Drifter's Way Chapter 10: At a Stand Still?, a biker mice from mars fanfic

Drifter's Way
Chapter 9: At a Stand Still?

By Drifter Song

Charley shut the door to the back room softly after Throttle, the pair making their way back into the work bay in silence. The woman skirting around the tall blond mouse so that she could sit down in her customary chair that doubled as a bed.

"What am I going to do with him?" Charley asked in slight frustration, not really looking for an answer, more likely just voicing her thoughts out loud, as she picked up a towel off the arm of the chair. She then turned to face Throttle and shook the rag at him. "He's just as bad as you guys!"

In a matter of speaking... she thought as she flopped down, propping her chin in one hand as she looked up at Throttle...in that chivalrous, enigmatic way.

Throttle opened his mouth to interject or possibly even protest, but ended up allowing it to shut after a moment. A bit of a smile sliding across his muzzle that he quickly shook away as he sat down across from the dark haired woman. He hated to admit that he was starting to like the black furred Martian more with each passing moment. He then sighed, as much as he wanted to know more about Silver, what he is like from Charley's perspective of him, he did not.

What is it that I'm worried to discover? Throttle thought, is it so hard to ask? It was not that it was too difficult to ask, but that in truth he did not want to.

"Look Charley, the reason I'm here..." Throttle started to explain as he leaned back in his chair slightly, left arm propped up on the back of the piece of furniture as he gestured slightly with his right.

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Modo awoke at the sound of Throttle's ride leaving the scoreboard, a sliver of red peeking out between heavy grey lids before he rolled over and went back to sleep with a wide mouthed yawn. He had an idea of where the Bros blond leader was heading off to and he really was not all that concerned at the moment.

The grey furred Martian would sleep until mid-morning, rubbing at his one good eye sleepily as he padded quietly out of the bedroom, body armor still resting neatly next to his bed. Long tail swaying behind him he could not help but stop next to the couch where Vinnie lay sleeping, snoring loudly, his position had not changed much since Throttle saw him several hours earlier. Modo sighed, looking down on the white sleeping form, as he mused softly to himself, "Vinnie m' man, how much trouble did you get into?"

With a shake of his head Modo passed him by, heading out of the main living area and into the small kitchenette, the only place within the score board where any of their original ship was intact. Looking through the relatively bare cupboards he settled on a cold rootbeer from the fridge and sat down at the table, staring out the one small window, lost in thought.

"What are we getting ourselves into Bros? Are things as bad as what that Drifter claims them to be?" He sighed again as he ran a hand over top his baldhead. "I wish I knew. I'm hopin' that Charley ma'am has some answers..."

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"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Ashaylea asked as she shook her head, sending chocolate curls swaying. She crossed her hands about her chest, studying the small grey furred woman across from her.

"That's my suggestion," Vivian replied as she placed her left hand upon a hip and gestured with the right. "If we put the portal of the hallway in the center of each building it would add extra support and durability."

"Doesn't the main support beam run straight down the center of the hospital?" Ashaylea asked, shaking her head again. "I don't want to risk the damage if that is the case."

Star sat down in the minimal amount of shade cast off the hospital building, it was now just starting to reach late morning, and the heat of the day was climbing quickly. She had hopped the day would have stayed a little cooler but they were not going to be so lucky today. The past few days had been so pleasant. Her pale gaze swayed back and forth between the two women, the fair tan furred doctor and the deep grey bionisist. She was about to interject when Thor walked up to the trio of women; she was tired of their discussion walking around in circles for the past hour or more.

"Any progress so far, M'lady?" Thor asked as he made his way over to Star, inclining his head slightly, a brief nodded bow. His sister and the doctor pausing in their discussion upon his arrival.

Star shook her head, "Not much, Thor," she replied as she stood up. "Maybe you could offer some suggestions, you are after all part of the demolition team." The black furred woman added with a light smile.

Placing a hand to his chin Thor walked the length of the hospital wall and back before walking over to the Biomed building and traveling its length as well. "Why don't I go fetch Boyd? I'm sure he'd have plenty of suggestions."

Star turned to both doctors and asked, "What do you think?"

Ashaylea and Viv looked at each other before turning their attention to Thor.

"I think that my brother is right," Vivian stated, "Boyd would be the one to ask." Ashaylea nodded in agreement, and off Thor went to find pale blond furred man.

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A loud thump followed by a string of half coherent sentences be the first sign that Vinnie had finally awoke, most likely from rolling off the couch. A twitch of an ear was the only movement save breathing that Modo had made since he woke and moved into the kitchenette. The root beer that he took from the fridge still gripped in his bionic hand wasn't even open; beads of sweat slid down the can slowly to form a puddle on the table.

"Wh...what t...t...ti...me..."Vinnie started before a yawn stole the rest of his sentence as he walked into the kitchenette, grinding the palm of his right hand across his left eye. "...is it?"

"Hmmmm," Modo mumbled before jumping slightly not expecting Vinnie to be in the room. "Heh heh heh, don' know bro, prolly after noon."

The dark grey furred man shifted in his chair, craning his neck to find the clock. "Yup," he nodded his head, seeing that it read 1:53. He then turned his attention to opening the rootbeer in hand and adding. "Actually it's closer to two."

"Whoa! Modo, man why didn't you wake me up?" Vinnie replied seeming to shock himself awake.

"Don' know, figured you'd needed your beauty sleep," Modo teased as he looked up at Vinnie.

Vinnie would give a gestured wave in Modo's direction, "Nah no amount of sleep is gonna help with that, I already have the studdly bod and the charm to match." He flexed his pecs and struck up a muscle man pose, before he looked around the room. "Hey where's Throttle?"

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Thor made his way across the city, heavy boots crunching along on the dry, baked soil.

"Boyd, are you here?" Thor called out as he entered the side flap door to the man's shop. Sitting on the workbench among the discarded tools was a sign that read in Boyd's flowing penmanship, Be back in'na 'bout an hour.

The tall chestnut mouse sighed as he scratched the back of his head, long tail swinging behind him. "Should have known," he muttered under his breath. Thor then turned and left for his next destination, the one he assumed he'd find Boyd at.

Thor stood in front of the brightly colored tent and shook his head sending those long braids behind his ears swaying. "What sort of name is the Busty Briar, anyway, he mumbled to himself as he pushed through the heavy fabric door.

The Busty Briar was one of the few traveling pubs on Mars. This establishment, more often then not resided within The Way. The sign above the door was decorated with an image beautiful, voluptuous female barmaid from the waist up with curly red hair. Dressed in a low cut, off the shoulder, green, sleeveless top with a wild Martian Briar Rose tattoo on her fair furred right breast, holding two foaming mugs.

The first assault to Thor's sensitive ears was the noise, bawdy singing, glasses and plates clattering, people shouting orders and raucous laughter. The second was the smell, roasted meats, ale, and too many bodies in one room. His nose wrinkled as his ears twitched almost spastically. It didn't take long for a busty bar lass to approach tall man as he scanned the room for Boyd's familiar face. Surprisingly enough barmaid that approached the tall chestnut man look uncannily like the woman on the sign out front. When asked if she had seen Boyd, the maid just shook her head, sending layers upon layers of curls bouncing about her bare shoulders. Thor left the building, scratching his chin in thought as he headed off to check a few more places that the man might be.

"Crazy! He's just crazy!" A pale grey mouse with black hair and round wire framed glasses sputtered as he walked out of the men's bathhouse nearly bumped into Thor in the process. "Oh sorry..." the man muttered in apology, skirting around Thor and continued on his way still muttering under his breath.

Lofting a brow Thor opened the door that lead down the short section of hallway to the men's bathing quarters, not fully paying attention to where he was going he ran into very man he was looking for. "Oof, excuse me..." Thor started to say he recognized the man before him, and his jaw just dropped open at the sight of him.

There standing before Thor was Boyd in just a towel. His blond fur and shaggy, frosted blond hair glittered with moisture. His lanky form only seemed to be accented more due to his state of undress and just getting out of the bath. His odd miss-matched eyes of crimson and lavender shined with mirth.

"Ach Laddie, would ye watch where yer goin'!" Boyd exclaimed taking a step back to keep from having his bare feet stepped on by the much larger man. "Ah iffin it ain't me bonnie Thor."

"Boyd, I've been looking all over for you," Thor in a slightly exasperated tone once he got over his mild shock.

"Well ye found me laddie, in all me glory," Boyd replied with a bright smile, placing a hand on one hip. "Wha' are ye needin' t'day?"

Thor explained the situation about the annex that was needed between the Hospital and the Biomed buildings and the current discussion that was going on as well. As Thor talked, Boyd turned from the tall chestnut male slightly, pulling and folding the towel into a more desirable form, some what resembling an Earthan Kilt.

"Time's a waistin' laddie," Boyd called over his shoulder as he walked past Thor after he finished adjusting the towel. The tall man was not quite finished with his explanation, stopped in mid-sentence. "The lassies be needin' me advice, ye should 'ave foun' me earlier."

Thor drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he turned to follow Boyd; I hate it when he does this, he thought, before he tried to explain to the shorter blond man that he tried to find him, before he remarked, "Shouldn't you be getting dressed?"

Boyd half turned his head to gaze over his shoulder as he shoved the door open and stepped out into the sunshine, "Eh?" He then looked down and assessed his state of dress.

"Aye, prolly," Boyd responded and kept walking, "Bu' I dou't tha' this will take all tha' long laddie, I be decen' enough ta answer a few questions."

Thor just sighed and followed the blond man along as he skillfully weaved his way through the milling crowds within the Way. He shook his head once more as he thought, here we go again.

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"He went WHERE..." Vinnie nearly shouted at the top of his lungs as he sat across from Modo, pushing himself to his feet in the process. "...to do WHAT?!"

Vinnie stared at Modo for a moment, a look of shock on his face that soon melted away with the narrowing of his eyes and flattening of his ears. The two had talked a good portion of the rest of the afternoon, Modo had actually managed to skirt around the question of what Throttle was doing at first, as he goaded Vinnie into telling him what all the white furred man had done the night before.

"Maybe this is for the best Vinnie," Modo replied as he grabbed hold of what was left of his can of rootbeer to keep it from spilling all over the table when Vinnie stood up. He was very glad he took the time to stabilize his drink a Vinnie punched the table.

"For the love of Mars! How can this be..." Vinnie retorted vehemently. "FOR the BEST? You can see how well that Drifter has Charley girl wrapped around his fingers already." He pounded his fist on the table again causing it to shudder violently, before he crossed his arms about his chest. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's already asked her to go back to Mars with 'im."

Modo sighed as he raised the can to his lips and took a slow drink; his good eye half-lidded in thought. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms before him loosely as he rested the soda can on his bionic elbow and cocked his head slightly to the side. He studied the white furred Martian across from him before he started to speak, "Don' you think that Charley would have said something about leaving Earth, Vinnie. I don' think that she'd try to hide somethin' like that from us."

"Probably because that Drifter's won her over, used...." Vinnie replied throwing his hands up in the air as he turned away from Modo in frustration, nearly taking the chair with him a he kicked it, "I...don't ...know, black magic or something."

"Oh come now Bro," Modo started, sitting up a bit straighter, "You can' believe th..."

"Looks like he's starting to snow you over pretty good too," Vinnie interrupted as he turned back to face his friend, eyes narrowing slightly, his last word dripped with sarcasm, "Bro."

Modo's jaw dropped open as he nearly spilt the last bit of rootbeer when he let go of the can. Hearing the slight scrape of metal on metal was all that caused the big man to react to the sliding object and catch it. He then shook his head as he set the can down on the table and stood up slowly, placing his hands on the already unstable object, he leaned forward, his good eye glowing faintly.

"Now you listen up, Bro, I've heard just about enough from you right now," Modo replied slowly and evenly, measuring out the tone of his words to drive the point through Vinnie's thick skull. "I trust Throttle and you should to. He's always been there for us, no matter the cost. Now's the time he's gonna need someone to back him up and I don' know about you but I'm gonna be there."

Now it was Vinnie turn to have his jaw drop, catching himself he clicked his mouth closed and turned away from Modo, storming out of the room. Somewhere deep inside the scoreboard a door slammed. Modo just watched him go as he slid back into his seat. Elbows resting upon the table he laced his fingers together before him, almost covering the tip of his muzzle as he leaned there.