FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Counter Earth Chronicles - Dual Realities

Chapter 50: Doing Bad Things For Good Reasons

October 18th, YOE 35

5:32 AM Chaundoon (Marble Canyons, Perna Pride Village)

“Help…" A weak voice called out from underneath a pile of bodies in the predawn darkness.

“Hmm? Alex!"

I turned to where Tonka was pointing. Among a pile of dead warriors in the decimated village was a sand dragon?! I quickly ran over to him.

“Whoa there easy." I said running my scanner over him. He was reddish orange with black spots and wore a black toga. “Some broken bones, but he is alive."

“This is Pulse." The leech boy announced.

“Well Pulse you appear to be one of the lucky ones." I replied lowering my scanner.

“Lucky?! Those things were relentless! They came, not caring whether you were part of the pride or not; they made no such distinction. I was in the central chamber when they attacked. Two of them. They bit our guards bringing them inside. They made us watch the warriors wriggle and scream as they exploded."

“That is awful." I replied looking for something among the carnage to make a splint with.

“The two yowies then gleefully looked at the lot of us and asked who wanted to be blown up next?" The sand dragon said quivering.

“They were attempting to generate fear." Tonka added.

“They did." Pulse replied looking around. The village and the canyons had been decimated.

“Well you survived. A third of the pride did not. Come on, let's get you out of here." I said picking him up.

Tonka and I helped the injured dragon to Salamanca's hut.

“There is another one for you." I said to the Perna Pride's witch doctor who was seeing to a warrior who was bloodied and missing a limb.

“Take him to the central chamber." She ordered me without looking up.

The central chamber, where the pride held their prisoners had been turned into triage center. Song and Kiwi were there treating the wounded.

“Song!" I shouted. “Pulse here has a few broken bones."

She nodded and pointed to an open cot in the corner.

“Not here again!" The sand dragon shouted.

“Pulse, you are safe. The yowies have been defeated." The leech boy replied.

“The price was heavy." Kiwi added pointing to a corner were two warriors who were held in high regard with the pride lay under white sheets. The wounded and injured around these two were crying.

“Right, we are headed back out." I said to the chakat and her son.

Perna Pride village had seen the bulk of the fighting from the Yowie invasion. There were damaged huts, smashed tables, chairs and bodies. So many bodies both s'mar and yowies. Since our arrival yesterday afternoon, Tonka and I had been working nonstop.

It didn't take us long to find another. I ran my scanner over the fallen warrior. All life activity had ceased. I shook my head at Tonka.

“Mark him and move on." The leech boy advised.

The fighting had ceased by the time we arrived. Our task now was to help those still living and mark the dead.

“Alex, don't get too close." Tonka warned as I looked at a huge purple spider that the fallen feline warrior had been fighting.

“It is all right. It is dead too." I replied flashing my scanner over the corpse that had been sliced like a loaf of bread. “Tonka Wait."

The cuts were clean, smooth and very precise.

“This creature's death was not due to tribal weapons. Tonka, it was a laser."

Earlier….

October 17th, YOE 35

10:32 AM Chaundoon (Lightning Desert, S'mar Pridelands)

We waited for daylight before deciding to leave the cave of lights. The four of us not interested in encountering any more skin-walkers.

“Here chief Saber you can sit behind the steering wheel." I said opening the driver side door of the black utility vehicle. “Tonka, sit next to him."

“Alex what are you doing?" The white leech boy asked.

“More like what you will be doing- keep him distracted. I want to talk to his slave without his interference."

“Right…." He said crossing his arms.

“If he is engaged, he is less likely to run us through with his machete." I said moving to the passenger side of the vehicle. I climbed in and then helped the teenage slave aboard.

“This seat is cold." Saber complained.

“It is to be expected; you are not wearing any bottom-wear." Tonka observed.

*Chief Saber I could heat your seat if you like.* Feleen offered.

“Who said that?"

“That is the third member of our team." The leech boy said.

The savage looked at the view screen in the center of the dashboard- he saw a digital fennec fox waving back at him.

“She operates the beast-less cart we are riding in." Tonka explained.

(Distraction engaged.)

“So there was never a sign of an apocalypse, destruction on an untold scale, massive death, disease, pain, misery or suffering on your Counter Earth Naomi?" I asked her.

“No." The teen seated next to me in the utility vehicle replied shaking her head. “Just a massive crackdown on human activity- all of it."

“How so?" I asked.

“After the rebels were defeated by the High Evolutionary, a system was established where second class citizens would have a beastial babysitter who monitors their activities. Everyone had to seek permission from theirs to leave the house, attend school, go to work, travel or even use the bathroom."

“I see."

“Overseer may I have permission to make messy? Overseer I have to make water… please may I make water? I mean who wants to live like that?" Saber's slave asked recollecting her former life within the empire. “That is why I left."

“But your life with the S'mar now… don't you have to do the same thing?" I teased.

“At least they will let me."

(Eww.)

“Naomi I think the Counter Earth you are from resides in a different reality."

“Why would you say that?" The topless slave asked me.

“The Counter Earth where I am from- the empire was destroyed by a faceless enemy that killed the dictator and slaughtered much of the populace. There was much death and destruction. The after empire era brought pain, misery and suffering to all. It was so bad that a portion of us relocated to Chaundoon and established a thriving colony on the other side of the planet."

“Humans?" She asked turning toward me.

“Actually humans, beastials and monsters. They are friendly though. We have been there for a year now and still are adapting to this strange world we find ourselves on." I said gesturing to the distracted chieftain behind the steering wheel of Attack Beast.

“This cart is amazing! What is this rod and device attached to it?" Saber asked Tonka.

“It is used to steer the cart."

“And these square like devices around this larger square?"

“Buttons. They operate features on the cart." Tonka said simply. “Please don't touch them."

Of course the S'mar chieftain did.

*click*

*click*

The leech boy was too late delivering his warning.

A rocket was launched from the weapons tubules behind the front grill destroying a rock formation to our left and right leaving smoldering craters.

*CH-BOOM*

“By the ancestors!" He exclaimed.

*Chief Saber if you could refrain from deploying our weapons. We haven't a means to replace them once they have been used.* Feleen said chastising the feline warrior.

Saber was awestruck by their destructive power.

“You are quite a formidable tribe. Why aren't you ruling the pridelands? Or the rest of the planet?"

“Weapons are for defensive purposes only." Tonka replied.

*We try very hard to live peacefully with our neighbors; we only fight and attack when threatened and diplomacy has failed.*

“We have rules against interfering and influencing the natural development of indigenous tribes and clans we encounter." I added.

11:06 AM (Marble Canyons, S'mar Pridelands)

*Tractor hook engaged.*

*THOK!!*

“Look at the big fish we just hooked." Impale said mocking the purple spider that had been impaled by the tractor hook.

“We were just trying to survive!" The male spider shouted.

“Get out of my head!" Kiwi shouted gripping his forehead.

The maned wolf selected PA system from the weapons menu.

“Trying to survive?! Trying to survive?! Trying to survive is negotiating peacefully with neighboring tribes to share supplies and resources." The wolf barked. “Attacking, killing and maiming with reckless abandon is not. Disguising yourself as those you seek to conquer, hypnotizing, manipulating and torturing is not. Look what you have brought upon this tribe!"

“They thought they could erase us from Chaundoon and take our village, the canyons our home!" Stab shouted.

“They were sadly mistaken." Shred added.

“Who leads your forces?" Impale asked.

“Where are they?" Stab ordered.

The yowie pointed as he tried to remove the hook from his body. He noticed that the warriors and the blue coupe seemed put some distance between the both of them.

(Oh no!) He thought.

“Wait! Shouldn't you leave a few survivors to tell the story of what happened here?" The purple spider said still trying to pull out the tractor hook from his abdomen.

“You were sadly mistaken about that too Yowie." The maned wolf said pressing the middle toggle switch on the weapons console.

*Granade launched*

Shred, Stab and Impale watched as something circular ejected from both side-pods landing square on the purple spider's abdomen.

*BABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Spider bits went flying everywhere.

“Now they know what it is like to be blown to bits." Shred commented.

_11:56 AM Chaundoon (S'mar Pridelands, Three Rivers Pride Territory) _

“…that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! The inferior are conquered by the superior." The savage said to the sentinel. “That is just the order of things."

*Very tribal.* Feleen said.

“It is our belief that a warrior's duty is to the pride. If the the pride is healthy…."

“It's members thrive." I said completing the chief's statement.

*We will be arriving at the destination momentarily.* Feleen announced.

“The journey back to our village is a half a day's walk." The chieftain commented.

“For us, about an few hours drive." I announced as Attack Beast came to a stop at three rivers.

“Wow!" Tonka said as the doors to Attack Beast opened. He got out and ran to the shore of the nearest of the rivers startling a S'mar female and younger male who were bathing I think.

Naomi looked at her master who nodded. She jumped out to meet the female feline and the male who I realized was just a cub. She gave them big hugs.

“Three rivers, a beach and forest. Now this is beautiful." I replied, taking in the view.

“This is our territory and our home. It is what we defend from our enemies." Saber the vicious replied joining me.

“There are some from my tribe who would jump at the opportunity to study this area and learn about you and your pride, your culture and customs." I said turning to the chieftain.

“Our customs are rather simple boy- we like visitors; you see their bones make for nice neck jewelry and weapons." He said grinning at me.

“In other words, the next time we meet we best va-moose otherwise you will cook our goose." I said dejected.

“So how did it go?" The s'mar female asked the freckled teen.

“Last night was amazing!!" Naomi replied.

“Who are they?" The adorable boy asked.

“Healers who interrupted our time together and gave us a ride back to make up for it." Ms. Good said to her fellow slaves.

Tonka and I watched as the two natives greeted the freckled teen. One was a husky looking female with big breast and a big caboose who patted Naomi on the shoulder like she had completed some big initiation.

The second was a adorable loin-clothed cub with big ears who gave the teen a big hug. The three of them took a knee as the S'mar chieftain approached.

“Welcome home master." They said in unison.

“As you were." He replied.

“He has more than one!" Tonka commented observing the scene.

“Ah, so we had an adventure together, shared some laughs, exchanged some information…." I said narrating.

“That adventure was entirely because of your carelessness." The savage said crossing his arms looking back at me.

“But we did help you get back to your village safe and sound." Tonka countered.

“Barely." Saber frowned.

“Well, yeah, sorry about that." I said bowing. He looked at me weirdly. “Now if you could point us in the direction of the Marble Canyons.…"

“Did I say I was going to release you?" The savage asked as his slaves looked on.

*I believe you did chief Saber.* Feleen said with some authority.

“I guess I did, didn't I?" He said looking at the black utility vehicle.

“You will find the Marble Canyons in that direction near the end of the pride lands." He said pointing. “If we had that cart we could dominate ALL who live here."

“You know instead of the aggression thing with you neighbors, why not form alliances, trade, and share resources?" I suggested.

“Next you are going to say we should unite the prides boy."

“Living in harmony with those around you is more than just a idea chief Saber. If you ever come to the other side of the planet feel free to stop by. My tribe would be more than happy to show you."

“Yes, I wouldn't mind visiting Pestle." The feline warrior said grinning.

“Then again maybe not." I back-paddled.

“That offer extends to you too, if you would ever like to visit Noami, we would be glad to have you." I said addressing her directly.

“Leave while you still can, boy." The savage warned motioning for Namoi to come to him.

*Alex I thinking we have overstayed our welcome?* Feleen warned.

“Um, right. Thank you chief Saber of Three Rivers Pride for your tolerance, forgiveness and mercy." I said bowing toward the chieftain savage as I started to walk backwards toward the black utility vehicle. Tonka joined me.

I waved at the three slaves and their master who only gave Tonka and me curious stares as we departed.

“That could have gone better."

“We are lucky that it didn't go worse." Tonka replied.

*Destination Alex?*

“The direction they pointed to the Marble Canons." I said strapping in as we took to the sky.

*WHOOSH*

“That cart can fly?!" Saber asked his slaves.

“Um, yes master." Naomi said as Annette and Sticks watched the black utility vehicle fade into the distance.

“The place you are from. Can all carts there fly?" Sticks asked.

“Yeah." Saber's middle slave replied.

“Why have you never mentioned that before girl?" Saber questioned her.

“No one asked me." Naomi said looking at Sticks and Annette.

“This tribe from the other side of the planet is very interesting indeed. You three come. I am going to call an assembly."

“Master?" Sticks asked.

“I am thinking we should visit Perna Pride and soon."

“Life is strange isn't it." I said to my companions.

*What's that Mr. Winter?*

“I thought Naomi would have jumped at the chance to go with us."

“Alex, you didn't see it did you?" The leech boy asked.

“What did I miss?"

*You didn't catch how Noami Good looked at Saber the vicious?*

“Um, no."

“She is in love with him." Tonka replied.

“I did notice that in a weird light Naomi, the two other slaves and Saber look like a family."

*I noticed that too.* Feleen observed.

_12:46 PM Conquered Counter Earth (City Center, World Four) _

“Wakey wakey!" The capuchin said to ONE's emissaries.

“UGH, what happened?!" Jonan asked.

“You were captured. That is what happened!" The lemur replied.

As Ed came to he realized that his legs and arms were tied to a wooden post. To his right was Jonan. To his left Dane. Both were being held by the two 25' creatures the capuchin, lemur, aardwolf, collie and spitz worshiped.

“We are in their lair!" Ed said to his companions.

“You all tried stealing from our flock!" The she monkey said to their prisoners.

“Bad idea, right?" The dawn horse asked the ewe.

“Yes." The lemur responded. “As punishment you three will suffer excruciating pain in your final moments before you receive death's embrace."

*GASP*

“Eagle you will watch your friends die first." The capuchin announced as the spitz, aardwolf and collie stood by motionless. “Questions?"

“Um, can't we all just get along?" The ewe asked.

“What was it that you said after attending our seminar?" The lemur asked. “Oh yes and I quote- I hate competitors…. DIE!!!!"

Jonan and Ed looked at Dane who squirmed uncomfortably within the creature's clutches.

“Figure of speech?" The dawn horse said sheepishly.

“These are the final moments of your lives, feel free to scream, beg, plead, cry or soil your britches, it won't alter your fate."

“Probably not but you will have to clean up the mess afterwards." Dane smirked as the creature who had him, started pulling on both of his arms. “OW."

Jonan started laughing at Dane's remark as she started to be similarly stretched in two directions by the other creature pulling on both her arms like a wishbone of a turkey.

“Well friends we lived through the apocalypse and survived the after empire era for a while anyway. It was a pleasure knowing the both of you. Perhaps we will meet again in the next world?" Ed dropped his gaze toward the worshipers who were attending their execution that afternoon.

“The same my dear friends." The ewe said.

“Yeah we had some good times together didn't we?" The dawn horse added.

Was this really the end?!

As Ed was about to close his eyes resigned in his and his friend's fate he felt a gush of air.

*WHOOSH*

Was today supposed to be windy? There was no way to know- no weather forecast.

*WHOOSH*

There it was again moving through the crowd. What was that?

Ed watched as the expressions changed of the audience changed from frowns to goofy grins.

No way! He watched as the aardwolf, collie and spitz were the next to be touched. They vibrated, looked up at each other and then made their way over to the capuchin and lemur.

“What are you doing?" The she monkey screamed as she was groped.

*TOUCH*

“Hey, wait stop!" The lemur hissed.

*TOUCH*

“There has been a change of plan; no one is to be punished today."

The yellowish brown creatures, with the humanoid looking bodies with no neck, a circle like head with no nose, two flat ears, oval mouth with sharp teeth and one single eye- a large single eye. Looked at each other then released their sacrifices.

“What is going on? …I feel, we feel as if our very souls are being ripped from our bodies!"

“That is because you are becoming one with ONE." The ewe said to the capuchin.

“What is this feeling of bliss?! It is like a million climaxes all at once!" The lemur added.

“Really? You don't say. I wish I could feel that." Dane replied.

“Perhaps in time servant." The trio's savior said landing in front of them. A female harpy.

“You saved us." Ed said as the creature removed his bindings.

“Despite your inequalities, you three have proven quite useful to us." The she harpy said gesturing to the new followers that were added to the collective.

“Why thank you sir!" Jonan said bowing.

“We should leave." The synoptic said through his meat suits.

“Shouldn't we savor our victory a little longer sir?" Dane asked.

“We have rejected the capuchin and lemur. They are deeply flawed."

“Good to know." The ewe said as she was walked by the collie and spitz.

“Right she is going to be really, really pissed when she comes too." Ed said helping Dane.

“What is this voice coming from our lips? It is not our own!" The aardwolf complained.

“Oh that… that is ONE our leader. You are now part of something greater than yourself." Jonan said casually.

“Yup, our club is much larger and better than the one you just left anyway." Dane added.

1:35 PM Chaundoon (Marble Canyons, S'mar Pridelands)

*We are arriving at our destination.*

“Oh my!" Tonka gasped looking at the devastation.

Perna Pride's territory looked like a warzone.

Now…

October 18, YOE 35

5:40 AM Chaundoon (Marble Canyons, Perna Pride Territory)

Tonka was growing uneasy as I examined the purple spider corpse. It had been sliced lengthwise, then crosswise like a orange. The cuts were perfect.

I then went to examine the remains of another yowie, this one was charred thoroughly like a marshmallow over an open flame. From there my task to support the tribe's witch doctor in recovering the injured and fallen ground to a halt as I examined the remains of the Perna Pride's aggressors. The next purple spider I examined had superficial burns over sixty percent of its body.

“Alex?" Tonka asked confused as I rummaged over the corpse.

“Don't worry Tonka. This one is dead too, cooked from the outside inward. Died with its eyes open." I replied. That was when I found what I was looking for. Two symmetrical gashes on the creature's rear. “Well screw me sideways." I said turning and walking away.

“Alex?"

6:00 AM Chaundoon (Chamber Of The Four Kings, Perna Pride Village)

“Alright let's have it. Don't hold back." Black Scythe ordered the bruised and battered warriors around her.

“Bad." Shred announced.

“Assessment?" Chief Lyre coughed.

“I think we lost about a third of our warriors to the spiders mother." Stab announced. “The dead are still being counted."

“Another third are injured." Impale announced. “Salamanca, Song and Kiwi are treating them."

“That is more than half the pride." Stab and Impale's mother said looking at her injured sister.

“The cost was great. If not for Naka here…" Chief Lyre replied.

“Yes we would have been annihilated. But that is what happened to our enemy."

“Chief Lyre, chief Black Scythe, what is the way forward?" Shred asked as looking at his mate and cubs.

“We continue onward. Red Sword and Hatchet would have wanted that." Black Scythe commented.

“But the pride is in a state like never before! We are vulnerable to the other prides!" Pierce announced.

“We must replenish our numbers; replace the warriors that have fallen." Shred added.

“Well then I would suggest that everyone procreate a lot. In time we will replace the fallen." Lyre suggested.

“But what about the short term?" Stab asked.

“If I may, chieftains." Naka said stepping forward.

“Speak canine." Black Scythe said turning her attention to the maned wolf.

“What of your prisoners? Those that have helped fight the pride's enemy could be granted provisional status and made members of the Perna Pride."

“You mean like your family was?" Chief Lyre coughed.

“And he has more than proved his worth." Pierce said holding her cubs.

“I will consider your suggestion canine." The chieftain said as I entered the chamber.

“Morning chief Black Scythe, chief Lyre." I said bowing.

“Healer." The two rulers of Perna Pride said to me.

“Forgive the intrusion. I would like to speak to my fellow tribe-mate. Naka a word." I said sternly to the mid-level knight.

He followed me outside. We walked a safe distance from the remaining rulers of Perna Pride to an area punctuated by Yowie corpses.

“Alex?"

“You disobeyed a direct order from King Dragon, Duchess Jua and the colony council!" I said sternly to him.

The wolf warrior was taken back by my accusation.

“Alex…"

“Don't deny it. I examined numerous Yowie corpses. It all makes sense- you deliberately evading Attack Beast while enroute to here. It was to give your away-team time to use our technology to destroy this pride's enemy and fight their war for them!"

“Alex. I could not let this tribe be eradicated. Song, Kiwi and I have friends here. Without the prototype this tribe would have lost and the Yowie would have inhabited this area. So yes I willingly used our technology to interfere with their natural progression of things here pridelands." He said to me.

I glared at him.

“Yes there will be unintended consequences- tipping the balance of power here in the marble canyons. I am willing to accept that."

“Naka what if the defeated regroup and come back in greater numbers?"

“All the Yowie are dead."

“We don't know that as fact. I am still sifting through the corpses. There could be one or two masquerading as feline warriors."

It was his turn to glare at me.

“Naka, what are you going to say to our leaders? You know your actions today have quite possibly ended your tenure as a knight of World Seven."

To Be Continued….

[MEANWHILE]

October 18, YOE 35

10:20 AM Free Counter Earth (Great Forest)

“UHNN." The wicked goat lady said collapsing.

“MARA!" Sir Ram said running to his beloved.

“I don't feel so well Rammy." She said.

“Automated assistant! Automated assistant!" Sir Ram called out again.

The white prototype did not respond. It sat motionless staring at the couple.

Gently the evil beastial leaned his beloved against a pile of debris from the blue coupe.

“Rest here." The big horned sheep ordered his beloved as started walking toward the white coupe.

“Rammy!"

He quickly doubled backed to where he had left Mara.

“What's wrong dear?"

The she beast was speechless as she held out her left paw which was transforming… reshaping into a hoof!

“What is happening to me?"

Earlier….

October 18th, YOE 35

5:32 AM Free Counter Earth (Sir Ram's Favorite Lab, Castle Wundagore)

The she goat had grown concerned. Once again her beau had become engrossed in his work and did not return home the previous evening. When she got up he was missing from their bed.

She found her beloved in one of his labs, the tiered one he had used earlier in the year for his conditioning therapy sessions with Alex Winter.

*beep* *beep*

“What is it?!" He called out from behind the lab doors.

“Rammy! You never came home!"

“Mara it is not that late."

“Dearest it is morning."

The he beast looked up from the monitors he was watching. “I guess it is."

“Come. You have been at this all night."

5:40 AM Free Counter Earth (Cafeteria, Castle Wundagore)

Mara gazed at her beloved whom seemed to be staring off into space as he ate his salad.

“So what kept you up all night?"

“The High Master. He was disappointed that Commander Ursa and I are not making any in-roads regarding the KLIS."

“Yes, the modifications to the prototype's weaponry were in-effective."

“Look at this." The ram said placing a viewing pad in front of his nanny goat. “ I have been studying video taken from the KLIS harvesting here in World One and World Two."

The she beastial watched a triangular shaped craft hover over World Two moving a strobing yellow beam on the populace below. Sir Ram then played back the footage of from Castle Wundagore. It was the same strobing yellow light.

“According to Commander Ursa's report the boomerang craft that attacked her had the same yellow light only this time instead of collection it was used for disintegration."

“She and Alex nearly lost their lives yesterday."

“Of that I am aware of dear." The evil beastial said rubbing his left arm and the bruise under it. “I was thinking if we can't develop offensive weaponry to use against the KLIS, perhaps we can use theirs against them?"

“Sounds like we have a plan to defend ourselves against the aliens." Mara said out loud.

“Precisely."

“Then we need to recover what is left of the blue coupe. Its most likely has footage of the beam that cut it in half."

“Yes my dear." The big horned sheep said standing up from the chair he had been sitting on.

6:00 AM Free Counter Earth (Commander Ursa's Chambers, Castle Wundagore)

“Master please! I am trying!"

My she beast was mumbling in her sleep again.

“Please! I do not wish to be de-evolved!"

She had had bad dreams before when she was severely stressed but this is the worst I have ever seen.

To start during the night I guess we shifted from our traditional sleeping positions. Instead of my head resting on her breasts and my butt in her crotch I was on my back with her head on my chest and the rest of her on my lower half. I guess she felt she needed to dominate after feeling quite useless and inferior as of late.

“I don't want to become a forest bear again!!" She fear mumbled.

“Mistress!" I said gently rubbing the head of my ferocious she beast.

“Huh?!" She asked stirring.

“You were having a dream and from the sounds of it, a bad one."

“I was." She replied as I stared at her. “The High Evolutionary no longer felt that I met his criteria as an ultimate life form."

“So he had you de-evolved and returned back to the wild." I said completing her sentence.

“I was a simple forest bear again not thinking past my next meal, avoiding horny males and opportunistic trophy hunters."

“And superiors imposing unreal expectations." I added as she placed her head on her paws and stared at me.

“I also missed living within the empire and the benefits of being a beastial- art, culture, technology."

“I see."

“Although it was just a dream, it may be a foreshadowing of the future." She said, staring me in the eyes.

“You do tend to have bad dreams when you are stressed. Which is a change from just having insomnia before." I observed.

“You have been talking in your sleep as well pet. I have heard you."

“Really?"

“It was just the other night."

“Was it a bad dream?"

“No, it was passionate and erotic you were involved in a three-some. From what I could tell- I was on the bottom being penetrated by you and you were on top of me being penetrated by another."

“Who was that?" I asked starting to blush.

“Spirit. He waited patiently for you to finish with me. As you were resting, I parted your cheeks allowing him entry. He licked your neck as he rode you."

“Like he did when we were in The Maximum?" I asked.

“OH! Spirit! My beloved Spirit! It is so good when we slow gravity… so good! Breathe one two three... take all of me so good!" My fierce ursine warrior said imitating what I supposedly said while talking in my sleep.

I really started blushing at that point. But she wasn't over.

“GRRR, my beautiful brown bear, I am going to give you so many younglings! You better get ready!" She said imitating me again.

I felt myself turn red as a beet.

“Please don't hold me responsible for what I do or say while I am asleep mistress; I have no control over my subconscious."

“I don't know pet. As I said it sounded like a very erotic, passionate dream. Deeply held secret desires?" She asked noticing that I was getting very stiff thinking about it. “Why don't you try putting a litter of cubs inside me… two boys and two girls perhaps? I need the distraction."

“By your command mistress." I replied as she made herself comfortable.

10:00 AM Free Counter Earth (Interior of The Great Forest)

*We are arriving at our destination Sir Ram* The automated assistant of the white prototype he and Mara were traveling in announced.

“I have found the debris field Rammy."

“Any KLIS activity?" The beastial scientist asked.

*None.*

“Automated assistant active the probe. I want continuous scans of the immediate area. If so much as a mosquito sneezes I want to be aware of it."

*Yes Mara.*

The goat and the ram landed the white coupe about half a mile from the debris field of their second blue coupe. They exited the prototype preparing to sift through the remains looking for recordings of the vehicle's encounter with the KLIS spacecraft.

The automated assistant assumed control of the white coupe monitoring the returns from the probe.

The beastial couple started sifting through the debris, well what had hit the ground anyway.

“Rammy." The wicked goat lady said.

“Left rear wheel."

“Up there is the right." She said pointing to a tree limb. “Over here!"

The ram followed his lover to a large blue metal chunk.

“It is amazing Ursa and the boy survived any of this." She said kneeling.

“This is the platform where the probe launched and where the holo projector was located." Sir Ram observed looking at the serrated edges. “They were carved up like a roast."

“I think I see it." The nanny goat said pointing.

At the head of the debris trail was the nose, hood, left front and right front tires of the prototype. The front mounted camera looked like it was still intact after the crash.

“This might yield some valuable information as to what that yellow beam of light was that destroyed…" The big horned sheep started to say when….

*ZIT* *ZIT* “YEOW!!!"

“Rammy?"

“Something hit me!!" The he beast said reaching for his posterior. Whatever it was, it went right through his red and blue uniform striking at the weakest point… the backside.

“Hold still." Mara ordered as she removed three objects from the ram's bottom.

“Porcupine quills?" The he beast said taking them from his nanny goat. “Out here?"

*ZIT* *ZIT* “GAH!!! Mara screamed. “I have been hit too!"

The wicked beastial glanced at her arm. Three more quills were sticking out there.

“Take cover!" The big horned sheep ordered.

“Automated assistant! We are under attack!" The nanny goat shouted.

*Negative. I am not detecting any activity within a three mile radius of our vicinity Mara. Not even a mosquito sneezing.* The automated assistant replied as it closed the side-pods on both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle.

“Was it a fluke?" The goat asked the ram.

“Once perhaps, but twice?!"

“Let's hurry up and find what we came for." Mara said standing up.

“Easy dear."

“I feel a little woozy. Give me a minute."

Sir Ram nodded and continued to head for the nose cone as he did, he passed by the steering column and driver side dashboard.

Now…

October 18th, YOE 35

10:20 AM Free Counter Earth (Interior of The Great Forest)

“Rammy!!"

“Mara what is it?" The big horned sheep asked running back to her.

“I don't feel so well."

“Automated assistant! Automated assistant!" Sir Ram called out again.

The white prototype did not respond. It said motionless staring at the couple.

Gently the evil beastial leaned his beloved against a pile of debris from the blue coupe.

“Rest here." The big horned sheep ordered his beloved as started walking toward the white coupe.

“Rammy!"

He quickly doubled backed to where he had left Mara.

“What's wrong dear?"

The she beast was speechless as she held out her left paw which was transforming… reshaping into a hoof!

“My paw!" She screamed. “What is happening to me?"

The he beast watched- it was as her whole body was shifting, reformatting itself.

The big horned sheep was so fixated on what was happening to his nanny goat that he missed a figure make entry into the white coupe.

“Oh very comfy!" A chipmunk said as he sat down behind the driver seat. “Now let's see…" He made a selection from the weapons screen and pressed the second toggle switch on the weapons console. Without being asked to authorize who he was!

*Holo projector engaged.*

“Most excellent. Now let's check up on your inventors."

“Rammy It is happening to you too!!" Mara shouted as she doubled over in pain.

“It was the quills! There was something in the quills!" Sir Ram said as he looked at his paws.

The chipmunk smiled as he watched the scenes from the front mounted camera. Forced transformation. This was getting good!!

“Operative Kiff report!" An image of a Tian mountain dog appeared on the upper left monitor in the center stack.

“It is proceeding as planned operative Spirit. In fact, better than planned."

“So that damned beastial is having a no good, very bad morning?" A bald headed man with a nicely trimmed beard who was seated next to the canine asked.

“Yes, the prototype shot them with the mutagen." The chipmunk responded.

“And they are returning to their original non-beastial states?" Spirit asked.

“Exactly what he did to you when they deemed you unfixable." Deerfeeder said gently to the tian mountain dog. “Kiff."

“Here, see for yourself." The chipmunk said showing his superiors the footage.

“Their transformations looked most uncomfortable indeed." Ritz smiled watching the humanoid bodies dissolve right in front of him, Spirit and Kiff.

The three of them watched as a quadrupedal nanny goat and big horned sheep emerged from the clothing they had been previously wearing and tried to run toward the white coupe.

The chipmunk pressed the left toggle switch on the weapon's console.

*side-pod engaged*

Then made a selection from the weapons menu, lined up the crosshairs on his targets and then pressed the middle toggle switch.

*static pulse engaged*

A ball of electricity struck the goat and ram. Electrocuting them. They collapsed onto the ground.

“I wish I could be there with you operative." The bald headed man with the nicely trimmed beard frowned. “I wish I could be the one pressing the button right now."

“Well you are here in spirit sir." Kiff joked.

“Activate lasers, carve him up like the KLIS did to his invention. NICE FINE CHUNKS!"

“And then sir?"

“Then use the grenades." Ritz Site said, making a devilish wicked grin.

“With respect sir- isn't this demise rather quick?" The tian mountain dog asked.

“You are saying with everything that damned ram has done he should be made to suffer before he dies?"

“But meeting his demise by his own invention is rather devious." The chipmunk said to his superiors.

“What about the koala's reality machine?" Spirit asked.

“Negative. The two of them would find a way to reverse their de-evolution and make their way back to this reality." Deerfeeder said knocking down that suggestion. “I want to be the last thing he sees."

“What do you suggest?" Spirit asked.

“Let's reach out to the KLIS."

“Sir?" Kiff asked the bald headed man.

“Let's see if they are taking donations." Deerfeeder said smiling.

To Be Continued…._ _