New Origin
Part III
****Alliance****
During breakfast Charley watched her visitors with a curious delight. Since the only words they shared so far were their names and water, any dinning conversation was out. So she took the time to focus on each one as he ate. To say they had huge appetites was an understatement, but still their mannerisms weren't much different from any other male she'd been around. They spoke with food still in their mouths and wiped their faces with their hands, typical male eating habits, she sighed.
As the strange language filled the room she began seeing each in his own light. Modo looked intimidating with his enormous size, mechanical arm and black eye patch. The black tee shirt, with the right sleeve cut out to accommodate the metal arm, black leather pants and heavy boots, didn't help to soften his look much. What the purpose of the large metal chest plate served was still a mystery, but it all gave him a look so much the opposite, to the gentle spirit that was the soul of the gray giant.
Throttle was as she had thought the leader of this intrepid band of space jockey's. Cool, calm and she had to admit the most handsome of the three. Full bangs that fell casually into his face and long thick hair pulled back in one long ponytail that reached almost to his waist. No shirt, just a red scarf wrapped around his throat, a short black leather jacket and very nice fitting black leather pants. Boots the came up to his knees and a glove worn on his right hand which had some odd attachments on the top of it, with a similar red scarf tied around his wrist.
They all had some sort of earring but she got the feeling they meant more then simple ornaments. He had a quiet sadness about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but she could tell that he kept most of his emotions locked up tight within him.
Then there was the younger wild-child Vinnie, what couldn't she say about him. This one wore nothing on the top half of his body other than two green belt things that crossed his chest and red scarf around his neck. His black leather pants, she could tell were just a bit tighter then they needed to be. He wore black gloves with the fingers removed but Charley did notice his hand were surprisingly almost delicately beautiful. He was loud and even though she couldn't understand the language, she could tell most of his conversation focused on himself. She chuckled at the apparent ego of this young Martian, but her face saddened as she looked at the silver mask that was probably hiding some sort of scar, a scar that seem to go deeper then just his face.
Finally they had filled themselves and lean back satisfied. They all seem ready for some action and Charley was more than ready to accommodate them. She stood and motioned for Vinnie to hold his arms out. She reached over putting the dirty dishes in a pile and then places them into his waiting arms. Then she points to the sink and said, "You wash!"
The white Martian stood with his mouth open and a prefect, "Aw man, not here too!" look on his face. But he more than understood what she wanted. Looking at the expression on Charlie's face, the other two shrugged and lent a hand in the clean up.
After everything was squared away each went to his particular bike. They began checking and probing the condition of their now very active mechanical friends. Throttle sat on his bike starting it up with a loud roar, but looked concern hearing something unusual in the sound of the motor.
"It sounds like your gyro is shot, Goldie. If you could make sure I won't get my head blown off, I could fix her," she said holding her tools and standing at a safe distance.
Throttle remembered how Modo's bike had reacted to her, but understood that she was offering to repair his cycle. Taking her by the hand he placed it on the bike's motor and said something to it. The machine purred softy and he motioned for Charley to begin.
As soon as she did the other two machines rolled up next to her also needing attention.
"Okay ladies, I guess we have an understanding," she chuckled. "We might as well have a little entertainment while we work, huh folks?" she stood up and turned on the TV.
As the screen came into focus, the face of a large, fat business came into view. Along side of him was a strange skinny little person with an enormous head. Whether it was a male or female it was hard to tell.
"Oh no, we don't want to hear any of the lies this guys will be spewing." She starts to change the channel but Throttle suddenly jumped up and held her hand. Modo and Vinnie stood transfixed staring at the screen, their faces filled with hate, anger and if you looked very closely even a bit of fear.
"What! What's the matter? He is just some big mouth-cheating businessman. How could you possible know him?" Charley said completely baffled at their behavior.
Then clearly she heard Throttle say, "Limburger."
"That's right. But how could you know that? What could he possible have to do with you?" she puzzled.
"Limburger!" The enraged mouse repeated.
The look in his eyes actually frightened her. " I don't understand, I don't understand. Who is he? What has he done?"
The furious Martian grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook her just a little." Limburger de vet noir!"
"Throttle, I don't understand, please. I can't help if I don't understand," she said hopelessly.
Modo was at is companions side looking at him then at their frighten human friend. Throttle realized what he was doing and softened his grip on her shoulders. His eyes full of remorse he walked away from her.
Charley, not actually hurt, walked up behind him putting a forgiving hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Goldie, we all lose it from time to time,"
He took her hand and held it to his cheek and then kissed it softly.
"Look guys, I don't know what this creep, Limburger, could possible have to do with you, your planet or anything. But I know where to find him," she motioned," I know where he is and I will take you to him, okay?" As before, they some how understood and agree.
First they had to get the bikes in proper running order, than once that was done they were ready to ride. As the Martian's boarded their cycles they looked at each other and at Charley seemingly trying to debate how they could find Limburger without taking her with them.
She figured out what they were trying to do and immediately let them know it wasn't going to be like that, "Oh no, if you think I'm not going with you, think again my chauvinistic fur balls," she stood with her hands defiantly poised on her hips.
They sighed reluctantly releasing they weren't going to find him with out her. The white mouse wrapped his tail around her waist lifting her onto his bike getting a squeal of surprised from the startled human. After settling her in Throttle walked over and took her helmet from the shelf placing it on her head.
"Okay, so now I'm all nice and safe, let's get going." She took the remote garage door opener from the pouch she carried.
The three exchanged mischievous looks and Charley had a feeling they were up to something. Once the door lifted the bikes roared as the three Martians balanced them on their rear wheels and tore out onto the street. They chuckled as they heard an ear-piecing scream come from Vinnie's female passenger.
After riding for about twenty minute she pointed to a large office building that had Limburger Tower sprawled across the top. "He's here, that's his building!" she said pointing to the tall structure.
But surprisingly they didn't stop; in fact they sped up heading toward the building directly across the street. Charley could only hold her breath thinking that they were going to crash right into the side of the wall. Then finding her voice again she let out a scream that should have broken every window for twenty miles as the bikes scaled the side of the building. The terrified mechanic increased her grip on the white Martian's waist, he chuckling at her reaction, but wrapping his tail around her for extra security. They landed perfectly on the roof sliding a smooth halt.
Snatching the helmet from her head, she gave them a stare, which if it could kill, would have dropped them like flies. She started to share a few choice earth words, but realized they wouldn't have the desired affect, so she let it go with just the stare.
The mice gave her an innocent look, as if they had no idea what could have upset her. Snickering to himself, Throttle walked over to the edge of the building touching the side of his helmet. He scanned each floor focusing his attention to one office at the very top. Calling to his friend, he directed their attention to the same office window.
"Do you see him? Is he in there?" Charley asked looking over their shoulders not able to get a clear view. Vinnie removed the helmet from his head and put it on hers. She could see different thing scanning across the face shield, nothing that made much sense, but she could see directly into the office they were focusing on.
There was Limburger pacing back and forth waving his arm in a tirade, directing his anger at the huge rather stupid, oil-dripping henchman she had had dealings with before. For some unexplained reason, Limburger had wanted to purchase her garage and sent the henchman to do his dirty work. Even though she'd been threatened, she was able to get rid of him. Just because she was a single woman, running a business alone, didn't mean she couldn't more than handle herself.
But still, she saw nothing that would connect Limburger to the Martians. Until, in his rage, he reached up and seems to pull at his face then with a snatch the human face was pulled away exposing his true self. Charlie's heart logged in her throat as she stared at the horrid creature Limburger actually was. The same type of blue scaled, cold-eyed, creatures, she'd seen in the mind meld with Throttle.
She wanted to scream, but the fear tightened around her throat. An over whelming panic grabbed her and she ripped the helmet off and turn to run but falling in the process. The Martians, shocked by her reaction, went immediately to her aid but she pushed them away standing to continue fleeing. She got to the opposite side of the building stopping short of the edge. Where was she running? There was no escaping this, no hiding place, she realized falling again to her knees. Throttle condemned himself, realizing what she must have been feeling, remembering his own terror when he saw the enemy for the first time.
Charley shook uncontrollably until she felt a gentle white-gloved hand on her shoulder. She looked up into the eyes of courage. Into the face that could be her planets only hope.
Throttle gave his younger companion a few instructions and Vinnie gently picked her up carrying her to his bike this time placing her protectively in front of him wrapping his tail around her waist. Throttle signaled and they followed him down to the street and back to the Last Chance. Charley closed her eyes wrapping her arms around the silent Martians neck, still trying to come to grips with what she had been plunged into.
They pulled up into the garage and Charley silently left the concerned aliens going up into her bedroom quietly closing the door behind her. After some hours, she heard a gentle tapping on her door. She opened it to see Throttle standing looking at her with a worried expression on his face. Charley looked red eyed and was still visibly shaken.
He reached down, took her by the hand and guided her down the stairs. Like a little child, she follows with little resistance. He set her down on the couch in the living room
and knelt down in front of her holding her chin in his hand. Modo walked over and placed a pile of papers in her lap, then sitting on the floor near her. Vinnie also sat close to her waiting for her to examine what they'd given her.
Charley confused at first looked at the papers they had gotten from her printed. She was astonished at what she saw. With the skill of a true artist, one of them created a chronicle of images. They needed to tell her something very important and no longer wanting to use the mind meld, unsure of how her mind might be affected later on.
Again she saw mice in a struggle against their enemies. Modo pointed to the blue creatures and said, "Plutarkian," looking at her to see if she understood.
"That's what their called? Plutarkians," he nodded yes.
Then she saw other Martians, but these had much more detail to them. They must have been person who where very close to each, like family members. Then the scene changed to what looked like some sort of prison camp, it resembled the pictures of the Nazi concentration camps of the last world war. The last set of pictures were the most disturbing, they were of some kind of laboratory. That creepy, big head, skinny, person, they had seen earlier with Limburger, was standing over an examination table. She again looked up and Modo identified it. "Karbunkle," he said, but his voice and good eye, took on strange dark stare, as him touch the figure on the paper.
"That 's Karbunkle?" she got another affirmative nod from her, unnerved, gray furred friend, as he rubbed the mechanical arm.
As she examined the picture closer, she notice Karbunkle was doing something to the figures that seemed to be confided on the tables. One figure was gray, the other tan, and the last white.
Realization hit her like a ton of brick. "Oh no, he didn't? That's not….?" Before she could finish Throttle knelt up close to her face, taking the strange sunglasses away. He closed his eye as if the bright light hurt them, but struggled to open them again. Charley looked deep into them to see his eyes were as mechanical Modo's arm. He touched them and whispered, "Karbunkle."
"You mean he did something to your eyes?" she said as she turned to look at Modo.
"Vinnie too?" she questioned, her attention focusing on Vinnie. The white Martian dropped his head, trying to cover the mask with his hand.
She sat for a moment, them reached down to take the glasses from Throttle's hand sliding them back on his face and reached down to kiss him softly on the forehead. She ran her hand down Modo's metal arm and reached over to pull Vinnie's hand away from his face.
"You struggled to save your planet, even though it must have seemed hopeless. You lost your families, lost your lives, and still you want to continue fighting. I don't know if I have that kind of courage, if that kind of strength is in me?" She felt so small and helpless.
The finally picture said everything she need to know. It was all four of their hands place in what looked like a pledge and on the top was drawn the picture of a mouse's head.
"Yes," she nodded finally grasping the full import of what they wanted her to know. She stood and held out her hand. Vinnie the first to grab hold of it as he smiled a strange smile and rubbed his thumb slowly across it. Charley could only smile and shake her head. Throttle placed his hand on top of theirs, and then Modo place his large hand on last. It was a promise; a vow to stick with each other until they rid the universe of the Plutarkian virus that was destroying it. A promise that would take the young earth woman on a journey that would forever change her life, her world and theirs.
The Journey Begins………
