Categories > Cartoons > Biker Mice from Mars > Red Planet - Part Five: Warpath
Chapter Five: The Parting of Ways
Weeks passed and the Freedom Fighters found themselves in constant sporadic combat. And each time they won their hard-earned victory, the Army would show up. General Scabbard argued that he couldn't just send his people into battle without first reporting to and receiving orders from the High Command. By the time, they entered the fray, it was only to clean up after the Freedom Fighters.
The Army was working out of the city buildings a few blocks from the university. Tensions were high to say the least, and the tension that began to build between the two Martians forces was slowly coming to a head...
And then one day, after a particularly cruel spat with a platoon of Sand Raiders and their Plutarkian leaders...it exploded like a pop bottle under pressure.
When the battle had finally ceased, the two groups converged in the town square to assess their loses and regroup, preparing for the next wave that was sure to come.
As Freedom Fighters and Army mixed and mingled, Stoker made his way furiously towards Scabbard, who was waiting for him, looking just as miffed.
"Well, nothing like showing up for the party fashionably late!" Stoker snarled as he approached the other Mouse.
Several of Scabbard's closest officers rallied around their commander.
"You're just lucky we showed up in time to pull your tails out of the fire, BlackRuby!" Scabbard hissed as the chocolate-furred mouse stormed up to him. "If we hadn't brought in our extra fire-power, you would have been overwhelmed within a matter of minutes."
Stoker felt flames in the pit of his stomach. This jerk-off did not get it, no matter how hard he pounded it into his head. "Where were you to begin with!? You should have been here! We should have been backing you up, not the other way around you asshole!"
"Stoke!" a voice called suddenly. Stoker turned his head to see Lucas come sprinting up to him, his face flushed, looking very excited.
"What is it, bro?" Stoker asked.
Lucas took a moment to catch his breath. "The President..." he panted. "He wants to meet with you and Scabbard."
"How did Kane find us?" Stoker mused curiously.
Lucas shook his head. "I don't know, but he's staying in the city apparently, at the Red Star hotel. He wants to meet with you and Scabbard and congratulate you on your victory!"
Stoker and Scabbard blinked at the tan-furred mouse.
"That's a little premature, don't ya think?" Stoker asked.
The General looked to him then. "I suppose we should put our own petty quarrels behind for now then, eh?" he said, though he didn't sound thrilled about it.
Stoker seemed to be chewing on the idea when Lucas put his arm around his shoulders. "Stoker, please. Think of how much it could raise morale! We really need this Stoke, the people need to see us working together."
Stoker nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. When does he want to see us?"
"Now." Lucas replied.
Stoker sighed. "So much for getting a chance to get cleaned up."
*
The next thing Stoker knew, he and Scabbard were sitting in the lobby of the hotel, waiting for him to come out and greet them.
Stoker slouched in his seat, muscles aching from the battle just minutes before. Scabbard, ever the militant, was poised and composed, and stone-faced. He sat there like a gigantic brown rock, staring off into space, avoiding Stoker's eyes.
The chocolate-furred Mouse found himself smiling slightly at the thought that the General's face might actually freeze that way, when he heard the door in front of them open.
Both of them stood as the President, a portly, bearded, handsome mouse entered the room, all smiles, throwing his arms wide. "Gentlemen!" he said, clapping them both on the back, creating a small cloud of red dust as he did.
"Come in, come in! Have a seat! I realize this is short notice, you both must be exhausted!" he said ushering them into his suite, which was surprisingly very large and spacious but somewhat messy, full of files piled on top of each other on the floor and books and computer print-outs scattered here and there. He ushered them over to two armchairs in front of a desk in the middle of the room.
"Thank you, sir." Scabbard said, sitting down on an arm chair closest to the mayor's desk.
Stoker took a seat on a chair opposite to him as well, and nodded in reply.
"Mr. BlackRuby, General Scabbard, I must say that you have done a service for this city that goes far beyond the call of duty. Your heroism out there today was nothing short of inspiring. You've given us all hope that we may yet come through this ordeal with our tails intact." he said, taking a seat behind his desk, still grinning madly.
"We do our best sir," Stoker spoke up then. He glanced at Scabbard, and swallowed his pride painfully. "But we can not take all the credit. The final blow was delivered by Scabbard's troops. It gave my men the distraction they needed to push them back."
Scabbard seemed slightly taken-aback by this comment, and then nodded slightly.
"As I saw, it was really quite a magnificent strategy." The President said
Stoker's tail twitched at the gross misconception the President was under, but he said nothing.
"Gentlemen, I must be honest with you, I invited you here for much more than just to reward you for your bravery in the face of danger." Kane began at length, folding his hands and placing them on the desk in front of him as he looked at the two of them. "I have called you here on a higher authority actually, who has asked me to speak with you on their behalf."
The leader of the Freedom Fighters raised an eyebrow at his statement and leaned back in his seat, feeling very uncomfortable all the sudden.
"Can I offer you some wine, gentlemen? It's an excellent year." The President said suddenly, reaching below his desk and offering up a bottle for them.
Stoker had a passing thought as to why Kane so well prepared for this supposedly 'short-notice' meeting. It still bothered him, how had Kane been keeping tabs on him? Unless he'd been using the Army...
"No, thank you, sir. Forgive me if I seem a bit forward, but what is you wanted to talk to us about?" he asked.
Kane's good-natured smile grew large. "That's what I like about you, Mr. BlackRuby, right to the point. I admire that in a Mouse. Well, down to business then." He looked at both of them carefully. "It is no secret that the general public are finding it rather difficult to have faith in our military, in light of certain events. It's spreading a feeling of fear and hopeless throughout not just the public, but our own troops. These kinds of feelings are very dangerous, for everyone. It gives the Plutarkians an upper hand that we can not afford to give them."
Stoker saw that he was not the only one looking uncomfortable then, as Scabbard's constant frown seemed to grow a little deeper at these words.
"On the other hand, the Freedom Fighters have been growing in strength and numbers of late, and seem to have public opinion and support rallying around them. This brings light to this rather grim situation we find ourselves in."
The chocolate-furred mouse allowed himself a small smile at Scabbard's expense, seeing his companion shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"Now my dear compatriots, I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that a house divided against itself can not stand. Such is the case with the Freedom Fighters and the Army. You both have the same ambitions, the same goals. Therefore, it seems to me that there is one obvious solution to our malady..."
Kane now looked to Stoker directly. "The Freedom Fighters must join forces with the Army."
Stoker blinked, not certain he had understood. He smiled politely. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, I don't think I quite know what you're getting at."
The President nodded, now looking very serious, though his smile stayed on. "I think you do understand Mr. BlackRuby. Mars needs to be united against this common threat. It does not make sense to have our own people quarreling over our own protection. Therefore it is the logical approach that we merge these two powers into one force. The Freedom Fighters will come under military direction."
Stoker thought he had been punched in the stomach at his statement and sat there numbly for a moment. Kane then turned his attention to Scabbard, who was also blinking in surprise.
"Your men are very skilled and able Mr. BlackRuby, but they would serve their purpose better under a more structured, disciplined environment. I believe that General Scabbard could very well be the answer to this problem."
Scabbard opened his mouth to speak for the first time since Kane had begun, "Sir, this is...an honor, but these men are loyal to Stoker, they would be more capable under his command."
"Oh don't get me wrong General! I certainly am not belittling Mr. BlackRuby's accomplishments, not at all," he looked to Stoker again. "What you have done here is nothing short of inspiring, Stoker. But you must understand my position . . . you are, despite your experience, a civilian with no formal military training. Surely, a young, upstanding mouse such as yourself, has other aspirations than the devastation of war." the fat mouse said persuasively. "Surely you'd rather spend your time with loved ones, a wife perhaps? Children?"
Stoker thought back immediately to Silverdawn and Cherry. His hands trembled in his lap as he sat there, trying to make sense of this man's offer.
"My family is dead. My Freedom Fighters are my family now." he answered, his voice hard. "They need me, and I need them. I will not abandon them."
Kane's smile faltered for the first time. Stoker saw an angry glint appear in his bright eyes. "I think I understand," he said slowly. He leaned back in his chair, looking casual. "I've heard many rumors of these young mice who have come to fight for you, Stoker. Some which have even implied you've cared for them as small children. It would be heartbreaking for you if something should happen to them because of an error in judgment..."
Stoker was suddenly on his feet. "Are you threatening me?" he demanded.
The President's smile turned to a smirk. "You mistake my words, Mr. BlackRuby. Let me assure you, you and I are not so very different. But then the winds of chance happened to blow my way, and I've ended up in this place, respected, idolized even. Me! A corn-fed hick!" he laughed. "Of course I've had to make some compromises, but I am well rewarded for them. You could be too, Stoker. You could have the life you've always dreamed of."
Stoker leaned over the President's desk, looking at him vehemently. "How long since you were bought, Kane?"
The smile disappeared completely from his face and he paled slightly, staring back at Stoker as Scabbard got slowly to his feet, staring.
"Tread very carefully Mr. BlackRuby...you could be making a very serious mistake here. I am offering you your heart's desire in return for your compliance in this."
Stoker abruptly thrust his fist across the mouse's fat face, sending him reeling backwards in his chair with a cry of shock.
"Stoker!" Scabbard cried, grabbing hold of the Freedom Fighter before he climbed over the desk, ready to finish the job.
The President rubbed his bleeding lip and stared at him as Stoker seethed. "Does that answer your question, you traitor?" Stoker asked.
He shrugged off Scabbard's hold and stormed from the room. Scabbard stood a moment in his wake and looked at Kane disdainfully.
"General, your part in this deal is still good as long as you remain in this room," he said.
Scabbard scowled. "My associate may be a little blunt, sir, but I agree with him." He turned and followed Stoker's stride, leaving the President in their stunned wake and then he shouted after them. "You've ruined yourself BlackRuby! Rest assured! You will from this moment on be considered a dangerous vigilantly and I will do all in my power to see that you and your followers get everything you deserve!"
Scabbard caught up to Stoker half way down the hall. "Stoker! Stoker stop!" he shouted after him, finally grabbing hold of his shoulder.
Stoker spun around, still furious and slapped the General's hand away from his arm. "What?!" he damned.
"Why couldn't you have stayed calm for once?! Instead of flying off the handle!" Scabbard demanded of the other Mouse. "I hope you're happy with yourself! I hope you think you're very clever, you're little display in there! You've hurt your cause forever, do you understand that? He will make the Freedom Fighters appear as the enemy and no one will ever come to your aid again!"
Stoker thrust his hands against Scabbard's chest, pushing him back. He was so angry, so blindly furious, he wanted to strike out at anything and everything in his path. "I hope you're happy too, General! I hope you're proud that you would grovel in submission to a corrupt man to feed your own ambition!" he retaliated.
Scabbard pushed the other man back. "I saved your ass in there! He could have pulled a gun on you, had you arrested!"
"I didn't need your help in there, General, and I don't need it on the battle field!" Stoker shouted back. He turned once more, storming towards the doorway.
Outside Lucas, Cody, Tawny, Throttle, Modo, Vinnie, and Alexis stood waiting for their friends to return. They all looked up to see Stoker kicking open the front doors of the building and marching past security, a look of murder on his face.
"What happened?" Lucas asked worriedly.
"Round up the men, we're leaving!" Stoker shot at him curtly.
Scabbard appeared in the doorway a second later, shouting after Stoker. "You're a fool BlackRuby! You can not hope to win this war alone with your little mismatched band of thrill-seekers! You'll all die out there!"
Vinnie and Throttle exchanged worried glances as Stoker turned to face the General once more. "Then at least we will die fighting for the sake of Mars and not for the sake of lining our pockets with Plutarkian gold-gills!"
He moved away from the group again, but was followed by Tawny. "Stoke!" she said worriedly, dashing in front of him and holding him up.
"Stoker, wait! What's going on? What did he say to you?" she asked.
Stoker looked at her, looked at the look of utter concern and confusion on her pretty face and he sighed loudly as his anger began to pass. "He offered me everything I ever wanted, if I gave up the Freedom Fighters to official Military command." he explained.
Tawny blinked. "What? He..."
"He's being paid off, Tawny. He wants me to give up my command so that you all become the mindless puppets that the rest of the soldiers are."
"And . . .when you said no?" she asked gently.
"He told me he would make sure the public saw us as much of a threat as the Plutarkians and that we would all pay for our insubordination." the leader of the Freedom Fighters answered.
Again Scabbard approached them, this time the steely resolve on his face was gone. "Stoker, please...hear me out." he said then.
The chocolate-furred Mouse turned to look at him as the others gathered close, trying to understand what was going on.
"That man is mad, insane, just like you said. He should be punished for his corruption, and we'll see that he is. But there is some truth in what he says...if we unite as one, we can unite Mars against the Plutarkians," the General said.
"There can never be a true force against them as long as you're under their control, Scabbard." Stoker answered. "If you truly want to save this planet then you have to break rank! Join us, join the Freedom Fighters!" he said hopefully.
"I won't abandon my principles, Stoker. Not all the government is corrupt. If we desert them now, no one will ever have faith in it again. I can not jeopardize that." He paused a moment, looking at the fallen expression on Stoker's face. "But, if you join us, I promise that I will do all in my power to see that we are not swayed by their misinformation. Things will be as they should, and . . . well . . .you could move on with your life."
Stoker stood in silence for a moment, Tawny standing at his side, Scabbard in front of him, both of their troops watching breathlessly to see what he would say next. Stoker looked to his young companions, their faces all fixed on him. He wanted to send them home, where they would be safe, where they wouldn't have to be out here, facing their death every day. They were so young, it wasn't fair.
He looked to Cody and Lucas, wishing now that he was sitting with the two of them back at Cody's bar, drinking and laughing about the good times. He looked to Tawny, wishing he could be lying with her in bed, feeling safe and comforted, the thought of combat and war far off and distant. And then somewhere in his subconscious he thought of Cherry and Silverdawn, and the quiet days they spent together in their home outside the city, when his biggest concern had been finding a good school for their young daughter.
Everything Stoker had ever worked for and wanted . . . and he could not want it anymore. He closed his eyes, feeling saddened by the thought and he squeezed Tawny's hands in his.
"Stoker?" Tawny asked, bringing him back to the present. He looked down at her and smiled, and kissed her cheek. Tawny blushed and looked at him, slightly confused.
The chocolate-furred Mouse turned to look at the General and his troops again. "I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game." he answered. "It's too late to second guess myself, General. I have to trust my instincts."
Scabbard shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Stoker." he sighed.
Stoker only grinned and shook his hand, "I hope you are making the right decision, General. For your sake." he said sincerely.
Scabbard nodded. "You too."
Stoker turned and looked to his Freedom Fighters. "Well, if we're riding solo then, bros, at least we're riding free!"
A cheer went up from all of those around him and Tawny hugged and kissed him hard. Stoker paused as he climbed onto his bike, and called back to the General as he and his men made their own plans to occupy the city.
"Scabbard!" he shouted.
The tan-furred General looked in the direction of the shout as saw the Freedom Fighter sitting upon his bike, waving to him across the distance. "If you care to find us, look to the East! We'll be kicking some Plutarkian ass if you should ever change your mind!"
Scabbard gave a meager smile. "I'll remember that!" he called back, saluting them.
Stoker nodded in return as they drove off into the distance to pursue their retreating foes.
Weeks passed and the Freedom Fighters found themselves in constant sporadic combat. And each time they won their hard-earned victory, the Army would show up. General Scabbard argued that he couldn't just send his people into battle without first reporting to and receiving orders from the High Command. By the time, they entered the fray, it was only to clean up after the Freedom Fighters.
The Army was working out of the city buildings a few blocks from the university. Tensions were high to say the least, and the tension that began to build between the two Martians forces was slowly coming to a head...
And then one day, after a particularly cruel spat with a platoon of Sand Raiders and their Plutarkian leaders...it exploded like a pop bottle under pressure.
When the battle had finally ceased, the two groups converged in the town square to assess their loses and regroup, preparing for the next wave that was sure to come.
As Freedom Fighters and Army mixed and mingled, Stoker made his way furiously towards Scabbard, who was waiting for him, looking just as miffed.
"Well, nothing like showing up for the party fashionably late!" Stoker snarled as he approached the other Mouse.
Several of Scabbard's closest officers rallied around their commander.
"You're just lucky we showed up in time to pull your tails out of the fire, BlackRuby!" Scabbard hissed as the chocolate-furred mouse stormed up to him. "If we hadn't brought in our extra fire-power, you would have been overwhelmed within a matter of minutes."
Stoker felt flames in the pit of his stomach. This jerk-off did not get it, no matter how hard he pounded it into his head. "Where were you to begin with!? You should have been here! We should have been backing you up, not the other way around you asshole!"
"Stoke!" a voice called suddenly. Stoker turned his head to see Lucas come sprinting up to him, his face flushed, looking very excited.
"What is it, bro?" Stoker asked.
Lucas took a moment to catch his breath. "The President..." he panted. "He wants to meet with you and Scabbard."
"How did Kane find us?" Stoker mused curiously.
Lucas shook his head. "I don't know, but he's staying in the city apparently, at the Red Star hotel. He wants to meet with you and Scabbard and congratulate you on your victory!"
Stoker and Scabbard blinked at the tan-furred mouse.
"That's a little premature, don't ya think?" Stoker asked.
The General looked to him then. "I suppose we should put our own petty quarrels behind for now then, eh?" he said, though he didn't sound thrilled about it.
Stoker seemed to be chewing on the idea when Lucas put his arm around his shoulders. "Stoker, please. Think of how much it could raise morale! We really need this Stoke, the people need to see us working together."
Stoker nodded. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. When does he want to see us?"
"Now." Lucas replied.
Stoker sighed. "So much for getting a chance to get cleaned up."
*
The next thing Stoker knew, he and Scabbard were sitting in the lobby of the hotel, waiting for him to come out and greet them.
Stoker slouched in his seat, muscles aching from the battle just minutes before. Scabbard, ever the militant, was poised and composed, and stone-faced. He sat there like a gigantic brown rock, staring off into space, avoiding Stoker's eyes.
The chocolate-furred Mouse found himself smiling slightly at the thought that the General's face might actually freeze that way, when he heard the door in front of them open.
Both of them stood as the President, a portly, bearded, handsome mouse entered the room, all smiles, throwing his arms wide. "Gentlemen!" he said, clapping them both on the back, creating a small cloud of red dust as he did.
"Come in, come in! Have a seat! I realize this is short notice, you both must be exhausted!" he said ushering them into his suite, which was surprisingly very large and spacious but somewhat messy, full of files piled on top of each other on the floor and books and computer print-outs scattered here and there. He ushered them over to two armchairs in front of a desk in the middle of the room.
"Thank you, sir." Scabbard said, sitting down on an arm chair closest to the mayor's desk.
Stoker took a seat on a chair opposite to him as well, and nodded in reply.
"Mr. BlackRuby, General Scabbard, I must say that you have done a service for this city that goes far beyond the call of duty. Your heroism out there today was nothing short of inspiring. You've given us all hope that we may yet come through this ordeal with our tails intact." he said, taking a seat behind his desk, still grinning madly.
"We do our best sir," Stoker spoke up then. He glanced at Scabbard, and swallowed his pride painfully. "But we can not take all the credit. The final blow was delivered by Scabbard's troops. It gave my men the distraction they needed to push them back."
Scabbard seemed slightly taken-aback by this comment, and then nodded slightly.
"As I saw, it was really quite a magnificent strategy." The President said
Stoker's tail twitched at the gross misconception the President was under, but he said nothing.
"Gentlemen, I must be honest with you, I invited you here for much more than just to reward you for your bravery in the face of danger." Kane began at length, folding his hands and placing them on the desk in front of him as he looked at the two of them. "I have called you here on a higher authority actually, who has asked me to speak with you on their behalf."
The leader of the Freedom Fighters raised an eyebrow at his statement and leaned back in his seat, feeling very uncomfortable all the sudden.
"Can I offer you some wine, gentlemen? It's an excellent year." The President said suddenly, reaching below his desk and offering up a bottle for them.
Stoker had a passing thought as to why Kane so well prepared for this supposedly 'short-notice' meeting. It still bothered him, how had Kane been keeping tabs on him? Unless he'd been using the Army...
"No, thank you, sir. Forgive me if I seem a bit forward, but what is you wanted to talk to us about?" he asked.
Kane's good-natured smile grew large. "That's what I like about you, Mr. BlackRuby, right to the point. I admire that in a Mouse. Well, down to business then." He looked at both of them carefully. "It is no secret that the general public are finding it rather difficult to have faith in our military, in light of certain events. It's spreading a feeling of fear and hopeless throughout not just the public, but our own troops. These kinds of feelings are very dangerous, for everyone. It gives the Plutarkians an upper hand that we can not afford to give them."
Stoker saw that he was not the only one looking uncomfortable then, as Scabbard's constant frown seemed to grow a little deeper at these words.
"On the other hand, the Freedom Fighters have been growing in strength and numbers of late, and seem to have public opinion and support rallying around them. This brings light to this rather grim situation we find ourselves in."
The chocolate-furred mouse allowed himself a small smile at Scabbard's expense, seeing his companion shift uncomfortably in his seat.
"Now my dear compatriots, I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that a house divided against itself can not stand. Such is the case with the Freedom Fighters and the Army. You both have the same ambitions, the same goals. Therefore, it seems to me that there is one obvious solution to our malady..."
Kane now looked to Stoker directly. "The Freedom Fighters must join forces with the Army."
Stoker blinked, not certain he had understood. He smiled politely. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, I don't think I quite know what you're getting at."
The President nodded, now looking very serious, though his smile stayed on. "I think you do understand Mr. BlackRuby. Mars needs to be united against this common threat. It does not make sense to have our own people quarreling over our own protection. Therefore it is the logical approach that we merge these two powers into one force. The Freedom Fighters will come under military direction."
Stoker thought he had been punched in the stomach at his statement and sat there numbly for a moment. Kane then turned his attention to Scabbard, who was also blinking in surprise.
"Your men are very skilled and able Mr. BlackRuby, but they would serve their purpose better under a more structured, disciplined environment. I believe that General Scabbard could very well be the answer to this problem."
Scabbard opened his mouth to speak for the first time since Kane had begun, "Sir, this is...an honor, but these men are loyal to Stoker, they would be more capable under his command."
"Oh don't get me wrong General! I certainly am not belittling Mr. BlackRuby's accomplishments, not at all," he looked to Stoker again. "What you have done here is nothing short of inspiring, Stoker. But you must understand my position . . . you are, despite your experience, a civilian with no formal military training. Surely, a young, upstanding mouse such as yourself, has other aspirations than the devastation of war." the fat mouse said persuasively. "Surely you'd rather spend your time with loved ones, a wife perhaps? Children?"
Stoker thought back immediately to Silverdawn and Cherry. His hands trembled in his lap as he sat there, trying to make sense of this man's offer.
"My family is dead. My Freedom Fighters are my family now." he answered, his voice hard. "They need me, and I need them. I will not abandon them."
Kane's smile faltered for the first time. Stoker saw an angry glint appear in his bright eyes. "I think I understand," he said slowly. He leaned back in his chair, looking casual. "I've heard many rumors of these young mice who have come to fight for you, Stoker. Some which have even implied you've cared for them as small children. It would be heartbreaking for you if something should happen to them because of an error in judgment..."
Stoker was suddenly on his feet. "Are you threatening me?" he demanded.
The President's smile turned to a smirk. "You mistake my words, Mr. BlackRuby. Let me assure you, you and I are not so very different. But then the winds of chance happened to blow my way, and I've ended up in this place, respected, idolized even. Me! A corn-fed hick!" he laughed. "Of course I've had to make some compromises, but I am well rewarded for them. You could be too, Stoker. You could have the life you've always dreamed of."
Stoker leaned over the President's desk, looking at him vehemently. "How long since you were bought, Kane?"
The smile disappeared completely from his face and he paled slightly, staring back at Stoker as Scabbard got slowly to his feet, staring.
"Tread very carefully Mr. BlackRuby...you could be making a very serious mistake here. I am offering you your heart's desire in return for your compliance in this."
Stoker abruptly thrust his fist across the mouse's fat face, sending him reeling backwards in his chair with a cry of shock.
"Stoker!" Scabbard cried, grabbing hold of the Freedom Fighter before he climbed over the desk, ready to finish the job.
The President rubbed his bleeding lip and stared at him as Stoker seethed. "Does that answer your question, you traitor?" Stoker asked.
He shrugged off Scabbard's hold and stormed from the room. Scabbard stood a moment in his wake and looked at Kane disdainfully.
"General, your part in this deal is still good as long as you remain in this room," he said.
Scabbard scowled. "My associate may be a little blunt, sir, but I agree with him." He turned and followed Stoker's stride, leaving the President in their stunned wake and then he shouted after them. "You've ruined yourself BlackRuby! Rest assured! You will from this moment on be considered a dangerous vigilantly and I will do all in my power to see that you and your followers get everything you deserve!"
Scabbard caught up to Stoker half way down the hall. "Stoker! Stoker stop!" he shouted after him, finally grabbing hold of his shoulder.
Stoker spun around, still furious and slapped the General's hand away from his arm. "What?!" he damned.
"Why couldn't you have stayed calm for once?! Instead of flying off the handle!" Scabbard demanded of the other Mouse. "I hope you're happy with yourself! I hope you think you're very clever, you're little display in there! You've hurt your cause forever, do you understand that? He will make the Freedom Fighters appear as the enemy and no one will ever come to your aid again!"
Stoker thrust his hands against Scabbard's chest, pushing him back. He was so angry, so blindly furious, he wanted to strike out at anything and everything in his path. "I hope you're happy too, General! I hope you're proud that you would grovel in submission to a corrupt man to feed your own ambition!" he retaliated.
Scabbard pushed the other man back. "I saved your ass in there! He could have pulled a gun on you, had you arrested!"
"I didn't need your help in there, General, and I don't need it on the battle field!" Stoker shouted back. He turned once more, storming towards the doorway.
Outside Lucas, Cody, Tawny, Throttle, Modo, Vinnie, and Alexis stood waiting for their friends to return. They all looked up to see Stoker kicking open the front doors of the building and marching past security, a look of murder on his face.
"What happened?" Lucas asked worriedly.
"Round up the men, we're leaving!" Stoker shot at him curtly.
Scabbard appeared in the doorway a second later, shouting after Stoker. "You're a fool BlackRuby! You can not hope to win this war alone with your little mismatched band of thrill-seekers! You'll all die out there!"
Vinnie and Throttle exchanged worried glances as Stoker turned to face the General once more. "Then at least we will die fighting for the sake of Mars and not for the sake of lining our pockets with Plutarkian gold-gills!"
He moved away from the group again, but was followed by Tawny. "Stoke!" she said worriedly, dashing in front of him and holding him up.
"Stoker, wait! What's going on? What did he say to you?" she asked.
Stoker looked at her, looked at the look of utter concern and confusion on her pretty face and he sighed loudly as his anger began to pass. "He offered me everything I ever wanted, if I gave up the Freedom Fighters to official Military command." he explained.
Tawny blinked. "What? He..."
"He's being paid off, Tawny. He wants me to give up my command so that you all become the mindless puppets that the rest of the soldiers are."
"And . . .when you said no?" she asked gently.
"He told me he would make sure the public saw us as much of a threat as the Plutarkians and that we would all pay for our insubordination." the leader of the Freedom Fighters answered.
Again Scabbard approached them, this time the steely resolve on his face was gone. "Stoker, please...hear me out." he said then.
The chocolate-furred Mouse turned to look at him as the others gathered close, trying to understand what was going on.
"That man is mad, insane, just like you said. He should be punished for his corruption, and we'll see that he is. But there is some truth in what he says...if we unite as one, we can unite Mars against the Plutarkians," the General said.
"There can never be a true force against them as long as you're under their control, Scabbard." Stoker answered. "If you truly want to save this planet then you have to break rank! Join us, join the Freedom Fighters!" he said hopefully.
"I won't abandon my principles, Stoker. Not all the government is corrupt. If we desert them now, no one will ever have faith in it again. I can not jeopardize that." He paused a moment, looking at the fallen expression on Stoker's face. "But, if you join us, I promise that I will do all in my power to see that we are not swayed by their misinformation. Things will be as they should, and . . . well . . .you could move on with your life."
Stoker stood in silence for a moment, Tawny standing at his side, Scabbard in front of him, both of their troops watching breathlessly to see what he would say next. Stoker looked to his young companions, their faces all fixed on him. He wanted to send them home, where they would be safe, where they wouldn't have to be out here, facing their death every day. They were so young, it wasn't fair.
He looked to Cody and Lucas, wishing now that he was sitting with the two of them back at Cody's bar, drinking and laughing about the good times. He looked to Tawny, wishing he could be lying with her in bed, feeling safe and comforted, the thought of combat and war far off and distant. And then somewhere in his subconscious he thought of Cherry and Silverdawn, and the quiet days they spent together in their home outside the city, when his biggest concern had been finding a good school for their young daughter.
Everything Stoker had ever worked for and wanted . . . and he could not want it anymore. He closed his eyes, feeling saddened by the thought and he squeezed Tawny's hands in his.
"Stoker?" Tawny asked, bringing him back to the present. He looked down at her and smiled, and kissed her cheek. Tawny blushed and looked at him, slightly confused.
The chocolate-furred Mouse turned to look at the General and his troops again. "I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game." he answered. "It's too late to second guess myself, General. I have to trust my instincts."
Scabbard shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Stoker." he sighed.
Stoker only grinned and shook his hand, "I hope you are making the right decision, General. For your sake." he said sincerely.
Scabbard nodded. "You too."
Stoker turned and looked to his Freedom Fighters. "Well, if we're riding solo then, bros, at least we're riding free!"
A cheer went up from all of those around him and Tawny hugged and kissed him hard. Stoker paused as he climbed onto his bike, and called back to the General as he and his men made their own plans to occupy the city.
"Scabbard!" he shouted.
The tan-furred General looked in the direction of the shout as saw the Freedom Fighter sitting upon his bike, waving to him across the distance. "If you care to find us, look to the East! We'll be kicking some Plutarkian ass if you should ever change your mind!"
Scabbard gave a meager smile. "I'll remember that!" he called back, saluting them.
Stoker nodded in return as they drove off into the distance to pursue their retreating foes.
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