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Counter Earth Chronicles

Chapter 5: Absence of Justice

Day 3 continued

After Tauren's departure I spent the rest of the morning sorting out my feelings and reflecting on what had happened. In reality, there wasn't much to sort out. The humans on my world destroyed it through constant warfare, bringing death and misery to all. Some how I escaped all that and wound up stranded on this twisted alternate version of my world.

As the morning wore on I started exploring the other functions of the PDA. In doing so I found a subsection on tests and atmospheric measurements that the professor had probably wanted me to perform when I arrived on G2. Since I didn't have anything else better to do, I performed them right there in my cell. The findings were quite compelling- the atmosphere was composed of 21% oxygen 78% nitrogen and 1% trace elements, the temperature in my cell was 21 degrees Celsius. Gaia's atmosphere had once been like that a long time ago.

I also found a folder of tests and findings from Gaia that were taken yesterday- most likely during my failed return attempt. I checked the findings and discovered what Sir Ram had said was indeed the truth- the atmosphere measured 65% carbon dioxide, 5% nitrogen, 29% sulfuric acid and 1% trace amounts including oxygen. The temperature was 99 degrees Celsius!

"Humanity did mess up that world after my departure." I muttered to myself as I lowered the PDA from my view. No sooner had I dropped my gaze I noticed a figure, an ursine starring at me from my cell window. "Ursa?!"

"That is Lady Ursa to you little human." She replied in a hoarse voice- apparently her cold had gotten worse over the last several days.

"What are you doing here?"

"I owed Tauren a favor. He decided that I could repay it looking after you today." The she beast responded as she lowered the glass wall and stepped into to my cell. "What have you been up to this morning, little human?"

"Mostly feeling sorry for myself and this predicament I am in." I responded.

"Yes, yes life can be quite cruel." The ursine warrior responded simply.

"Thank you for your indifference." I retorted.

"THE PRISONER WOULD DO WELL TO REMEMBER HIS PLACE!!! IT WOULD BE MUCH HEALTHIER FOR HIM IN THE LONG RUN!!!" Lady Ursa retorted back.

(Whoa!)

"You're right my lady I was out of line, I am sorry." I said looking her straight in the eye. That was my second mistake.

"Do you challenge me human?!" The ursine warrior yelled looking quite ferocious.

At this point I rose from my bed and started stepping backward toward the wall of my cell failing over and landing on my back. In an instant she was on top of me growling.

"Uh, what did I do?" I asked.

"You looked me right in the eye- to do so is to directly challenge a Knight of Wundagore!"

Hearing that I cowered under the weight of her paw. "Please forgive me my lady," I pleaded. "I am quite ignorant of your customs and traditions on this world. I humbly ask that you would please forgive my transgression. I meant no disrespect."

Lady Ursa continued to growl at me for a moment. I continued to cower. She at last asked, "Are you my enemy Alex?"

"Huh?" I asked.

"Are you my enemy?" She asked again.

"A powerful fierce ursine Knight of Wundagore? Hell no!" I responded.

"Then stop cowering, you have nothing to fear from me little human." She responded.

(That's a relief)

I had just seen my life flash before my eyes during our tussle.

"I have been charged with feeding you today and I plan to do so." The she beast said.

"Thanks my lady, but I don't feel like eating today." I said starting to feel sorry for myself again.

Lady Ursa picked up my PDA from where it had fallen and looked at it. "Alex," she responded. "I think there is something wrong with the translator on your device," the ursine warrior said starring at me. "I am going to state this in very, very simple terms for you and that translator of yours," she said gently as she started raking her huge paw and its sharp claws over my chest. "You are very weak, I am very strong- you lose- questions?"

"You know I think I am kind of hungry." I said as she rose and plucked me up from the floor.

"As am I let's go."

I learned an important lesson that morning- do not come between a hungry bear and her meal. Especially around lunch time.

As I started to depart, the she beast gently picked me up, slung me across her shoulder and began to carry me out of the holding area.

"Is this really necessary my lady?" I protested.

"Well you are a model prisoner and have made quite an impression on the minotaur- so much that he has granted you some privileges. I guess I could allow you the privilege to walk on your own. Besides even if you were to attempt a escape where would you run?" she said.

(You got that right.)

She promptly returned me to my feet and gave me back my PDA. Even if I did decide to run she could have easily broken me in two or four before I could get very far.

"When Tauren fed you- where did you eat?" She asked.

"The observation ring." I responded. "It had a lovely view of the grounds surrounding the castle not to mention the area."

"How much of Castle Wundagore have you seen?" She asked.

"Not much just the floor where the observation ring was, here and some of Sir Ram's labs." I replied.

"Well, this afternoon I will take you to some place special."

"Please don't tell me that it is one of Sir Ram's labs where I can watch one of his living experiments in progress." I jested.

"You'll see." The she beast snickered as she placed her paw on my shoulder and directed me where to walk.

We arrived at what appear to be a large cafeteria some where near the center of the castle where we received our lunch from the staff there. Unlike breakfast and dinner from the previous day I was not given simple 'nourishment' but was allowed to order food- sort of. Lady Ursa chose for the both of us- fish. It made sense.

After receiving our meals, she then took me to the arboretum in the upper floors of the castle so we could eat and talk. To date, the arboretum had to be the most beautiful area of the castle I had seen yet. It was built in an interior court yard with a glass ceiling and was comprised of many indigenous plants found on Counter Earth. I found out in my conversation with Lady Ursa that it was designed and maintained by several beavers who worked at the castle for the enjoyment of all.

We decided to sit down and eat at the south west corner of the court yard by a small pond. The fish tasted incredible- the best meal I had feasted on this world to date. But something was missing- conversation. But what does one ask a fierce ursine warrior who kindly took you out for lunch? I thought for a minute and decided to ask her about her cold.

"Ah- so I noticed that your cold seems to be getting worse," I started. "How long have you had it?"

"Two weeks and it doesn't seem to be clearing." She responded hoarsely.

"Are you taking anything for it? Have you seen a healer?" I asked.

"Actually I have and despite the treatment I have received- it isn't getting better." The she beast responded as she looked at me weirdly.

"You care about my well being human?!" She asked.

"Don't be so shocked my lady, I came from a world where pain and suffering were part of daily life. You think you get immune to it, but you don't; so yes I do care about others well being. I hope you find something that will treat this ailment and soon." I said. "Besides I haven't heard your true voice - you know the one without the frog in it." I responded smiling at her.

I think Lady Ursa was taken back by my empathy and compassion- she was silent for a moment then changed the conversation.

"I heard about your attempt to return to Gaia yesterday." She started coldly.

"Yeah about that...."

"You found out that your planet was dead as well as everyone on it when you tried to return- it must have been quite difficult for you." The she beast said trying to mimic empathy.

"You have no idea- imagine everyone you knew or ever cared about- gone." I replied. "It still hasn't entirely sunk in. Sir Ram took quite a lot of glee in telling me about my world's destruction, that it was due to the wars people on my world fought continuously for generations. He also enjoyed telling me that I was going to be a permanent guest here at the castle and the truth about my PDA transporter device." I replied. "All of that was quite hard to hear and that hasn't sunk in yet either."

"Knowing what you do now, and if given the chance and opportunity to live elsewhere- would you live in another human settlement?" The she beast asked.

The question caught me completely off guard, I thought for a minute.

"Actually no." I replied. "I am tired of my own kind; too flawed, destructive and self destructive. I recently discovered that Counter Earth is an alternate version of Gaia. Unlike Gaia, you furries err, beastials have kept the humans here in check, thus preventing them from destroying the planet." I said.

"Careful!" The she beast replied. "You are starting to sound like a speciest- a sympathizer."

"Perhaps I am. I know when I arrived here. I arrived right in the middle of some sort of conflict, but during my 'detainment' I have started learning about some of your culture and customs and find them quite alluring." I said to her.

(Hell, I was starting to find some of the furries I met on this world quite alluring including this fierce, powerful ursine warrior I was sharing lunch with.)

"It sounds like you have started adjusting to your captivity." She said.

"Am I going to be stuck in the cells forever?" I asked.

"Only until our master decides what to do with you. I understand that he is rendering his judgement this afternoon." She responded.

"Yes, I was visited by your master yesterday. He is quite an intense individual, very tall too, he....."

"He what?" Lady Ursa said looking at me.

"Oh my gosh!"

I immediately dropped my plate, rose to my feet and stepped toward the she bear who had risen from her seat at my sudden movement.

I grabbed both her paws and pulled her to a far corner of the courtyard, we landed on the ground in one giant heap.

"What the?" She managed to stammer.

Just then the castle violently shook and a glass section of the roof came crashing down right where we had just been sitting. The area was a mess.

Lady Ursa looked at where we had been sitting and realized that is she had remained in her seat she would have been killed by the debris.

"Alex, you saved my life!" The ursine warrior said shocked.

"If situations were reversed I, I hope and pray that you would have done the same for me without prejudice my lady." I replied.

"How did you know?" The she bear asked.

"I am not sure- something popped into my head some seconds before it happened and I knew the roof was going to come down on us. By the way, it is another rebel incursion." I added. Lady Ursa looked at me. "I just know." I replied.

The attack concluded our lunch. Lady Ursa abruptly left the arboretum to join the other knights in repelling the rebel attack.

(For some place that is supposed to be secure Castle Wundagore seems to get attacked an awful lot.)

"Anything I can do?" I asked as she was departing.

"Stay here and help the injured." She responded.

During the confusion I could have taken the opportunity to leave the castle but I didn't know the way out and I had no desire to run into the rebels either.

After Lady Ursa departed I combed the arboretum looking for the injured. I guess the majority of beastials were having lunch in the cafeteria or observation ring because I only found four that were actually in the arboretum the same time I was there. A otter couple that I guess was there for a afternoon stroll, a beaver who was tending to some of the flora and his assistant a young skunk.

"Is everyone ok?!" I called out. The second I appeared from the brush I scared the otter couple.

"It's a rebel!" The male otter screamed stepping back to protect his girlfriend.

"Who? What? Me?" I said looking around. "I can assure you that I am not a rebel." I responded.

"How do we know that?" The female otter responded, "You definitely look like one."

At this point the beaver responded: "Every beast calm down- he was in here earlier with the knight having lunch. I think he is ok. Where did she run off to?"

"She went to investigate the cause of the disturbance. I think it was rebel attack." I replied. "She left me here to check for wounded."

"Damn rebels." The young skunk responded.

"Hey, it looks like you have been cut" I said noticing blood dribbling off his arm. "Let me take a look at that." The young skunk complied- it was only an minor cut and not serious.

The female otter on the other hand did have a moderate cut also in her arm by a glass shard which was still lodged in. She was about to remove it when I advised her that it would be best to bandage it up and to see a healer.

"It is not a good idea to remove the glass I told her before a healer looks at it you could start bleeding. If you cut a vein, or artery you could bleed profusely, if not to death."

The beaver started to give her a bandage when everyone's attention turned toward the entrance of the arboretum. I turned around to see what they were looking at.

In walked another human- this gentleman if you could call him that, was about my height and disheveled. He was dressed in jeans, a teeshirt and a bandana all of which were quite dirty. He was also carrying a handheld weapon of some sort. In short, he looked like some rogue scoundrel from a pirate movie complete with a small mustache and pointed beard. He spoke like one as well:

"Excuse me my dear people," he began. "Today's incursion has been brought to you by the letter 'I', as well as your oppressive dictator and his brutal rule that treats people like myself less than otter dung."

"What do you want?" The male otter asked in horror.

"How did you even get up here?" The beaver asked.

"It were nothing folks, just a simple raid to free some of my colleagues who were being held in the dungeon. I was sent up here to cause some havoc and chaos while my friends looted the castle. I think it is called a diversion."

There was a collective gasp from the five of us as he said that. The man then broke the silence in the room:

"Now who wants to be a hostage? I can't guarantee that you won't be killed during my escape but the LUCKY individual would indeed insure that I would get away." He said boasting.

The beastials that were in the arboretum with me that afternoon registered a look of terror on their faces after hearing this. I on the other hand was incensed.

"Excuse me sir," I started. "Are you frakking stupid?!"

"And who might you be- friend?" He asked condescendingly.

"Alex Winter sir, and I am not your friend."

"So you are a sympathizer, a speciest?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess I am." I replied. "You know your raid here caused a lot of damage and could have killed a lot of people." I started.

"If they weren't human people, then I don't give a otter's ass!" He said starring at the otter couple. "The only good beastial is a dead beastial! These despicable creatures are abominations; they have stuff that I don't have!"

"What type of stuff?" I asked indignantly.

"Privileges and freedoms for that matter that individuals such as I can't obtain and will never have and I hate them all for it!"

"So you terrorize the innocent to make a political point? That is not smart at all. Why not work within the system to generate change? You might even be able to get some of them to support you. It is a far better life than the one of a terrorist." I replied gently.

"Because there is no working within the system! The dictator's laws are absolute! I will have you know that I got a girl and we can't even start a family because she has been sterilized by the empire! Those things are preventing us from procreating because they want to take over the planet!" The man said enraged. "Enough of this talk! It hurts my head!" The rebel said. "I have made my decision- little one, you are my hostage!"

We all stared at the rebel as he grabbed the young skunk and proceeded to leave the arboretum with him.

"He really must be frakking stupid." The beaver responded. The otter couple agreed. No sooner had the beaver said that statement. The young skunk sprayed the rebel right in the face. He screamed, dropped his weapon and ran for the exit, smacking his head into several plants before successfully fleeing. The skunk stench was appalling.

"I am sorry everyone, but today's thwarted abduction was brought to you by the letter 's' and 'r' as in stupid rebel!" The young skunk said.

"Looks like someone was skunked." I chuckled.

"I thought he was a woodchuck!" The man said from somewhere down the corridor.

Everyone laughed- we knew it would be days before the arboretum would be completely free from that smell but it was worth it.

The male otter soon took his female companion to have the cut treated. The young skunk went with them as well. Since he was short of an assistant, I decided to help the beaver clean up the mess, air out the arboretum and secure the rebel's weapon. It took us about three hours. Despite the chaos of what had happened, it was nice to be out of that damn cell. Even if it was just for a couple of hours.

Sometime later, I think it was around 3PM, Lady Ursa reappeared accompanied by Sir Ram.

"He really is a model prisoner isn't he?" Sir Ram sneered upon seeing me. "I thought you would have left with the rebels." He started.

"I have no desire to go with them." I said as I waved to the beaver as we left the arboretum.

"EW, what is that smell?" Sir Ram asked.

"We had a rebel visitor while you were dealing with the incursion. He tried to abduct a skunk that was here and got what was coming to him." I said to Sir Ram folding my arms behind my head smiling. "Oh and he left his weapon over there."

"You refused to go with the rebels, does that mean you would like to live here with us?" The ram warrior asked indignant.

"You mean in this utopian paradise? Where you get three meals a day, where there is no pain, war or despair? What do you think?" I responded.

"Well isn't that nice." The ram warrior cackled.

When we arrived back at the holding area. There was a live broadcast at the monitor on Tauren's desk. It was from the High Evolutionary about the incursion that had taken place this afternoon at the castle. According to him, the rebels had invaded Castle Wundagore to free some of their comrades that Sir Ram was using in his experiments. The beastials' master said that he would personally hunt down those responsible and punish them for their actions:

"When these individuals are caught, I won't kill them- but they will be severely punished for their actions- there are worse, far worse things in this life than death! Those who are found assisting these individuals will suffer as will their families for several generations!

I was haunted by what was said in the broadcast. It seemed that the High Evolutionary's rule was absolute and that if he could not get to you personally- he would do so by your family. His broadcast also made me wonder what my ultimate fate would be as well. I didn't have to wonder for long.

"Sire, it is about time." Sir Ram interjected.

"Oh yes the judgement!" The High Evolutionary responded on the view screen.

"That thing is interactive?!" I said in awe.

I was quieted by Lady Ursa and Sir Ram who had dropped to their knees as their master announced his decision.

_Alex Winter you are charged with entering this world without authorization or permission. While I fully understand the circumstances behind this act, a transgression is still a transgression! _

Given the fact that you are not a threat to myself or my creations, I was preparing to over look your transgression and allow you to live among my beastials and to experience the wonder and glory of my works and creations. That was until the most recent rebel incursion. Now I have changed my mind.

Given the serious nature of these incursions an that fact that I have more pressing matters- I will allow Sir Ram to determine your fate. Until then you will remain our prisoner. End of judgement.

(WHAT?!)

"Why thank you sire! A most generous decision!" The ram said appreciatively.

Once again I had gotten screwed. First by the rebels who if it hadn't been for their stupid incursion I would have been freed from my captivity- stupid humans. Did I just say that?

I also had gotten screwed by a dictator who was more concerned with matters of state than my fate- so he passed the buck. In this case he turned me over to his chief scientist to do whatever with me.

With that the dictator bade Sir Ram and Lady Ursa a good afternoon and ended his broadcast/transmission or what ever it was.

"I hope I can appeal!" I said dejected.

"What's an appeal?" Lady Ursa asked.

"OH CRAP!" I screamed at the two. "Let me guess," I continued gaining my composure- "The High Evolutionary makes the laws, interprets the laws and dispenses punishment- no appeals."

"That is correct." Sir Ram said. "He is the beginning and the end. It is more efficient that way."

Looking at the two knights, I realized I was at a crossroads. "So do I plead for my life or should I take it myself?" I thought out loud.

"Maybe a little of both!" The ram snickered.

"Do show him a little mercy Sir Ram." Lady Ursa interjected. "He did not ask for any of this to happen to him. Also, remember he could have fled like the rebels during the incursion, but he chose to stay and help."

"The truth is I haven't quite decided your fate yet little human." The ram warrior said looking sternly at me. "This is all so sudden!" The he beast declared. "Hmm... maybe I will use you in some of my experiments or maybe I will just alleviate you from your pain and suffering and just execute you...." The beastial scientist said as he approached me.

Sir Ram apparently at that moment had a epiphany. He put his paw under my chin and lifted my head to look me straight in the eyes as he declared:

"No, little one, I do have something! Something quite special for you, but I won't be ready for a while." He hissed as he placed me back into my cell.

I looked at him and noticed that he was smiling wickedly. I then looked at Lady Ursa who was very silent. I think she went back to being indifferent. My third day on Counter Earth was going just swimmingly.

To Be Continued....