FicWad

It was 4:45 am Martian Moon 2 prison cell number 953499 and alarm bells had just start ringing as doors start sliding open freeing prisoners, but one special cell remained locked up tight, inside a female with dark brown hair and light brown fur sat on the hard wooden bench with a metal collar around her neck and her head burried in her arms knowing it would take a team of four to open her cell dor as it only opened manually.

As the alarm bells rang on,the female knew that yet again she'd be over looked in favor of sheperding the freed prisoners to the various ships waiting to take them back to mars. It'd been ten years since Rebecca had been separated from her fiance Reilley Bridgenstein on the very night he proposed to her on Lover's Bridge and now all she had to remember Reilley by was a locket and a gold engagement bracelet around her wrist.

Each night for ten years,Rebecca sat and wondered if Reilley had moved on with his life or if he had kept his word that he'd swore he'd keep: to some how some way bring her back to Mars and wed her the way they'd planned when they were mere teenagers when two familiar male voices rang out in the corridor outside her cell.

Jet looks into each empty cell shining his high powered flashlight inside to illuminate the darkened cells and calls: Becky? Becky where are you?

Rebecca silently thinks:/ Jet? It IS Jet!/ (Stands up and forgetting she's chained to the wall makes a dash for the door only to be jerked back by the chain that had four links on it and calls) Jet?

Jet hears a chain rattling in the only unopened prison cell and heads towards it shining in his high power flash light to illumniate her saying: Becky? (Turns and calls to his brother) Cross, I've found Becky! (Tucks his flash light into the belt of his pants and throws his weight against the cell door and shoves it aside saying) What'd they do to you? What the----? Ahh Stinkfish specialty four linked chain attached to metal collar.....with this cell I'd say you were collateral for something

Rebecca notices Reilley's absence and says: Where's Reilley?

Jet slips the key he'd swiped from the guard into the lock and springs the collar from around Rebecca's neck saying: Reilley's fine, he's back at base. This is one helluva high tech cell! What were you collateral for?

Rebecca: I was a bargaining tool, they let Reilley's cell block go but in exchange they got to do what ever they wanted with me no holds barred.

Jet shudders and says: Yeah I was that kind of bargaining tool once myself, not plesant. C'mon let's get you outta here and back with Reilley.

Rebecca follows behind Jet until they were out of the Plutarkian Prison and aboard the rescue ship where she found a spot,sat down,stretched out,curled up and fell asleep for the duration of the flight back to Mars.

As the miles and hours flew by,Rebecca or Becky as Jet called her,slept peacefully breathing easier without the collar around her neck. Ten hours later Jet leaned down and shook Rebecca awake telling her they'd landed and were now offically safe and sound.

Jet gently shakes Rebecca awake saying: Becky? Hey-ey, rise and shine. We're home free now and you're safe. Time for you to go find Reilley.

Rebecca sits up and stretches then stands up and follows Jet off the ship and out of the hangar saying: Where would I even begin to look for Reilley? I don't know my way around here and I could get lost very easily.

Jet: Although this base may SEEM large and confusing, every door is labelled,go through the door right ahead and up the stairs and through another door to the Medward and you'll find Reilley. Don't forget though Becky, it's been ten years and he's not 18 anymore,he's 28 and has made something of himself.

Rebecca nods and follows Jet's directions until she came to the medward's hallway and followed the stairs downwards until she came to a door that she opened to reveal an Optomitrist's Office and an all too familiar feeling washed over her

Tracey looks up and notices Rebecca standing in the door way and leans back in her chair saying: Reilley....

Reilley turns and says: Hmmm?

Tracey points to the door saying: A long lost someone here for you.

Reilley: Hmm? (Comes out from behind the wall and sees Rebecca standing there and nearly collapses saying) REBECCA?!

Rebecca: Reilley?

Reilley moves closer to Rebecca,pulls her into his arms, lays her head on his heart and wraps his arms tightly around her while stroking her hair to calm her down saying: Oh god are you alright?! Ten years and I thought I'd never see your face again! Tell me they didn't hurt you! I never wanted to leave you behind, it was either leave you behind as 'payment' and leave or they'd kill me infront of you. I didn't want you to have to see them kill me the way they killed your little brother when he collapesed from exhaustion.

Rebecca wraps her arms around Rielly,closing her eyes to savouring the feel of his new body and says: No,they didn't have much time....too many prison breaks,they just kept me locked up and chained to the wall with a four link chain attached to a collar and the guard unit assigned to me was killed. (Feels her pent up tears start to prick her eyes and fall through her closed eyes saying) I know you didn't want to leave Reilley,/ /But you didn't have much choice, if you didn't go when they said to leave, it wouldn't have been you they killed, it'd have been me just to make you co-operate with them. They never killed Caiden,he collapsed but the majority of guys in my cell block have kids of their own and wouldn't let the stink fish get near him. They said something about getting him to safety during the next break. After that a source said my brother Rocky took over caring for him and my little sister.

Reilley suddenly realizes Rebecca's hair was no longer past her belt and says: What did they do to your goregous hair?! The last time I seen you it was past your belt to the tip of your tail! (Feels Rebecca's tears wetting his shirt, gently pushes her away from him and with his thumb he gently wipes away her tears saying) Shhh, no more tears sweetheart. You're safe now. It'll take awhile for the nightmares to subside and allow reality to sink in but you're safe now, the threat of danger has passed and once you're ready,we'll do what we've planned on doing for a long time. But ehhh your parents know nothing about our engagment do they? (Pulls out his handkercheif and gives it to Rebecca saying) Here, blow your nose and dry your eyes. No more tears.

Rebecca takes Reilley's handkercheif and blows her nose and dries her pale green eyes saying: I had to get it cut, too many knots that were too hard to detangle and it was hard sleeping with it at night...with what little sleep I got. The knots caused too many headaches so when they weren't looking I had someone chop it up below my shoulders. (Suddenly realizes her parents didn't know about her engagment and says) Oh no, no no no! I was on my way home when I was cornered in an alley and taken away, I never had the chance to tell them. All the boys know except for my parents!

Reilley: Well then when we DO find them, I guess we'll have no choice but to tell them. Traditions of both our families state I have to ask your dad AND at least ONE of your older brothers for your hand in marriage!

Rebecca: You already did when you proposed, Rocky,Dustin,Tanner and Colt were there, you just have to ask my dad for my hand and you're all set.

Reilley remembers the tight squeeze from each of Rebecca's older brothers and the hard slap on the back from Colt and says: How could I have possibly forgotten? My back and ribs ached for days on end after they all said yes. (Turns and says to Tracey) Tracey,I'm gonna take Rebecca up to see Terrence, just to ensure she's alright, then I'll take her home and get her some clean clothes. Where do we find Rocky at this hour?

Tracey: Where else? Either in the gym or stuffing his face or having a belching contest with Kristin's uncle Vinnie while his daughters call him 'an embarassment to the family'. I'll be here when you get back.

Reilley opens the door and says: C'mon we'll stop upstairs first then we'll get someone to find Rocky,Colt,Dusty,Jaden, Rusty,Tanner,Caiden and Austin and have 'em meet up in the Conference Room. (Allows Rebecca to head out the door ahead of him and shut it behind him)

As Reilley and Rebecca head up the stairs, Rebecca came nose to back with none other then Jaden knocking her backwards onto her butt saving her the trip of having to find him,allowing Rielley to continue on to the Medward to alert Terrence to a new comer who'd skimped out on checking in with him.

Jaden feels someone bang into him and turns almost ready to say 'sorry my bad' and says: BECKY?! (Drops to his knees and pulls her into a tight hug saying) Oh thank god you're alright! Every time an influx of injured and dead arrived we wondered if you were amongst them! Never did I think I'd ever see you alive!

Rebecca returns Jaden's tight hug saying: What're you doin here?

Jaden: I just came from the morgue from checking to see if you were brought in. They said they found a body of a mouse your age,height and coloring and thought it was you. Thankfully it wasn't you! Now I can call Rusty back from the other base's morgue and tell him you're not amongst the dead! Out of the six of us four of us have been goin base to base checking every claim that you were amongst the dead they had in the morgue. (Hears a tired and weary sigh come from behind him and says) Well,I guess Rusty's already back. (Stands up and turns around hiding Rebecca behind him and says) Any luck?

Rusty finishes cleaning his glasses and slips them back on then sits on the stairs saying: No, it wasn't Becky, wrong fur and hair color. Wrong clothes,wrong engagement bracelet. What about you? Any luck here with that girl they said could be Becky? I've given up hope that she's even alive out there. It's been ten years bro, what're the odds that she's still alive? Especially given the way those stink fish rarely ever feed their prisoners and work them until they collapse from exhaustion?! Let's just give up chasing a ghost and burry her with the dignity she deserves,poor thing sixteen and gone. She'd be 26 t'day if she had lived. Her birthday would be t'morrow, but we've gotta give up chasing Becky's ghost.

Jaden steps aside to reveal Rebecca and says: Don't! Don't you dare give up on our sister! Especially in front of her!

Rusty looks up to see Rebecca beside Jaden and jumps up jumping the stairs two at a time until he had her in his arms saying: BECKY?! FOR TEN YEARS THEY SEARCHED FOR YOU! WHERE WERE YOU THAT NO ONE COULD FIND YOU?!

Rebecca returns Rusty's hug saying: By god you're HUGE! Last time I seen you you were three years old! Lookit you! A spitting image of dad! I was locked away as 'Collateral' for Reilley's Cell Block's escape. I was in the only Hi-Tech Cell on the first floor through the double doors as far down the row and as far away from the general population as they could get me. The Hi-Tech Cell number was 953499, I had at least ten guards standing guard two at at time.

Rusty: Dang, they were too far UP in the Prison! No wonder no one could find you! They were up in the 23,000 cell block range! I didn't think they'd use the Hi-Tech Cell just for you.

Rebecca: They did it to force Reilley to leave and when he didn't, they came back and told him we would never see eachother until it was too late. Reilley's Unit Leader had to drag him out of the prison reassuring him someone some day would find the right cell and well here I am. Tired,weak, dirty, a bit confused,starving and in need of new clothes. I refused to eat what they slopped in a bowl and put on the serving tray during the second last prison break.

Rusty hears his radio go off followed by a sharp peircing pain in his leg and says: That'd be Tanner, I swore I'd check in an hour ago....big bro's gonna have my head if I don't check in now. (Removes his radio from his belt and says) What's upTanner?

Tanner: HAVE YOU GONE IMMENITLY INSANE?! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE YOU LAST CHECKED IN?! FOUR HOURS RUSTY! FOUR FLIPPIN HOURS AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET YOU TO ANSWER ME! WHERE THE DEVIL ARE YOU?! NEVER MIND! I'M ON MY WAY TO TRACK YOU DOWN AND SMACK YOUR EARS TOGETHER TO SMACK SOME COMMON SENSE INTO YOU! WHEN I SAY EVERY HOUR, I MEAN EVERY HOUR! NOT EVERY FOUR OR FIVE HOURS! (Radio goes dead)

A half hour later Tanner a 6'11" dark tan mouse with light brown hair thunders up the stairs of the Med Ward with an intensly angry look on his face about to clout his baby brother upside the head,grab his ear and drag him back to check in with Stoker.

Rusty: Uhhh hi ya Tan,ya didn't have to come all this way for me, I was on my way back. Jaden? Help?

Jaden: Don't lookit me Rusty, your the one on the short leash not me. My leash is off as of my last check in four hours ago. Keep it up and Coach'll suspend your butt for a month or even longer.

Tanner: I have been half over base searching for you Rusty! (Grabs Rusty by the ear and says) C'mon, you have a check in appointment that's long over due! You know the rules Rusty,every hour! Why do you have to make it so damned hard?!

Rebecca a bit confused as to Rusty's situation says: Jaden?

Jaden: Hmm?

Rebecca moves out closer to Jaden and says: What's going on?

Jaden: Just the typical antics of Rusty. Got the two of us into some hot water and we both had to serve time, I was cleared of any wrong doing and was given a list of restrictions I had to follow for a month. I did my time and my restrictions but Rusty.....Rusty's a hard nut to crack, he's only just turned 13 and he's already been suspended at least 20 times in the past month and a half. He's trying to pull himself together, but with everyone being so hard on him,well he's not doing so well. They forget he's just a kid and treat him like an adult and give him adult punishments. If they'd just stop and realize Rusty's screwin up isn't delibarate but merely a way of saying 'Someone show me what to do here, show me the path,I'm completly lost.' Without mom and dad around, he's drowning and no one seems to want to stop and pluck him out of the water and show him what to do or at least train him so he won't get himself killed when his unit goes to battle. I still say he's too young to be goin into battle but no one wants to listen not even hard headed Tanner.

Rebecca: Poor Rusty, what about mom and dad's instructions to keep Rusty,Austin and Caiden in school until they graduate?

Jaden: Becky, those instructions went in one of Tanner's ears and went straight out the other ear. Tanner doesn't like it when mom and dad give him instructions for Rusty's care,he'd rather ride the kid and break him in as an adult then let him continue with his education and be a teenager. Tanner seems to claim that he never had that chance as he was always working either part time or full time and had to be at the adult maturity level before his time and figures it's Rusty's time to mature up to the adult level.

Rebecca: Tanner never did like listening to mom and dad, just the way he was. I still remember the day he came home and told mom and dad he'd dropped out of High School to work full time. Dad was furious, the Academy was expensive and hard to get into and he wasn't throwing away family money and hauled him back to school and re-enrolled him with all the classes he'd dropped out of and gave him the strict order of 'Keep your nose clean,stay in school,attend EVERY CLASS,do your assignments and homework and GRADUATE! That's an order you can't break soldier!'

Tanner feels his ear twitch and says: That voice, it can't be! Becky?! (Let's go of Rusty's ear and turns around to find his sister infront of him,feels all his pent up rage fizzle and says) BECKY?! (scoops her up into his thick arms saying in a studdering breath)After ten....years they've...finally brought...you back!

Rebecca wraps her arms around Tanner's neck and enjoys the long forgotten feeling of Tanner's hugs and hears his breath rattling in his chest and says: Tanner, use your inhailers before you have a full blown asthma attack and start coughing.

Tanner sets Rebecca down on her feet then reaches into his medic clip and pulls out his inhailer and takes four puffs off it counting to ten each time feeling his bronchial tube opening up allowing air to flow freely then says: Too much runnin lookin for Rusty all day. (Turns and says to Rusty) Mitchell Andrew Nicholas Copperstein,get your butt in gear! Stoker's lookin for you! Vamoose! Before Stoker shows up and drags you back to check in and puts you in suspension! Now GO!

Rusty not wanting to anger Tanner even more then he was,quickly tears off down the stairs to check in for his usual face to face with his Probation Officer then with Stoker knowing a suspension was in his very near future.

Rebecca: That's a first for you, calling Rusty by his given name... Well three brothers down,four to go and a sister left.

Tanner turns his attention back to Rebecca saying: What're you doin out here?!

Rebecca: Reilley and I were on our way up to get me checked over, I sorta skimped on the first visit and went to find Reilley.

Jaden looks around and says: Speaking of Reilley, where'd he go?

Rebecca looks around and calls out: Reilley? Don't tell me I've lost him!

Reilley comes out the door of the Med Ward with Terrence and says: Becky and I were on our way up but she kinda slammed into Jaden and Rusty then Tanner showed up.

Colt comes up the stairs and says: Where is that baby bro of ours? He's late for his check in! (Notices Rebecca and says) BECKY?!

Rebecca: COLT! (Throws her arms around her twin brother saying) How'd you get out? They had us both in Hi Tech Cells!

Colt returns Rebecca's hug saying: I faintly remember the torture chamber then passing out and waking up here, I don't have a clue how I got out. I'm guessin one of the guys in Jet's unit carried me out to the ship 'cause I was in no shape to walk. Four broken bones in one arm,right leg busted from below the knee to the ankle,three cracked ribs,a first degree concussion and temporary loss of vision and some of my prison memories are gone,nothing before that, just things that happened in the lab are gone,I'm told they'll come back after a while but I sure as hell hope they don't! I don't want to remember what they did to me!

Rebecca: They did all that to you in the span of an hour?

Colt: It'd been only an hour? It seemed like a life time!

Rebecca: In regards to Rusty,he left an hour ago to go check in with his P.O. then with Stoker.

Colt gives Rebecca one last tight squeeze and says: Well we ALL best be going before we all get out butts kicked. I'll see you later. I'll tell Dustin and Rock to meet in the conference room later. (Turns and heads down the stairs followed by his older brothers to go find out where Rusty had gotten off to.)

Reilley calls out to Rebecca: C'mon up Becky before anyone else shows up.

Rebecca turns and looks up to find Reilley waiting for her on the landing,continues up the stairs to the landing and says: There you are! I wondered where you got off to!

Reilley: Rebecca hon, this is Terrence, he'll take good care of you. May as well go get you checked over now that you've calmed down.

Terrence looks Rebecca over and says: Ahh so YOUR Rebecca. I kept hearing about a scheme to free someone named Rebecca, I just never thought that YOU were Trigger and Sandstorm's DAUGHTER Rebecca! One minute, just stay here. (Disappears into the Med Ward calling out for Trigger and Sandstorm who came at the sounds of their names and says) There's someone here waiting for you out in the hall, someone you haven't seen in ten long years.

Sandstorm looks at his wife and says with relief: Please tell us it's Rebecca! We can't do this much longer. Our collective nerves have had it.

Rebecca walks in,spies her dad and nearly collapses with relief saying: DAD?!

Sandstorm rushes to his daughter and sweeps her off her feet saying between sobs of pure joy: Oh dear god THANK YOU! After ten years We've finally got you back home again! (Feels something odd and pushes Rebecca away and says) Your hair! You cut your hair?! Your pride and joy? It took you years to grow it out! What happened?

Rebecca: It all snarled up into one big poufy tangled mess that broke any kind of brush or comb that was pulled through it.

Trigger embraces her long lost daughter saying: Thank god you're alright! Ten years of worrying about you and Colt only to have ONE of you returned took a toll on our nerves! We'd begun to think they'd killed you!

Sandstorm feels Rebecca's exhaustion and says: You need a good hot shower,a change of clothes,a good hot meal and a nice comfy place to rest your head! Have you seen Rusty anywhere? He hasn't been in any of his classes lately.

Reilley: Yeah we've seen him,Tanner's got him doing mission after mission and pulled him out of school saying the only way for Rusty to be an adult is to be treated like one. Poor kid, he's barely 13 and Tanner's got him doin things that are above and beyond his capabilities and he just winds up getting into even more trouble then he started out in.

Sandstorm feels something hard around his daughter's left wrist and says: What are you wearing that's jabbing me in the sides? (Lifts up Rebecca's left hand and says to Trigger) Oooh Trigger,our baby girl's accepted someone's hand for marriage! Don't you recognize this type of bracelet?

Trigger looks at the bracelet and says: Oh sweetie! An engagement braclet? Nearly identical to the one your father gave me when he proposed to me! C'mon,tell us who wants your hand?

Rebecca reaches behind her,takes Reilley's hand and pulls him up beside her and says: Here's the one who wants me. He would've asked ten years ago but things went south on the way home from our last date. I was cornered three doors away from our house and Reilley was captured three blocks away from his house.

Sandstorm: I can't say no to him can you Trig?

Trigger shakes her head and says: He's better then the the twenty other guys who wanted her hand in marriage. At least Reilley showed up for all the events he was invited to and didn't pick and choose which ones he wanted to attend.

Rebecca: Dad,he lived down the street from us! He didn't have any reason NOT to show up, his mother would've killed him if he didn't show up.

Sandstorm remembers the Bridgenstein Mansion and says: Oh yes, Starlight and Basil /did /show up with him,his brothers and Raider to all the functions so they had no room to bolt when things got too boring. From what Colt's told us the boys have all consented and now you've got our consent. Now then to attend to the matter of Rusty's frequent absences. I've been hearing so much about a private acadmey down on earth that Modo's kids attend, I'm considering sending Rusty,Austin and Caiden there with Jaden as their guardian for their school years. I'm tired of Tanner neglecting their education in pursuit of what he wants. Rusty's a minor and from what I've been told, IF we can get him back into classes SOMEWHERE, the record he has will be shredded and forgotten about. Jaden will be attending the University on Earth during the day so someone responsible enough will be there to ensure they're looked after.

Trigger: I just have to find out if Kristin can get me that information packet for the Elementary and High School. Then I just have to find out if Jaden's willing to look after them until we can get there.

Terrence walks by,stops and says: You mean St.Vincent's Private Day Academy? Sakura and Tyson go there, I still have the informational packets I get every year at the start of a new Semester. The school year is divided into four terms Fall-Winter,Winter-Spring, Spring-Summer, Summer-Fall with a month off for Spring Vacation and Summer Vacation and Winter Vacation. Drop by my place and ask Tyson for the informational packets he has stashed in his desk.

Trigger: Well that saves me from asking Modo's kids for info packets. We only need the High School informational packets, Austin and Caiden are the same age as Rusty is,they're triplets. Unexpected but they're all the same age.

Tyson walks by and says: I don't have any informational packets dad, I threw 'em out 'cause they're out of date and the information is misleading in them and courses are listed that aren't even on the option sheets. I'll ensure Kris gets an updated informational packet tomorrow since classes resume next monday.

Trigger: Next monday? The new term starts so soon?

Tyson: First two weeks of school are casual dress days since not everyone has the new uniforms yet and the vendors don't come until the following Monday for uniform fittings. You get fitted in the music room and you buy your uniform right then and there no hassle of placing an order and waiting two to three weeks for a parcle to arrive by courrier at your door. But there are advanced fittings goin on right now for everyone from Kindergarten to 12th grade. You can avoid the last minute hassles and have their uniforms rare and ready for the third week of school.

Trigger: Great,now all I have to do is get them enrolled and find all three of them and get 'em down to earth for their uniform fittings. (Pulls out her cell phone and dials Rusty's number and after two rings she's greeted by her son saying) Rusty? Gather up your brother and sister and meet us outside the transporter room, we've got to get you enrolled in school for the first day and get you three uniforms.

Rusty: Mom incase you've forgotten, I CAN'T LEAVE BASE! I've got that electric monitor on my ankle for another two weeks! Until then I can't go anywhere unless authroized by the P.O.! Conner's already convinced him that I was on another base outside the permitted 1,000 mile peramiter without consent! I just found out I can't leave base for another MONTH thanks to Conner! He's more manipulative then people give him credit for! Twists true facts around to suit his own recollections even if they aren't what really happened, by the time people hear his version of events, they don't care what/ really/ happened!

Trigger:Don't worry about it Rusty, is your PO there? Put him on and your father will set things straight. (Hears Rusty's PO come on the line and hands her cellphone to Sandstorm saying) Here Rusty's PO's on the line

Sandstorm takes the phone and briefs Rusty's Parole Officer on the true facts of Rusty's where abouts and about the plan to enroll him in school else where away from Conner's manipulativeness and after getting the green light and hearing the electric ankle monitor will be removed from Rusty's ankle hangs up and says: Well Conner's really good at manipulating people and twisting facts around

Trigger: Is THAT how Rusty came to have a mile long rap sheet? Through Conner's recreation of events? Wait until I inform Tanner about Conner's recreation of events! He'll wanna knock CONNER through the nearest wall! (Hears the Medward door open and turns to find Rusty,Caiden and Austin walking in and says) Oh that's right you don't know where the Transporter room is!

Rusty: I do but Conner's there and I don't want a confrontation again. If there's another confrontation and Jaden isn't there to subdue Conner, Conner'll wind up knocking me through the wall again.

Trigger: Is THAT how you broke your arm?! Conner told us your shoe laces were undone and you tripped on them going down the stairs

Rusty: And you BELIEVED the master manipulator? The first time yes, my hands were full and I couldn't tie up my laces and tripped on them, the second time, Conner shoved me down the stairs and when I came to he had the sad puppy dog look on his face mingled with false concern. If it weren't for Rocky and Dustin showin up, Conner would've most likely killed me. I told you he was yet antoher Rat on the prowl but no don't listen to me, I smell a rat you say I smell garbage.

It was 4:45 am Martian Moon 2 prison cell number 953499 and alarm bells had just start ringing as doors start sliding open freeing prisoners, but one special cell remained locked up tight, inside a female with dark brown hair and light brown fur sat on the hard wooden bench with a metal collar around her neck and her head burried in her arms knowing it would take a team of four to open her cell dor as it only opened manually.

As the alarm bells rang on,the female knew that yet again she'd be over looked in favor of sheperding the freed prisoners to the various ships waiting to take them back to mars. It'd been ten years since Rebecca had been separated from her fiance Reilley Bridgenstein on the very night he proposed to her on Lover's Bridge and now all she had to remember Reilley by was a locket and a gold engagement bracelet around her wrist.

Each night for ten years,Rebecca sat and wondered if Reilley had moved on with his life or if he had kept his word that he'd swore he'd keep: to some how some way bring her back to Mars and wed her the way they'd planned when they were mere teenagers when two familiar male voices rang out in the corridor outside her cell.

Jet looks into each empty cell shining his high powered flashlight inside to illuminate the darkened cells and calls: Becky? Becky where are you?

Rebecca silently thinks:/ Jet? It IS Jet!/ (Stands up and forgetting she's chained to the wall makes a dash for the door only to be jerked back by the chain that had four links on it and calls) Jet?

Jet hears a chain rattling in the only unopened prison cell and heads towards it shining in his high power flash light to illumniate her saying: Becky? (Turns and calls to his brother) Cross, I've found Becky! (Tucks his flash light into the belt of his pants and throws his weight against the cell door and shoves it aside saying) What'd they do to you? What the----? Ahh Stinkfish specialty four linked chain attached to metal collar.....with this cell I'd say you were collateral for something

Rebecca notices Reilley's absence and says: Where's Reilley?

Jet slips the key he'd swiped from the guard into the lock and springs the collar from around Rebecca's neck saying: Reilley's fine, he's back at base. This is one helluva high tech cell! What were you collateral for?

Rebecca: I was a bargaining tool, they let Reilley's cell block go but in exchange they got to do what ever they wanted with me no holds barred.

Jet shudders and says: Yeah I was that kind of bargaining tool once myself, not plesant. C'mon let's get you outta here and back with Reilley.

Rebecca follows behind Jet until they were out of the Plutarkian Prison and aboard the rescue ship where she found a spot,sat down,stretched out,curled up and fell asleep for the duration of the flight back to Mars.

As the miles and hours flew by,Rebecca or Becky as Jet called her,slept peacefully breathing easier without the collar around her neck. Ten hours later Jet leaned down and shook Rebecca awake telling her they'd landed and were now offically safe and sound.

Jet gently shakes Rebecca awake saying: Becky? Hey-ey, rise and shine. We're home free now and you're safe. Time for you to go find Reilley.

Rebecca sits up and stretches then stands up and follows Jet off the ship and out of the hangar saying: Where would I even begin to look for Reilley? I don't know my way around here and I could get lost very easily.

Jet: Although this base may SEEM large and confusing, every door is labelled,go through the door right ahead and up the stairs and through another door to the Medward and you'll find Reilley. Don't forget though Becky, it's been ten years and he's not 18 anymore,he's 28 and has made something of himself.

Rebecca nods and follows Jet's directions until she came to the medward's hallway and followed the stairs downwards until she came to a door that she opened to reveal an Optomitrist's Office and an all too familiar feeling washed over her

Tracey looks up and notices Rebecca standing in the door way and leans back in her chair saying: Reilley....

Reilley turns and says: Hmmm?

Tracey points to the door saying: A long lost someone here for you.

Reilley: Hmm? (Comes out from behind the wall and sees Rebecca standing there and nearly collapses saying) REBECCA?!

Rebecca: Reilley?

Reilley moves closer to Rebecca,pulls her into his arms, lays her head on his heart and wraps his arms tightly around her while stroking her hair to calm her down saying: Oh god are you alright?! Ten years and I thought I'd never see your face again! Tell me they didn't hurt you! I never wanted to leave you behind, it was either leave you behind as 'payment' and leave or they'd kill me infront of you. I didn't want you to have to see them kill me the way they killed your little brother when he collapesed from exhaustion.

Rebecca wraps her arms around Rielly,closing her eyes to savouring the feel of his new body and says: No,they didn't have much time....too many prison breaks,they just kept me locked up and chained to the wall with a four link chain attached to a collar and the guard unit assigned to me was killed. (Feels her pent up tears start to prick her eyes and fall through her closed eyes saying) I know you didn't want to leave Reilley,/ /But you didn't have much choice, if you didn't go when they said to leave, it wouldn't have been you they killed, it'd have been me just to make you co-operate with them. They never killed Caiden,he collapsed but the majority of guys in my cell block have kids of their own and wouldn't let the stink fish get near him. They said something about getting him to safety during the next break. After that a source said my brother Rocky took over caring for him and my little sister.

Reilley suddenly realizes Rebecca's hair was no longer past her belt and says: What did they do to your goregous hair?! The last time I seen you it was past your belt to the tip of your tail! (Feels Rebecca's tears wetting his shirt, gently pushes her away from him and with his thumb he gently wipes away her tears saying) Shhh, no more tears sweetheart. You're safe now. It'll take awhile for the nightmares to subside and allow reality to sink in but you're safe now, the threat of danger has passed and once you're ready,we'll do what we've planned on doing for a long time. But ehhh your parents know nothing about our engagment do they? (Pulls out his handkercheif and gives it to Rebecca saying) Here, blow your nose and dry your eyes. No more tears.

Rebecca takes Reilley's handkercheif and blows her nose and dries her pale green eyes saying: I had to get it cut, too many knots that were too hard to detangle and it was hard sleeping with it at night...with what little sleep I got. The knots caused too many headaches so when they weren't looking I had someone chop it up below my shoulders. (Suddenly realizes her parents didn't know about her engagment and says) Oh no, no no no! I was on my way home when I was cornered in an alley and taken away, I never had the chance to tell them. All the boys know except for my parents!

Reilley: Well then when we DO find them, I guess we'll have no choice but to tell them. Traditions of both our families state I have to ask your dad AND at least ONE of your older brothers for your hand in marriage!

Rebecca: You already did when you proposed, Rocky,Dustin,Tanner and Colt were there, you just have to ask my dad for my hand and you're all set.

Reilley remembers the tight squeeze from each of Rebecca's older brothers and the hard slap on the back from Colt and says: How could I have possibly forgotten? My back and ribs ached for days on end after they all said yes. (Turns and says to Tracey) Tracey,I'm gonna take Rebecca up to see Terrence, just to ensure she's alright, then I'll take her home and get her some clean clothes. Where do we find Rocky at this hour?

Tracey: Where else? Either in the gym or stuffing his face or having a belching contest with Kristin's uncle Vinnie while his daughters call him 'an embarassment to the family'. I'll be here when you get back.

Reilley opens the door and says: C'mon we'll stop upstairs first then we'll get someone to find Rocky,Colt,Dusty,Jaden, Rusty,Tanner,Caiden and Austin and have 'em meet up in the Conference Room. (Allows Rebecca to head out the door ahead of him and shut it behind him)

As Reilley and Rebecca head up the stairs, Rebecca came nose to back with none other then Jaden knocking her backwards onto her butt saving her the trip of having to find him,allowing Rielley to continue on to the Medward to alert Terrence to a new comer who'd skimped out on checking in with him.

Jaden feels someone bang into him and turns almost ready to say 'sorry my bad' and says: BECKY?! (Drops to his knees and pulls her into a tight hug saying) Oh thank god you're alright! Every time an influx of injured and dead arrived we wondered if you were amongst them! Never did I think I'd ever see you alive!

Rebecca returns Jaden's tight hug saying: What're you doin here?

Jaden: I just came from the morgue from checking to see if you were brought in. They said they found a body of a mouse your age,height and coloring and thought it was you. Thankfully it wasn't you! Now I can call Rusty back from the other base's morgue and tell him you're not amongst the dead! Out of the six of us four of us have been goin base to base checking every claim that you were amongst the dead they had in the morgue. (Hears a tired and weary sigh come from behind him and says) Well,I guess Rusty's already back. (Stands up and turns around hiding Rebecca behind him and says) Any luck?

Rusty finishes cleaning his glasses and slips them back on then sits on the stairs saying: No, it wasn't Becky, wrong fur and hair color. Wrong clothes,wrong engagement bracelet. What about you? Any luck here with that girl they said could be Becky? I've given up hope that she's even alive out there. It's been ten years bro, what're the odds that she's still alive? Especially given the way those stink fish rarely ever feed their prisoners and work them until they collapse from exhaustion?! Let's just give up chasing a ghost and burry her with the dignity she deserves,poor thing sixteen and gone. She'd be 26 t'day if she had lived. Her birthday would be t'morrow, but we've gotta give up chasing Becky's ghost.

Jaden steps aside to reveal Rebecca and says: Don't! Don't you dare give up on our sister! Especially in front of her!

Rusty looks up to see Rebecca beside Jaden and jumps up jumping the stairs two at a time until he had her in his arms saying: BECKY?! FOR TEN YEARS THEY SEARCHED FOR YOU! WHERE WERE YOU THAT NO ONE COULD FIND YOU?!

Rebecca returns Rusty's hug saying: By god you're HUGE! Last time I seen you you were three years old! Lookit you! A spitting image of dad! I was locked away as 'Collateral' for Reilley's Cell Block's escape. I was in the only Hi-Tech Cell on the first floor through the double doors as far down the row and as far away from the general population as they could get me. The Hi-Tech Cell number was 953499, I had at least ten guards standing guard two at at time.

Rusty: Dang, they were too far UP in the Prison! No wonder no one could find you! They were up in the 23,000 cell block range! I didn't think they'd use the Hi-Tech Cell just for you.

Rebecca: They did it to force Reilley to leave and when he didn't, they came back and told him we would never see eachother until it was too late. Reilley's Unit Leader had to drag him out of the prison reassuring him someone some day would find the right cell and well here I am. Tired,weak, dirty, a bit confused,starving and in need of new clothes. I refused to eat what they slopped in a bowl and put on the serving tray during the second last prison break.

Rusty hears his radio go off followed by a sharp peircing pain in his leg and says: That'd be Tanner, I swore I'd check in an hour ago....big bro's gonna have my head if I don't check in now. (Removes his radio from his belt and says) What's upTanner?

Tanner: HAVE YOU GONE IMMENITLY INSANE?! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE YOU LAST CHECKED IN?! FOUR HOURS RUSTY! FOUR FLIPPIN HOURS AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET YOU TO ANSWER ME! WHERE THE DEVIL ARE YOU?! NEVER MIND! I'M ON MY WAY TO TRACK YOU DOWN AND SMACK YOUR EARS TOGETHER TO SMACK SOME COMMON SENSE INTO YOU! WHEN I SAY EVERY HOUR, I MEAN EVERY HOUR! NOT EVERY FOUR OR FIVE HOURS! (Radio goes dead)

A half hour later Tanner a 6'11" dark tan mouse with light brown hair thunders up the stairs of the Med Ward with an intensly angry look on his face about to clout his baby brother upside the head,grab his ear and drag him back to check in with Stoker.

Rusty: Uhhh hi ya Tan,ya didn't have to come all this way for me, I was on my way back. Jaden? Help?

Jaden: Don't lookit me Rusty, your the one on the short leash not me. My leash is off as of my last check in four hours ago. Keep it up and Coach'll suspend your butt for a month or even longer.

Tanner: I have been half over base searching for you Rusty! (Grabs Rusty by the ear and says) C'mon, you have a check in appointment that's long over due! You know the rules Rusty,every hour! Why do you have to make it so damned hard?!

Rebecca a bit confused as to Rusty's situation says: Jaden?

Jaden: Hmm?

Rebecca moves out closer to Jaden and says: What's going on?

Jaden: Just the typical antics of Rusty. Got the two of us into some hot water and we both had to serve time, I was cleared of any wrong doing and was given a list of restrictions I had to follow for a month. I did my time and my restrictions but Rusty.....Rusty's a hard nut to crack, he's only just turned 13 and he's already been suspended at least 20 times in the past month and a half. He's trying to pull himself together, but with everyone being so hard on him,well he's not doing so well. They forget he's just a kid and treat him like an adult and give him adult punishments. If they'd just stop and realize Rusty's screwin up isn't delibarate but merely a way of saying 'Someone show me what to do here, show me the path,I'm completly lost.' Without mom and dad around, he's drowning and no one seems to want to stop and pluck him out of the water and show him what to do or at least train him so he won't get himself killed when his unit goes to battle. I still say he's too young to be goin into battle but no one wants to listen not even hard headed Tanner.

Rebecca: Poor Rusty, what about mom and dad's instructions to keep Rusty,Austin and Caiden in school until they graduate?

Jaden: Becky, those instructions went in one of Tanner's ears and went straight out the other ear. Tanner doesn't like it when mom and dad give him instructions for Rusty's care,he'd rather ride the kid and break him in as an adult then let him continue with his education and be a teenager. Tanner seems to claim that he never had that chance as he was always working either part time or full time and had to be at the adult maturity level before his time and figures it's Rusty's time to mature up to the adult level.

Rebecca: Tanner never did like listening to mom and dad, just the way he was. I still remember the day he came home and told mom and dad he'd dropped out of High School to work full time. Dad was furious, the Academy was expensive and hard to get into and he wasn't throwing away family money and hauled him back to school and re-enrolled him with all the classes he'd dropped out of and gave him the strict order of 'Keep your nose clean,stay in school,attend EVERY CLASS,do your assignments and homework and GRADUATE! That's an order you can't break soldier!'

Tanner feels his ear twitch and says: That voice, it can't be! Becky?! (Let's go of Rusty's ear and turns around to find his sister infront of him,feels all his pent up rage fizzle and says) BECKY?! (scoops her up into his thick arms saying in a studdering breath)After ten....years they've...finally brought...you back!

Rebecca wraps her arms around Tanner's neck and enjoys the long forgotten feeling of Tanner's hugs and hears his breath rattling in his chest and says: Tanner, use your inhailers before you have a full blown asthma attack and start coughing.

Tanner sets Rebecca down on her feet then reaches into his medic clip and pulls out his inhailer and takes four puffs off it counting to ten each time feeling his bronchial tube opening up allowing air to flow freely then says: Too much runnin lookin for Rusty all day. (Turns and says to Rusty) Mitchell Andrew Nicholas Copperstein,get your butt in gear! Stoker's lookin for you! Vamoose! Before Stoker shows up and drags you back to check in and puts you in suspension! Now GO!

Rusty not wanting to anger Tanner even more then he was,quickly tears off down the stairs to check in for his usual face to face with his Probation Officer then with Stoker knowing a suspension was in his very near future.

Rebecca: That's a first for you, calling Rusty by his given name... Well three brothers down,four to go and a sister left.

Tanner turns his attention back to Rebecca saying: What're you doin out here?!

Rebecca: Reilley and I were on our way up to get me checked over, I sorta skimped on the first visit and went to find Reilley.

Jaden looks around and says: Speaking of Reilley, where'd he go?

Rebecca looks around and calls out: Reilley? Don't tell me I've lost him!

Reilley comes out the door of the Med Ward with Terrence and says: Becky and I were on our way up but she kinda slammed into Jaden and Rusty then Tanner showed up.

Colt comes up the stairs and says: Where is that baby bro of ours? He's late for his check in! (Notices Rebecca and says) BECKY?!

Rebecca: COLT! (Throws her arms around her twin brother saying) How'd you get out? They had us both in Hi Tech Cells!

Colt returns Rebecca's hug saying: I faintly remember the torture chamber then passing out and waking up here, I don't have a clue how I got out. I'm guessin one of the guys in Jet's unit carried me out to the ship 'cause I was in no shape to walk. Four broken bones in one arm,right leg busted from below the knee to the ankle,three cracked ribs,a first degree concussion and temporary loss of vision and some of my prison memories are gone,nothing before that, just things that happened in the lab are gone,I'm told they'll come back after a while but I sure as hell hope they don't! I don't want to remember what they did to me!

Rebecca: They did all that to you in the span of an hour?

Colt: It'd been only an hour? It seemed like a life time!

Rebecca: In regards to Rusty,he left an hour ago to go check in with his P.O. then with Stoker.

Colt gives Rebecca one last tight squeeze and says: Well we ALL best be going before we all get out butts kicked. I'll see you later. I'll tell Dustin and Rock to meet in the conference room later. (Turns and heads down the stairs followed by his older brothers to go find out where Rusty had gotten off to.)

Reilley calls out to Rebecca: C'mon up Becky before anyone else shows up.

Rebecca turns and looks up to find Reilley waiting for her on the landing,continues up the stairs to the landing and says: There you are! I wondered where you got off to!

Reilley: Rebecca hon, this is Terrence, he'll take good care of you. May as well go get you checked over now that you've calmed down.

Terrence looks Rebecca over and says: Ahh so YOUR Rebecca. I kept hearing about a scheme to free someone named Rebecca, I just never thought that YOU were Trigger and Sandstorm's DAUGHTER Rebecca! One minute, just stay here. (Disappears into the Med Ward calling out for Trigger and Sandstorm who came at the sounds of their names and says) There's someone here waiting for you out in the hall, someone you haven't seen in ten long years.

Sandstorm looks at his wife and says with relief: Please tell us it's Rebecca! We can't do this much longer. Our collective nerves have had it.

Rebecca walks in,spies her dad and nearly collapses with relief saying: DAD?!

Sandstorm rushes to his daughter and sweeps her off her feet saying between sobs of pure joy: Oh dear god THANK YOU! After ten years We've finally got you back home again! (Feels something odd and pushes Rebecca away and says) Your hair! You cut your hair?! Your pride and joy? It took you years to grow it out! What happened?

Rebecca: It all snarled up into one big poufy tangled mess that broke any kind of brush or comb that was pulled through it.

Trigger embraces her long lost daughter saying: Thank god you're alright! Ten years of worrying about you and Colt only to have ONE of you returned took a toll on our nerves! We'd begun to think they'd killed you!

Sandstorm feels Rebecca's exhaustion and says: You need a good hot shower,a change of clothes,a good hot meal and a nice comfy place to rest your head! Have you seen Rusty anywhere? He hasn't been in any of his classes lately.

Reilley: Yeah we've seen him,Tanner's got him doing mission after mission and pulled him out of school saying the only way for Rusty to be an adult is to be treated like one. Poor kid, he's barely 13 and Tanner's got him doin things that are above and beyond his capabilities and he just winds up getting into even more trouble then he started out in.

Sandstorm feels something hard around his daughter's left wrist and says: What are you wearing that's jabbing me in the sides? (Lifts up Rebecca's left hand and says to Trigger) Oooh Trigger,our baby girl's accepted someone's hand for marriage! Don't you recognize this type of bracelet?

Trigger looks at the bracelet and says: Oh sweetie! An engagement braclet? Nearly identical to the one your father gave me when he proposed to me! C'mon,tell us who wants your hand?

Rebecca reaches behind her,takes Reilley's hand and pulls him up beside her and says: Here's the one who wants me. He would've asked ten years ago but things went south on the way home from our last date. I was cornered three doors away from our house and Reilley was captured three blocks away from his house.

Sandstorm: I can't say no to him can you Trig?

Trigger shakes her head and says: He's better then the the twenty other guys who wanted her hand in marriage. At least Reilley showed up for all the events he was invited to and didn't pick and choose which ones he wanted to attend.

Rebecca: Dad,he lived down the street from us! He didn't have any reason NOT to show up, his mother would've killed him if he didn't show up.

Sandstorm remembers the Bridgenstein Mansion and says: Oh yes, Starlight and Basil /did /show up with him,his brothers and Raider to all the functions so they had no room to bolt when things got too boring. From what Colt's told us the boys have all consented and now you've got our consent. Now then to attend to the matter of Rusty's frequent absences. I've been hearing so much about a private acadmey down on earth that Modo's kids attend, I'm considering sending Rusty,Austin and Caiden there with Jaden as their guardian for their school years. I'm tired of Tanner neglecting their education in pursuit of what he wants. Rusty's a minor and from what I've been told, IF we can get him back into classes SOMEWHERE, the record he has will be shredded and forgotten about. Jaden will be attending the University on Earth during the day so someone responsible enough will be there to ensure they're looked after.

Trigger: I just have to find out if Kristin can get me that information packet for the Elementary and High School. Then I just have to find out if Jaden's willing to look after them until we can get there.

Terrence walks by,stops and says: You mean St.Vincent's Private Day Academy? Sakura and Tyson go there, I still have the informational packets I get every year at the start of a new Semester. The school year is divided into four terms Fall-Winter,Winter-Spring, Spring-Summer, Summer-Fall with a month off for Spring Vacation and Summer Vacation and Winter Vacation. Drop by my place and ask Tyson for the informational packets he has stashed in his desk.

Trigger: Well that saves me from asking Modo's kids for info packets. We only need the High School informational packets, Austin and Caiden are the same age as Rusty is,they're triplets. Unexpected but they're all the same age.

Tyson walks by and says: I don't have any informational packets dad, I threw 'em out 'cause they're out of date and the information is misleading in them and courses are listed that aren't even on the option sheets. I'll ensure Kris gets an updated informational packet tomorrow since classes resume next monday.

Trigger: Next monday? The new term starts so soon?

Tyson: First two weeks of school are casual dress days since not everyone has the new uniforms yet and the vendors don't come until the following Monday for uniform fittings. You get fitted in the music room and you buy your uniform right then and there no hassle of placing an order and waiting two to three weeks for a parcle to arrive by courrier at your door. But there are advanced fittings goin on right now for everyone from Kindergarten to 12th grade. You can avoid the last minute hassles and have their uniforms rare and ready for the third week of school.

Trigger: Great,now all I have to do is get them enrolled and find all three of them and get 'em down to earth for their uniform fittings. (Pulls out her cell phone and dials Rusty's number and after two rings she's greeted by her son saying) Rusty? Gather up your brother and sister and meet us outside the transporter room, we've got to get you enrolled in school for the first day and get you three uniforms.

Rusty: Mom incase you've forgotten, I CAN'T LEAVE BASE! I've got that electric monitor on my ankle for another two weeks! Until then I can't go anywhere unless authroized by the P.O.! Conner's already convinced him that I was on another base outside the permitted 1,000 mile peramiter without consent! I just found out I can't leave base for another MONTH thanks to Conner! He's more manipulative then people give him credit for! Twists true facts around to suit his own recollections even if they aren't what really happened, by the time people hear his version of events, they don't care what/ really/ happened!

Trigger:Don't worry about it Rusty, is your PO there? Put him on and your father will set things straight. (Hears Rusty's PO come on the line and hands her cellphone to Sandstorm saying) Here Rusty's PO's on the line

Sandstorm takes the phone and briefs Rusty's Parole Officer on the true facts of Rusty's where abouts and about the plan to enroll him in school else where away from Conner's manipulativeness and after getting the green light and hearing the electric ankle monitor will be removed from Rusty's ankle hangs up and says: Well Conner's really good at manipulating people and twisting facts around

Trigger: Is THAT how Rusty came to have a mile long rap sheet? Through Conner's recreation of events? Wait until I inform Tanner about Conner's recreation of events! He'll wanna knock CONNER through the nearest wall! (Hears the Medward door open and turns to find Rusty,Caiden and Austin walking in and says) Oh that's right you don't know where the Transporter room is!

Rusty: I do but Conner's there and I don't want a confrontation again. If there's another confrontation and Jaden isn't there to subdue Conner, Conner'll wind up knocking me through the wall again.

Trigger: Is THAT how you broke your arm?! Conner told us your shoe laces were undone and you tripped on them going down the stairs

Rusty: And you BELIEVED the master manipulator? The first time yes, my hands were full and I couldn't tie up my laces and tripped on them, the second time, Conner shoved me down the stairs and when I came to he had the sad puppy dog look on his face mingled with false concern. If it weren't for Rocky and Dustin showin up, Conner would've most likely killed me. I told you he was yet antoher Rat on the prowl but no don't listen to me, I smell a rat you say I smell garbage.