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Counter Earth Chronicles Chapter 65: Something Better Than This ** (The Consortium For Mutual Coexistence Part Two)**

Day 209 (afternoon)

Lady Ursa tried to comfort me, wiping away my tears before starting the prototype and driving away.

"Where are we going?" I asked when I was finally able to compose myself.

"Mia's home. We are going to speak with her mother."

"Mistress, how do you do this day in and day out?"

"I guess pet over time you try not to let the bad affect you as much and just focus on the good."

Before leaving the restaurant, Lady Ursa scanned Mia's tracking chip. Like Corey, Mia had been adopted. But unlike Corey who had a human father and centaur mother, Mia was adopted by a woman named Shira Story. Ms Story had raised Mia for eight years. In scanning the tracking chip, we also learned of her last known location. So my mistress drove the twenty or so blocks from the Wilds' restaurant to Mia's former home.

We arrived at a small group of townhouses in the Masons area just before 2 PM.

"This is it Alex." My she beast said parking the prototype nearby. "112 Rivers Street."

It didn't look like much a bunch of row-houses in various states of decay and people just milling about with no where to be.

Carefully, I walked up the steps to the porch and knocked on the door. There was no answer. I then looked inside the window off of the porch. The interior was vacant.

"Is there a problem madam knight?" A bald headed elderly gentleman said approaching us.

"We are looking for Shira Story." My warrior bear said addressing the man.

"You won't find her here. I evicted her this morning. She didn't pay her rent."

"How far behind was she?" I asked the man as my mistress scanned his tracking chip.

"Six months. Her husband was her sole source of income. When he disappeared she became behind." The man said eyeing us up and down. "I tried to accommodate her as much as I could, but no rent is no rent."

"Did she leave any forwarding information Mr. Will?" My she beast said asking the man.

He shook his head. "Let me guess she has more problems then just financial?"

"Something like that." I said as we got back into the prototype. "So now what?"

Lady Ursa activated her wrist communicator.

"I am pulling up her tracking chip pet. Hmm... It is an older model."

"And?"

"She is about five miles from here." My mistress said as we drove off.

We tracked Ms. Story or what we thought was Mia's adoptive mother to an alley behind a group of restaurants. We didn't find her, but we found her tracking chip, on the ground. It had been removed from her body.

When Lady Ursa scanned it we learned that Shira was unemployed. Just before adopting Mia she had married her boyfriend Stewart Story, but fell on hard times recently when Stewart disappeared.

We spent the rest of my she beast's shift looking for Mia's adoptive parents turning up nothing. Afternoon was turning to evening when we returned to the Wild's restaurant to tell Mia the bad news.

"So it is true. I have been abandoned." Mia said tearing up. "Thank you for searching madam knight."

"It will be ok Mia, we have enough room in our hearts for one more." Diana said hugging the little girl.

"Really?" Mia said perking up.

"Corey could use a sibling and we do have extra room, so welcome home Mia." Hue said joining his mate in the group hug.

Lolly and Corey also hugged the newest member of their family as Lady Ursa and I looked on and oh what a family! Mia had a mother who was a centaur, a dog that was a partial beastial and a human father and brother. Of course they would still have to make it official by putting in the proper paperwork. But in the meantime Lady Ursa changed the information on Mia's tracking chip to reflect her new home and family.

"Congratulations little one. You have an awesome family there, outstanding parents, a one of a kind dog and a neat brother. Take good care of them." I said to Mia who nodded in agreement.

"Let's go home Alex." My lady bear said placing her paw on my shoulder.

That evening as we were preparing for bed my warrior bear continued researching what had become of Shira Story and Stewart Story.

"Did you find anything?" I asked as I climbed into bed with her.

"Nothing pet." She said placing her pad on the night stand.

"I think I have. I started researching Steward Story and I found a picture of him with a group of separatists taken six months ago. I think he left his wife to join the rebellion." I said to my lady bear.

"I think you are right pet. His tracking chip has gone of the grid- deactivated. I think after he left, Shira struggled for a while, then just gave up."

"Where do you think she is now?" I asked as my fierce warrior bear hugged me.

"Based on what we found today, I suspect she abandoned Mia to be with him to join the rebellion."

"Great! Here we go again! Human misery and suffering creating more dissidents, separatists and rebels." I huffed.

"You know pet I was thinking about your ride along today and what you experienced." My she beast said as she made me outstretch my arms and roll onto my stomach. "If you still feel strongly about trying to mitigate human suffering on this world there is something you can do."

"Really what is that?" I asked as she started massaging my back.

"The Consortium For Mutual Coexistence, it is an organization that has formed to promote peaceful coexistence between humans and beastials."

"I heard about that from Alexander's parents. They claimed it was something the beastials were doing to help out the humans on this world. As I recall they did not think too much of it either. They were supposed to have their first meeting in a few weeks- somewhere."

"I think Sir Wolf might know." My lady bear said kissing my neck. "I will ask him tomorrow. Now no more nightmares pet, your mistress needs her sleep in order to be at her best."

"I will try mistress but there aren't any guarantees."

"I have an idea pet." My fierce knight of Wundagore said lying on top of me.

She put me in a partial bear hug placing her arm across my chest, pulling me close to her and spooning me from behind.

"There safe and sound." She said as she ran her paw down my thigh and leg. "If you should have another nightmare, I will be right here by your side."

(Damn, that was hot!!! SQUEE!!!)

Day 210

Despite her good intentions, we shifted positions during the night and I wound up on my back and she on my chest and abdomen. That head of hers right in between my pecs.

I gently petted her head and scratched her behind her ears as she softly snored. Lady Ursa looked so peaceful and cute. It was hard to believe that this beastial was one of the strongest knights of all the empire- insanely strong and very fierce.

Just then her communicator sounded off waking her. My mistress picked it up, answered it in her usual manner and then placed it back down on the table.

"So what is on the agenda today?" I asked my lady bear.

"I am to train Cheemar on the prototype while we are on patrol." She said yawning. "How did you sleep Alex?"

"Very well mistress no nightmares (or erotic dreams for that matter). How about you? Do you feel well rested?"

"I slept like a newborn cub in its mother's arms."

"Actually we shifted positions during the night. You were snoring on my chest. You looked so cute and adorable!" I cooed.

"Don't ever refer to a knight as cute and adorable!" My she beast grumbled.

She then kissed me on my forehead before moving her paw down to examine my scrotum.

"Hmm... nice weight and feel." She said fondling my testicles. "You made some more 'Essence of Winter' overnight. Good. I could use a dose right about now."

With that my fierce ursine warrior licked both her paws, clasped them together and used them to grope my flaccid penis.

"OAAHH!!!!"

She had me nice and hard in no time. From there she guided me to her opening. Upon my entrance, she crouched down on top of me- those breasts of hers on my chest and her paws on either side of my arms as she started that wonderful rocking motion that would soon have me uttering unintelligible words like *hunh* *nnnf* *ahhnnn*.

"Please, a little slower mistress."

"Slower?!"

"Yes I want to savor this, all of this."

"That is going to cost you human!" She growled.

"Uh, how much?"

"Everything you have in those soft balls of yours!"

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

It wasn't long before she had me right where she wanted.

"Mistress I'm close!"

"NGHH!! I know pet!" She said growling.

"OAHH! Here it comes!!! RAAWWARRR!!!"

"AAOOOOHHHN!"

*SPLURT* *SPLURT* *SPLURT*

My voracious warrior drained me dry. So much so that I was walking funny and my boy bits ached a lot afterwards.

It was tough trying to concentrate on my studies after she had left for work that morning; my testicles were aching. But it was so, so worth it.

It was around noon when she called to say that she had spoken to Sir Wolf and the commander of the Knights of Castle Sevren was inviting us over to his house for dinner. My mistress told me to get all of my assignments done because we would be spending the rest of the afternoon there and part of the evening.

And so...

Afternoon was turning into evening when Lady Ursa and I arrived at our destination a beautiful looking ranch house on the western outskirts of World Three. There was a small forest behind the house and a small pond in the front. The whole place screamed tranquility.

"Nice house." I said as my she beast parked the prototype in the driveway. "Very quiet and peaceful.

"Um Hmm." She said as I hopped out and knocked on the door.

The door was answered by a jolly looking woman who appeared to be in her fifties, blond hair and pleasantly plump. She was dressed in grey clothing and wearing an apron.

"Welcome Mr. Winter and Lady Ursa! I am Hanna, Sir Wolf and Maki's governess."

"Hi Hanna. I have heard so much about you!" I said.

"I hope it is all good things Mr. Winter." She said smiling. "Sir Wolf is expecting you. This way."

Hanna walked us through the gorgeous house. Three bedrooms, great room, study, meeting room and kitchen decorated in various color schemes. I took it that was probably's Sir Wolf's mate's doing.

Hanna guided us to the rear of the house and outside into the back where my mistress and I met Sir Wolf and his extended family who were seated at rectangular table.

"Alex and Ursa! So glad you could come." A lovely white she wolf said greeting us. Next to her was Sir Wolf.

"Maki. Always a pleasure." My she beast said to our host's mate.

"Oh and you have company." I said looking at the two others seated at the table.

"Oh yes that is our son Corbin" Maki said to a eleven year old grey and white wolf cub who was seated next to a eleven year old blond -haired boy. "And that is Kevin. Hanna's son."

"HI!" The two younglings said greeting us.

"Alex, Ursa have a seat!" The middle-aged grey wolf said.

So my warrior bear and I made ourselves comfortable at the table sitting across from Sir Wolf and Maki. The children were seated at the end of the table.

"Hanna could bring out dinner?"

"Yes ma'am." The woman said as she disappeared into the house.

"This is very beautiful, so peaceful and tranquil." I said to the wolf couple.

"I wanted it that way. Especially with what I do. It is a way of decompressing after a long day at the castle." The wolf warrior said to us.

"I know what you mean. At times Lady Ursa has also needed some assistance decompressing as well." I said winking at the ursine warrior seated next to me whom I am pretty sure blushed underneath that brown fur of hers.

"You have a lovely house Maki." My she beast said changing directions.

"Well we chose this place after grumpy over there got promoted. You see we wanted a place for the boys to be able to play unhindered by what was going on in the city." Sir Wolf's mate said to us as Hanna brought us dinner. A honey baked ham for the three wolves, with sweet potatoes and a salad for Ursa, Kevin and myself.

"Thank you dear." Maki said to her governess.

"You're welcome ma'am." Hanna said.

"So that is how you do it!" I said watching Sir Wolf and his mate's interactions with their extended family.

"Do what Alex?" Sir Wolf said glancing at me.

"I had heard from a reliable source that being in the knight core is not too compatible with having a mate and a family. But some how you are one of the few that have figured out how to make it work."

"Oh that?" Maki said. "That is due to Hanna." Hanna blushed at the compliment. "Grumpy over there ran into her and her son some years back. She was down on her luck. Both of them were living on the street, poor and destitute. Her husband had run off with another after Kevin was born leaving her to fend for herself." Maki said starting the story.

"I came home and told Maki what I had seen that day. We talked about it and realized that we could use some extra help around here. So the next day, I tracked down Hanna and offered her a job helping us to raise our son and hers as well." Sir Wolf said as we started eating dinner.

"That offer changed my life sir." Hanna said.

"And ours!" Kevin and Corbin said in unison.

"Those two are the best of friends. But I was one of the lucky ones." Hanna said sitting down to join us.

"Actually that is why Alex and Ursa are joining us for dinner." Sir Wolf said.

"Yes, Alex accompanied me on patrol yesterday and saw just how bad things were for some of the citizenry. He felt compelled to do something about it. But didn't know how." Lady Ursa said to everyone present.

"Well there is the Consortium For Mutual Coexistence." Maki said.

"Yeah I had been hearing about that from a lot of sources lately." I said to the white she-wolf.

"It is a group that recently formed to try to improve human and beastial relations on this world. Their goal is to try to alleviate some of the human suffering and decrease the hopelessness that a lot of the human populace is feeling now. That same hopelessness that is fueling the rebellion." The wolf warrior said.

"Wow, I would like to get involved in that!" I said eagerly. "If what you say is true it would be a great opportunity to do some real good."

"So glad you feel that way Alex." The grey wolf said looking me over. "Their inaugural meeting is taking place at a lodge here in World Three and I am in need of an insider."

I looked at my mistress, Sir Wolf, his mate and Hanna. "To what end commander?"

"To make sure that this new organization is not a recruiting front for the rebellion or a threat to the empire." The middle-aged warrior said to me. "My forces are too well known. So I would like to use a relative unknown- you."

"You want me to go undercover?"

(Again?!)

"Yes. I want you to attend the meeting. Observe and report to make sure this movement is on the up and up."

"If they are?" I asked the wolf warrior.

"If they are legitimate- interact with them and enjoy yourself." He said smiling at me.

"If the aren't?"

"Then I will have them infiltrated and dismantled." Sir Wolf said without missing a beat.

Maki looked at her mate. "You really have become quite cynical after having that building fall on you dear."

"Surviving such things will make you Maki." Sir Wolf said kissing his mate.

"I hope they are legitimate sir, madam." Hanna said tearing up.

"We hope so too Hanna." Maki said hugging her governess.

My mistress and I spent the rest of the evening talking to Sir Wolf and his extended family. I was reminded of what an outstanding character he was in his own right- making a difference in a few humans lives' who were fortunate to have crossed his path.

Lady Ursa and I arrived back at the lair just before 11 PM. We wisely decided to call it a night and headed off to bed. Like last night my ursine warrior hugged me from behind, kissing my neck before locking me in a soft, warm, gentle bearhug.

"Working on human- beastial relations mistress?"

"Yes my own pet." She cackled.

"You, know despite me doing the spying thing again- I am really looking forward to this mission mistress. I hope that this organization is legitimate. Perhaps they will decrease the recruitment in the rebellion."

(Perhaps it is the continuation of that movement the man-spider told me about, the one Lord Tiger and I observed on that street corner in here in World One.)

"Well you have one week to prepare for you mission pet. I think you should start by having your PDA modified again. You will need to have a recording function added as well as a panic button for emergencies."

She was right. I spent the next week before my mission, preparing for my mission. I started researching separatists, dissidents and known rebel factions- as many as I could find. My mistress had Mara upgrade my PDA adding visual recording capabilities and a panic button in case of I needed to be extracted for whatever reason. During my downtime I continued to see Lea in order to continue to heal emotionally from my kidnapping and experimentation. She told me that I needed to start pursing a lot of leisure activities in my downtime- cooking, exercising, reading, visiting with friends and even resume painting. I told her I would in about a week.

Day 218 (evening)

"Are you ready pet?" My lady bear said as we pulled up to the meeting lodge on the west side of the city.

"As ready as I am ever going to be mistress. You know how to disengage the holo-projector?"

"Yes, yes Alex. Why?"

"I think you could have chosen a better disguise for the prototype. You don't look right driving a mini-van." I smirked. "It just screams help me! I have been domesticated!"

"Very funny!" The bear warrior growled. "Stay alert." She warned me as I got out and watched the 'mini-van' drive off.

The meeting lodge was a ugly one level yellow building with brown pillars and on the outside walls. It looked like it was twenty years old and in need of more than a new coat of paint.

(Anyway this should be an easy assignment so long as I don't run into anyone I know. I don't think the Winter family was planning to attend nor Aurora or any of the other acquaintances I made from my last mission.) I thought to myself as I entered through the side door of the building.

Inside there was a makeshift stage. Upon it were three beastials, a rather nice looking hyena who was dressed in a muscle shirt and jeans and two buffalo calves who were dressed in shorts and a tee-shirts. The three looked nervously at the four rows of bench seats and the very small human crowd that decided to attend their meeting.

I decided to sit in the third row near the back of the lodge. I guess it would give me the best vantage point to sit back and observe what was going on.

"Alex!"

(Uh oh!)

I looked to my right and left in trepidation.

"Auggie? Iya? What are you doing here?" I asked the two ex-soldiers from another time period.

"Same as you checking out this group." The blond haired grizzled ex-soldier said to me.

"Auggie and myself have spent the last month and half checking out this dystopian civilization and this new century." Iya said to me.

(Dystopian?)

"What do you think so far?" I asked her.

"Granted there aren't any wars and no one is starving, but this society is only marginally better than the one we left behind."

"Let me guess you are speaking to the inequality and persecution human beings experience on this world."

The red head nodded.

"During our time here Iya and myself witnessed and experienced that countless times again. It seems that the vast majority of these animal people view us as something worse than cockroaches. Iya has grown very frustrated to the point of joining the dissidents. Well, we both have." Mr. Striker admitted.

(Oh no!)

"We decided that we should come here first." Ms. Summers said to me.

"That was a good decision you two. I also have grown frustrated over this issue and as well and came here to see what this was about for myself."

"Shh! It looks like it is starting." Iya said.

"Evening fellow citizens both human and beastial. Welcome to the first meeting of the Consortium For Mutual Coexistence." The hyena said starring into the small crowd of seventeen that had decided to attend. "I am Dongo. To my left are Bess and Tess."

"Say what is this about?" A black haired man in the row in front of me heckled.

"What is this about?" Dongo continued. "This is about improving relations between humans and beastials."

"Helping those that feel disenfranchised about themselves and their lives." The girl buffalo added.

"And ultimately trying to make everyone's lives a little better." The boy buffalo said.

"Maybe even change a few minds and hearts as well." Dongo added.

"So now you fuzzies are taking notice at how unhappy we are with the status quo?" A woman in the row behind me heckled.

"Gee and it only took about thirty years." Another man next to her said.

"Did it have anything to do with the Liberate Counter Earth Now movement?" Another in the audience asked.

"Let's hear them out!" I said turning to the woman in the last row looking her in her eyes. "Cheese and biscuits!"

"What's wrong Alex?" Auggie asked me.

"Those people behind us! They are wanted rebels!"

"Really?" Iya asked. "What are they doing here?"

(Is this a front for rebel recruitment?!)

"You see the red head in the brown trench coat, with the blue shirt and the black boots? That is Karen O' Malley. The blond man in the blue trench coat seated next to her is Daniel Bromely." I whispered. "They are part of that rebel group headed by John Jameson."

"Yes." The red eyed hyena said. "To start I wanted to thank each of you for taking time to come to our meeting today."

"Why don't we take some time to introduce ourselves? Let's start in the front row and work our way back toward the rear." Tess said to the crowd.

"What is this some type of seminar?!" The black haired man in the row in front of me said.

"Something like that." Tess said. "You there may I have your name?" The female buffalo calf said to a disheveled looking female in the front row.

"Heather. I am homeless."

"I am Richard. I am unemployed."

"Dean, I am underemployed."

"Leo, I have you beat I am just poor- my wife, girlfriend and mistress don't get along with each other at all!"

That last attendee's comment was met with snickers.

(Uh oh, this is going south fast.)

"Gina. I am constantly harassed the by enforcers because of my relatives."

"Steck. I am a separatist."

"Iya. Dissident."

"Augustice. Dissident."

"Alex. I am, uh, actually doing quite well."

All eyes locked onto me as I said that. I soon realized that I shouldn't have said that.

(Stupid, stupid stupid!)

"So that is why you are defending them!" The black haired man in the row in front said addressing me. "Could a collaborator be in our presence this evening?"

"Ok! ok! Thank you!" Bess said regaining control of the meeting. "Oh and Leo, if you have a wife, mistress and girlfriend- I think you are definitely at the wrong meeting. But thank you for sharing."

"Anyway we are here because Bess, Tess and myself have become uniquely in-tune to the hardships and challenges of being human on this world through our own experiences." The hyena with a nice build said blushing.

"Uniquely tuned?" A woman in front of us asked out loud. "Why would any of you ever care about any of us?" She said gesturing to the humans who were seated in the meeting lodge that evening.

"Wow, this is turning into more of a question and answer period than a presentation." The male buffalo calf said walking over.

"No Bess, this format should work." The female calf said to her brother.

"Alright." Bess said as he continued the conversation. "My sister and I became attuned to the misery and suffering this past spring. We lost our father who was murdered by a human associated with a violent rebel faction, after his vehicle broke down in a less then safe neighborhood."

Tess picked up from where her brother had left off. "We learned from the tragedy that there were dissenters and dissidents of the empire who didn't like the High Evolutionary and were actively trying to end his rule. One of them who was frustrated with the system acted out and killed someone she didn't know. A very kind someone she didn't know."

"I remember you two!" The blond haired rebel said. "You were on that Ultimate Fate special."

"Yes that was us." Bess said as he resumed talking. "My sister and myself did receive justice, but it felt empty. "We wondered why a human would kill some beast they didn't know, which lead us to research the underlying causes of the rebellion, dissidents and separatists. After talking to our family we felt compelled to do something about it."

"And so these two have- you can find them on the corner of Liberty Street and Battlefield Road in World One helping and advising the frustrated and the disenfranchised." Dongo said. "Together these two have touched a lot of lives."

The audience was silent at that revelation.

"Not bad for some younglings." The black haired man in the row in front of me scoffed. "But I think you two have more sinister plans in mind."

"That was a very enlightened remark." I said addressing the obviously prejudiced individual. "You don't even know these two at all and you have already tried, judged and convicted them. Well done sir." I said berating the man.

"I have observed these two in action. They are something else and well liked within the community by all. Their actions inspired me to act." Dongo said picking up the conversation.

"So Mr. Dongo what is your story?" Auggie asked the Hyena. "What convinced you?"

He paused for a minute and blushed before continuing.

"Go ahead tell them." Bess and Tess encouraged.

"My story starts seven years ago when I was in my twenties. I was an impetuous young beast from a middle-class family. I had a great job that I loved and a very expensive hobby."

"What was that?" A man in the audience asked. As we grew transfixed to the hyena's story.

"Racing." Dongo said. I had a ten year old hover vehicle that was a gift from my parents. I rebuilt it in my spare time turning it into the ultimate racing machine. That project brought me a lot of joy- increasing my confidence and some would say made me a touch arrogant. So I started racing it on the weekends at various tracks in the five cities. In time I gained a rep as a bad ass driver."

"Did you have a nickname?" I asked the hyena as I got sucked into his story.

"The giggling red eyed demon."

(Nice name.)

"Well one night I let some drivers talk me into a hover race off and away from the track in the Stuyvesant area in World Two. Since racing away from the track is outlawed, myself and five other drivers decided to race at night. A three mile arial race around the community. Winner take all and bragging rights included."

"Is there a point to this story?" The black haired man in the row in front of us asked growing impatient.

(I am starting to not like that guy.)

"Will you let him tell the story?" Auggie said berating the man.

"The race was going well! I had passed the other drivers as I entered the last mile. That was until another tapped my vehicle as she passed me. The 'love tap' sent me spinning out of control and I crashed into an apartment in a thirty story complex landing right in the middle of the great room. My hover vehicle was a smashed mess."

"Was anyone hurt?" A woman in the audience asked.

"No, but I startled a tenant who was making dinner at the time causing her to set the unit on fire leading to its total destruction. I did managed to get her out in time and the fire was compartmentalized so the rest of the building was not affected- only her apartment. But the damage had been done. She had lost everything in the blaze."

"What did your parents say Dongo?" Bess asked the hyena.

"My parents were furious with me. I was taken into custody by the knights. Judged and punished by the master."

"So you fuzzies do fall out of favor with the high muckety muck." One of the rebels in the back row of the lodge said.

"What was you punishment?" Iya asked the now very embarrassed hyena.

Dongo paused as he recounted his fate.

"I was labeled a bad beastial and given a very red bottom; A public paddling in front of all the residents of that apartment complex. I was utterly and thoroughly humiliated. My employer ended up suspending me for a time. My parents went even further and demanded that I compensate the woman whose life I had ruined. Whatever it takes, you are to make this right my father warned me."

The hyena started pacing back and forth on the stage as he recounted his very embarrassing story. I looked at my fellow attendees in the audience. Most seemed very engrossed except the two rebels in the back row and the black haired man sitting in the row in front of Auggie, Iya and myself.

"So I searched for the woman Doria Deer. I found out from some of her former neighbors that she was under employed and was going through some difficult times when I literally turned her world upside down. I found her staying at a friend's house and decided to take her out to dinner at a very nice restaurant. In another of the most humiliating moments of my life I dropped to my paws and knees at her feet and begged her for forgiveness. I acknowledged that I was a poor excuse for one of the High Evolutionary's creations and that I had damaged beastial- human relations. I asked her right there in that restaurant in front of the other patrons what could I do to fix her life, how could I make her whole again."

(WOW.)

"Ms. Deer thought for a long moment. She said that if I was truly sorry for my transgression, for completely wronging her- then I should take care of her. I was dumbfounded by her request. Did she mean help her get back on her feet or something else? That was when she explained to me her current working and living situation- under employed, having extreme difficulty getting by, she couldn't find a better job despite looking for months and had simply gotten fed up with the whole damn thing. In the meantime she had observed us beastials- we lived in nice houses in nice neighborhoods, had lucrative jobs and acquired nice things. She wanted that life too but found it very difficult to obtain. So if I wanted to make things right I would have to take care of her- become her sugar daddy. She would obtain prosperity by living vicariously through me."

(DOUBLE WOW.)

"My jaw dropped wide open and my eyes were twitching. Me live with one of them?! A human? Really?" The hyena said resuming his story.

Many in the audience that evening were amused by the story. Some also thought they remembered seeing the punishment Dongo had received.

"She moved in a week later. I was beyond upset but my parents were strict disciplinarians. The said my condo had more than enough space for two and it would be a suitable punishment for their reckless, arrogant overconfident son. So she stayed with me and I took care of her. A month, then six, then a year, passed. I at first I resented this new roommate, this interloper, this new dependent in my life. I found her bossy, demanding and very possessive- of me (she liked hyenas). She also liked to talk, cuddle and exercise. She made me pump iron every day whether I wanted to or not. When I asked her why, she told me that she liked her boys with muscles. As I got to know her, I discovered that we had a lot of common interests. Sometime after that I fell in love. For her part, she educated me about what it is like to be a second class citizen on this world. That is how I know what I know and why I am here today. I am trying to make things a little better." Dongo said concluding his story.

(Wow, yet another interspecies couple!)

There was a pregnant pause and then someone started clapping- only one person.

(Damn, this crowd was hostile!)

"That is a very moving story hyena, but I wonder about your sincerity. We have felt oppressed for a very long time. How are you going to change that?" Karen O'Mally asked.

"Umm...." Dongo started to say. "Networking with like minded individuals in order to help the less fortunate?"

"So you are going to take care me like you do your human girlfriend?" The black haired man asked. "Hmm... I wouldn't mind living in a nice house, in a nice neighborhood too. When can I move in?"

The audience started talking amongst themselves as well.

"Yes you three when can we come to your homes?" Another person asked the hyena and buffalo calves on stage. You appear to be better off than I am- and I want to have nice things too!"

"Yeah me too!"

"And me!"

"Uh, I don't think we can help you in quite that way." The hyena said blushing again.

"What, you mean you aren't going to take care of our every need? I thought you wanted to improve on human- beastial relations!" A man in the back row asked.

"Um, maybe at this time we should take a brief break." Tess interjected. "We will be back in five."

The intermission did not stop the black haired man. "So hyena how is your beastial loving girlfriend? Is she here in the crowd?"

"No she does not know that I am doing this." Dongo said.

"Why has the rebellion got you and her scared? Oh, oh let me guess she doesn't want to be labeled a beastial lover?"

"Hey you lay off!" I said standing up. That black haired idiot had gotten me incensed. "These three are actively trying to do something about our problems on this world and all you have done is heckle them! What are you doing to improve things?" I said in accusatory tone.

The man stood up and smirked. "It looks like your girl isn't the only beastial lover hyena."

"Alex is that true?" Iya asked asked as I watched the man leave and enter the restroom downstairs.

"Yes it is true. I have been with a beastial for almost a year." I said to the stunned ex-soldiers.

"You are certainly full of surprises Alex." Auggie said.

"You are surprised by that? Guys when we met I was chaperoning two beasital children." I said getting up from my seat.

"Alex where are you going?" Auggie asked me.

"To give someone a piece of my mind."

I tried to hide it but I was incensed that the black haired man who had singled me out. So much for trying to keep a low profile.

"What the hell is your problem?!" I shouted as I entered into the bathroom.

I found the black haired man washing his hands. He silently walked past me to lock the door before turning around.

"Alex Winter. I am sorry for outing you like that, but it was necessary." He said to me.

"Necessary for what?! and how do you know my name?"

He leaned close to my ear and whispered. "It is me Mr. Stone."

I thought for a moment and looked at him, the hair color was different- but I guess it was. "You are that spy that is working for the Knights of Warwick in World Two!"

"Yes, I know my actions today were a horrible way to repay you for you assisting, Iggy and Commander Gator during our tussle with the Animalitia a few months back."

"Why did you do that? Wait. I see- you were trying to get in good with the rebels."

"I assumed you were sent here to spy on the consortium." He said to me.

I nodded.

"And you were sent to spy on the rebels."

"No, to get into their little club and dismantle it from the inside." He said to me.

"Wow, you know that you are going to be deep undercover- I hope you won't be all by yourself." I said to him.

He nodded.

(Wow there is that everything for the cause mentality again.)

"Well good luck, your life is going to get very hard from here on out. Watch you back."

After our conversation, I re-entered the meeting hall and sat back down next to Auggie and Iya.

"How did it go?"

"The guy is a prejudiced jerk who will probably join with the rebels." I said. "And civilization takes another step backward toward yet another conflict." I mock-huffed.

"Be that as it may, he made some good points." The ex-soldier next to Auggie said.

"Iya don't you even go there! The empire is not perfect but it is a stabilizer for this civilization. It solved hunger, perhaps in time will solve the inequality issues too."

"When Alex? As you heard it has been thirty plus years since the dictator came to power."

"You mean to tell me that you are still thinking about joining the rebellion- rising up against the beastials? I will have you know that it was two beastial children that allowed you to come back to our present and it was the family of one that sheltered you and educated you about the current century you are in. Are you really going to betray their kindness?"

Iya was silent. I also noted so was Auggie.

"Besides the empire is quite intolerant of dissidents, dissenters and rebels. If the rebellion is allowed to flourish it will lead to a war, and I think you don't ever want to return to that again. If you want to encourage change- then it is with those three up there." I said pointing to the hyena and buffalo calves.

"Welcome back." Dongo said. "To answer the question that was posed earlier how exactly are we going to improve human and beastial relations on this world?"

"It will be through us, networking and pooling of resources." Tess said jumping in.

"That is why we are here- we are seeking like minded individuals beastials and humans to help make Counter Earth a better place for all." Bess said as he added to the conversation. "We won't be able to change the world immediately, but perhaps a little at a time."

(That was what Mrs. Wild had said to me.)

"Thank you for your time this evening." Dongo said concluding the presentation. "Anyone who is interested please come see us."

"It appears you three are sincere about trying to do something about our suffering." Karen O'Mally said standing. "We are also doing something about that as well. I believe though that we will ACTUALLY succeed."

"Anyone who feels the way we do, come with us." Bromley said as he made his way toward the door. Karen soon followed.

"Good luck beastial but I feel your efforts no matter how sincere are too little to late." Karen said addressing Dongo. With that the two rebels departed. So did the rest of those in attendance including Auggie and Iya.

"That didn't go as well as I had hopped." The hyena said looking down at the floor. "Not a single new recruit."

"I have a question for you three." I said approaching the stage. Let's for the sake of argument say I am suffering- I am a unemployed, disenfranchised second class citizen. I am well qualified for say secretarial work but can't find any employment because no one wants to hire a human only you animal types. How can you help me, make my life better and keep me from feeling miserable and bitter about beastials?"

"Oh that is an easy one." The male calf said walking up to me.

With that Dongo and Tess handed me two items a small headband that contained wolf ears and a costume wolf tail.

"Place this headband over your human ears so that it hides them completely." The hyena said.

"And place this right at the base of your spine so that it comes right out of your clothing above the belt." Tess said.

Those three were ingenious, with a few 'accessories they made me look like I was a humanoid looking canid.

"As long as they see the ears and the tail. You shouldn't have any problems getting a position." Bess said. "Don't ask, don't tell."

The man-spider had told me months ago that Bess and Tess were starting a small movement. That evening with the addition of the hyena I witnessed its next evolution; these three were on to something. Something that I hoped would lead to change within the empire.

Would these three's actions change hearts and minds and encourage beastials and humans to come together?

"I see. Well it looks like your first meeting wasn't all in vain." I said to the three founding members.

Dongo, Bess and Tess looked at me curiously.

"Why is that?" The hyena asked.

"Because you have found your fourth member! Where do I sign up?" I said to the three beastials who just smiled.

To Be Continued....