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Counter Earth Chronicles

Chapter 83: On The Wrong Side Of A One Sided Massacre (A Grim Present And A Darker Future Part Four)

Day 271 (continued)

*POMF*

"SIR RAM WHAT DID YOU DO?" I screamed as we dropped from the event horizon the black PDA created. Sir Ram landed face down and I crosswise on the bighorn sheep's butt. We looked like a big addition sign.

"I, I was just flipping through the menus!" He bleated as he pressed another button.

*FUOOM*

The underground cavern we landed in disappeared when the evil beastial touched the black PDA- again.

*POMF*

We again fell from the event horizon the black PDA created landing in a grass field. This time Sir Ram was on his back. I was on his torso like we had just been snuggling.

"YOU DID IT AGAIN!" I shouted.

"Boy I assured you I did not engage anything!" The ram protested.

"And because of you not engaging anything we just got hosed! Be careful! That technology is very very sensitive!" I said examining our surroundings.

Sir Ram gently backed out of the menus and sub menus he had been scanning through when he did it again.

*POOF*

The grass field disappeared as we again fell out of the event horizon. Sir Ram landed on his back again and I landed on his torso cross-wise; his face dangerously close to my butt.

"Do not touch that thing again." I ordered him.

"I am starting to understand how your head came to land on our meeting table back in January."

"When using devices like this- you have no control where you land. You just do." I said as I crawled off him.

"Anyway, professor Way seems to be more competent than the one from your world." He said I helped him stand up.

"I don't think so. MY nutty professor's devices no matter how flawed, only worked when you ordered them to work. Not inadvertently when you were just flipping around menus and don't forget professor Way's magnificent elevator that stranded me and two friends of mine 118 years in the past." I spouted off as Sir Ram started looking around.

We landed in an alley between two buildings with clotheslines overhead where laundry was drying.

"Where on Counter Earth is this?" The he beast said looking at the black PDA.

"I am not sure- it depends on what that device is. It could be a transporter device like mine, it could be a time device or it could be dimension device. Until we figure out what it is and what it does, I would recommend you protect that damn thing with your life."

"There is also another problem boy, our jumping depleted two thirds of the device's power." The evil beastial said as he put the device in his uniform pocket.

"I didn't need this, all I wanted to do is go home and sleep after a long day at the office was that too much to ask?!"

"Shush boy." Sir Ram said to me.

"What do you hear?"

"Laser fire. That way!"

!!!

"I don't hear, it- but I do sense it. Danger Sir Ram."

It was on the adjacent street at the far end of the alley that we heard it. A large commotion and a lot of screaming.

*ZZITT* *ZZITT* *ZZITT*

Sir Ram and I ran to the end of the alley and looked out onto the street. We saw twenty or so beastials various species, shapes and sizes, and all walks of life running, for their lives.

Sir Ram reached out and pulled a male caprine who was running by into the alley.

"What is the problem citizen?" The Knight of Wundagore asked.

"Run for your lives!" He screamed the eradication squads are coming!"

"The what the what now?" I asked walking up to him.

The caprine just about wet his pants when he saw me.

"Hey, hey it's alright I am a friend." I said placing my hand on his shoulder. He just about lost it at that point.

"Humans aren't our friends!" He said to me.

"Alex!" Sir Ram said.

The three of watched what was transpiring on the street in front of us- more beastials ran by the alley we were standing in- behind them were six humans with laser weapons. They looked like rebels save for their green button down uniforms- very formal looking.

(Since when did rebels look like that?)

"Run, run you fuzzies! It is hunting season!!" A blond haired woman yelled at a terrified rottweiler.

"Your reign is over and Counter Earth is ours at last!!" A blond haired man said running next to her.

The two of them took aim at the terrified beastial and fired. The beastial made a horrific wine as he fell to the ground.

(What the hell?)

Then it happened again. Before our eyes we saw four of the other 'rebels' hunt down and kill five more beastials.

I looked at Sir Ram, he looked at me and we looked at the terrified caprine.

"How long has this been happening?" I asked him.

"Since the High Evolutionary was overthrown and your kind took over."

It looked like we were still on Counter Earth but the question was it OUR Counter Earth?

"Filthy stinking humans!" The senior knight grumbled as he grabbed his service weapon.

"Sir Ram wait! We don't know what is going on here!" I said as he stepped out from the alley into the street to try to stop the slaughter.

"I seen all that I need to see boy!" He said drawing his fire arm.

(DAMN IT!)

"Stay here." He ordered the caprine and me. "We are going to have a big discussion when this is over."

Sir Ram fired his laser weapon hitting three of the rebels square in their chests killing them. It was safe to say the Knight of Wundagore was more than just pissed off at what he had just seen- he wasn't using any of the nonlethal settings.

As he did, he gained attention from the three rebels that had gone by our location previously. They turned around and started running back toward him firing.

"You will pay for that abomination!" Another man said as he made his way toward the beastial knight. He was followed by two others.

The caprine and I watched as the three converged on Sir Ram. The three shot at the beastial knight all hitting his uniform square in the torso and chest. The uniform deflected the laser blasts as the knight retaliated.

Two of the three received laser blasts to the head, neck and chest for trying to kill the beastial warrior. One's head exploded and another gripped their chest as they bled out before falling to the ground.

The last remaining 'rebel' saw what had happened to his friends, turned and called for more reinforcements. Before he too was shot by the big horned sheep.

"Stinking rebel filth!" The beastial knight hissed.

No sooner had the knight killed the rebels, more converged on his location overwhelming him.

(OH NO!)

"Well, if it isn't a knight from the former empire! So that is why he didn't go down like the others!" Another of the rebels in a green uniform said. "Get him. He can't shoot all of us!"

Sir Ram tried but, the rebel was right. He was knocked to the ground, pummeled and then carried off.

"Take him! He will make a nice gift for Lord Neo!"

(DAMN IT.)

"Do you know where they are taking him?" I said turning my attention to the caprine who was shaking in the corner of the alley.

I gently placed my hands on his paws.

"No, stop! Go away!"

"Easy, easy. I am a friend remember? How do I make you realize that I mean you no harm?"

I decided to hug the terrified caprine.

"What, what are you doing?!" He screamed.

"Trying to make you realize, I am not your enemy. My name is Alex. The beastial I was traveling with was Sir Ram, my colleague who is now in trouble."

"As in a knight from the knight core?!"

"The same. What is your name?" I asked.

"Samus. Sir Ram is an actual knight?!"

"Yes. Now a knight that needs our help." I said to him.

"The resistance took care of them years ago."

"Wait, let's start at the beginning." I said to him. "When did hunting beastials become a sport on this world?"

"Where have you been the last six months?" Samus asked.

"We are not from around here." I responded quickly.

"There have been a series of catastrophes that stretched the knight core to the bone. It allowed the resistance to win and for them to expel The High Evolutionary from Counter Earth."

(Just Great!)

"What year is this?" I asked the terrified beastial.

"YOE 65." Samus answered candidly. "The new ruler Lord Neo has said that this planet, his planet is for humans and humans alone. He and his forces have been hunting down all of the remaining beastials- in his reign of terror.

(Well that answers one question we were sent to the future. But are we in the right reality or some alternate?)

I decided to question my guest.

"Samus, what year did the High Evolutionary come to power?"

"Sixty-five years ago." The caprine answered.

"How many cities were in the empire?"

"Five." Samus answered.

(Seems to be the right reality.)

"Most importantly, how did the rebels overthrow the dictator? You mentioned that there were some catastrophes that befell Counter Earth that sapped the empire's resources allowing the rebellion to win." I started to say. "What were they?"

As the caprine started to answer we were interrupted.

!!!

"Get down!" I yelled as laser fire erupted into the alley.

It was more rebels looking for beastials to hunt. Which gave me an idea.

"Hey what are you doing! This one is mine you morons!" I yelled. "I am taking him to Lord Neo!"

"Why?" A copper skin female in a green uniform asked.

"I heard he is looking for trophies to mount on his wall."

"Why you!" Samus cursed.

"Samus, you are going to have to trust me. This situation is similar to another I was in while assisting the knights. I am going to try to rescue Sir Ram, but I need a way to gain entrance to where Lord Neo is where ever that maybe."

And so I took Samus hostage. I escorted him under the rebels' direction out of the alley into a tent several miles away. Inside that tent I met Neo, a freckled blond hair man standing about 5' 9" with intense green eyes. He looked to be in his fifties, he was also in a green uniform surrounded by some more rebels- his minions.

"Lord Neo?" I said addressing him.

"Yes what is it?"

"I captured this beastial in one of the back alleys."

"So? Why didn't you kill him on the spot?"

"He claimed he had some information on the Knights of Wundagore."

"Good catch. What is your name boy?"

"Alex Winter."

"Well thank you Mr. Winter for doing your part. We need to extirpate this filth from our world." The new ruler of Counter Earth said spitting on something to his right.

Samus and I looked and saw Sir Ram on his paws and knees! The Sir Ram I knew would never bow down to any authority save for the High Evolutionary. Was it some sort of mind control?

"Wait, you are the Alexander Winter who was with the Liberate Counter Earth Now movement?"

"Ah yeah, that was a long time ago."

"I remember hearing about you. I understand that this piece of filth slaughtered your group and then tortured you for a time."

(Ok, we were definitely in the right reality.)

"Yeah that is right."

"Well today you will receive your revenge." The freckled green eyed leader said to me.

"Odd, he looks young for his age." One of Neo's thugs said.

"It was a side effect from one of his experiments- eternal youth. I am actually in my fifties. Anyway, what are you going to do to these two?" I asked Lord Neo.

"I am going to have these two beat themselves senseless for our entertainment!" The man said lifting his arms.

"Alex..." Samus started to say before he suddenly became very quiet.

Sir Ram stood up and walked toward Samus with a blank stare on his face.

(Wait, I have seen that look before...)

It dawned on me Lord Neo, and Neo were one in the same. The blond hair rebel thug who was now leading Counter Earth was the same one who was responsible for the mass murder at Counter Earth Cosmetics- I was positive. That piece of filth some how figured out how to manipulate beastials. He most likely used that ability to hide from the knights! While he evaded detection, he must have increased his power over the last 34 years to the point where he crippled the empire and the rebels won!

I looked up to see Sir Ram and Samus punching and kicking each other- to the face, stomach, groin. No doubt both were well aware of what was happening but powerless to do anything about it.

It was at that point that the black PDA flew out of Sir Ram's uniform pocket as Samus gave the beastial a nasty right cross. Talk about dumb luck. I managed to pick it up without anyone noticing while another of the rebels had tossed Sir Ram his service weapon.

"Let's finish this shall we?" Lord Neo said raising his arm.

!!!

As he did the beastial knight raised his and shot Samus in his knee and then the chest.

(No!!)

"Good beastial now end yourself!" Lord Neo ordered.

This was not happening! I quickly opened the black PDA and frantically started pressing buttons. Any buttons. We needed to leave this place NOW!

*ZAP*

*POMF*

The rebels and the room faded as if they were a bad dream.

The three of us fell out of the black PDA's event horizon landing what appeared to be a alley in what looked like a underground cavern. The buildings around us appeared to be made of mud and brick.

*OOF*

"You ok boy?" The big horned sheep asked. He had landed on me and Samus on him.

"I am fine. Are you back to yourself?"

"The minute we got away from that bastard, I was back in control of my body." The evil beastial said.

"Wow, it looks like those rebels really used you for target practice." I said the ram warrior as he stood up.

Sir Ram looked down at his uniform.

"They were good shots. If I hadn't been wearing this..."

"They would be having skewered ram right now." I looked over to my right- Samus was not so lucky; the terrified caprine was bleeding out. "Samus!"

"Alex, Sir Ram...." The caprine wheezed. "I can't breathe."

Sir Ram knelt by our fallen friend and tried to do what he could- but we didn't have what we needed to save his life. He died in front of us.

(Damn it.)

"He didn't deserve to die like that. None of those beastials that were shot did." I said disgusted. "So where are we?"

"Some place underground. I think we should hide first while we try to figure out when we are and how to get back home."

We scanned the alley we found ourselves in. There was a door off to our right. I tried it. Success! It was unlocked.

The door opened into what looked like a one room apartment. There was a dirt floor, table, couch, a sink, closet and that was about it.

"Quite primitive- none of the amenities of that we have come to know and love." I said noticing that there wasn't a view screen for the hub.

Sir Ram picked up Samus' body and placed it on the couch. He then sat down at the table and studied the PDA intently.

"We just jumped ahead about two hundred years into the future." He said studying the display. Did you plan on doing that?!" He asked me.

"My plan was to get us out of the horrid place and situation we were in." I said as I rummaged through the closet looking for a sheet to place over Samus.

"So we left 65 YOE where the High Evolutionary had been overthrown and beastials were being hunted to land in 260 YOE where?" I said.

"It looks like civilization has taken a several giant steps backwards boy." Sir Ram said studying the room.

"That is very nice. When can we leave?" I asked.

"We won't be doing that either. This jump exhausted the power supply." Sir Ram said looking at the display. While I faced palmed.

"I hope it isn't the same stuff that powered the transporter on my PDA. You said that it didn't exist on Counter Earth."

"Let's see." The he beast said opening the back of the device. "Hmm."

"Well?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"Sir Ram you are one of the brightest minds on the planet! You don't know?"

"It is going to take some time to figure out boy. It would go much faster if I had access to my lab."

"So for the time we are stuck here." I said dejected.

The evil beastial nodded as the door to the apartment opened.

Sir Ram and I scrambled for cover, but in a one room apartment where does one hide?

"Who are you!" A startled human male said as he walked in on us.

"Who are you!" Sir Ram said turning to the brown haired man who was dressed in a brown robe wearing sandals.

"I asked you first!"

"We are travelers from far away and we are a bit lost." I said as I approached the startled home owner with my arms raised. "It's ok. We mean you no harm."

"As long as you mean us no harm." Sir Ram said motioning to his service weapon.

"Is that, is that a beastial?!" The human said looking over the surprised big horn sheep. "I like the blue uniform, the shoulder pad and the red cape. But how is this possible? Fuzzies have been extinct for more 150 years!"

"Fuzzies?" Sir Ram and I said in unison.

"We require information human!" The beastial warrior said picking up our house guest and dropping him into the chair at the table.

"Yes ok. But you have to tell me how is it you exist?!" He said to Sir Ram.

"Give a little, get a little." I said.

"Pet, we don't have time for this! We need to know what he is telling us is factual and not lies." Sir Ram said pulling his service weapon. He adjusted the setting an paralyzed our 'host' where he sat. The beastial warrior then adjusted the settings again and then fired. A golden halo surrounded the man.

"Uh, what did you do to me?"

"It's ok. Sir Ram and I have been through a lot today and he is a bit jumpy; it is for our protection and yours."

"I don't understand." The man babbled.

"What my charge is saying human is that we can't read your heart to find out if you mean us any ill will. So I immobilized you and then shot you with a truth ray. Now every thing that comes out of your mouth will be the truth. No lies or misdirection. It is easier that way."

"I understand sir." The man said.

Sir Ram held the man's chin- forcing him to look at the big horned sheep in the eyes.

"Anyway. I am Alex and the fuzzy over there is Sir Ram an Knight of Wundagore in service to the High Evolutionary and you are?"

"Oliver Shy."

Instinctively Sir Ram pulled out his scanner expecting to scan the man's tracking chip in order to find out more about him.

"I think we are in the wrong century for that." I said.

"Right." The evil beastial said putting the scanner away. "How old are you Mr. Shy?"

"Thirty-nine."

"Where are we?" The beastial warrior asked.

"You are in World 19."

"It appears that we are underground." I said to the man. "Where is World 19 exactly?"

"We are underground near the remains of one of the core cities."

"Core cities?" I asked.

"Yes Worlds One through Five." Mr. Shy said.

"Ah so it looks like the High Evolutionary did expand his empire." Sir Ram said.

"Ah no sir. The High Evolutionary was defeated over two hundred years ago. He was driven from the planet by the resistance and the fuzzies that didn't leave with him were hunted to extinction shortly there after."

"That was what we just witnessed in YOE 65." I interjected.

"The resistance took over there after and has run things until the cataclysm happened which ended their rule. The remainder of populace fled all over the continent building different civilizations. World Nineteen was built underground due to the hostile weather here in this region."

"What was the nature of the cataclysm that ended the resistance rule?" Sir Ram asked starring at the man.

"I don't know for sure- tidal-waves, tornadoes, Counter Earthquakes, that was over one hundred seventy years ago." Mr. Shy said to us.

"So after the cataclysm the survivors moved westward building new cities and civilizations. So the empire has fractured and humans are in control now."

"Mr. Alex there is no empire, that ended with the fuzzies."

"Beastials human, we were called beastials." Sir Ram interjected.

"Now please tell me who are you?" The man asked us.

"We are from 234 years ago in your past. We accidentally traveled to this time and are now trying to find our way back." I said to Oliver.

"Anyway I can help?"

"Actually you can. I need access to a lab some where I can repair our machine." Sir Ram said looking at the human.

"I am sorry sir there is nothing like that around here."

"What about a library?" I asked.

He shook his head no.

"A museum?"

"No."

"What about a university?"

"No."

"Wow, nice time period." I said to him

"Humanity has been on the decline." Mr. Shy said.

"Why is that?" Sir Ram asked.

"There are wars that have been taking place between World 19, World 10 and World 14."

"How long has this been happening?" I asked scared to know the answer.

"About twelve years."

"Lather rinse repeat." I said disgusted.

With the High Evolutionary gone Counter Earth reverted back to the state it was in before the dictator and beastials. Humans fighting against humans probably over territory, money or resources. As a result the rest of the populace was suffering. I had seen that time and time again- on my world and when I was stranded in the past with Cody and Primrose. That was why World Nineteen resembled Gaia only much worse if there was sort of thing.

"I think we have been going about this the wrong way." Sir Ram said. "Who is in power here human?"

"That would be Edo He founded this civilization and rules it with an iron fist."

"Then it is him that we need to see." Sir Ram said as he started looking around the apartment. "Where is he located?"

"The center of the city. The large building." The human responded.

"We are going there next."

"Sir Ram?" Mr. Shy said.

"You will be able to move when the ray wears off- eventually." The ram snickered. "Until then sit there and be quiet, we will return."

"You are coming back?"

"Yes- we have to take care of a friend that came with us but didn't make it. He is on your couch."

Sir Ram put on one large hooded robe that he found in Mr. Shy's closet and headed out the door. I did the same and followed.

"So what is the plan?"

"We go to the ruler's compound, palace, fortress or whatever it is. I am wagering that person will have the most resources here in this archaic place. If he is a least is half as powerful as the dictator- he would have minions working for him, which means labs boy."

"I see, so you can fix the PDA and we can get out of here." I said following him.

We left the alley and continued toward the center of the city. As we walked we observed first hand exactly how far human civilization had fallen; the alley turned into a street. The street was not even paved it was a dirt road lined with mud and brick buildings!

Sir Ram and I observed the same thing street after street block after block. As we got close to the center of the city we encountered a bazaar on the grounds of the ruler's compound.

"Sirs may I interest you in some fruits or vegetables?" A disheveled woman on dilapidated cart called out to us.

"Not in the least human!" Sir Ram said looking at her shriveled up inventory.

"What are you?!" She asked staring the evil beastial in the face.

"Him? Oh someone that is suffering from a rare skin disorder- it makes him look like an animal."

"Oh!" The woman said. "Sorry about that."

Sir Ram started to say something and stopped- he was speechless. I on the other hand was snickering.

"What is with you boy?"

"I am just enjoying the turn of events. Back in our time I am a minority surrounded by Beastials. Here 234 years in the future you are a minority surrounded by humans. I would even go as far to say an endangered species!"

"Yes, yes very amusing." The ram said as we continued to walk through the street vendors looking at their various wares, food, clothing, jewelry, and the occasional knick-knack. None of which could serve our purpose.

Soon we arrived at the compound a four level square mud brick building two city blocks long and as tall as the underground cavern. Very uninspiring there was an street level entrance at all four sides. But what was more amazing was that the guards wore helmets and were holding spears!

I looked at the evil beastial and he at me. Talk about low tech!

Sir Ram pulled out his service weapon set it to the oblivion setting, aimed and fired at a guard. I checked to make sure no one was looking.

We walked around the guard and into the building as he tried to regain his bearings.

The interior of the structure was not much better mud floors, paintings and tapestries lined the hallways.

"Now that we are in where too?" I asked Sir Ram.

He said nothing but pushed me into a open doorway as we hid from a guard walking by. I noted they were dressed in primitive armor carrying swords and spears.

"So how do we find the equivalent of research and development here?" I asked looking around the room."

It looked like we were in some sort of record archive scrolls and books lined the shelves, neatly organized.

"Sir Ram keep watch." I said skimming the contents.

"What are you looking for?"

"Found it! Blue prints of this structure and a few books of interest."

"What kinds of books?"

"History books, they appear to be quite old too."

The ram analyzed the blue prints and determined the labs were below the structure. Discreetly we made our way into the basement trying to avoid any more patrols and possible confrontations. Sir Ram's uniform was looking a little worse for wear.

"These are labs?" The ram said looking around at a counter, chairs and some beakers with strange fluids in them. "I have more sophisticated equipment in my lair!"

"Well if you want to make your date with Mara do the best that you can."

"And you boy?"

"I am going to catch up on the last two hundred thirty four years."

So while Sir Ram worked, I read. It was amazing that after all that time, English was still a spoken on this world.

Sir Ram worked for an hour with the primitive devices in the 'lab'. I was also dealing with my own low tech research methods. I definitely missed the sophisticated systems from our time period. In the Remembrance Museum all I had to do was asked the AI systems there for information and it was provided. Here I had to physically search for it.

It turns out the books were kept by a group of historians who documented much of the time period as possible starting with the fall of the empire.

"Oh my gosh."

"Find something boy?" The ram said to me condescendingly.

"According to this the High Evolutionary was brought down by the resistance in YOE 65. They were aided by someone called Neo. Sound familiar?"

"Go on." The he beast said.

"Details are sketchy, but it says the individual could hypnotize swaths of the beastial population causing them to kill themselves- like walking off of buildings. The knights were unable to ever find out the identity of this person or to stop him. Soon this individual started killing beastials- knights included. The beastial population declined to the point that they became a minority."

"That was when the dissidents, separatists and rebels won?" The ram said looking at me.

"The dictator was driven from Counter Earth and the humans were once again in charge of the planet. They took control of Worlds One through Five and hunted down the remaining beastials starting in YOE 65. It says here that the five cities were destroyed by some sort of cataclysm thirty years later in YOE 95 which collapsed the government and caused the remaining populace to flee.Those sites are now off limits. Much of the technology was lost during that time. It sounds like they left in a big hurry."

"So new civilizations were built as the humans spread out." The he beast said.

"Yes, over the next hundred or so years Worlds Six through Twenty were established and run by different rulers. Mini city states that governed themselves and eventually fought amongst themselves."

"Well the end result is this the level of techno-sophistication has fallen backward to something short of the bronze age?"

"Wow." I said. "How are you making out?"

"I am not. As far as I can tell what powers this device is not just one component but a combination of components which produces a lot of power. What it is I don't know." The Ram said. "If I could only access my labs- any of my labs..."

"I got news for you Sir Ram. According to what I read, we are beneath one of the core cities- World One. There is supposed to be some stairway leading to the surface."

The beastial knight looked at the map again.

"I think I can find it boy." He said to me.

It took a lot of sneaking around, but we eventually did find the forgotten stairwell to the surface. We carefully climbed the staircase above the cavern and World 19- which took a good fifteen minutes. We arrived a locked door which Sir Ram promptly took care off.

As the door fell to the ground, we stepped out to look around. This was definitely not YOE 031. The documents I had read were right on. The surface had been scarred and World One had been destroyed- rubble and hollowed out structures as far as the eye could see.

To Be Continued....