively as a result? No. . .there was another factor lurking in the back.

His family. That was the core of it all. Perhaps. . .if he had encountered the rabbit and duck alone. He wouldn't have been thrilled or even that accepting of their existence, but it would have been far more tolerable. But the presence of his kin had added extra bitterness to the situation. His wife was critical enough of everyone and everything as it was, without getting a physical reminder that she had literally and figuratively settled. As for his children. . . For the past 300 something years he had been making up for real and imagined past inadequacies. Even when retelling some of his exploits to his children, though he lost or failed a mission, he always managed to put a spin on his tales to make his adversaries come out looking stupid or lucky (not that that interpretation was completely false). But he had always wanted them to look at their parent with pride. And better they should hear about the past from him than from some chatty Centurion with an ax to grind. So he fudged a few details. It wasn't like anyone was going to call him up on it. If his wife wanted to out him, she had plenty of opportunities. Only now there was the distinct threat that one of those two newcomers might very well expose him.

"Well, this wouldn't be the first time I acted like an idiot." He muttered to no one in particular as he finished drying the last glass. He peeled off the yellow rubber gloves and put them aside, stifling a large yawn.
"Nothing like a late night of dish washing and an epiphanic moment of self introspection to get one longing for sleep." It was a good fifteen minutes later that he managed to climb back up to his quarters. He entered cautiously, expecting his love to be on the other side, either impatiently waiting to berate him or sound asleep. She was neither. She wasn't even in the room. Curious.

He decided to wait up for her. Still clad in his uniform, he settled onto the bed and flipped through the pages of the latest novel he was engrossed in. He barely skimmed the first paragraph when the electronic sliding doors somehow managed to slam open.

"That infuriating woman! How dare she-AHH!" Well, looks like he wasn't the only one who was reeling from the night's affair.

"I take it your night was just as jubilant as mine's been." He smiled, eyes still glued to the pages.

"Don't get me started!" She snapped back. "I'm not in the mood." He glanced up to watch her furiously rub at her temples with both hands.

"So I can see."

"So what are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be back with the others?" Right to the point, as per usual. He sighed as he closed his book.

"Everyone's decided to retire for the evening. Though you'll be happy to know that the legion of superanimals are not part of any insidious scheme. Turns out they were the unfortunate side effects of a cosmic collision." She blinked silently for a moment, as though her mind was having trouble processing what was just said to her.

"What?" She finally spoke up.

"You heard me. Those miraculous Earthlings came to be as a result of a freak accident."

"What sort of 'accident'?"

"Apparently a meteor hit them and released some supernatural forces or something that resulted in the manifestation of their powers."

"Of all the- How could that be possible?! It's not like Earth or any other planet hasn't been hit by space debris before. And they never resulted in anything of this degree. The last time they got hit, life practically had to start all over. Of all the luck!"

"Tell me about it. Mother of Mars, I almost wished it were government experimentation!"

"Well, since they are clearly not part of any government agency, that at least alleviates one possible obstacle in our strategy. We can still go on with our original plan. Goddesses knows Mars cannot afford to last much longer without the financial resources we can tap form Earth " Marvin merely nodded as his partner collapsed dejectedly on the coverlet.
"How did we come to this?" She wearily asked her husband.

"You mean how we allowed the most powerful empire in the galaxy to be degenerate to a mere shadow of its former glory, or how we've reduced ourselves to trying to weasel money out of lesser lift forms to keep it adrift?"

"I mean how did we allow ourselves to become so soft?"

"Well, domesticity tends to have that effect on couples. It's the natural order of things."

"I didn't mean it that way!" She attempted to snarl, but lacked the energy at this point.

"Neither did I. We just have different priorities now than when we were younger." He sighed as he remembered the glory of the good old days. Nostalgia for his early years as a young Commander seemed to make all the troubles he had faced before rather quaint in comparison to the troubles they now had. Tyr'ahnee seemed to be wallowing in the past as well as she stared at the ceiling, talking more to herself in reflection.

"I allowed my Empire to crumble before my very eyes."

"Come now, it isn't your fault. No one could have predicted the events of last year." Marvin patted her lap in a tender gesture of comfort and reassurance.

"But I had ample time to strengthen us." She insisted. "The damage wouldn't have devastated us nearly as much as it did. Instead, I allowed all of Mars to lie asleep all these years, lazy and content to ignore the rest of the universe."

Well, that was certainly true to an extent. Amazing how so many years without strife can cause an entire planet to become so comfortable as to be incapable in the face of challenges. Mars' status was practically chaotic, when it wasn't too long ago, they would have been able to shake off worse.

The reason Mars had always been so powerful was because it never shirked from conflict, even if they had to supply it themselves. Peace had made Mars weak in the past, and despite the lessons of history, they had allowed Mars to follow a similar path with equally devastating results. And unless there was a way to snap the inhabitants out of their stupor which resulted from it, there would be little chance of steering away from another fate even if they were to somehow get through this one.

"Well, if that's what's eating you up inside," Marvin sighed, "I'm sorry to say the only remedy for that would be another war. And good luck with that happening anytime soon."

"As usual, you have a knack to observing the most depressingly obvious. I just pray that we can convince the Earth to buy our arm stocks until we can get back on our feet. Otherwise. . ." She let the sentence hang unfinished. They both knew all too well what would happen if they failed in this venture. They were both content to lie silently together for a moment, though slowly Marvin's half closed eyes rose open as a thought flitted to the surface of his brain.

"I believe I may have a better idea in mind." He slid off the bed and pressed a button on the intercom on the wall. "Marvella, could you please join us in our room for a moment." It was more of a command than anything. A rather tired and annoyed voice moaned at the other end.

"What? Now?" Marvin didn't have time for this.

"Yes, now!" He insisted a bit impatiently. Tyr'ahnee observed him curiously from the other side of the room.

"What are you up to now?"

"Well, you agreed we needed a war to pull us out of this depression. I think I can supply one." Her husband smirked.

"And why would we want another war?" It took centuries for them to finally achieve peace, and now her husband was looking for a way to throw it away?

"Because you said so yourself that we've become soft. Mars was one of the most successful, feared and respected powers in the galaxy in its prime. Now look at us! Why can't we go back and bring Mars back to what it once was?"

"Because we're broke for starters." Tyr'ahnee scoffed. "That's why we're hosting those miserable Earthlings in the first place."

"And then what?" Marvin countered. "Content ourselves just to build up enough to supply weapons to them for profit? How long until they are technologically advanced enough decide they no longer require our services, and we find ourselves right back where we started from? No clientele and barely making enough to sustain the population."

"It wouldn't be indefinitely. Our economy just needs a crucial boast. Then we can quit."

"Meanwhile, we would have succeeded in creating a new and more powerful enemy by turning Earth into a galactic superpower. No, it will do us more harm than good. Besides it didn't work last time." He added as an afterthought.

"So what do you suggest?" His wife asked, rather curious at this point what her husband offered as an alternative.

"What if I told you we could have a new weapon? One so great and so deadly, other planets would fall to their knees and surrender whatever we desired to us, just so we might spare them?" At this point, Tyr'ahnee was torn as to whether to be joyous or furious.

"I'd say, 'where have you been hiding this 'weapon' all this time and why have you not informed me of it until now?'"

"Well,. . .it hasn't actually been. . . built. . .yet." Marvin ran a hand behind his head somewhat sheepishly. Tyr'ahnee's heart and expectations sank as she crossed her arms.

"I knew this was too good to be true."

"I said not yet." Marvin was not willing to let his wife totally dismiss the notion yet. "I think I can create something quite suitable for our needs."

"Glad to see you've thought this through." His wife answered sarcastically.

"Oh ha ha. You can go continue with the original goal if you wish. I have other plans." Their arguments were interrupted when their was a knock at the doors, allowing their daughter dressed in a purple night robe to enter.

"You wished to see me, father?"

"Um, yes, Marvella, come in. As you know, you and I haven't made the best of impressions to our guests this night."

"If this is about the remarks I made earlier, I'll apologize, however, I really think they were relevant." She made as if to leave, thinking the discussion was settled until her father stopped her.

"Never mind all that. That is all the past. We must try to make amends. All of us. Tomorrow, you and your brother are going to be going with them on the relief mission. Try to make them feel welcome on our world. Make friends if possible. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, father." She tried not to let the disdain she felt at the thought of having to befriend one of those creatures show itself in front of her parents.

"Excellent! I know you will do fine! We'll speak further in the morning. Goodnight, pumpkin!" Father and daughter hugged before departure. When she had left, Marvin began to change into his pajamas while his wife glared at him accusingly.

"What was that all about?"

"What was 'what' all about?" Marvin feigned innocence as he kicked off his sneaker.

"Don't play stupid with me!" She snarled animatedly, "That chat you had with our daughter. What was that all about?!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Can't a father speak with his offspring without arousing suspicious thoughts?" He finished buttoning his top and made his way to his side of the bed.

"Just what exactly are you up to?"

"Last time I checked, you weren't the least bit interested in my plan. Since you've already made up your mind on the matter, I feel that divulging any more information at this time could seriously compromise my project. That being said, I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He climbed under the covers turned off his light on his side, leaving his wife to rant in semi darkness.

"This discussion is not over! Are you listening to me?! Marvin, don't you dare ignore me! Answer me when I'm speaking to you!"

"Good night." He smirked as he drifted off.


"Well, that could have gone better!" Tech collapsed onto his bed as he tried to forget the disastrous evening they all had.

"That's-the-biggest-understatement-of-the-year-if-I-ever-heard-it!"

"I don't know what you guys are complaining about!" Lexi pouted. "You weren't being given the evil eye all night from that little witch!"

"It's better than being hated solely based on your ancestors!" Duck pointed out, indicating that Lexi's troubles were nothing in comparison. "That guy looked at us like he wanted to poison our food when he found out."

"We got bigga problems dan dat guys." Ace tried to steer the conversation to a topic of grave importance. "How are we supposta explain ta Ambassador Johnson what happened tanight? We need ta salvage dis as soon as possible. Odderwise de entire mission could be in jeopardy."

"Gathzarathzzzattthha what we do?"

"What can we do? Unless Tech has a spare reality altering device so we can make Ace and Duck's ancestor's become plumbers or something." Lexi joked halfheartedly.

"We need to speak with Ambassador Johnson as soon as possible. Maybe she can help us find a way to smooth this whole mess over." Tech suggested, willing to do anything at this point if it could help the mission to eliminate one more potential enemy of Earth.

"It's gettin' a little too late ta talk ta her right now. Not ta mention she still might be feelin' unda da wetter. Perhaps we can get up eoily ta talk wit her in da morning."

"Good idea." Duck yawned and stretched, wanting nothing else better than to hit the sack. "I've been yelled at enough for one night."


The entire team was snoring peacefully save one. Ace got up and glanced out the window where the sky was still tinged ruby by the trace amount of sun, indicating that morning had not just yet arrived.

He glanced around to see if anyone else had gotten up at such an early forsaken hour, but the only movements he saw were Rev's accelerated bed tossing and Slam's unconscious chewing and ripping of his pillow. Stifling a yawn, Ace managed to drag himself up out of bed and put on his uniform. He wasn't exactly resigned to stay in the room waiting for the others to wake, since that could be hours later, so instead he decided to take a stroll around the halls. So long as he wasn't making any disturbances, he was sure any guards he came across would cause him no trouble.

He wished that Ambassador Johnson would be up and about, and that he would some how come across her, as unlikely a scenario as that was. He was still troubled by the calamitous evening they all had. It was bad enough he had made a horrible first impression by tackling and pinning the King of Mars, but to later discover that the Martian loathed his ancestor and anyone related to him, must have been just another big checkmark on his list on his reasons to hate him. If Johnson couldn't convince the royalty to continue toward peace with Earth because of this latest development, then Ace didn't know what they would do.

Somehow the bunny managed to get himself lost again. He almost wandered outside, but the arctic blast of air that hit him, caused him to shut the doors, a sharp contrast to the more tolerable climate they experienced yesterday during the daylight hours. Shivering, his breath forming short visible clouds, Ace decided to keep moving to warm himself back up. As he walked, he found himself once more in the room where everything had gone downhill. And as his luck would have it, it was occupied by the same Martian who was the source of all his grief.

'Maybe if I back out slowly, he won't notice I'm here.' Ace attempted to back out of the room, but was halted when a stern, nasally voice echoed through the mostly empty chamber.

"Rough night for you, too, rabbit?" The King sat in a chair, covered in a fuzzy red bathrobe and slippers, his eyes never leaving the newspaper he held in front of him

"Eh, yeah. . .I'll just leave ya alone if ya wish-"

"Nonsense. Come over here. I wish to speak with you." Hesitantly, Ace walked over to the table where the Martian sat. Marvin finished off the last paragraph and noticed the rabbit was still standing across from him."Sit." It wasn't a request, and Ace found himself sitting robotically into the chair, stiff with tension, as the Martian folded his paper and set it aside next to a small wooden crate on the table."Can I get you anything?"

"Eh, no, dat's all right. I'm good."

"There's something of great importance I want to discuss with you-" a shill whistle from the back kitchen rang out, causing Marvin to stand.
"I'll be but a moment." Ace wondered how the Martian could remain so calm after how he blew his stack last night. Even this morning, Ace found himself still a tad bit jumpy, waiting for the ax to fall, while the man had just sat there and offered him breakfast. It was driving him up the wall!

Despite his objections, the Martian returned with two mugs in one hand, filled with boiling hot water. He offered a mug with a peculiar circular red design on it, which sort of resembled a tunnel made of different sized rings.

"Here. I assure you no animals were harmed in the making of this." Marvin opened the wooded crate to take out a tea bag and let it soak into his own mug, then offered the box to Ace. Marvin added a small wedge of lemon before taking a prolonged sip from his mug which seemed to read # / DAad in faded marker.
"I'm. . .not good with apologies." He started hesitantly and with great difficulty. "However, I think this situation warrants one. I. . .overreacted last night. My actions were inexcusable and I humbly ask you and your friends' forgiveness." Ace gulped at the scalding liquid. He certainly wasn't expecting anything like this.

"Dat's all right, Doc. We bote got off ta a rocky start."

"Still, I wish to assure you all that I harbor no ill intentions toward you and that nothing from yesterday will be affecting how we conduct business. In fact, I actually have need of your services."

"Soivices?" Ace blinked.

"Yes. You see, this whole business with Earth and Mars is rather. . .complicated. It is not completely contingent on the Queen's and my approval. There are some factors involved that may hinder any progress."
"The people, you see, are a lot less forgiving than I am about the history of strife between our two worlds. They've been burned before by Earth, you see, and are less than willing to see another truce with your planet. If peace is to be accomplished, we will need to foster the approval of the people so there is no trouble later on. Otherwise, I fear retaliation may come about from some of the more violent dissidents, either against our family or your government."

"So, you want us ta try an' convince your people dat da Eoith are okay folk. Soitently, I tink we can manage dat. Just tell us what ya want us ta do."

"As it happens, some of the officers and my children are making a run to deliver supplies to a nearby city. I think it would be a good idea if you joined them, as a sign of good will toward the community. They could use all the help they can get. I would accompany you as well, but circumstances being what they are-" He tapped the metal cast on his leg with his cane in emphasis."I'm afraid I'd be of little use."

"Say no more, Doc. Me and da Loonatics will be happy ta help out!"


"Remind me again why we had to get up early and sit in a roofless hovercar for an hour." Duck complained from his seat.

"Come on, Duck." Tech attempted to coax the mallard. "Ace says this will be a good way to show the Martian people a sign of peace from Earth."

"Does our sign have to include me freezing my tailfeathers off?!" Duck pulled into himself even tighter, trying to keep warm.

"It's not dat cold, ya big baby. Not like before, anyways. And, it should warm up by dis afternoon. In da meantime just enjoy da ride."

"Easy for you to say! You're wearing a fur coat! There's a reason duck's fly south, you know!" It was times like this, Duck wished he was a mammal like most of the others. Even Rev was feeling the effects of the frigid climate, despite the heater they insisted the driver put on, choosing to remain uncharacteristically silent during the ride. Duck was just thankful, they weren't making this run at night, when the cold was probably lethal.
"Are we almost there?"

"We'll be arriving at our destination in approximately five minutes." The Centurion driving them announced from the front.

When the car finally arrived at the destination, there were several hovering trucks already unloading ahead of them. They barely got out of their own craft when one of the commanding officers shoved a heavy crate into Ace's arms.

"Take this to the back of the third building on the right." The burly Martian barked his orders. "Hand it over to the officer there and return back here as quick as possible. The rest of you grab a box. And no chatting!" The rest of the team wasted no time locating crates and delivering them to their appointed address.

At first, the only ones besides them who were stirring were the other officers and a few merchants who were preparing to set up shop for the day. As the morning lengthened, the town buzzed alive with the stirring of other citizens. A fair amount of civilian Martians gathered in a group to the side, curiously watching the strangers who were helping the military officers.

"Looks like we're quite a show, huh guys?" Ace smirked as he noticed more Martians joining in to see the sight of them working.

"Hurray." Duck grumbled without humor. He muttered in annoyance when he noticed one person not hauling any heavy loads like the rest of them
"Hey, why is junior over there not breaking his back like the rest of us?" Duck complained as he noticed Tyrannus in a somewhat different miliary uniform than the others, standing to the side with a checklist taking inventory of everything being delivered.
"Hey you!" Tyrannus whipped around to find who addressed him before spying Duck.

"Me?"

"Yeah you. Listen, my dogs are barking if you know what I mean. What do ya say you just take some of these boxes over for me while I rest my aching feet?"

"Well. . .I don't know. . .I have a lot of work to do, and the Commanders might-"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of your work. It's only fair, right?" Duck flashed the most reassuring smile he could muster. He didn't really think it would work, but the young prince seemed to comply.

"I suppose. . .you sure you know how to?" Duck couldn't believe his luck. Apparently, the kid was about as bright as he looked.

"Don't worry about a thing! Your bosses will never know you were gone." He dumped his cargo into the arms of the teenager, who swayed a bit under the tremendous weight.

"Thanks a bunch!" As the boy staggered off, Duck glanced at the clipboard. Frowning, he turned the thing upside-down and sideways, but still couldn't read the foreign characters.
" I can't make heads or tails out of this. I'm pretty sure it's written in Chinese."

Lexi and Ace were just about to drop off their own packages when they noticed Duck's temporary replacement struggling up behind them. The boy was carrying a box nearly twice as big as he was, and from the looks of it, was fighting a losing battle trying to keep it off the ground.

"Ya need a hand wit dat?"

"No. . .it's okay. . .I got it" With great effort he shifted his stance to get a better grip on the crate, and ended up bending backward at a rather awkward angle, "I got it, I-" The prince's battle over gravity finally came to an end as he lost his balance and ended up crashing down to the ground on his back, the crate crushing him chest to ankles, leaving only his head, arms and sneakered feet unpinned.

"You okay kid?!" Ace and Lexi rushed to the Martian's side.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The teenager managed to squeak under the burden. In the background, some of the spectators snickered at the spectacle while a shadow fell over his face. Tyrannus looked up only to see his older sister glancing down at him condescendingly.

"Well, you seem off to a great start as usual this morning, Tyrannus." She grinned. Lexi and Ace went to lift the box off the boy, allowing him to get up off the rusty ground and dust off his dark olive-colored pants. The prince glared back at his sister, but quit as soon as a Commander came onto the scene.

"What are you doing, Tyrannus?" The Commander asked somewhat irked at having to deal with a delay in schedule.

"Delivering care packages, sir." The teenager still had the state of mind to salute when addressing a superior officer.

"You two, get back to work" The Commander addressed the two rabbits, before turning to the young ensign. "As for you, when I give you an assignment, I expect you to follow it, not run off on your own. Understand?"

"Yes sir." Tyrannus did not even bother try to explain anything, but dutifully headed back to his post, where he located Duck still struggling to take inventory.
"Sorry, but I need to get back to my work."

"Fine by me. You should try writing in a language people can understand." Duck handed back the clipboard before heading back to the truck.


"Last one." Tech announced as he dropped off the box about an hour later. Thankfully, for the rest of them, Rev's tremendous speed managed to cut the work time into a fraction of what it would normally be.

"Finally!" Duck practically collapsed as he delivered his own crate.

"I wonda what dese crates are for anyway?" Ace leaned against one, thinking aloud.

"We finished far ahead of schedule than expected, this day." A Commander smirked in satisfaction as he checked his pocket watch. "The only work left for today is some construction, but that is the Centurions' job. You may feel free to explore the town, if you wish, but don't wander off too far. We meet back here at 1200 hours."

"Alright! Some sightseeing!" Lexi shot up ready to see the exotic city.

"You go do that." Duck settled into a spot, sitting near a wall, and shut his eyes. "Wake me up in 1200 hours." He mallard was rudely yanked upright by the team leader.

"Come on, Duck! How often is it dat ya get to go ta Mars?!"


"Not exactly a cheery place, is it?" Ace looked around the marketplace dismally as many of the inhabitants either watched them warily or glared at them with disdain for invading their home.

"Tell me about it." Lexi had tried to browse several stands, but had decided to give it up as a number of the vendors were awfully curt and kept eyeing her hands as though expecting her to try and steal something.

"Well, I'm gettin' a bit hungry. Maybe we can find someone here willin' ta sell us someting ta eat." Ace and Lexi searched around until the finally found a somewhat dubious looking produce stand.
"Excuse us, Doc, would ya mind tellin' us what's on sale taday?"

"You wish to buy?" The tall vendor looked up somewhat startled, as if he had never before received a customer.

"We're buyin' if you're sellin.'"

"What would you like?" The Martian addressed them in a businesslike tone.

"This sounds crazy, but I'm actually dying for a carrot!" The Martian vendor snorted at Lexi's remark, somehow not surprised at the request.

"You truly are an adventurous lady." He remarked wryly. "One carrot, coming up."

"Eh, make dat two, Doc. Two each I mean."

"Living dangerously today, are we?"

"Ha ha. Just give us four carrots an' hold da wisecracks."

"You're the boss." The vendor went out back and produced a box full of the most pathetic and sickliest looking excuses for carrots the two rabbits ever seen. The withered vegetables lay limp as noodles on top of each other.

"Uh, what are those?" Lexi poked at the shriveled plants, half expecting them to turn to dust and blow away.

"Pumpkins! What do you think they are?!" The vendor snapped impatiently. Ace was going to decline, however his stomach chose just the second to make it's wishes heard, grumbling quite audibly.

"Eh, how much?"

"Five hundred credit!"

"Five hundred credit?! Dat's highway robbery, dat's what dat is!"

"I have no time for haggling. These are the best produce in the city and it is quite a reasonable price. Are you going to buy or not?!"

"I tink not, Doc." Ace offered his apologies, which apparently went unnoticed as the vendor let out a stream of Martian words, none of which sounded even remotely polite.


Duck had wandered off away from Ace and Lexi, after promising he would at least make an attempt to absorb some culture on the trip. He didn't know why he bothered. He had no money, didn't speak the language, and even if he did, no one seemed interested in chatting anyway.

His luck seemed to run in circles since while he was wandering, he managed to stumble across the same boy from this morning.

"Hello, sir." Duck couldn't help but roll his eyes at being so formally addressed. Given what he had heard from the Queen last night, the kid had to be several hundred years older than him at least, if he was alive when Duck's great grandfather was. Yet he was addressing the mallard as he might his elders. Must be a habit of his. That or the fact that, technically, the kid was still a youngster in his species, while Duck was an adult.
"I've been looking to speak with you." Ah, so their latest encounter was no accident.

"Look, I'm sorry about this morning, okay? I already got the third degree from Ace." Duck began, hoping to avoid a lecture about his "taking advantage".

"Sorry about what this morning?" The boy looked back innocently at the duck, not understanding what he was referring to.

"Eh, never mind. So, what do ya want?"

"Actually I wanted to speak to you about last night-"

"Oh man! Not you, too!" Duck moaned, not wanted to hear another rant about who he was related to.

"No, no. . .I mean. . ." Tyrannus tried to assure the duck that his intentions were not malicious,"last night, mother said that your great grandfather was my godfather."

"Yeah, and?"

"Well, I was wondering. . ." he shuffled nervously, afraid his request would be denied, "could you tell me what he was like? I was too young to know him well. Father refuses to tell me everything and mother just acts weird whenever I mention him to her. But I thought maybe. . .you might-" At this Duck examined the Martian, warily, wondering if he was playing some sort of prank. But he could detect nothing devious in the kid. He didn't really seem capable of lying in the first place anyway, even if he wished to. Duck smirked as he prepared to do one of the many things he excelled at.

"He was one of the greatest heroes of all time! Why I remember my dad telling me about this one time-"


"Oh-MAN-I-am-bored-bored-BORED-I-mean-there-is-nothing-to-do-around-here-and-I-should-know-because-I-checked-this-entire-
place-out-TWICE-and-found-nothing.-There-is-barely-any-room-to-run,-which,-I'll-tell-you,-makes-it-very-difficult-to-check-anything-out-
at-top-speed.-I-had-to-cut-my-pace-by-half-I-think-even-though-I-still-managed-to-make-it-completely-around-in-only-" A firm green paw shot out and clamped Rev's beak shut, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Hey, just because you can tour the entire city in under five minutes, doesn't mean the rest of us can't take a look around." Tech released his hold on the roadrunner's beak, as he tried to soak in some of the culture of the planet without Rev's constant chattering. They had traveled far into the heart of the city, and the coyote was hoping to find something more sophisticated than in the marketplace. While he would much rather be exploring a university or a science facility on the planet, Tech figured he could at least find a good bookstore while he was here. Maybe find a science journal that he could try translating in his spare time.

"Careful. . .careful. . .easy does it. . ." Tech's ears perked at the sound of familiar mechanical voices directing nearby. Several Centurions were lifting up a metal beam and floating to the top of the skeleton of what would one day be an immense skyscraper. At the bottom, one robot was sending directions to his comrades, before they started welding.

"Need a hand." Tech spotted a beam lying on the ground, pulses of green energy emitted from his hands and eyes as he reached and magnetically lifted the heavy shaft into the air.
"Just tell me where you want this." The centurion director pointed toward a spot high and to the right of them. Concentrating with all his might, Tech pushed the metal as high as he could until the robots there had secured and fastened it. Nodding in approval, the droids pointed toward another, eagerly accepting the coyote's assistance.

There was something about construction which attracted all the men in the area to watch, including Rev and Slam, as they all stood as spectators, mesmerized by the manual labor. However, Tech and the construction workers weren't the only attractions drawing a crowd.

"It is time my brothers and sisters to act! For far too long we have waited for our rulers to act. But they are too slow for the needs of Mars' people. While they sit by idly doing nothing to address our problems, our children are dying in the street! And now we see that they allow such common filth, these Earth dogs to contaminate our world! Shall we sit by and do nothing while these creatures invade our homes? How long before they will return and in greater numbers to take what is rightfully ours? The royalty does nothing! The council is silent! There are soldiers everywhere! It is time for a new beginning! A revolution is dawning!"

"Oh Mother of Mars, not this guy again!" A Commander spotted the lanky Martian decked in crimson and orange, standing on a box addressing a growing crowd of spectators. Rev and Slam turned away from watching Tech to see where the Commander was observing. Another officer pondered aloud toward the Commander.

"I thought our intelligence said he had been spotted in Imperial City several thousand miles away from here?"

"Well, it looks like he moved." The Commander responded, distrust and suspicion spilling out in his tone toward the Martian on the soapbox.

The Martian was preaching angrily, at least it seemed so for Slam and Rev who couldn't understand his words, to the people. The more he spoke, the more agitated the Commander and the people got. Rev tapped on the Commander's shoulder to ask what was going on.

"Who-is-that-guy?"

"An anarchist of the worst sort." The Commander answered, his eyes still trained on his target, not daring to turn away. "He and his gang of marauders have been seeking to overthrow the government for decades and establish their own rule. We had never paid them too much attention before, for their numbers were few, their ideas unpopular, and they had not done anything other than talk. It is only recently they have gathered more supporters, since Mars has been suffering lately. The palace has been directing most of its resources toward reconstruction, but it has left them tapped since there are so many places that need help, some more than others. This fellow has been preaching to anyone who'll listen that the palace has been purposely holding out on them. Unfortunately, he has found an advantage to exploit. He's been causing a number of disturbances in this area. We have no hard evidence at this time to act upon, though we know he's been in the middle of them. It seems every single time he opens his yap, there's a riot. And we've been getting reports of similar activity in other cities. " The three watched intensely for several minutes. As the speaker got more animated, the audience became more and more antsy. Finally, the Commander signaled to two more guards to accompany him.
"Step down, Sir. You are causing a public disturbance." The Commander and his guards pushed their way to the front of the crowd to stand right below the speaker, addressing him in their native language. The man, however, refused to budge.

"I only speak the truth! The people have the right to know the truth!"

"In that case, you should definitely hold your tongue, for you speak nothing but lies and slander!" A lower guard accused vehemently. The Commander merely held up his hand, silently signaling to his officer to be quiet for the moment.

"Do I? Do not the people still live in conditions less than what we once were?! Even after an entire year?!"

"Your memory must be slipping, or have you already forgotten that there has been a planet-wide catastrophe?" The Commander replied sternly yet calm. "We are doing all we can to remedy the situation."

"Yet there are still women and children starving in the streets!" There was a couple of hushed whispers among some of the listeners, nodding their affirmation of the statement's validity. The Commander remained undisturbed, steady in his convictions.

"If you had any sort of sense at all, you'd know that the military makes runs every day to supply food to those who cannot afford it. We have set up stations in all inhabited areas to feed those who are in need. All out of the palace's own pockets since they know most of you could not survive if they raised taxes."

"You think you are so charitable, yet you do nothing to help the people figure out a way to fend for themselves! You do not think them capable of living without your support!"

"The game preserve, which we were all lucky to have it escape the destruction, is open to the public to catch their own meat if they wish. And if you and your mob of anarchists would stop destroying everything we try to build, we could accumulate the resources needed to re-enrich the earth so that more could be grown by the farmers."

"How convenient. We must only bow down and obey your every command if we want to see results! I and Mars' true patriots would rather starve than feed into the corrupt system you slave to defend!"

" You complain when we try to help you that we are not doing enough. Then you deny our help all together, saying death is more preferable. Well, pick one! Which is it that you want?!"

"I want change! The Queen is just a spoiled little girl who has no concept of the real livelihoods of her citizens! Her husband is a greedy militaristic opportunist who married her for her money! I shudder to imagine what loathsome lessons the two of them are instilling in the future heirs." At that statement, many of the people shifted uneasily. Not many of them would agree to such a declaration, especially the older men and women who still remembered the war with Earth and the Martian Queen's leadership through it, and thus still maintained a fierce loyalty to her.

"You would do well not to speak of things which you have no knowledge of! You have been wanting to overthrow the throne for decades and are now only using this latest crisis as an excuse to further your crusade! You are nothing but a loathsome traitor to the crown and all of Mars!" The Commander's temper was just hanging by a shred. Seeing the officer's blustered state, the orator continued to invoke the people

"You see?!" The speaker addressed the audience, trying to obtain their sympathy, "Anyone who dares challenge the social order is silenced! I cannot even make a criticism of the system before the royalty sends in the military thugs to take care of me. You may silence me, but there are others you cannot!"

"If it were up to me, you and your kind would be rotting in a dark cell on the other side of the moons, especially after you and your gang of arsonists attempted to kill the royal family in that bomb stunt of yours!" A startled murmur spread throughout the citizens. They had head news of an attempted assassination, but they never thought to connect it to the man standing before them. Sensing he was losing support, the Martian attempted to deflect the accusation.

"You have no proof I was connected to that! This is just a typical plot by the government to try and scapegoat those who have championed for the people's rights!"

"I have my suspicions. Too many factors point to you. You should be grateful that the law the royals have set up protect you and your spewing venomous rhetoric, so that I cannot act unless I have more concrete evidence. I can, however, have you removed for violating safety codes. You have attracted far to many people to this area. Not only is this a congested spot of traffic, but you are also too near a dangerous construction site. Either move your grandstanding to a more vacant spot, or I shall be forced to remove you."

"You can try!" He pulled a whistle and suddenly, previously unnoticed, several Martians cloaked in scarlet masks and capes emerged from buildings and alleys, armed with laser pistols and swords.
"A new day is at hand and our time has come! No longer will we hide in the shadows!" He announced in standard to make sure that the Earthlings understood exactly what their fate was.
"Today we act and reclaim Mars from this oppressive regime! You and the Earth trash you congregate with shall either bow to us or fall under our sword!" At those words, all chaos broke lose. Most of the females with children did their best to pull them as far away from the area was fast as possible. A number of the younger teenagers in the crowd, drunk on the inspiring words of the rebel leader and the appearance of his fighters, joined in cheers and started rushing toward the guards and the Loonatics. They in turn were beaten off by older civilians who stood in their way, a testament of the previous generation who had seen the destruction of treason in the past and swore that they would die before allowing their Queen to come to any harm again.

The soldiers, shocked at the sudden eruption of violence between rival groups and the appearance of a sizable number of rebel soldiers, grabbed for weapons.

"Set your weapons to stun! I want no accidental deaths in this mob!" The Commander barked at the Centurions and other officers.

"Shoot to kill! Take no prisoners! Every guard slain is one less to bar us toward victory!" The rebel leader launched himself at the Commander, sword in hand. His glowing blade cracked and hissed as it clashed with the soldier's own sword.

"Slam,-we-gotta-do-something-about-all-these-rioters-and-FAST!" In a burst of flame, the roadrunner took off like a rocket and dashed around and through the city, pinpointing every rebel fighter in the area no matter where he was hiding. Quick as a flash, he stole every weapon they possessed before they could even blink and realize they had been disarmed. With a sizable number of arms in his hands, Rev ran off again toward the other side of town where they had been unpacking earlier that morning.

Spotting another Commander presiding over the food station full of customers, Rev made a beeline toward him and dumped the load of weapons at his feet.

"Here-you-go!-You-should-know-what-do-with-these-things-better-than-I-would.-I-just-took-these-off-some-Martian-rebels-who-are-
causing-a-MAJOR-riot-on-the-other-side-of-the-city-and-considering-that-you-are-official-military-guards-you-might-want-to-get- yourselves-down-there-right-away-which-is-where-I'm heading-right-now-SEE-YA!" Rev took off again, knowing that after that warning, the Commander would send as many soldiers as he could spare to help quell he uprising. With that done, the roadrunner set about his next task: alerting the other Loonatics.

Even though he could have used his GPS to track down and locate Ace and the others, it would still mean navigating through the unfamiliar city to contact them. And at this point, even a few precious seconds wasted would mean more time for the riot to grow and spread uncontrollably. Which would mean more time for innocents to get hurt. It would be far faster for him to contact the others through the communicators so he could get back to the mess downtown.

"Ace,-are-you-there?-Come-on-come-on-pick-up!"

"Where's da fire, Rev?!"

"You're-not-going-to-believe-this-,Ace-but-all-of-downtown-has-gone-completely-INSANE!-We're-talking-out-of-control,-run-for-your-
life-CHAOS!-The-whole-city-is-up-in-arms!-We-need-back-up-NOW!"

"Where is dis happenin'?!"

"The-center-of-the-city-near-the-big-unfinished-building-about-"

"Say, no more, Rev. I got it. I can see da place from here. You head back an' help as much as ya can as fast as ya can! Lexi and I'll be down dere as soon as we contact Duck."

"Roger-that-,Ace!" Rev shut off his communicator and continued to race back toward the action. Ace turned to Lexi.

"We got trouble, Lexi!"

"So I heard!"

"Get Duck on da phone and tell him to meet us here before we head over. Lexi opened up her communicator, waiting for the mallard to pick up on the other end. However, there was no answer.

"I can't reach him!" Ace nearly growled at Lexi's news.

"Where can dat duck be?!"


"So there I was! A hundred of the most ugly, disgusting looking beasts you ever could imagine, surrounding me at all sides. To my left and to my right. There was no escape! Their dripping fangs flashing, drooling at the thought of having a duck dinner. Their eyes glowing red in anticipation! My team had fought valiantly, but alas, they were sorely outmatched. I knew I was the only one left who stood between them and their goal of enslaving the entire planet. I located the leader, a big guy with eight, no, twelve tentacles and a bushy black mane full of poisonous spikes!"

"What did you do?!" A small Martian toddler asked wide eyed and delightfully frightened at the engrossing tale, leaning forward from her seat in Tyrannus's lap. A chorus of little voices joined in, wondering eagerly what would happen next.

"Well, don't just keep us all in suspense." Tyrannus laughed encouragingly, not seeming to notice or care that he was easily the oldest out of the entire group and yet was just as anxious as the rest of them.

Duck puffed up proudly. He had begun telling the Martian prince all about the exploits of his ancestor, Duck Dodgers, which soon led to questions about Duck's own work with the Loonatics. Duck wasn't sure how it happened, but his stories had a attracted a number of others to sit down in a circle around him. Soon he had been surrounded by numerous ears who wanted nothing more than to hear of his adventures. Sure, all of them, save for Tyrannus, were equivalent to five year olds, but that didn't mean they weren't all incredibly intelligent and appreciative five year olds. Obviously, Mars was a place possessing great taste!

"Okay, okay. . .let's see. . .what did I do. . .Oh yes! Well, I went up to him, looked him dead in the eye and told him:'Listen buddy, this is my planet, and the people of Earth don't take kindly to alien overlords trying to take over the place! I suggest to surrender peacefully, otherwise I'll be forced to take drastic measures and send the whole lot of you packing back from where you crawled from!'
"About half of the goons turned and ran when they heard my warning. The other half I could tell wanted nothing but trouble! So I quacked behind one and gave him a devastating kick to his head! Two others rushed me and I have them a series of karate chops. Hiyah!" Duck demonstrated as he quacked to a random spot and kicked and chopped at the empty air.
"Then I unleashed a barrage of my power orbs which incinerated about thirty of them!" He allowed his hands to glow briefly, before tossing the orbs harmlessly into the dust.
"The rest of them, seeing that they had no chance of victory, slithered as fast as they could back to their ships and took off, never to be seen again!" A number of cheers issued from the tykes, and even Tyrannus clapped politely as he got up from the floor.

"You truly have a way with children, Sir."

"Please, call me Duck."

"Okay. . .if you insist. That is your name, right?" The prince nearly winced at the name. Somehow it didn't sound right for a hero of the mallard's magnitude. It was too pedestrian.

"Well, truthfully it's Dumas Edgar Tiberious Aloysius. It's sort of a family tradition, but I don't really like to brag about it."

"So. . . Why do people just call you 'Duck'?"

"Well,. . . I don't know, really. I guess because it's short for Danger Duck. That is after all the superhero name I use when I'm on duty!"

"So why not call you 'Danger'?"

"Hmm, Danger. . .I never thought of that! It's edgy. . .dare I say it, it's dangerous. Danger. . .Danger. Yeah, I like it! Has a nice ring to it! I'm going to pass that along to the guys."

"It must be nice to have friends. . .who appreciate your talents. They are very lucky to have you."


"We can't wait any longa! We'll just hafta go on witout him." Ace pulled out his cube that contained his collapsible scooter, thankful that he had tucked it into his uniform the day before.
"Hop on!" The pink rabbit grabbed Ace's waist as he revved the scooter and shot off toward the construction site.

"Rev wasn't kidding about this place!" Lexi looked on in horror as their friends and a handful of soldiers and Centurion robots were trying to fend off rebel attackers as well as try to pry away two warring sides of civilians.

Slam growled as he watched the bloody spectacle. To see brother against brother, father against son, friend against friend willing to fight each other to such an extreme was too much! Mustering up his strength, he started spinning with all his might, creating a tempest which he used to suction up the feuding factions. He whipped them around at a tremendous speed before dumping them several yards away, leaving them far too dizzy and sick to stand upright, let alone engage in combat.

Three of the crimson decked rebels headed toward the Centurions near the construction work, hacking and blasting them into useless scrap metal before they could defend themselves. Suddenly, a metal beam rammed into them, knocking the wind out of them and pinning them to a wall. The metal twisted itself around them, effectively trapping them. Tech dusted his hands, and looked on with disgust at the captives.

"What a waste of good building materials."

"We got some runners, Ace!" Lexi found a couple of masked Martians dropping their weapons at seeing such bizarre creatures exhibiting such unnatural powers. They were not trained professionally as the military were and as such were easily spooked by the unfamiliar and supernatural abilities. Lexi aimed her brainblast at one rebel who shot past her, hitting him in the back and causing him to fall face down unconscious.

"I'm on it!" Ace in turn, aimed his laser vision squarely at some other fleeing fighters, taking out several more.

The violence was nearly contained, only several more braver souls remained to try their luck in subduing the superpowered Earthlings.

Under the metallic skeleton, one more battle was taking place. The rebel who had instigated the entire episode was fighting desperately with the Commander, losing ground with each stroke against the more experienced warrior.

"It's over, boy. Your rabble has either run off or has been defeated. Surrender while you still breathe, and I'll make sure the council gives you a fair hearing."

"I'd rather die!" The young man snarled stubbornly.

"As much as I'd love to grant you your wish, it is not my place to decide your fate. My orders are to bring you in alive."

"That just goes to prove just how foolish your leaders are, as I've been saying for so long!" A shorter blade of a knife slipped out of his sleeve into his hand. The younger Martian suddenly shortened the distance between him and his opponent, coming eye to eye. The Commander's eyes widened in horror and pain as the blade slipped in under his guard and impaled him in his stomach. His grip loosed on his sword and it clattered to the ground. The other Martian smirked in satisfaction and pressed his face next to the slightly taller man's, holding him tight in a twisted embrace.
"Don't worry about your precious rulers." He whispered one last taunt. "I'll be sure to send them to you. Give my regards to Pluto when you see him." With one last twist, he wrenched the dagger out of the Martian's flesh and ran off, slipping away silently into an alley out of sight.


"Last ones!" Tech levitated some scrap metal around five smaller struggling Martians that Slam was holding in his large powerful grip. After effectively inhibiting their movement with the makeshift restraints, the coyote looked around to see if he overlooked any more strays.
"We miss any?"

"A couple of dem ran off. If whoever's leading dem was one of dem, den we might have some more trouble." Ace said.

"More than you know. Guys. . ." Lexi pointed toward the scaffolding where a number of Martians, civilians and soldiers were gathering around. The Loonatics ran toward the circle to see the Commander lying limply among the debris, his fellow officers wrapping him in his red uniform cape. The bright material was quickly staining a darker shade as the soldiers did their best to try and keep him awake.

"Just hang on. We're getting you help." The Commander said nothing, but his gaze glassed over as his eyes slowly started rolling toward the back of his head.

"He needs medical help! Now!" An officer turned to his comrade in ranks. "Call the nearest hospital and tell them we're evaporating there with a man with a critical wound!"

"Teleportation?! In his condition?! He could go into shock!"

"Well, he won't live long enough to see the insides of their walls if we wait for a ground transport!" The officer pulled out a communicator and made the call, and within a few seconds a number of them beamed out of sight. The rest of the soldiers, remained to tend to any other people who were injured in the uprising.

Some of the civilians who had been watching the entire scene play out, talked amongst themselves nervously, some praying for the health of the man in uniform.

"You think he'll be okay?" Lexi asked aloud, hoping for some kind of reassurance though she did not expect some. In all her time as a crime fighter, she had never had the misfortune of seeing some of uglier sides of people. She never had to experience the death of anyone, friend, foe, or acquaintance. Neither had any of the others.

"I hope so." Ace said numbly.

"I saw the creep!" A Martian in brown robes, sporting a black eye and a red beard interrupted the Earthlings' brooding. From the way he was swaying and holding his bruised arm, he was probably one of the fighters Slam had taken down earlier, still suffering from vertigo.
"He was fighting the Commander and then ran off. I would have gone after him myself, but I-" The man nearly buckled under his own weight. But managed to stay on his feet, however unsteadily.

"You okay Doc?! Ya want us ta take ya in for help?"

"I'll be alright once the ground stops spinning."

"Did you see where he went?" Tech questioned the man.

"He was heading north, last I saw. That way." He pointed into the direction he last saw the rebel leader disappear. Before they could take off, the man grabbed Ace's arm.
"You'll make sure to give to him exactly what he did the Commander, right?" Ace nearly yanked back his arm back in revulsion for the excited glint of bloodlust still apparent in the Martian's eyes, even after all the pandemonium that occurred.

"We'll do what we hafta. Come on, Loonatics!"


I wasn't planning a lot of the stuff in this chapter initially (like the whole marauders scene), but I've been feeling inspired lately.

For those of you who aren't nearly as immersed in Looney Tunes trivia as I am, here is the origins of Danger Duck's 'true' name
Dumas was the middle name Daffy possessed in "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" and later reemerged in the Duck Dodgers series.
Edgar and Aloysius were additional middle names given to Daffy in the Duck Dodgers series.Tiberius was Baby Daffy's middle name in Baby Looney Tunes.