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Counter Earth Chronicles - Dual Realities

Chapter 19: As Far As The Darkness Would Let Me See

Date Unknown

Location Unknown (A place outside of conventional time)

"In a time before our time... when the world was young... there was a great drought and the land became dry and arid..."

"Our ancestors came into being during this harsh and inhospitable time... we were hungry and we were thirsty but there was no food to be grown, no game to be hunted and no liquid to be drank..."

"They combed the land searching for sustenance.... It seemed to be a futile effort until a lone plant was found jutting out from the parched dry ground... our ancestors cracked it open and water flowed from its leaves, and stem..."

"Our ancestors harvested this precious gift turning the immediate area around it into an oasis, then into a encampment, a hamlet, a village, a town and then finally a civilization..."

"It thrived... while those nearby struggled. Taking pity on those less fortunate than us our ancestors shared our knowledge with our neighbors... In time those nearby civilizations thrived growing in size and number..."

"They also grew jealous and envious of the first civilization's prosperity, it's success and achievements... our ancestors were oblivious to this, living their lives free from pain, oppression, misery and suffering..."

"Then one day a mysterious child entered the town... he appeared to be from a neighboring civilization but there was something different about him, his eyes were completely black... he brought with him a warning, that the nearby towns and cities were amassing in size and power and plotting our destruction. But our ancestors did not listen... We have shared freely our knowledge and experience with them why would they hate us? They reasoned. Thus the warning was ignored."

"Time passed and so did the ancestors who were then replaced by our elders when they came of age. They forgot about the child with black eye's warning as they created treaties and formed alliances with those who were envious of us."

"Our elders built on the foundation that was laid by the ancestors creating brilliant pieces of architecture, art, music and literature. Discoveries in science and technologies were made at this time."

"Sorrell and myself came into existence at this time of prosperity. Our civilization continued to thrive. Ailments and diseases were studied, the sky and heavens were cataloged. The planet, its environs, plants and animals were documented."

"Then one particular golden morning the black eyed chid returned. We were amazed that the stories from our ancestors were true; he had not aged a day. He warned that our end was nigh. High on the success and prosperity of our civilization the elders politely disagreed. The world is not that badly constructed, they concluded. We have signed treaties and formed alliances with our neighbors and have been nothing but kind, courteous and gracious to them. They reasoned that the prophesy was wrong; the child had warned the ancestors and nothing had happened- so nothing was going to happen now."

"Feeling slighted the black eyed child warned that our civilization's destruction would be proceeded by a celestial event. Again the elders ignored the warning. To reassure all and to prove the child's prophesy incorrect, they decided to hold a big feast, one that would be remembered for all the ages."

"An invitation was sent out to the neighboring tribes and clans. The big dinner would include singing, dancing, and much merriment. To the elder's surprise no one declined. Hunters, gathers, barbarians, warriors, farmers, theologians, mathematicians, scholars, musicians and artists from the nearby civilizations all attended the event."

"The guests sang, danced and drank making toasts to the elders for sharing our civilization's knowledge, advancements and inventions with them. All which they wanted for themselves."

"The gestures of peace and friendship had all been a ruse. The warriors attacked and killed as many as they could. The barbarians looted. The hunters plundered. The friendship feast became massacre as our civilization was set ablaze."

"The morning light revealed the extent attack. The elders had been slain their bodies lying in the streets. Our brothers and sisters taken for slaves. Our civilization which failed to heed the warning of the celestial event lay in ruin. It was a day of sadness as the number of the dead were tallied and the missing were accounted for."

"Those who were still alive wondered what to do. They wanted to free those who had been taken and to make those who had attacked us pay. But our numbers were small, our weapons few."

"We grieved for seven days and seven nights. That is when they arrived- god Haas and goddess Selene. They chastised us for failing to heed the black eyed child's warning and that it was only a matter of time before what was left of us would be enveloped by a neighboring civilization being made their slaves or worse."

"But all was not lost, if we prostrated our selves to them, made them our deities and worshipped them day and night they would ensure that we and our achievements would not disappear- all but forgotten into the sands of time."

"So here we are." Sata said grabbing the right arm of the curious hedgehog.

"Yes here we are." Sorrell said grabbing the left arm of the hedgehog boy.

"That was a wonderful and fascinating story." Arthur said to the numbat sisters who started moving in on the guest in their sleeping bundle.

"Well it is all true." Sata added.

"That concludes your history lesson. Next subject social skills and why it is wonderful to be with friends." Sorrell said running a paw finger down the teen's chest.

"In stressful times sometimes the only thing we can do is love each other." Sata added.

"That sounds divine. I do have a question though." The leader of the Ghost Hunters said. "What was this celestial event the child with the black eyes talked about? The one that would symbolize the end of civilization?"

"The arrival of a third moon." Sata said petting his head.

"Unlike the first two moons, the third one was not illuminated. It was called the dark moon." Sorrell replied.

April 7th YOE 35

1:22 PM World Seven (Chaundoon)

A newly opened business greets its first customer...

After moving to Chaundoon six months ago, myself, my family and our friends thought we had said goodbye to the horror, pain, misery of the after empire era on Counter Earth. It was our hope that we could live out the rest of our lives in a quiet, uneventful corner of the universe on a strange new world.

But darkness has come yet again. In the aftermath of 'the crazy' appearing right here in the city, two of the sand folk died, Gia from the colony council succumbed to her injuries protecting King Dragon and one of the S'mar warriors- Spear also perished.

All four were buried near Friendship park. In the midst of our grieving, sadness and loss. Hard decisions had to be made. Should the sand folk be expelled from the city? For that matter what about World Seven banning all visitors? Every resident of Chaundoon was a potential danger to us- a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time just like the sand dragons and S'mar warriors within the council chambers a few weeks ago.

Sorren made the call. He would not expel our allies the sand folk. Instead every resident would be required to have a weapon on them at all times, just like we had done in the Lost City. The theory being if someone went ape shit they could be subdued by bystanders or even put down. What remained of the knight core was split watching the city and the dragon warriors who were guarding the city with them.

Naturally the decision did not go over with everyone- there were some that believed Duchess Jua and her subjects should have left the city and no further admittance would be allowed to anyone not from Counter Earth. Some believed that the only reason they were allowed to stay in World Seven was that their leader was in love with our leader and vice versa.

Right before our eyes there was dissension and division would rebellion be next?

"That is probably the best summation I have heard. How long has it been? My dragon dentist asked.

"Almost two weeks ago now." I replied.

"I missed a lot trying to get this shop up and running. Open wide and say ahh, Mr. Winter."

I complied.

The yellow-eyed red dragon with the black scales in a white apron place a claw tip in my mouth gingerly looking at my gums, my tongue and teeth. I nervously eyed my grappling hook on my right arm wondering if I would have to use it- just in case.

"When was the last time you cleaned these?" Arie asked.

"Professionally? Um, it has been about two years." I replied.

"I see." He replied silence shaming me.

"Well, I used to have these cleaned twice a year but, that was sort of put on hold when the world as we knew it kinda ended." I said sarcastically.

"You mean other things took precedence?" He asked looking at me.

"Yes, like um, not dying." I replied.

"What is your routine now Mr. Winter?"

"I brush twice a day with cleaning gel."

"That is a start." He said ordering me to open up wide he then rubbed my teeth with green bark. "Swish it around a bit and then spit."

"Bleck, what is this?"

"Mint bark. We sand folk use it to keep our teeth clean and breath fresh."

"Wow." I replied as he had me open wide again.

"You see minty fresh." Arie replied. "Your teeth aren't that much different from ours human."

In that moment I realized the wisdom of Sorren's decision. We are stronger together than apart.

"That is good to know." I replied hugging him as the sand dragon's next appointments arrived.

"Panda Lee, Milo! Right on time I will be with you shortly." The red dragon announced to the teens.

"Nice shop." The chubby wolverine boy observed the small store which was near Ms. Una's and Ms. Rose's school.

"Yes quaint and cosy." The she panda replied looking around.

"Alright we are finished. I would schedule a follow up in what do you off worlders call it? Oh yes six months."

"If we are still here in six months." Milo said half jokingly.

"What do you mean?" Panda Lee asked.

"Oh, you are referring to the latest threat we are facing?" The sand dragon asked the two teens.

They nodded.

There was a very awkward silence between the four of us.

"Are you headed back to the infirmary Mr. Alex?" Panda Lee asked.

"Nope. I took a day off from the infirmary. They have been very busy up there trying to figure out what is causing the crazy and if it is even preventable... I needed some down time and I took it."

"That is good. Unfortunately Milo and I are on a tight schedule today." The she panda replied swapping places with me.

"Planetary Sciences is busy?" Arie said prompting the panda to open wide.

"Yeah we have also been trying to determine what is causing the imbalance that everyone is talking about." Milo replied.

"Hue and Cassia think it maybe some sort of celestial phenomena. So we are going to be studying Chaundoon's moons." Panda Lee said casually.

"As in stellar cartography?!" I asked curiously.

"Yeah." Milo replied. "Wanna observe?"

"With everything that has been going on that sounds quite uneventful and very relaxing and a chance to learn more about this planet." I said smiling.

"Sure it will be later this afternoon." Panda Lee replied.

"Your teeth are in pristine condition what is your secret?" Arie complimented the panda as I exited his boutique.

2:13 PM Infirmary....

Chief medical officer's log. It has been two weeks since the big brawl. My staff and I have been conducting deep research into the cause of 'the crazy' or the imbalance that has been causing the residents this planet to behave out of character.

Under direct orders from King Dragon and Duchess Jua we have included the two remaining S'mar warriors as part of our study- their penance for that misguided crusade of theirs. Mathias and Ripple have also volunteered to participate as well.

Unfortunately at this juncture we are no closer to solving this mystery; we can identify the symptoms of the crazy which mimic possession similar to the entity that ravaged the empire on Counter Earth. But we are no closer to identifying its cause, origins or duration. These are truly dark times indeed.

The only thing we have determined is that only indigenous life on this world is affected. Which is of some relief but not to our allies.

"How many more of these annoying tests!" Club protested. "I am tired of being poked, pricked and pinched!"

"As many as it takes." Shaman Psi said replied.

"I am sorry for your discomfort." Penny said apologizing to her test subject. "And your loss, Spear was a... um..."

"A noble warrior and effective member of your pride." The grey sand dragon replied filling in the words Penny was missing.

"Yes he was." The leader of Kenja pride admitted as he stuck out his tongue.

"No identifiable markers of any sort." The she penguin said disgusted. "Where are the KLIS when we need them?"

"I have no idea what any of that meant." The savage warrior replied.

"We are no closer to finding out the cause." The bare chested dragon replied crossing his arms.

"What about this body cast?" Club asked.

"You are going to be in that until you are fully healed." Penny said as she picked up a tri-angular scanner and started running it over his body.

"Meaning?"

"You will be are guest for some time to come." The she penguin replied.

"But is not all bad, these people have running water." The grey dragon said cheering up his test subject.

"Running water?" The nude warrior asked.

Just outside Penny Penguin's office an adjacent study was taking place....

"Spread your arms." The horny lioness ordered another S'mar warrior.

"Quite impressive." Shakara said eyeing the musculature. "You are an exquisite specimen of your kind."

"Tch!" Axe said as Shakara moved behind him.

The red eyed lioness ran her paws over his biceps, deltoid, trapezius and rhomboid muscles. "Umm hmm." She said out loud as she continued her way downward.

"WAGH!!!" Axe shouted as rump and tail were unceremoniously groped.

"Absolutely magnificent and so soft!" The feline healer exclaimed.

"What is going on back there?" The warrior asked looking over his shoulder.

That was when the she beast moved back to his front. She felt his pectorals, rectus abdominus and oblique muscles.

"My very nice." Shakara exclaimed as her red eyes fixated on a line of chest fur that started below his collar bone and made its way down his chest and abdomen to encircle his penis sheath and then continue down to the middle of his scrotal sack.

"GAH!!!" Axe squealed as his tenders were gripped and then massaged.

"Magnificent!" Shakara exclaimed as she kneaded his testes and kneaded and kneaded for a good two minutes before examining his penis sheath.

Axe strained hard not to pop a boner right there in front of his examiner who for some strange reason who was fixated on his genitals.

Was there something special about them?

Did the lioness detect something that the penguin, goat, bat and grey dragon miss?

"Did you find something?" Axe asked exhaling heavily trying not to squirt out some pre.

Damn her paws felt good.

"Hmm?" Shakara asked looking up at him.

"Ah your study... the reason Club and myself are here... to find the cause of the imbalance?"

The lioness looked at him weird like.

"The crazy?" The savage warrior replied restating his question.

"Oh yes, yes, yes!" The lioness replied as if coming out of some sort of trance. "Let us continue! Open your mouth and stick out your tongue."

"Continue?!"

Axe started to think what had just happened was not part of the infirmary's research process.

3:22 PM at a unassuming shack in a small valley just past city's boundary....

"Welcome to our space ship. Alex of Winter." The yellow tentacled eyeball said greeting me at the doorway.

"Wow, if not for the metallic inside I would swear that I am indeed looking at a rustic home in the wilderness."

"You are here to see Snacks and Hon Hon?" Mrs. Manassas asked.

"Yes. They said you were studying celestial bodies today."

"Oh yes this way." Cassia said 'grinning.'

I followed her to the bridge where Hue, Milo and Panda Lee had congregated. As I entered I noticed that Hue was on one of three elevated circular platforms with a panel which looked like an advanced dashboard of a hover vehicle. Across from him stood Pandal Lee on a similar platform. Between them was Milo on another platform who was studying readouts from three vertical panels on the far wall.

"The readings are typical for a planetoid." Hue said to Milo.

"And the second?" Panda Lee asked.

"Similar to the first Hon Hon." Mr. Manassas replied.

"It is the third one. It doesn't look or behave like the others." Cassia said escorting me inside.

"Hi everyone." I said to the tentacled eyeball and his charges. "Still studying Chaundoon's moons?"

"Yes. What do you make of the dark moon?" Hue asked me.

"Well, it just suddenly appeared one night and now that I think about it, that was when weird stuff started happening planet-wide."

"Yes." Cassia said.

"Hmm...." The panda said pressing a button on her console.

The bridge and everyone on it disappeared as the room became a intimate planetarium.

"Whoa..."

The five of us hovered over 3D images of each of the three moons.

"Given the relative positioning from the suns each of these should be illuminated." Hue began wondering allowed.

"But then why is the third moon dark?" Milo added.

"King Dragon and Duchess Jua claimed they saw it twinkle and start to envelope that which was around it." Panda Lee said ignoring the question.

"Dear, I think we have learned all we can from here." The misses. said to her mister.

"I agree dear." The mister said to her misses. "We need a much closer examination."

The 3D pictures disappeared and we rematerialized.

"Alright field trip!" The chubby wolverine said excitedly.

"Preconditioning in 3... 2... 1..." The panda girl said touching a few buttons on her console.

"Field trip... what field trip?" I asked hesitantly.

"We are going to investigate the dark moon." Milo said giddily.

"You mean we are going into space?!" I gasped looking at the two beastial children and their extraterrestrial guardians on the bridge.

"You have never gone into space have you Mr. Alex?" Panda Lee asked.

"Actually I have, the last time wasn't really a good experience." I said rubbing the back of my head.

"That's right you were abducted by aliens." The wolverine grinned at me. "Well get ready it is happening again!!!"

(Uh oh.)

"Launching in 3... 2... 1..." Hue called out.

Milo was teasing of course, this time the aliens were friendly. I watched the three screens transition. One became a window looking outside of the craft and the other two were additional readouts.

*WHOOSH*

The Manassas' space ship launched from the planet's surface. It felt like I was a projectile being launched from a slingshot.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" I screamed as we hurtled through the lower, middle and upper atmospheres into space.

"What a rush..." I said sitting down on the floor of the bridge.

"Yeah it never gets old." The wolverine boy said patting me on the shoulder.

"Says the boy who has clocked how many hours in space?!" I shot back.

"May I offer you something to drink?" My would be flight attendant asked.

"No thank you Cassia. I may not be able to keep it down." I replied politely.

"Entering a stable orbit." Hue said touching items on his console. "Heading over to the third moon."

"Hue we should have visual contact in 3... 2... 1... WOW." Panda Lee announced.

"Wow." Cassia echoed.

"Wow." Hue said echoing Panda Lee and Cassia.

"That's just, that's just wow...." Milo replied.

Somehow in this exchange I found my footing and went to the window on the bridge. The third moon was only three quarters whole the remaining quarter was orbiting rubble, debris and rocks as if a portion of the planetoid had been shot or blown up by a weapon.

"I guess we know why that moon is dark." Milo said breaking the silence on the bridge.

"Yeah, that is just wow." I replied echoing Hue, Cassia, Milo and Penny Ling.

"You see Mr. Alex not all space travel is terrifying." The she panda said from her station. "The universe holds many magnificent wonders beyond imagination!"

"We saw many traveling with Hue and Cassia." The chubby wolverine replied looking at the two tentacled eyeballs.

"Well we did investigate many places before ultimately arriving at Chaundoon Snacks." The tentacled eyeball replied. He seemed to be smiling as was Mrs. Manassas.

"So that is why you four decided to stay together- you have became a tight knit group... a family."

"Actually Panda Lee and I really like our room." Milo replied teasing.

*PULSE* *PLUSE*

"Whoa! What the heck was that?!" The she panda shouted as we watched a series of dark rings emanate from the moon and spread out in all directions like ripples on a pond.

"I don't know but it is coming this way!" Milo said looking at the read out on his panel.

"Hue!" Cassia said grabbing me.

"Right! Taking evasive maneuvers!"

The Manassas' ship lurched violently as Hue tried to avoid the dark pulses. He didn't. Panda Lee and Milo held tight to their platforms providing critical data as their ship shook violently.

"We took some damage I am still trying to figure out how bad!" Milo announced.

"Hue there is another wave coming!" The she panda shouted.

"Everyone hold onto something!" Cassia's mate announced as again the ship shook violently.

Of course this just did wonders for my constitution.

"Alex of Winter are you are right?" The yellow tentacled eyeball announced growing concerned.

"Bathroom!"

"Huh?" She asked.

"Bathroom now!" I shouted.

"Yes, yes of course!" She said leading me to a metallic room just outside of the bridge.

*BLARRF!!!*

And just like that the contents of my stomach were on display for everyone to see.

"Gee, space travel does not agree with you." She said patting me on the back.

"Never has." I replied retching as the ship shook again violently. "That isn't helping either."

"Not to worry my husband is a competent leader and he has a experienced crew." Cassia said cheering me up.

(Man, she is quite positive.)

"You have been in situations like this before?"

"Most definitely. There was this one time we landed on this planet to examine whether it was prime for resettlement. It looked good initially but atmospheric readings fluctuated wildly. There wasn't any flora or fauna either it was the weirdest thing I had ever seen."

"Did you get to the bottom of it?"

"Yes. The planet wasn't a planet at all but this living breathing organism."

"Oh my." I replied.

"We quickly departed in case it was hostile." Mrs. Manassas admitted. "Then there was this time we stumbled upon this abandoned spacecraft...."

(These guys need to write a book of their adventures. It would be fascinating reading!)

Yeah space travel did not agree with me. It was a good fifteen minutes before I sorted myself out. Eventually the shaking stopped and we returned to the bridge.

"Report!" Cassia shouted.

"We are safe for now." Hue admitted.

"Our propulsion systems were damaged though." Panda Lee said looking at her console display.

"Meaning?" Milo asked.

"We are going to be limping for the time being." The panda teen replied.

"Cassia, Hon Hon see what you can do." Hue ordered.

"Right!" The two females said leaving the bridge.

"Snacks, Alex keep an eye on that thing. I want a heads up if it decides to belch again."

So while Hue conducted a ship-wide diagnostic to see what damage we incurred, I joined the wolverine at his console where we observed the dark moon from a safe distance.

*Pulse* *Pulse*

"There it goes again another series of pulses." Milo announced. We watched as the rings rippled from planetoid toward Chaundoon and into the atmosphere of the planet.

"Fascinating." I replied.

"Indeed. How is the dark moon doing that?" The wolverine boy wondered.

"And exactly what effect is it having on the planet? Can we get any closer?" I asked the captain and his beastial crewman.

"Not at all, that thing roughed us up pretty good." Mr. Manassas said while he was playing with some controls at the station Panda Lee was at previously.

"What about a probe?"

"We ran out of those a while ago." Milo said. "Unless...."

"Unless what?" I asked looking at Mr. Manassas.

"I have an idea!" The chubby wolverine said running out of off the bridge.

I followed the teen through the hallways to another room with a horizontal opening door inside were two beds a bookcase built into the wall. On the bookcase I saw virtual pictures of wolverine's and panda's- families.

"This is your bedroom?"

"Yeah." The chubby wolverine said reaching for something under the bed. "Hue and Cassia designed it for Panda Lee and myself."

"I see a little reminder of where you were from while trying to figure out where you are going to."

Milo seemed to brush off my last comment. Focused on what he pulled out from under the bed. A metallic metal sphere.

"Uh what's that?" I asked.

"Something Hue and I were working on to pass the time- he was teaching me about some of the technology from where he came from and with a few modifications this should do nicely. Now how to launch it..."

"Any weapons launchers?"

"Not on this ship. It is for recreation." Milo said leaving his bedroom. "Hmm... the loading dock."

I followed him to another metallic door that opened up to some place in the rear of the ship. He placed it on the floor of the room pulled me back into the hallway. Together we watched the sphere get sucked out of the airlock.

Back on the bridge I watched the chubby wolverine return to his platform with much vigor. He started tapping on his displays.

"The probe is moving quickly."

"What probe?" Hue asked coming over to see what Milo was looking at.

"Um, the little project?" Mr. Manassas said in a fatherly tone.

"The one we were working on a while back." Milo said innocently. "I realized it would make an impromptu probe given our current situation."

"It does seem to be moving a good clip." I replied looking at Milo's displays.

The red tentacled eyeball touched a few of the buttons on Milo's console.

"Oh no." He said before returning to his platform.

"Mr. Manassas?" I asked.

"Hue?"

"Boys we are being pulled toward the dark moon." He announced as he pressed a intercom button. "Dear, Hon Hon I could really use propulsion right now."

"Working on it honey!" Was the only response he received.

"I have telemetry coming in!" Milo announced transferring what he was seeing to the center of the three monitors.

Mr. Manassas glanced at the readings and gasped.

"Not to pressure you dear, but if we don't have propulsion back say in the next few minutes it won't matter.... nothing else will."

"Why do you say that sir?" I asked dumbfoundedly.

*KRASH*

I got my answer as the three of us watched the probe hit the surface of the dark moon.

"Judging by this it has an intense gravity well." Milo said.

"Ok we got it." Panda Lee announced.

Milo and I held our breath and each other as the red tentacled eyeball pressed several buttons on his console before pressing the intercom button.

"I have nothing!"

"Hmm...." Cassia mumbled as the ship got closer and closer to the dark planetoid. "How about now?"

"Still nothing dear."

"And now?!" She echoed back at her mate.

All the while we were approaching the dark moon above the red ring which we realized was sending those damned pulses. Fortunately we would miss that, but still crash into what was the equivalent of the north pole.

"I still don't have propulsion." Hue announced.

He tried to angle their ship away from the dark moon but we were still being pulled in.

"Cassia!" Panda Lee announced.

"Good catch Hon Hon!" Mrs. Manassas said complementing her charge. "Main propulsion is still down, this is the best we can do."

"Just thrusters?!" Hue asked.

"YES!!" Panda Lee and Cassia replied in unison.

"Ok thrusters." Mr. Manassas said performing some quick calculations on his console as Milo and I hugged each other preparing for the worst.

The tentacled eyeball steered the sky ship around the pole toward the moon's red ring in some weird slingshot maneuver and rode the shockwave of the next two pulses that were headed for Chaundoon.

"Will you look at that!" Hue said.

"The pulses hit the planet and radiated in all directions." I said astounded.

"Snacks- you still have the readings our science project recorded?" Hue asked as his mate and their charge returned to the bridge.

"Absolutely." The chubby wolverine replied.

"We miss something?" Panda Lee asked.

"I would say so Hon Hon- the biggest scientific discovery this world has ever seen." Hue replied as we plotted a course for home.

"Sounds like you two are going to be quite busy this evening." Cassia said to the beastial teens.

The big question these planetary scientists had to answer was before them. Was what we witnessed coming from the dark moon causing 'the imbalance' on Chaundoon? And how do they prove that?

To Be Continued....

[MEANWHILE]

April 7th YOE 35

1:22 PM World Three Technology Museum (Counter Earth)

"Wow, this place is beyond amazing! I could spend a couple of days in here!" The cheeky monkey girl exclaimed looking around.

"I know right?" Milo admitted as the group made their way past the security desk.

"Don't get distracted everyone." The hedgehog boy cautioned the panda, wolverine and monkey. "We are here to investigate the disappearance of that student from the school of technology."

"But to what end Arthur?" Panda Lee asked.

"To see how and why she disappeared." The leader of the Ghost Hunters admitted.

"And if it is Master Koala has indeed invented a device that can view other realities?" The wolverine asked.

"The next logical question- what about realms?" The she monkey asked. "We know the metallic sphere can."

"You are trying to figure out if there is anyway to rescue Flo." Pandal Lee asked. "Arthur opening a door, let alone trying to rescue her from the realm of fire and magma is quite dangerous."

"Well I remember what that wolf demon did to Minka and myself." The hedgehog boy said scanning the directory.

"But you still are entertaining the idea?" Milo said pressing him.

"I found his office. This way." He said ignoring the question.

The wolverine, panda and monkey followed the hedgehog boy down a marble corridor to a corner office with a nice oak door.

"So what is the plan?" Panda Lee asked.

"We keep watch, while Milo and Arthur ask him questions." Minka said.

*knock* *knock*

"Yes?" A koala in one piece white with black lab coat replied answering the door.

"Master Koala?"

"Yes?"

"I am Arthur Speedwell and this is my colleague Milo Silver."

"We wanted to meet with you." Milo added.

"Oh yes you are with that group that investigates things that go bump in the night."

"Groups actually and it's things that go GWAAAAR!!!! in the night especially around 2 AM." The chubby wolverine boy said correcting the scientist.

"Yes, I have been avoiding you. I mean, I have been rather quite busy." He said back peddling.

"Why? It will only take a moment of your time." Milo said smiling.

"Fine but only a moment. Come in and have a seat."

The hedgehog and wolverine followed the koala into his office sitting down on two oval shaped chairs on the opposite side of a oval shaped mahogany desk.

"Small, office but in a cosy type of way." Milo commented.

"What can I do for you boys?"

"You gave a presentation here at the museum a few weeks back can you tell us about it?" The leader of the Ghost Hunters said making himself comfortable.

"I was demonstrating my latest invention- a machine that can allow the user to peer into alternate realities. I also gave a presentation to some students from the School of Technological Sciences." Master Koala said.

"Fascinating. How many realities have you been able to view?" The wolverine boy asked.

"A little over a hundred but I am still in the process of cataloging them all."

"Have you given any other presentations since?" The hedgehog boy asked.

"No."

"Why is that?" Arthur said following up.

"Like I said, I have been rather busy..." The koala scientist said growing annoyed at the continuous line of questioning.

"That wouldn't happen to be because one of the visiting students proved that the device could be used to move through realities?" The leader of the Alien Hunters asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about." The scientist lied.

"Wasn't it true that after the presentation you met with three students including one Naomi Good who in front of two witnesses escaped her subjugated live here on Counter Earth?" Arthur asked following up.

"And you have been to trying to see if she survived the journey and to determine her whereabouts- because she became an inadvertent test subject?" Milo said also following up.

"Alright meeting is over! Please leave!" Master Koala said becoming quite agitated.

"It is a cover up Arthur." The wolverine teen concluded.

"I figured as much Milo, well Master Koala I hope you are successful." The hedgehog teen said.

"Yes what you have here could change what we know about the universe forever." Arthur said as he stood up from his seat.

Milo started to join him when Panda Lee and Mika burst into the office.

"Guys- you are not going to believe this!" Panda Lee shouted.

"The sphere... it found Naomi Good!" The monkey girl shouted.

"Sphere what is this sphere?" The koala asked.

"A tool we sometimes use in our investigations." Arthur said as Mika presented it and its holographic image for everyone to see.

"What are we looking at?" The koala scientist asked.

"It is some type of village- look at the wooden huts!" Mika said.

The group watched what appeared to be feline residents going about their activities as evening turned to night. There were adults cooking, eating, singing and tending to young.

All of them were naked. Well they did wear necklaces of teeth and bones and some even had paint on the their bodies. Very tribal.

"Where are their clothes?" Panda Lee said blushing.

"It appears to be some sort of primitive society." Master Koala observed.

"Or the climate discourages clothing." Arthur replied as a brunette freckled teen limped into frame. She was wearing a white loincloth around her waist and what looked like a white bikini top and her left elbow was bandaged.

The five of them watched as the teen limped toward the largest hut in the village- inside she discovered a husky looking feline female, big hips, wide butt, E-sized breasts, brown eyes, who wore a pink flower in her dark hair lying on the floor her eyes glazed over, drool coming out of her mouth like she was suffering from a drug overdose of some sort.

"Annette!" Naomi limped over to her fellow slave.

"Where have you been wench?" A another nude feline asked stepping into frame.

"Trying to regain some mobility."

"Well if you can move, you can work." The warrior replied.

"What is wrong with Annette?!" Naomi said side stepping the question.

The leader of the tribe joined the adolescent human girl who had knelt by her friend's side.

"She appears to be soggy, but satisfied." The warrior who looked like a cross between a tiger, lion, panther and leopard replied.

Naomi glanced down at Annette's groin to see a puddle of white goo trickling out of her cub tunnel. The teen breathed a sigh of relief realizing her friend and fellow slave had only been yiffed- a lot.

"However, I am not." The feline warrior said placing both his paws on his human possession.

Namoi turned and dropped to one knee in reverence to her keeper.

"Master I... I.... know that today has not been good with us losing some of our territory to neighboring prides... and you could use a good distraction."

The savage placed a paw finger under her chin to make her stare him in the eyes. He had that toothy wicked grin on his face which Naomi knew he was plotting something....

Naomi looked at his swelling sheath and figured what it was. She started backing up.

"After such a trying day you would probably prefer to rest up and prepare for tomorrow."

He matched her step for step like a hungry animal stalking their prey. Catching her in the corner of the hut he made her drop to her knees.

"Wrong." He replied taking her hands. He reached for a small jug of what looked to be some type of lubricant. He then placed two drops on the palm of Naomi's hands rubbed them together and then guided them over to his sheath.

"But Master Saber!" Naomi protested.

"Say what you mean to say wench."

_"You are too BIG! I will be split into two!" _

The warrior looked at the teen's mouth, then his genitals then at the teen's groin. He spread her labia wide with two paw fingers before sticking another paw-finger in her vaginal opening, then a second. His slave girl was correct.

Without missing a beat he laid Naomi on the floor of the hut. He removed her top and then her loincloth.

"As usual girl you are over dressed." He then brought over a tan sheet, lifted both her arms and placed it over her abdomen, and legs. "Now bring your paws together... make a circle."

Naomi did as her master ordered. He moved her hands down to her waist just below her groin.

"Keep still." He said as he planted his arms on either side planking her with his body.

Very gently the savage lowered himself onto her. Being careful not to crush his comfort woman. He then docked his sheath within the faux vagina she had made and started humping Naomi's hands.

Her master's musk was quite strong that afternoon she thought to herself as she saw the rippled muscles of that feline beefcake moving as one to hump her hands. Master Saber was a magnificent specimen of his species.

Naomi felt something come out of the sheath- it was mostly smooth but its tip had barbs. It then started to pulsate!

The feline warrior snarled loudly a second later....

*SPLOSH*

And it continued for a good ten to fifteen seconds while the teen was ravaged by the savage. After that there was ragged breathing from her master as he continued to ride out his massive high.

Naomi looked down at the sheet it now resembled a used towel completely damp- covered in the S'mar warrior's semen.

Saber wiped his penis on the sheet, tossed it to the side and gently rested on his slave.

"Soggy yet satisfying." Naomi replied watching his penis retreat into its sheath.

"Soggy yet satisfying." He echoed licking the girl on her forehead.

The two eyed each other in the moment before their mouths met and they kissed.

The feline's whiskered tickling her cheeks.

"You will start conditioning training tomorrow."

"Master?"

"I want you to be able to fully accommodate me before you finish maturing." The savage warrior said rubbing the girl's check with his.

"Master Saber I don't quite understand."

"You will be my penis' sheath."

_"Um, then what does that make Annette?" _ The slave girl asked.

"My penis warmer." Was the feline warrior's answer.

The teen looked at her co-slave still out cold on the floor of the hut after she was screwed stupid by the master. She realized the savage warrior intended to do the same to her with the intention of remaining inside of her after they had mated.

"Oh, and I will allow you one article of clothing either top-wear or bottom-wear but not both." The savage said as he started licking his wench with that raspy feline tongue of his.

Naomi moaned as he moved from the area which would become her cleavage to the nipples on her breasts.

"Yes *oh* master."

With that the image on the sphere faded leaving the koala, wolverine, hedgehog and panda in shock and the monkey thinking about the savage warrior's well shaped muscular butt.

"NAH! She is doing just fine!!" Minka smiled.

2:13 PM Lea's Apartment, Wundagore Castle.....

"This is Zeke Zebra at a unannounced location where the empire has built a tracker tracer system to replace the system that was destroyed weeks ago. They are seconds from throwing the switch which would once again allow the empire to know the locations of second class citizens. Unlike the previous system, the results to the queries are instantaneous and accuracy is within fifty feet. Whoa there is the signal! 3... 2... 1... and we have activation!"

There was thunderous cheers and applause from the beastials attending the event.

"And just like that it looks like things are back to normal." I said to the beautiful lioness.

(It looks like the new resistance got this one wrong.)

"The latest welts from your session with Sir Ram are fully healed." My healer said to me lowering her regeneration device.

"Good. That last go round left me so sore."

"Like I said, the physical wounds has been taken care of. But I am wondering about the emotional." She said handing me my shirt back.

"I am wondering how much longer my sessions will go on. I mean it has been months!"

"But you were in lock up for over a year." Lea countered. "And the high master was really mad at you."

"Lea, be truthful- is there any chance that things can go back to the way they were?" I asked looking up at her.

The beautiful lioness took a minute to compose herself. "I would suspect that you will be on probation indefinitely Alex."

(OUCH.)

"You were labeled a pre-rebel after all."

(DOUBLE OUCH.)

"Which means?" I asked her.

"The stigma of that is going to stick; it will always be with you. Digging deeper, it means that you will always have the potential to go to the other side."

"I see." I said dejected. "That explains it."

"Explains what Alex?"

"Since my release I noticed that you, Sorren, Tauren and Lurie look at me differently as if I am some type of traitor to the beastial cause."

"I do?"

"Yeah." I replied.

"You mean despite all you have done for the empire and myself, we have a lingering, tickle of a thought that you could switch sides." She said making a menacing face.

I nodded.

"You read too much into things." She replied punching me in the shoulder. "So you only showed up to have your wounds healed?"

"Sir Ram canceled the rest of my session today, so I thought I would catch up with you."

"He and the rest of the knight core are anxious to start hunting down miscreants again." Lea announced.

"How are you and Lian doing?" I asked changing the subject.

"Lian and I going to the entertainment district this evening."

"So you stopped being mad at him?"

"Yes, Alex- I forgave him. I realized despite my misgivings, he was only trying to help those in need."

"So you two kissed and made up?"

"Yes." The sexy lioness said blushing.

(To be a fly on the wall to see that!!)

"We were thinking about eating at the World's Finest Restaurant." The lioness said.

"Really, what's its name?"

"Alex don't start."

"Oh so you heard that one eh? It is a great restaurant Lea. Sorren, Tauren, Lurie and I ate there a few years back. The food was divine." I said staring into her green eyes as an audible tone sounded off.

I looked at the monitor it was an incoming message from a female brown bear.

"Greetings Lea, is Alex there?"

There was this awkward silence.

"I am showing that he is located in apartment 33 section 4A of Wundergore Castle and not where he is supposed to be." She said rather sternly.

*GULP*

"Hi mistress, what's up?" I squeaked.

"I was checking up on you. Why are you there?" The female brown bear asked.

"Um, about that- my session with Sir Ram ended early so I was left with a some free time...."

"Alex when you are not in sessions with Sir Ram you are to remain in the lair. Is that understood?!"

(!!!)

"Yes mistress." I said bowing at the hub monitor.

"Now get. We will talk about this later."

I looked at Lea as my warrior bear's image disappeared from the monitor.

"Geez, I should have anticipated this."

"Apparently the tracking system works very well." Lea said.

"And my short leash has become even shorter." I replied hugging the hot lioness. "Enjoy your night out."

With the tracker/tracer system re-established it looks like things were back to normal. The empire could place humanity back under its thumb while watching out for all that would threaten its existence.

3:22 PM The Bear's Lair....

And so I returned home dreadful that I was going to get an earful from my overseer. As I entered the great room there was a live message on the hub monitor in front of the sectional.

(It is probably an alert about that news report.)

Afternoon Mr. Winter. How is your day progressing?

"About as well as to be expected. You were wrong about the tracker- tracers." I said out loud to the scrolling text.

Oh yes the new tracking system that just went online. We were just delaying for a dramatic effect. One moment please.... There.

"What did you just do?" I gasped.

Took the beastials hope for stability and security and shattered it. Now, let's talk about yours. As I stated before, you are still hoping beyond hope that the prominence you once held will return again. Assuredly it will not.

"And how do you know that?" I asked.

Because you will never be fully redeemed by the beastials; you committed an act that can never be fully forgiven. Weren't you listening to that lion woman? We were.

(DAMN....)

"But that was just a one time lapse in judgement!"

And what did you receive for that Mr. Winter? A year in lockup and humiliating, belittling conditioning reprogramming therapy sessions which you hope will eventually end but in reality never will. The life you had Mr. Winter is over.

"YOU ARE WRONG!!" I shouted at the scrolling text on the monitor. "WRONG ABOUT ME AND THIS NEW REBELLION!"

Are we Mr. Winter?

"We will see about that whoever you are." I pouted.

The text faded into a special report from the hub news service.

"I am receiving some new information. It looks the tracker/tracer system is offline. Technicians are trying to find the source of the problem as we speak...." The zebra reporter replied.

The reality shock started to set in. Could that individual be right?

To Be Continued....