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Counter Earth Chronicles

Chapter 98: A Quiet And Simple Vacation (Conclusion)

Day 320 (evening)

“Alex what are you talking about?" My warrior bear said as she stood up and assessed our dire situation.

Night was quickly falling and a monster, monster, monster snow storm was fast approaching from the northwest.

“You know very well what I am talking about." I said placing my hands on my hips.

“It will have to wait." My she beast said as she looked at her communicator. “We are on the west continent! How did we get here?!"

“ The strange lights we saw last night were from a spacecraft. Its occupants lured us into the Dark Forest in order to study you. They have been doing that to you and many other beastials for some time; our whole vacation was a pretense to your abduction!"

“That is unbelievable!" My warrior bear said grabbing me by the hand as we started fleeing the dark ominous clouds approaching our location.

“Is it? Before we were pulled into the craft, you were screaming 'Not Again!' or something to that effect. So on some level you were aware that this had been happening to you repeatedly even though you weren't able to remember."

“That is quite hard to believe Alex."

“Do you have any other explanation as to how we left the Dark Forest and wound up all the way out here?" I said as we continued running.

“No pet. But we must find shelter now. That storm looks quite dangerous and you are not dressed for this type of weather."

“Can't you call for help?" I asked.

“Negative. My communicator is not working."

“Why?"

“We are too far away from the empire."

“You mean the communicators only work within the empire's boundaries?" I said breathing heavily.

“Yes pet and a certain distance outside those boundaries not several continents away."

“So we are on our own." I concluded as we continued to run.

“Yes."

“So what is the western continent known for?" I said looking at the forested area we found ourselves in.

“Horrible snow storms, blizzards, ice storms and avalanches. That is why no one is allowed to live here." Lady Ursa said as we continued to flee the approaching storm.

It was true we were under equipped for the weather. The weather for the Dark Forest was to be mild that week despite it being December so we only brought fall jackets along with the tent which were now several continents away if not on the other side of the planet.

This was not good at all; we had not planned to be abducted by aliens and dropped off at a location different from our campsite.

We ran south through frozen fields, creeks and woodlands toward numerous round hills in the distance.

“We need to find someplace to ride out the storm." My she beast said looking around.

(But where in all of this nothing?)

We saw frozen forest on said hills soon to be covered with snow from the storm approaching from the northwest.

“It is a shame that there aren't any caves around." I said scanning the hillside.

“This will have to do." My she beast said.

“That fallen tree?" I asked looking at a big log and its large interior which was about six feet in diameter.

“It will be a bit snug but it will keep us out of the storm. Given our dire situation, we don't have another alternative. Especially you pet; I might be able to weather the storm. You would not."

“Agreed." I said as we climbed in.

Once inside, my female brown bear sat down and tried to embrace me. Which I resisted.

“Pet, you need to stay warm otherwise you will succumb to the elements."

“Mistress I am still quite cross with you." I said as the storm reached our position and it began snowing quite heavily.

“Why Alex?"

“Because you used me! Apparently right from the start! Do all beastials use those whom they deem inferior?"

She didn't deny it.

“How did you find out?" She asked solemnly.

I was quiet for a moment. Before continuing the story.

“Mistress you are an object of intense interest for the extraterrestrial creatures that abducted us. They have been studying you since just after you became a beastial."

My fierce ursine warrior gasped at my revelation.

“You know those markings on your armpits and foot paws? These right here?" I said grabbing her left foot paw and showing her the marking. “You told me that you have had those since becoming a beastial. You though it was part of the transformation process you went through."

“I thought it was." My brown bear admitted.

“No they are some type of tracking/identifier the aliens use so they can find you when it is time to study you again."

“Alex, how do you know all this?"

“As I said mistress, last night we were abducted. I was returned back to the campsite shortly afterward. Apparently they didn't care for humans too much. However, I managed to board the spacecraft again to try to attempt a rescue."

“Were you successful?" She asked curiously.

“Not even in the slightest. I was imprisoned while they continued to study you. Later they did decide to examine me but that was after they examined you in great, great detail. You were screaming, roaring and making sounds that I never heard you make before and trying to break free from your restraints. I think it worried them."

“I don't remember that- any of it."

“Think hard mistress." I said giving her my full attention.

“Sorry pet."

“They must have blocked your memories as not to traumatize you any further."

“If that is true pet, how is it that you can remember?"

“Probably because I am not from the this world or their mind wipe doesn't work on me. Just like when the Manassass tried to do the same to me." I said to my she beast.

“Pet, what happened next?"

“They brought me to see you. I was ordered to comfort and calm you while they continued to run every conceivable test and exam in existence. They fed you and watched how your body ingested, processed nutrients and eliminated the remains."

My she beast looked at me horrified. I could guess her next question.

“Yes, they watched you relieve yourself. They studied your waste too. The greys continued to observe our interactions which lead them to study me afterward in such detail that it left me mortally wounded."

“Alex, what did they do to you?"

“I think they punctured my lung and liver during their examinations. I was near death when they had finished."

“How is it that you survived pet?"

“The beings also happened to be studying another beastial who had a distinct healing ability. As part of their study they had him heal me."

“How?"

“It was weird uncomfortable and somewhat enjoyable, but not important. But we got to talking after he saved my life. I found out that he was their liaison; they used him to calm their terrified victims. As such, the alien creatures 'told' him things. Things that he relayed to me."

“Really, like what?" My she beast said trying to act innocent.

“That you have an incurable degenerative disease." I said turning around looking at her. “And that you have been using me to heal you because of it."

I studied Lady Ursa's reaction as I delivered the bombshell.

“That is how I know. But according to the greys my semen does not heal you, it temporarily relieves the symptoms of your condition allowing you to maintain as much a normal level of life as possible. Which has explained why when we are apart from any length of time, your symptoms returns."

The Knight of Wundagore's mouth opened wide at my revelation.

“This is my truth, tell me yours." I said closing her jaw. “No more lies, omissions, or misdirections. The truth mistress."

My lady bear was silent.

“Very well Alex."

“It started about a month before you arrived on Counter Earth."

“Go on." I said.

“Lady Vermin and I were investigating the reports that a rebel cel had developed a biological weapon they were planning to unleash against the beastials in World One. Through some deep reconnaissance she had determined where their base of operations was located."

“So this was about a year ago?" I asked.

“Yes Alex. Late December."

“Their base of operations appeared to be a bar and grill in the theater district- hidden in plain site. When we entered it looked like any ordinary business. With the exceptions that the patrons were all human and all rebels. Lady Vermin and I took down all of them. As the knight core was conducting clean up, I decided to canvass the rear of the restaurant. As I did, I walked into what I thought was a refrigeration unit which was actually a lab. Before I knew it, I was trapped in a impenetrable glass box and a gaseous substance was inserted in there with me."

“OMG! It was the weapon!" I said at my bear knight's revelation.

“Exactly right. I heard a voice say breathe deeply beastial. I tried to force my way out, but couldn't. It was several minutes before I was found and released. Shortly afterwards, I was examined by Lea. She determined that I had indeed found the biological weapon Lady Vermin and I had been searching for; it had been used on me. I spent the next week undergoing intensive test after test to see what damage had been done. Everything came back inconclusive."

“What about the weapon?"

“It turns out that chemical was all that the rebels had. They were planning to synthesis more, but we stopped them before they had a chance to do so."

“That is good."

“Not really pet. In the weeks before your arrival, I started feeling run down, and sick as if I was catching some type of disease. My nose was running, I was sneezing excessively, my eyes were watering, I was congested. What was weird was that it didn't clear up it lingered. I thought nothing more of it until the week of your arrival on this world. That was when I noticed that my arms and legs started aching. I couldn't hold my paws, steady, I was having trouble moving my limbs, walking was becoming a chore not to mention working out. Lea tested me again and discovered what the biological weapon had done. Worse, it was incurable. At some point I would become unable to move at all as my motor skills faded away."

“Oh my."

(Now we are getting somewhere.)

“Lea and Sir Ram worked hard trying to find a solution, to reverse my condition. But they were ultimately unsuccessful. That was around the time you came into our lives. While testing you, Lea determined that you had some sort of healing ability. As my condition worsened, I decided to test her discovery."

“That was the night you kidnapped me, spirited me away to the forest and stole my virginity." I said thoughtfully as the winds picked up outside the log.

“Right pet. As I recalled it was the best night of your life."

“It was." I said humbly.

“It was a pretty good night for me as well. I made love to you and you ended whatever it was that I had. My congestion, running nose, soar throat and aching limbs ended. You pet you, were my cure. I knew, that despite what ever Sir Ram had in store for you. It was not as important because I knew I alone must have you."

(Um, it is nice to feel wanted.)

“That morning after you returned me to the holding center..." I said choking up. “Sir Ram came in and incapacitated me in preparation for his grand dissection. I remember pleading with him, but he had made up his mind."

“While that was taking place, I was telling Lea about what had happened and we decided to notify Sir Ram right away. We interrupted him just after he had put you under. Lea presented her findings and I told him about how you had treated me."

“I remembered that. What did he say?"

“As much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't argue with Lea's data or my findings. He concluded that in order for me to maintain a normal life as possible you would have to belong to me. Sir Ram ended his research right then and there and allowed you to become mine. You were promptly returned to the holding area and allowed to recover from the anesthesia."

(So the entire event wasn't staged to buy my loyalty as my doppelgänger had once suggested.)

“You adopted me the next day. So the only reason I am alive was because of my healing ability." I said looking at my she beast.

“Your clairvoyancy was a close second." Lady Ursa countered.

“So my adoption was just so you could continue to maintain your quality of life and not be a virtual vegetable." I said as the truth hit me hard. It hurt, it hurt very much.

As the snow storm intensified outside of the log. So did the discussion inside.

“So you were using me from the very start. Mistress did you ever love me?" I said looking her in the eye.

“No not at the start pet. You were a means to an end of my own predicament."

“I see." I said closing my eyes. That revelation hurt too. To think this was the very beastial I have given my heart, mind, body and soul to. The one I would rescue from a bunch of assailants who wanted to recycle her. The one I would jump a dangerous mercenary from the Animalita in order to try to save her from extraterrestrials.

Lady Ursa saw my reaction and put a claw-tip on my mouth as she continued.

“I thought about putting you in a cage and only taking you out when I needed to remedy my symptoms. But then there was that lunch we had the day before. I remembered the little human that saved me during the rebel attack. The terrified refugee- the one, who was in a very bad situation, the one who could have just let me perish in the roof collapse and fled but didn't. I decided that in return for your services, I would provide you with a home on this strange world you found yourself on, structure, stability, and an education. I just didn't tell you everything you were providing me."

“Why didn't you?" I said as my anger started to boil again.

“Embarrassment." The bear warrior said reluctantly.

“You were embarrassed mistress?"

“Very few know about my condition pet and I wanted to keep it that way. I felt thoroughly humiliated for falling into the rebel's trap. That was something that happened to junior knights. Imagine me the third strongest knight in the core being taken down by chemicals!"

“I wish you had been honest with me from the start about your intensions." I said closing my eyes again.

“Why pet?"

“What if I had disagreed with what you were doing?" I said to her.

“I don't think that you would."

“And how do you know that?" I said sternly.

“You were concerned about my well being and would have done the same thing regardless. As I got to know you, I started developing feelings for this shy extraterrestrial refugee who knew nothing of this world, its customs or its inhabitants or how to make love to a female."

I blushed at that remark.

“So you do love me."

“You are my beloved pet Alex. If I didn't, then why would I educate you, share my life with you and let you know me INSIDE and OUT?" The she beast said as I continued to blush.

“You know at some point we became a family- you and I."

“That we did pet."

“Promise me this one thing Lady Ursa Knight of Wundgore- let's agree not to keep any secrets from each other ever again."

Our conversation interrupted by large gust of wind as a backwash of snow entered our log traveling just far enough to dust my boots.

“So you aren't keeping any secrets from me Alex Winter?" My bear said as she embraced me.

I was silent.

“Ah, so you are?"

I didn't have to see it, but I knew that eyebrow of hers was raising.

“I am mistress." I admitted.

“I told you my truth Alex, now tell me yours."

“Remember the morning I met my parents and sister on the other side?"

“Yes while Lea and Sir Ram tried to bring you back to us. I remember it well." My she beast said thoughtfully.

“Yes they gave me some insight into my future."

“As I recall you said that they told you abut the destruction of Gaia."

“Well I didn't tell you everything. They told me about our relationship, despite the rocky start and the fact that it was interspecies- it would evolve into a stable, loving, committed relationship that would last."

“How long?"

“The rest of our lives."

Despite finally receiving full disclosure, I was still upset that my bear knight had hid her ulterior motive from me, but I would get over it- eventually.

“That is quite the revelation Alex. What else did they tell you?"

“That you and Lady Vermin were knights of dubious integrity, but have since started seeing the High Evolutionary for what he is and started journeys to become better beastials, and better knights because of it."

“Alex such words are treasonistic!"

(We are in the middle of no where, who would know?)

“But all true. I seem to recall someone changing her name after she stopped working at the reclamation centers. I also remember that same special someone telling me that she would not tell her master about a mysterious lost city a archeologist we know stumbled upon."

“Point taken."

“These past eleven months I have watched you mistress. You are one of the most honorable warriors in all the empire."

“Your parents say anything else?"

“Yes that going forward we were going to face increasingly hard challenges that would strain and test our relationship."

“Such as?"

“The secrets you were hiding from me, me being the favorite test subject of Mara and you finding out that you are also someone's test subject. Which is quite funny now that I think about it."

“What about being stranded on another continent in a snow storm." She added.

“That too."

The winter winds howled as the storm dragged on for hours as Lady Ursa and I struggled to keep warm in our makeshift shelter. At times we even heard thunder while seeing nothing but pure white stinging snow.

So there you have it, all my warrior bear's secrets revealed. While the storm raged on we made up. After I learned what Lady Ursa did and why she did what she did, I just couldn't stay mad at her; since my arrival on Counter Earth eleven months ago we have been through so much together, her and I. She and me- we have indeed become very close.

“Looks like we won't be going anywhere for a while. Which means we have a big problem." I said observing the storm.

“I know Alex, no food or water."

“And it seems to have gotten even colder. What are we going to do?" I said as I started shivering.

“Survive. I want you lie flat." Lady Ursa said as we moved backward into the log.

She then took off her jacket and wrapped my hands in it. She then had me lay down on the bottom of the log. No sooner than I had done that, she laid right down on top of me.

“I am going to try to my best to keep you from freezing." My fierce ursine warrior said to me.

I don't know about the rest of you, but that single act proved without a doubt that this beastial did love me.

“This is nice and cozy, but we have some more concerns- what if this storm goes on for days? How are we going to get back to the empire? We are cut off from everything. Everyone."

“One problem at a time Alex. We must survive first."

So we stayed there in the log as the wind howled outside. The storm went on for about a day and a half. When it finally ended there had to be about six feet of snow everywhere. My mistress managed to keep me relatively warm with her soft brown fur. We also passed the time talking. Despite the fact that our vacation went sideways, we did enjoy our time together doing nothing but talking and watching the snow fall. She was still horrified at what had happened to her on the spacecraft. I told her that was only what I saw the creatures do to her. It didn't help to know that they would be coming back for her a few years and there was not a damn thing she could do about it.

Day 322

As the storm ended we had yet another set of problems to deal with:

“I am very hungry and weak." I said as I dug a exit from the log. “Where are we going to find anything in all this?"

“Yes, pet we have an extreme problem." My she beast said as she started tinkering with her communicator.

“What are you doing mistress?"

“I am reconfiguring it."

“Into what?"

“A scanner." She said pressing a button. “This will be more beneficial to us than communication given our present situation."

“What are you hopping to find with your scanner?"

“Food pet. Something that would keep us going." She said to me as a holographic map projected from her armband.

“I didn't know that it could do that!"

Lady Ursa studied the map in great detail. If we were to continue south and east the forest and hills would turn into steep mountains which would be quite treacherous to cross, given the terrain. To the north and west was grasslands. To the north and east more forests.

“There is nothing in either direction." I said as she continued to search.

“It looks like we have a long, long, walk no matter what we do pet."

“Stop. Scroll back. What is that?" I said looking at a set of squares on the map.

“I don't know but it is quite large." My bear knight said looking at the image.

“It is not natural, it is constructed. It looks to be some type of shelter. Does that mean food and supplies?"

“I don't know Alex. But that is our own chance of survival given our current situation."

“How far away?"

“It looks like twelve miles to the north. Given the amount of snow on the ground. It would take a considerable amount of time to get there."

“We better get started then if we want to be there by evening."

“Agreed."

So we made the desperate decision to head north in attempt to find this structure in the hope of finding shelter from the elements, perhaps a change of clothing and most of all food and water. What we did find when we reached our destination was something else entirely.

To Be Continued....