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Counter Earth Chronicles

Chapter 118: A Long Term Solution To A Short Term Problem (Knight Watch Part Two)

Day 965 (continued)

"You are expecting?" Coal exclaimed. "Congratulations!!"

(Man, he recovered from being shot by his own weapon rather quickly.)

"Um who is the lucky guy?" The junior knight said looking at me.

"Um, it is not I." I said. "Humans can only make humans and beastials can only make beastials."

(Geez how new is this guy?)

"Our biologies are too different." The mobile healer said.

"When was she?" I asked the penguin.

"She was impregnated six weeks ago. The fertilized egg just made its way to her womb, but has not implanted yet."

"Boris." My lady bear said quietly.

"It probably happened after your birth control was removed- you know that weekend we stood up to Warden King." I said gently.

"Yes pet, I remember. I came to on Boris' lap."

"That was after the warden ordered him to empty his testicles into to you- repeatedly."

My fierce ursine warrior just looked at me.

"I mean it looks like he was finally successful." I said quietly as she continued to stare at me. "I mean we were lucky to get out of there when we did otherwise..."

"I would have become part of Warden King's collection at the conclusion of all this." My she beast said dejected.

"How long does she have?" I asked the healer.

"Let's see, in the wild brown bears mate from May through July. When a female brown bear becomes pregnant the fertilized egg does not attach to the uterine lining as it does in other animals. Instead it will remain dormant and unattached inside the uterus until the brown bear begins semi-hibernation which is in October or November. Only then will the fertilized egg start to grow. The gestation period is only three months with the female brown bear giving birth in January or February."

"It is amazing you knew that without looking it up." The donkey said.

"I am a mobile healer, I have to know a lot of things." The penguin explained.

"That is nice for four legged bears ma'am but what about the beastial type- you know the ones that don't hibernate?" I said asking the female healer.

"Lady Ursa's conception was quite similar, she was impregnated in August. The fertilized egg will implant into her uterus next month or November at the latest, and she will give birth three months after that." The female penguin explained.

"Three months?! For humans it is triple that." I exclaimed.

"For beastial bears it is not. Do you want to see the blastocyst?"

Coal and I stared blankly at the penguin.

"The fertilized egg." She said to us. "Geez, males."

"Um sure." Coal said as the mobile healer held a visual pad over my mistress' tummy.

"See that dot?" The penguin asked.

"Yeah." I responded.

"That is it the fertilized egg." The avian said.

"It looks so small." The donkey added.

"It has yet to start growing." The healer said to us. "But from what I can tell your daughter looks healthy madam knight."

"A daughter?" My she beast said surprised.

"You can tell that, that is a girl? It hasn't even started growing yet." I said.

The penguin and donkey looked at me weirdly.

(Right, technologically advanced society.)

"Coal is it? Let's go and see Mr. Small." The healer said as she got up to check on the man who was beaten by the reptiles.

I surmised that the short pregnancy was by design. Probably one of the ways the High Evolutionary had his beastials out-populate humans on this world.

"Mistress what are you going to do?"

"I don't know Alex. I was anxious to get back to protecting the empire and doing what I love and now this. I can't be a knight while I have a life growing inside of me."

"Do you want to be a mother? I mean you loved taking care of Corbin, but now given the state the empire is in?"

"I will have to think about it pet. Really think about it. But for now let's conclude our rounds."

The healer successfully treated Mr. Small, who turned out to be repairer of homes. The female avian made him whole and sent on his way. The avian healer was then picked up by another mobile unit and continued on her rounds. Lady Ursa finished shadowing Coal and left his evaluation on Sanda's desk before the end of the day.

That evening my she beast had herself checked out by Lea. The lioness confirmed the mobile healer's findings, she had a fertilized egg rolling around in her for six weeks that had yet to implant itself.

That night as my she beast and I settled down to bed...

"So what did you rate our junior knight during his evaluation mistress?"

"Very shaky, he gained some valuable experience today." My pregnant bear said. "He has potential but will need a lot of mentoring and guidance."

"I see. That might be a way for you to keep working during your..."

Lady Ursa gave me that peculiar look.

"Well one of the ways." I said.

"I am still thinking about it Alex. Being a knight in service to our master is not compatible with a family, the frequent missions, long hours and constant danger. It would be easier if I had a mate to rely on."

"Well let's get Boris, I think he would be thrilled to find out he gave you something to remember him by!"

"Not funny pet!" My she beast grumbled.

"Well I guess we better settle in them." I said snuggling up to my warrior bear. "I won't be able to be this close to you when this starts growing." I said rubbing her tummy. "Or these either." I said groping her rack.

My fierce ursine warrior grumbled as she pulled me close to her. It was late September but she still had some time to decide if she wanted to become a mommy.

(If she does, I wonder if she will allow me to watch her on the big day?)

Day 969 (evening)

It was with some trepidation that I entered the Situation Room. In my nearly three years of living at Castle Wundagore I never sat in this room where the knight core assembled before starting their rounds.

As I walked in I noticed that the chairs were filled with those ready to start the night patrol. I never realized how many Knights of Wundagore there were. I knew the four, err five senior knights that I have worked with in the past. But damn there had to be about forty for the night watch all sizes, shapes and species. I elected to take a seat in the front row next to a armadillo, I could tell from his uniform that he was a junior knight.

"Well, well look at what we have here boys!" A walrus said to his fellow team members as I sat down. "A human, did you get lost?"

"I wish." I responded to the knight who like the seal, panda and owl next to him were wearing black uniforms like they were part of some special team.

"You are Lady Ursa's are you not?" A seal sitting next to me asked.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Hey you are that new division in the knight core I heard about, the Rebel Hunters."

"That's right little human." The panda seated next to the walrus said to me. "But we have been around for over a year so no that new."

"You could say we take care of those who oppose the High Evolutionary, especially rebels." The white owl said to me.

"That must be a very dangerous and difficult job." I said.

"A tad more dangerous now that populous has started freaking out over the alien thing." she said to me.

"It has been only five days since that announcement and there is panic across the empire." The armadillo to my left said. "Our counterparts on days have had their paws full quelling protests and riots."

"That is quite profound um."

"Chase." He said reaching out his paw to me.

"Alex." I said shaking it. "Don't mind them, they love to razz the newbies."

"Good evening everyone." A familiar chetah said entering the briefing room and a special greeting to Specialist Alex Winter, welcome to the night watch."

"Um, thanks Chemar, everyone." I said as I became nervous becoming the center of attention. "I am just not sure why I am here." I said blushing.

"Yeah, yeah *acting* Night Watch Supervisor why is he here?" The walrus asked.

"Didn't you hear the chetah? He is a specialist!" The panda joked. "That means he is special!!"

"It is true that Mr. Winter is not a knight, but he has proved his value time and time again to the knight core. That is why he was recommended to assist us on our missions." Chemar said to all those present.

(It feels great to be wanted.)

"Besides we need all paws on deck." Chemar said displaying a visual playback from the day shift's watch for those in attendance. "There is panic across the five cities from the recent report regarding the aliens. Portions of the population- beastial portions, believe that the High Evolutionary can't protect his creations from the aliens so they are demonstrating against the empire."

"Some of those demonstrations are right next to the human demonstrations." The white owl said.

"Don't forget the rebels who want to capitalize on the human and beasital unrest to promote their agenda." The Walrus added.

"And then there is the recent uptick in missing persons." The panda said.

"Alien related?" I asked the knights in the room with me.

"No one knows." A oryx in the back row remarked.

"Add it all up and the world seems to be pretty broken right now." A young rhino remarked.

"Hey who is conducting this briefing you or I?" Chemar said to the knights in attendance.

"Sorry Night Watch Supervisor!" Everyone in the room smirked.

"Rebel Hunters you are to resume your missions this evening. If you need assistance ask for it. Chase you will resume your surveillance mission. The rest of you are to enforce the curfew and stop any pockets of lawlessness you find. Everyone stay safe out there." Chemar said concluding the briefing.

"Chemar what about me? Am I supposed to go on patrol by myself?" I said walking up to the acting Night Watch Supervisor as the knights started to filter out of the room.

"Don't worry specialist, I didn't forget about you." Chemar said. "Your partner should be here any minute."

"So Chemar what missions are the Rebel Hunters partaking in this evening?" I asked the acting supervisor.

"It's classified Alex. That is all I can tell you."

"Sounds like they are hunting down rebels. Will I be accompanying them?"

"No, only if they request assistance Alex. You will be on patrol looking for those protesting, demonstrating and not obeying the curfew." Chemar said to me.

And as if on cue, my partner for the night entered the Situation Room.

"Welcome to the night watch you two. Now get going." The chetah said.

And so....

"Sir Ram how long have you been driving the prototype?" I asked the beastial scientist and warrior as we departed Castle Wundagore on patrol.

"Since the commander wanted the knights to crack down on the unrest within the empire boy." He said in a condescending tone. "It has detracted from my studies and experiments."

(That was the Sir Ram I knew.)

"I heard it is a all hands on deck situation... is that why I was I ordered to accompany you?" I said to the evil beastial.

"Yes and no. It is really because Lord Tiger considers you a good luck charm."

"Oh."

"Consider this as repayment for rescuing you from the Maximum otherwise...."

"Lady Ursa and I would still be trapped there." I said as the prototype landed and we started driving through a eerily desolate neighborhood. "Thank you Sir Ram for coming to get us." I said placing my hand on his paw.

The big horned sheep regarded my touch oddly and then said- "Our missions have been quite difficult during your absence boy."

"You mean you missed me? Really?"

"How is your master doing?" The ram said side stepping the question.

"She has reduced her work schedule after the big discovery and has been researching motherhood and being a mother in her free time." I said as we pulled up to a quiet upscale neighborhood of expensive apartments.

"No boy. How is she DOING?"

"She is still thinking about whether she wants to really become a mother- raising a cub in this day and age."

"Yes, that is a life changing event especially given the circumstances of the conception." The evil beastial said to me.

"Yes. I still am wondering about the friends I made at the Maximum, if they are ok or are suffering from the wrath of the warden. If they are, hopefully for not much longer."

"You didn't hear little human?" The ram said looking directly at me.

"Hear what?"

"The master read Lady Ursa's report on that eccentric Dowd running the outpost. The High Evolutionary has decided to let him stay."

I looked at the evil beastial scientist like he was slaughtering rebels (and enjoying it). "Stay? Why?!"

(NO!)

"Despite his eccentricities he gets the job done; he rules that prison with an iron fist, keeps the prisoners in line and they in turn fear him."

"You mean he abuses and tortures his prisoners and kills those that defy him." I huffed.

(Those that he doesn't keep as trophies.)

"Like I said boy, he gets the job done." The ram warrior said to me with a devilish grin as we arrived at our destination.

That moment was the first time I started losing faith in the dictator, doubting his leadership; in that he didn't know what he was doing or what was really going on in the empire. The situation with the KLIS was the first example, and now his decision about that damn Dowd was the second. I started thinking maybe I should also join the protests taking place, but I wisely kept it to myself.

"So why are we here?" I asked as Sir Ram and I stepped out of the prototype.

"We are going to check on a honeypot." Sir Ram said scanning our surroundings.

"A honeypot? What's a honeypot?" I said looking at the upscale apartment building he had pulled in front of.

"It is a collection point for would be criminals."

"I am not following you." I said to the he beast.

"It is a trap that the knight core has set for thieves, burglars and robbers. It is referred among the knights as a honey pot."

"Oh." I said as we entered the expensive high rise. The building had a beautiful awning over the front entrance. It looked like it was thirteen stories tall and catered to the ultra rich, because only they could afford to live there.

"Follow my directions exactly." The ram ordered. "I wouldn't want you to become entrapped."

"Yes sir." I said.

Sir Ram and I took the stairs to the thirteenth floor of the building. As we stepped out of the stairwell he carefully looked at each apartment in the carpeted hallway stopping at apartment 1313.

"Stay behind me boy." He said as he drew his service weapon and selected the paralysis setting. "Let me know if you sense anything."

With that the beastial scientist placed his paw on the door and entered. I followed close behind not knowing what to expect.

The apartment was very lavish- expensive looking kitchen, lush dinning room, library, study, and sun room with beautiful views of the city skyline. As we made our way room by room, Sir Ram and I heard some mumbling. No, it was chanting. It sounded like it was coming from the great room.

Sir Ram motioned me to follow. As we rounded the corner we discovered five individuals kneeling toward a five sided star that was drawn on the floor of the room.

"Hail, the dark one! Hail the dark one! Hail the dark one!

Bringer of despair!

Bringer of darkness!

Bringer of misery!

Bringer of destruction!

Bringer of ruin!

I couldn't tell if the individuals were human or beastial because they were wearing black robes and their heads were obscured by masks that resembled animal skulls.

(A demon cult?!)

As Sir Ram entered the great room, the cult reacted to his presence.

"The dark one has returned!"

"ALL HAIL THE DARK ONE!"

"YES! ALL HAIL THE DARK ONE!"

"HAIL THE DARK ONE!"

The evil beastial just smiled and smiled like he was addressing a fan base of groupies. I ended up grabbing his paw and leading him out of the apartment.

(If you judged the ram by what he has done in the name of the empire, yes you could call him a demon.)

"That was definitely not your so called honey pot." I said closing the door.

"Wrong apartment, but it was refreshing none the less." He said grinning wickedly.

(I guess the curfew has taken its toll on some of the populace.)

The beastial warrior realized that we had gone to the wrong floor. We headed down one flight of steps to apartment 1213. Again he drew his weapon and entered.

We saw five masked humans in black clothing plastered to the walls, floors and ceilings of the domicile.

"Thank goodness rescue at last." A short, fat masked man who was stuck to the ceiling said. Sir Ram looked at the bag of of items he had been carrying but dropped after becoming stuck.

"Precisely fool. You are the prisoners of the Knights of Wundagore." The ram said to the man.

"You mean this isn't a luxurious apartment in a expensive upscale neighborhood?" A masked woman who was stuck to the wall asked.

"No it is a trap to catch would be burglars like you." The ram smiled devilishly as he paralyzed each of them.

"That would explain all the traps." Another who was stuck to the floor mumbled.

"Oh." Two others groaned.

As we were leaving Sir Ram contacted the knight core to tell them of the honey pot's latest capture and that there were five burglars waiting to be judged and punished.

"That is quite a devious invention." I said as we left the apartment building.

"The knight core have set traps like this all over the city. It is another method of eradicating criminals."

"Let me guess those that are caught in the traps are automatically judged and punished, no exceptions."

The ram just grinned wickedly.

"So how many of these things are there in World One?" I asked sitting down in the prototype.

"Enough. With the exception of the uprising, the crime here in World One is very low." Sir Ram said as we were contacted by a familiar junior knight.

"Evening Chemar." I said to the nervous cheetah.

"Evening Alex, Sir Ram. How goes the watch?"

"We just finished checking one of the honey pots and were about to resume patrol why?" Sir Ram asked.

"I am redirecting some assets to support the Rebel Hunters." The chetah said.

"So?" The ram said indignantly.

"I am also moving Catch who is on surveillance. I want you to replace him." Chemar said.

"Acknowledged." The ram said ending the communication. "Chemar is enjoying that fill in position too much." He huffed.

"Well we have our orders from the acting Night Watch Supervisor Sir Ram." I said.

"Don't remind me." The he beast huffed as he powered on the prototype.

We headed about two miles to the northwest deeper inside the ultra nice ultra beautiful neighborhoods for the well to do ultimately arriving at another apartment building which looked even nicer than the last building.

Sir Ram pulled up behind a familiar looking coupe; it looked exactly like the prototype only it was silver, not blue.

"Wow Sir Ram!" I exclaimed.

(So that is the second prototype!)

"What you are looking at is the follow up model to what you are sitting in." Sir Ram said contacting the silver coupe's driver.

A armadillo appeared on the upper left monitor of the center stack.

"Thank you for relieving me Sir Ram. It sounded like the Rebels Hunters are in need of something more than what their hover-bikes can provide."

"Who or what is their target?" I asked Chase. "Chemar wouldn't tell me."

"The TRUTH." The armadillo said to me.

"Come again?" I asked.

"They are hunting the TRUTH, a newly formed rebel group who claim that they will expose the High Evolutionary for who he really is. Whatever that means."

"So they are playing up the human and beastial unrest that is plaguing the empire right now." I said.

"Rumor has it they are planning something big, something that will show all Counter Earth that the master is a megalomanic."

"Well, good luck Chase. Be careful." I said.

"Anything out of the ordinary here?" The ram warrior said asking the junior knight.

"No sir. The citizens are obeying the curfew, the streets here are empty and all is quiet." The armadillo said to the senior knight of Wundagore.

"What about the supposed target?"

"Negative sir. It has been a very uneventful this evening." Catch said.

"Very well. Good hunting." Sir Ram said as the image of the armadillo disappeared from the monitor and the silver prototype drove off.

"Wow, so that is?"

"One of two models Mara and I made which are identical to the one we are sitting in boy."

"Let me guess, that was by design?"

"The coupes are hard enough to operate as they are, Mara felt that we didn't need to complicate the matter any further by forcing the pilots to remember what features and options are in each."

"Makes sense." I said looking at the apartment building. "Catch mentioned surveillance."

"An upper manager of a company has received threats on his life. We have been investigating." Sir Ram said directing me to activate the copilot monitor and keyboard.

"Do you want me to deploy the probe?" I asked the he beast.

"No, we have two micro-probes placed within the building." Sir Ram said showing me how to pull up the audio and video from both of them. "It is a new invention I have been testing."

"Astounding Sir Ram!" I said.

"Mara designed them for long surveillance missions."

"But, but Senior Leader I am out of my league here! I don't know the first thing about designing, staffing let alone running a department! A twenty something bulldog in a green shirt with black pants said to his superior. I am in way over my head here!

"You wanted power Cecil." A larger nicely dressed but much older bulldog said kissing the younger deeply and passionately. "Now you have it and all the responsibilities that goes with it."

"But, sir!" Cecil protested.

"No buts. I could have hired others who were much better suited to that position; those who were actually qualified." The older bulldog said. "But I chose you."

"Thank you sir." Cecil said kissing the older bulldog.

I was completely lost.

I looked at Sir Ram. "What are we watching?"

"Sounds like someone who sold their soul." The ram said.

(Hmm....)

I pressed the info button on the weapons menu of the prototype.

*Evening Mr. Winter.* The prototype's automated assistant said greeting me.

"Evening Overwatch." I said to him.

"Overwatch boy?" The ram asked.

"Yes, he needed a better name than automated assistant." I said to the beastial scientist. "It suits him don't you think?"

*I think it does too. How may I serve you Mr. Winter?*

"We are on surveillance and I need some background on our target. A Cecil Bulldog."

*Accessing knight core files. Cecil Bulldog was a former beginner clerk for Counter Earth Express, a shipment company headquartered here in World One.*

"What do you mean by former?" I asked.

"Overwatch enlighten the little human." The ram said.

*Cecil Bulldog is in a relationship with a high ranking executive in the company who promoted him over many, many, many more qualified candidates for a position he is not qualified for.*

"Who is the high ranking executive?" I asked.

"The one Cecil is with now boy." Sir Ram said condescendingly.

*That would be Dennis Diamond a Senior Leader in the company. The promotion has caused a fair amount of resentment within the organization and Cecil has received threats.*

"Wow, talk about sleeping your way to the top." I said studying the image we were receiving from with inside the luxury apartment.

"We are here to insure his safety and determine who is behind the threats." Sir Ram said to me.

"Any idea who is making them?"

"The line of resentment starts over there." The senior knight of Wundagore said to me pointing out of the window. "We had eliminated all but a few candidates. But if any are beastial they are in violation of the master's laws."

So for the rest of the evening Sir Ram and I monitored the young bulldog as he spent time with his superior, intimate time. The two cuddled on the sofa as they watched programming on the hub. The bigger bulldog petting and kissing his younger subordinate.

It was around 10:45 when the two started winding down for the night. Mr. Diamond removed the younger bulldog's shirt, pants and even under garments. He then pulled him to his chest.

_"Still feeling uneasy about your new duties?" _

"Yes." Cecil nodded as his boyfriend kissed him.

"You will have to grow into the position then." The older dog said as he moved his paws down the younger dog's average sized frame until he reached his target. He lifted Cecil's tail licked his two paw-tips and then stuck them right in.

"AH!"

"Like you have grown into other positions." Dennis said snickering.

"The microprobes the knights deployed in that apartment are amazing. I can't believe there are just two of them!" I said as I widened the angle.

"What are you doing pet?" The beastial knight asked as he watched me zooming in on the couch in the posh great room of the apartment.

"Um, just getting a better angle." I said. "That has got to be the most perfect ass I have ever seen."

"Better than that mountain dog you were with at the Maximum?" The evil beastial teased.

"Yes, Spirit's butt wasn't that nice; it was rather narrow and not as nicely shaped or proportioned as Cecil's. It was the after sex I enjoyed the most actually, I..." I turned to the ram who was grinning at me quite darkly. "I said that out loud didn't I?"

"You did, but keep talking I was enjoying your monologue."

"Sir Ram I am worried about him."

"He was there for a reason boy." The beastial warrior countered.

"Maybe, but for the wrong reason. He is not a criminal but someone who needs help to treat his condition."

"And you know that how?" The big horned sheep asked me.

"He looked out for me during my time there. Apart from me being his personal comfort animal, he was a good friend." I said turning to the he beast. "I have to get him out of there and get him the help he needs, some how."

"LOOK!" Sir Ram said redirecting my attention back to the feed from the probes.

"No way are they???"

*UNF* *UNF* *UNF* *UNF*

(They are.)

Dennis was reclining on his couch with his cub maker buried into Cecil's rectum. The older bulldog was running his paws up and down his lover's sides while the younger down raised and lowered himself on the penis that was inside him.

"Arrrorrroooo!!!!" The older bulldog sang out as his mount penis erupted. He then reached around to the front of his lover grabbing the younger dog's erect shaft and preceded to masturbate him until the both of them were 'singing'.

Cecil gently stood up letting the penis that was inside of his back package flop out, along with his lover's goo. It was at that point Dennis pulled the younger dog back to him and started licking his lover's neck before kissing him on his head.

(I knew how that felt from personal experience.)

"Sir Ram. Can I ask you a personal question? Have you and Mara ever thought about starting a family?"

"It is not possible boy. She is a goat and I am a sheep."

*I think Mr. Winter is talking about adoption sir.* Overwatch said.

"With our line of work, it would be very, very difficult. We barely have any time for each other. I think that will be the conclusion your master draws as well."

"It looks like they are calling it a night; they turned out the lights and moved to the bedroom." I said to the he beast.

"Switch to infrared." The beastial knight informed me. "This is where it becomes tedious." The ram said. "The overnight hours."

"So why don't we check on our colleagues and see how they are doing?" I suggested.

Sir ram decided to contact the Oryx- Trever, the one I had seen in the Situation Room.

"All is quiet sir; no one in the southeast decided to disobey the curfew." The junior knight responded.

"The night watch isn't bad provided the day shift does the heavy lifting." Sir Ram said to the junior knight.

And so we talked to the other knights to pass the time and to try to stay awake. Despite my best intentions the prototype's seats were so comfortable; I fell asleep at my station as did the beastial knight, my partner.

Day 970

*Good morning gentleman and gentlebeast.* The automated assistant said waking us. *Did you sleep well?*

"Overwatch how long have we been out?" Sir Ram said waking up.

*About seven hours.*

"Damn! We weren't supposed to fall asleep while on duty!"

(I guess we were tired, or really bored.)

"Did we miss anything Overwatch?" I asked the automated assistant.

*No sirs. The microprobes did not register any hostile activity. The couple only now is preparing for work.*

"Wow, they are showering together." I said looking at the infrared image from coming from the apartment.

*While you were asleep I engaged the holo-projector to hide us; we are disguised as a small subcompact.*

Sir Ram and I watched as the couple got dressed, ate breakfast and waited outside the front door of the apartment building. It looked like they were waiting for their transportation to work that morning.

"Looks like we will be following them to work." Sir Ram said powering on the prototype.

We watched as a black and grey low slung expensive looking hover vehicle approached us from the opposite direction and then drove up to the front of the building- the front of the vehicle facing us and the driver side window was facing the bulldogs.

To the casual observer it looked like the start to an ordinary day. But that was when my clairvoyance kicked in.

!!!

"SIR RAM!!! It is an attack!!!"

**Side-pods engaged**

We watched as the driver pointed something out of the driver side window- something large. I switched to the footage from front mounted camera.

"Dammit!" I screamed as Sir Ram fumbled with the weapon's menu. "NO!! DRIVE!!"

The big horned sheep drove the disguised blue coupe on to the sidewalk in-between the bulldogs as their assailant pressed a button on the large weapon. We thought it was some type of laser canon. The truth was much darker.

A small rocket discharged from the weapon and hit the left side of the prototype shaking the blue coupe. It caused the halo projection image of the sub compact to flicker.

BOOOOOM!!!

"The deflectors were late coming on." I said looking at the system status screen. "We took damage."

"How much?"

"The left side-pod is damaged." I said as the bulldogs' assailant realized they had missed and decided to try again.

(Someone really had it in for Cecil.)

The assailant fired again.

!!!

"SIR RAM!"

"I see it boy!"

BOOOOOM!!!

The prototype which was still disguised as a sub compact shook again from the second rocket blast.

The shockwave from the exploding rockets shattered the glass at the front of the apartment building and several others down the block. Cecil and Dennis were covered in it.

The driver realized that they had missed and floored it. The hover vehicle sped off as Sir Ram tried to fire a tracer at it and a then a tractor hook (behind the prototype) from the same damaged side-pod.

**System Failure**

*I am afraid the left-side pod is down Sir Ram*

"You two alright?" I asked the bulldogs.

"That is some sub compact." Cecil said.

"Um, yeah right." I responded.

"You two get back inside!" Sir Ram ordered the two.

"If we had engaged the main probe we would have seen that vehicle coming." I said disgusted.

*I am sorry Mr. Winter the main probe can not be engaged while the micro-probes are in use.*

"I know, boy design flaw. I will get to it when I can." Sir Ram said as he deactivated the holo-projector. "System status?"

"The deflectors protected us and the bulldogs from any serious damage." I said looking at they system status screen. "But the prototype did take damage."

"Are we at 100%?"

"No more like 86%." I said. "With only one good side-pod."

"That is more than enough." The ram said.

"Well then let's go Mr. Driver!" I said.

With that the chase was on. The assailant's vehicle was considerably faster than the prototype. Without the scanning ability of the probe we were at a disadvantage. We also had to make a u-turn in order to follow after the vehicle.

Sir Ram drove after it pushing the prototype as hard as he could but still couldn't get the blue coupe in weapons range. He then decided to engage hover mode. He quickly found the vehicle driving down city streets to the west.

_**Holo-projector engaged** _

"What are you doing boy?" The ram asked.

"Disguising us."

"As what?" The he beast asked.

"How about a humming bird? Speed isn't going to help take this assailant down. Stealth is."

So a dark black humming bird tracked the expensive high performance hover vehicle from the sky at a distance ultimately catching up as the driver slowed down thinking they were in the clear.

*Sir Ram the prototype is within weapons range- barely.* Overwatch announced.

**Sound projector engaged**

"ASSAILANT YOU ARE THE PRISONER OF THE KNIGHTS OF WUNDAGORE, GIVE YOURSELF UP NOW!" Sir Ram shouted as he disengaged the holo-projector.

The driver refused and started to speed off.

"FOOL!" The ram hissed.

**Side-pod engaged**

"You had your chance!"

**Tunnel missile engaged**

"SIR RAM?" I shouted as I saw a small missile launched from the right side-pod.

It just connected with the rear of the sports vehicle and exploded causing the hover vehicle to flip over and over and over.

BOOOOOOM!!!

The driver was thrown a good distance from the vehicle as it came to rest on the ground. The high performance hover vehicle was now a broken, battered mess of metal.

"You know static pulse would have worked just as well." I said scolding the sadisticly evil beastial.

"Since they were playing with rockets it seemed only fair. I am going to see who our assailant is." The knight of Wundagore said drawing his weapon and approaching the expensive hover vehicle's who was out cold.

It was a blond female, I human female.

"She is alive." Sir Ram announced after scanning her tracking chip.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"Cynthia Staten." Sir Ram said she was a former employee at the company.

*Cynthia Staten. A low level employee at Counter Earth Enterprises. She worked at the company for five years and became bitter as beastials around her were promoted while her career lagged. She was fired after she confronted Dennis Diamond for being passed over for the position Cecil was promoted to.* Overwatch said studying her file.

"Did she have the qualifications?" I asked the automated assistant.

*Yes Mr. Winter.*

"It looks like she tried to take them both out." Sir Ram said.

"Where did she get that fancy vehicle or that rocket launcher?" I asked.

"No matter, I took her out in the same way she tried to take out her former colleagues."

"That was damned overkill. There were other less dangerous methods." I huffed.

"What was that boy?" The evil beastial said turning his attention towards me.

"I said I am calling it in."

(Lady Ursa and Chemar would never have done that.)

Ms. Staten was picked up by the knight core to have her wounds treated before she was taken to the castle to be judged and punished.

"Good work you too." Sanda said contacting us.

"One thing bothers me though, where did she get that expensive hover vehicle?" I said to the caracal. "And the rocket launcher?"

"Most likely borrowed it." Came the Watch Supervisor's response.

"Whatever, mission ended. I am ready for some down time... with Mara." Sir Ram said.

"Before you end your watch, I need you to check up on Catch, he failed to check in while assisting the Rebel Hunters. I will send you the coordinates."

Sir Ram grumbled but complied.

We drove to a abandoned hover vehicle dealership some miles away on the northeast side.

"This looks to be the place." The big horned sheep said.

"How is that?" I asked.

*There is a gaping hole blown into the side of the building Mr. Winter. Most likely from the silver prototype's grenade launcher.*

"And laser burns all around." Sir Ram said driving on the property.

We drove through the hole into what used to be the repair bay at the dealership. That is where we found the remains of the silver prototype. It was heavily damaged and lying on it roof. The junior knight who was driving it no where to be found.

To Be Continued....