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DOOMDAY 2

A New Adventure

We hid on the roof, for a while before dawn, to observe Majorum. Flashes indicative of the Dogesh bolt could be seen again in Central Metropolis. There were also flashes amber followed by sounds of explosions and dark smoke rising. Cori hoped Anthrogyne were fighting back; I was sure of only more Dogesh destruction. i rest of Major was ghostly quiet.

We returned to the apartment and readied to leave. Cori gathered some canned-food from the kitchen into It's pack; I gathered my tablet pack and Aorn's sword. Cori saw the sword then looked at me for a moment.

"What?" I asked.

"You know what you're doing with that thing..." It supposed, trying not to insult me.

*If Cori'd had any training with weapons, It had trained more than I, so I replied, "Uh... No. Do you?" *

"Enough to know it's dangerous in the wrong paws. And you were always a fumbler with anything other than a pen or tablet."

The statement was too true for me to resent, and I was glad to be free of the thought that I might need to use this weapon, so I took the sword from my shoulder and pawed it over, "I believe Aorn may have crafted this Itself."

Cori took the sword with both paws. "Let's go make It proud, buddy."

We left, via the fire-escape out-back, to the alleyway. We snuck southward and stopped a few times to be sure we remained incognito; I took these opportunities to peek through low windows; most dwellings were abandoned or barricaded. I felt for those that might be inside, but there was little hope for any of us, and I couldn't help wishing I were still en-hiding as well.

Although, running through the streets with Cori brought back memories of us doing the same as young fur; only, our missing Aorn dampened much of the adventure to a bitter-sweet nostalgia.

Before the Dogesh, any number of things could have been said about adult Anthrogyne that roamed the streets en-darkness, yet it was almost expected of youth. We were caught once as young ones, spying on our neighbors, and got no more than a stern talking-to from the Night-Watch Policifur.

Now I'm sure, the consequences of encountering Policifur would be much more severe, but the few small groups we had to sneak past were huddled together and paid little attention to the otherwise empty streets.

We reached the edge of SurWest where the farmlands meet the Southern Markets. The Southern Market Avenue, which reaches from SurWest to The East, seemed abandoned as well; but, since it's on the edge of the metropolis where flashes from the Dogesh bolt could still be seen, Cori insisted it would be safer to stick to the original plan and travel within the aqueduct further south.

We soon reached the large empty aqueduct and slid down the steep embankment, into knee deep water which covered the level concrete bottom. Crop-ash lay gently on top of stagnant water until our paths sent swirls through the once-cleanest water en-Majorum. We waded en-steady to reduce splashing and noise.

Due to our pace, Cori figured we might arrive at the University before nightfall. Of course, it wouldn't be so easy...

Having covered a third of the aqueduct, encouraged by our progress, we focused on our heading. We were slow to notice the rising water around our legs. Major powered systems had come back on-line which activated the clear-water inlet behind us. When we stopped to rest then did notice, we turned to see the water barreling toward us.

We hustled toward the embankment but, before we could climb out of the aqueduct, we were swept from our feet and taken by the rapid flood of ashen waters. I lost all sense of orientation and flailed one paw, hoping I might latch onto Cori; with the other paw, I clung to my tablet. Despite more immediate dangers, my ultimate survival depends on these chronicles of this Dogesh Centum.

This might have been our end if the inlet remained active. Alas, it stopped and the flow that carried us subsided. I managed to regain my footing halfway along the aqueduct; and to my great relief, Cori hadn't been washed too far away from me. It struggled, rising to It's feet nearby. Coughing and gasping for breath, we waded back together and embraced for a moment. Soaked through our undercoats, we gathered ourselves, realizing Cori had lost It's pack but had managed to keep hold of Aorn's sword.

We knew another flood could come and, if we were washed into the clear-water outlet, we might not survive. We clambered out of the aqueduct then collapsed on dry land to rest and discuss what to do next. I immediately checked my chronicles tablet for water damage but it seems to be waterproof; I wonder is this luck or what it known by the Dogesh when He gave it to me.

Continuing along inside the aqueduct could mean an early demise if powered systems came back online but there very little cover in the parks between the aqueduct and the southern farmlands, and the nearly all the crops themselves had been burned to the ground along with their farm houses and barns. We decided to hurry through the smouldering farmlands to the Southern Markets Avenue which we would follow the rest of the way to East Majorum. Cori also suggested we might gather more supplies and dry cloth from the Camping Guild/Supplies Store before continuing our journey.

We ran non-stop through the farmlands feeling exposed among the leveled crops and dwellings. We even passed the field where I'd been contributing before the Dogesh Arrival only two nights ago. I pondered the trajectory of my life, even more unsure than when I fell from grace. Once again my world is in shambles; only now, I am not alone.

Dogesh Supply

We reached the Southern Markets Avenue as the first sun fell beyond the Wall of Civility and the second sun was soon to follow. We hid behind a pillar supporting the South-Central HighRail and could see almost the entire length of the avenue. The shop windows were mostly boarded-up or broken-in from looting. No light emanated from shops or street lamps, motored carts or electric torches. Not a single fur could be seen; the avenue was abandoned.

We crossed the avenue, to the northeastern sector of markets, and kept a quiet-steady pace until we reached the Camping Guild. The door, made of glass and grated metal, remained unbroken and unboarded but locked. The window was boarded-up but, from the glass on the ground, we could tell it had been shattered.

We pried at the boards until one loosened and swung out just enough for the smaller of us, me, to squeeze inside. I did this careful of the broken glass and quiet for whatever dangers might be inside this large dark room. Once inside, I paused to be sure of my surroundings, relying on the lack of sound to tell me there was no danger nearby. With the last light of dusk leaking through the door, I could only just see to unlock it, let Cori in and lock it back.

Cori whispered through the silence but gave me a scare, nonetheless. "Hold on. Stay right here."

I could hear It feeling It's way along the wall until It was gone and I fretted alone in my deaf and dark. A moment later, Cori lighted an electric torch, towards the back of the store, illuminating only It's nearest surroundings; so I watched It's light and antlers moving above the shelves along one aisle then another. Rounding the last of the shelves between us, It covered me in light and a renewed sense of security; a superficial sense of security, I knew, but I soaked it in anyway.

Cori gave me an e-torch of my own and a pack like the one It now had on It's back, then we split up to collect supplies. This part was somewhat enjoyable: shopping with no credits, for whatever I thought I might need. If there had been looting done through the smashed window, it couldn't have been much before the looting was halted and the window boarded. There was no lack of useful things on the shelves; I found portable ready-to-eat food servings and bottles of water, antibiotic cream and bandages, and even new cloth and shoes.

On a normal day, it would've been past dinner time and we hadn't eaten since early morning, so we took this opportunity to redress and eat. We sat near the front registers digging into some of our gathered rations and spoke en-quiet about anything other than current events. It felt like we might stay there forever until we heard a powered cart and loud voices from outside on the avenue. We darkened our torches, gathered our supplies and returned to the window. Cori, ever-so cautious, pushed on the loosened board enough to peek through the crack.

The voices became clearer as the cart rolled nearer. "Now, we are responsible for section 'A' as shown on your maps. We're going to start on this end and cover every lot, meeting back up with Urba's group under the HighRail."

"What are we doing here? No fur lives here." This was a familiar voice that I couldn't yet identify.

"You idiot... We didn't come here to round up fur, that was done here already."

"So why are we here?"

"We just got our orders and you don't know why we're here... Tele, if I didn't think the Dogesh would take me too, I'd report your incompetence immediately..."

My heart sank and Cori looked back at me, knowing but what could be said.

"...You need to pay attention, especially when He speaks, or you will soon be a goner. The Dogesh wants supplies: food, heaters, sleeping mats, every vile and leaf of medicine we can find. There's a whole list here: basically everything with any use or value. We can even get rewarded for any of these highlighted items: white scrubs and other white clothes, red and blue dyes, rare books and private chronicles, information and communication technologies, portable solar panels, et cetera... if you're not sure if it's on the list, take it."

"What do you think He needs all this for?"

Then a thud and a gasp for air, before the leading Policifur spoke again, "It isn't our job to ask questions, we are to serve Him, whatever He commands, and right now our orders are to gather these supplies."

"Okay, okay..." Tele said, winded and subordinate.

"Now, you've all been given one of these. I've never seen anything like it and I've only seen it used once: When you hold it against a lock and push this button, it will smoke and hiss then a loud crack; but keep it held tight against the lock until the crack, and the lock will break. Of course, you don't need it if a shop is broken-in, but we have to go in anyway and take everything of value. Put everything you can carry by yourself outside the shop door or window. I will pick it up from there and load it onto the cart. We can team up on the heavier items after...

"Jazz, take that accounting office. Don't disorganize files and be careful not to break the computers. Filig, start on Medillo's Medicines. Again, don't break anything. Tele take the Camping Guild; I've been told it's still full of supplies, and it's probably going to take us all night, so just start by finding every pack you can and filling them, one at a time, with one shelf at a time."

"All night... in there?" Tele was nervous then I heard an electric baton buzz. "Okay! I'm going!"

Tele's Tale

This was happening too fast. Being unable to see how to retreat without using our torches, Cori and I moved to hide on opposite sides of the door. When Tele was outside the door readying to break the lock, the light from It's torch showed through the grated metal. Cori motioned to communicate It intended to grab Tele and I couldn't protest without being heard thus making our situation more dire.

*The crack of Tele's lock-breaker was louder than I'd expected and it produced sparks through the door that fell at our feet in the shadows. After a brief anxious moment, Tele crept through the door which closed back behind It. Cori grabbed Tele and covered It's mouth and I almost yelped, myself. *

Tele flailed and dropped It's torch, but I caught the torch then pocketed it and hurried to gather Tele's attention; I grabbed It's paws and held-tight, whispering, "Shhhh, Tele. It's me, Chatter." It stopped struggling and I added, "It's my familiar, Cori, that's got you. You won't holler if It let's you go..."

Tele nodded and Cori released It then I took It in my arms. It didn't hug me back.

Cori and I led It away from the door and started asking questions en-turn, "Are you okay? Where did they take Cairoh and Gripe? How many Policifur have been recruited?"

Tele answered each at-once, "I'm okay, I guess. Elder furs and fuzzals are being kept in the Metro Hospital where no fur can get to them. There are many more Policufur than the fifty or so in my group but I have no idea how many there are in total... Command only tells us what we need to know for our assignments."

"What kind of assignments?" Cori asked.

"Most groups gather Anthrogyne. But I was first assigned, yesterday, to a group clearing out the 11th floor of the Spire's South Tower. I saw at least five other floors being cleared out the same way."

"Cleared out?" Cori pressed for details.

"Taking out everything except support columns. Even the walls are being knocked down."

Cori realized the connection. "He's making room in the Spire's towers to horde His treasures and keep anything useful from us... Have they started gathering adult Anthrogyne, others like Chatter that were left behind?"

Tele only nodded.

"Where are they taken?"

Tele didn't speak and only stared at the ground, tearing up.

"What is it, Tele?" I petted my poor familiar to calm It. "Please, tell us what you can. We're on our way to the University where they are resisting the Dogesh-"

"Tssst. Chatter..." Cori cautioned against giving too much information to Dogesh Policifur.

"It's no use. Resistance works against us." Tele remained sullen.

"Tele, please. We need all the help we can get."

After some thought, Tele raised It's eyes to meet mine and breathed in a chest-full of courage, yet It's tears began to flow as It spoke, "Policifur seem to take every adult Anthrogyne through the Central Market Square. They are forced to swear servitude to the Dogesh, then processed and carted away to I-don't-know-where."

"What do you mean 'processed'?" Cori asked.

Tele drained of courage and, now crying-full, only lowered It's eyes and shook It's head.

"What about those who refuse?" I asked, sure of the answer before asking the question.

*Tele shuddered and wept too loud. *

I hugged It to quiet It as to not attract attention from the Policifur outside. "Come with us. It'll be safe at St. Moe's."

It pushed me away. "No place within the Wall of Civility is safe from the Dogesh. It all belongs to Him now and I must serve Him. We must serve! He has our fuzzal and elder familiars and if we defy His orders..."

Cori stated the undoubted horrible fact, "They are collateral. For any that resist or cause trouble, their familiars might be the ones punished." It then offered Tele some assurance, "Try not to worry. We cannot help each other for now but we are still familiar, and the Resistance will not give up on those forced to serve. Do what you can, what you must to survive, and keep Cairoh and Gripe safe. When the time comes to take a stand, you'll know what to do."

Tele dried It's tears with It's thick tail and I noticed a black ribbon tied to it. It noticed that I'd noticed and said, "To remind me that death is always on my tail."

We left Tele to It's Dogesh duties and continued on with ours, leaving through the back, to the alley between the Southern Markets and Southern Metropolis/Residential. This alleyway would lead us all the way under the South-East HighRail to The East/Residential.

There were no signs of the Dogesh or His Policifur in The East. I suspect the Policifur still gather Anthrogyne but face little resistance so the Dogesh needn't issue His deadly bolt.

With the unpowered street lamps leaving the streets in complete darkness, Cori insisted we'd be better off hiding until morning when we can see the rest of the way to St. Moe's University. So we will rest under this fancy abode, under it's raised porch encased by decorative wooden mesh, where it's unlikely any Policifur will find us.

We're taking turns sleeping and keeping look-out. While Cori sleeps, I keep myself awake by chronicling today's events as is my Dogesh duty. I saw not the Dogesh this day but did learn some of His whims. Still, I have more questions than answers. Will these chronicles appease Him? Will they alert Him to the resistance I'm currently associated with? And what would Cori do if It learned of my servitude?

Maybe tomorrow the resistance will be more wary of me and cast me out. Maybe they will be as trusting as Cori while I chronicle for the Dogesh from within their ranks. No matter, no doubt, tomorrow comes with a new direction for His chronicles and an answer to my dilemma, so long as I have no choice, so long as I wish to survive.