FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Counter Earth Chronicles

*Chapter 111: Taking Responsibility For Others Sins (Revival Part Two) *

Day 930 (evening)

"Alexander when did you get out?" Neil Winter asked me again. "And how?!"

I looked at Lady Ursa and then back at my doppelgänger's younger brother.

"That is my name, but I am not your brother." I said as the six other members of the consortium looked on.

"You look just like him!" Neil Winter said eyeing me carefully.

"Well they say everyone has a double. Oh and I go by Alex, not Alexander and I may look like it but I am not your Alex Winter."

"I guess not you speak with a slight accent- which sounds familiar."

"Well, English is not my first language." I said to Neil.

"I guess you are right. My brother is being punished by the empire; I have not seen him in some time nor will they let me see him."

"There is a reason for that." Niko said looking at Neil.

"I know, I know." The brown haired human said.

"The knights claim that he did some horrid, despicable things in the name of the rebellion." The white ermine(?) said.

"I know." Neil responded.

"Neil is that why you decided to join the consortium?" I asked him as Dongo, Bess, Tess, Doria and Cinder looked on.

"I made a choice not to be consumed by the same thing that consumed my brother."

"Even after the Beastial Beauties scandal?" I said to him.

"So you know about that huh?" Neil asked.

"Yeah, I heard about it." I responded candidly.

(And I was there right with you.)

"Neil joined in late December of 031 YOE." Tess said to me.

"That was some months after Alexander was judged and punished by the High Evolutionary." Neil said sorrowfully. "My parents and I started looking into what he had done while with the rebellion and who he had become."

"Suffice it to say, you and/or your guardians were not happy with what you found out." The young Aardvark said in a determined tone.

"No." Neil said tearing up. "Something destroyed my brother inside, changing him, it caused him to do some horrifying things in the name of the rebellion and I vowed not to let the same happen to me. That was why I joined all of you."

"So you don't hold any animosity toward beastials?" I asked.

"No. I come to think of Dongo, Bess, Tess, Cinder and Niko as my extended family."

"Well Neil we are glad to have you with us." Dongo said gently.

"If this world is consumed by hate, then love dies." Doria said. "Our group is a small representation of how this world should be humans and beastials living, working, and striving for a better tomorrow- together."

Everyone nodded.

"Some could also say loving together for a better tomorrow hey Dongo?" Niko said winking at the consortium's leader who was blushing again at the insinuation.

"Ok with introductions aside- we can now move on to other pressing issues." The hyena said. "Like where have you been for the past nineteen months Alex?"

"Were you helping the knights with some top secret mission?" Tess asked me. While the new members looked on.

"Alex and I were on vacation. An extended vacation." My she beast said standing from the high table near the kitchen.

"Where?" Bess asked.

"Oblivion." I said staring at my mistress.

She nodded giving her consent. I just wondered how much of the story she would allow me to tell my consortium colleagues.

"You guys are my friends so, I am going to trust you with this. At any rate the word needs to get out."

So I spent the next twenty minutes or so giving the consortium a condensed version of our vacation from hell....

"No, no it can't be!" The hyena screamed examining his arm pit. "I have been marked! They are coming for me too!"

"Let me see." Doria said. "Honey, that is just one of your spots, not an alien marker."

"And what about that this one?" The leader of the consortium asked his human companion."

"Dongo, that is a pimple." Doria said examining the he beast's other arm pit. "You have not been marked by the creatures."

"Are you two ok?" Niko asked my bear warrior and myself.

"It will be some time before we are ourselves again. But thank you for your concern Niko." My she beast said.

"Anything sis?" Bess asked as Tess examined her brother for odd alien markings.

"No you are clean." Tess commented.

"As are you." Bess commented.

"Niko? Cinder?" Neal asked.

"No."

"No."

The white ermine(?) and aardvark said one after the other.

"Hmm... one of my cousins believes he has been abducted and/or studied by those alien beings." The young aardvark commented.

"Really?" I asked.

"My family thinks he is just seeking attention, but he is adamant that it happened to him and is still happening to him."

"How does he know?" Niko asked the little aardvark.

"He has blackouts and/or experiences where he loses track of time and then can't remember what he did or where he has been." Cinder said to us.

"How long has it been happening?" Neil asked.

"Since he was adolescent. Ember always felt like he was different..."

"Wait, wait Cinder- your cousin's name is Ember?" I asked the little boy.

"Distant cousin actually." He responded.

(DAMN. SMALL WORLD.)

I looked at Lady Ursa and she at me.

"What is it?" Cinder asked.

"I met him." I admitted.

(He saved my life.)

At the time, I wondered how much I should have said to Cinder about his cousin. I can imagine that conversation- oh yeah and by the way Cinder, he is the alien's liaison and he has a peculiar healing ability! I decided to leave those parts out.

"He was present when the alien creatures sent us back to the planet."

"So those who are marked by the creatures they are subjected to being re- abducted and studied again and again?" Doria asked my fierce ursine warrior.

Lady Ursa nodded.

"What's worse is there isn't anything I can do to prevent it." I said to my consortium colleagues; when they deem it is time, they will come and get you whether you want to go or not."

"That is truly horrifying." Bess said.

"So was being stranded in that prison with all those convicts." The white ermine(?) exclaimed.

"That was truly at the far end of the planet and it took a long time before anyone realized we were there." I said.

I left out the part about the eccentric warden or the fact that we had to give our bodies to others in order to please him.

"Well, Alex we are so glad to have you back." Dongo said still embarrassed from his outburst.

"I am glad to be back too. But it is going to be awhile before I am up to speed."

"That is not hard." Bess said. "The last nineteen months were just plain awful- bad for the empire."

"It lead to conflict between first and second class citizens and citizens against the High Evolutionary." Tess said.

"It got so bad that a curfew was established; no one is allowed outside between 7 PM and 7 AM." Niko added. "If you are, you will be punished- severely."

"Wow." I said.

"The High Evolutionary is using this time to extinguish pockets of unrest and/or lawlessness." Cinder added.

"The empire is in disarray. It started when Rick Rivers challenged the High Evolutionary and worsened from there. The protests, riots and natural disasters didn't help." Dongo said.

"All of us helped out where we could." Doria said hugging her hyena. "We helped those who were affected by the tornado that hit World Three."

"That put our group on the map." Neil said.

"Then we also helped motorists who were stranded during that snow storm earlier this year." Bess added.

"And then there was the movie theater we helped open in World One which is promoting socialization between the classes." Tess added.

"Yes, yes we were there for it all. But there is still more to do, and/or a long way to go." The young aardvark added.

"It looks like the boy genius has spoken." Neil teased.

"So that brings us to today's meeting." The hyena said redirecting the conversation. "And what is bothering me now."

"It's that new program airing on the hub isn't it?" The white ermine(?) asked.

"That is exactly it." The leader of the Consortium for Mutual Coexistence said.

"What show?" I asked.

"Why Are You Poor?" Tess answered. "It is a documentary program that interviews a member of the human population every week."

"It claims to be some sort of self help program that helps its subjects analyze points in their life where they went off track and tries to get them back on track." Bess added.

(That doesn't sound so bad.)

"But in reality it ridicules, derides and embarrasses the less fortunate for being less fortunate and exacerbates humans and beastial relations in the process." Dongo said.

"That is the last thing we need right now is more reasons for the rebels to recruit." Neil Winter added.

"I see you aren't familiar with the program." Cinder said to myself and Lady Ursa. "Let me see. Here is the latest promotion."

The little aardvark played a 20 second promo for the program. It consisted of a human female seated at a desk being berated by a brown plumed avian.

"WHY ARE YOU POOR?!" The avian beastial shouted at the woman.

"I, I." The woman stammered.

"Don't you know there is more than a enough prosperity for all of us?!" The brown avian shouted at her. "SO WHY ARE YOU POOR?!"

"I don't know!" The woman shouted as she burst into tears.

"Tune in each week as we find out the answer." The bird said with a snide smile. "Watch us live or on your own time."

"Wow, so what do you plan to do?" I asked as Lady Ursa looked on.

"We are trying our best to get that disgrace for entertainment shut down." Doria said.

"Niko has been researching who created it and where it originates." The hyena added.

"The program is produced here at the hub studios in World Five." The white ermine(?) said. "I have been trying to contact the show's originators, but they won't respond."

"So we can't even set up a meeting." Dongo said.

"Actually there is another way." Cinder interjected. As we looked on.

"We should have Neil try out for the program. His history would be quite interesting to them."

"You mean go undercover?" The brother of the convicted rebel asked.

"It makes sense." The white ermine(?) said. "He fits their profile."

"And our boy genius strikes again." Doria said. "That is a brilliant idea Cinder."

"I would liked to be involved in that." I volunteered.

"As would we." The buffalo calves admitted.

"I appreciate everyone's enthusiasm. But I think it would be much better if we don't all show up on their doorstep; I think we should keep this operation small." The hyena said.

"How small?" Cinder asked.

"Hmm... myself, Neil, Niko and Alex."

"Just as well though we are still working on helping those affected by the tornado in World Three." Bess said.

"How is that going?" Doria asked.

"Difficult." Tess added. "We could use some assistance and/or help." The female buffalo calf said imitating the aardvark.

"Um sure." Cinder said.

"With our boy genius on it we should have it resolved quickly." Bess concluded.

"It's settled. Neil and Niko will set up a meeting with the originators at the hub studios. Tell then you have found a subject for their program." Dongo said.

"And you?" Niko asked.

"I will be representing Neil Winter and Alex can play his relative who is not sure he should be on the program."

(Dongo that is devious.)

In the meantime, Alex you should familiar yourself with that program; I want you to watch as many episodes as you can tolerate." The hyena added.

"Good idea." I said.

"We can help you with that." The buffalo calves said. "We can send you a list of the episodes that have aired."

"Even better." I said.

"Niko World Five signing off."

"Cinder World Four signing off."

"Neil World Three signing off."

"Wow, guys you have done quite well in my absence." I said to the three beastials and human female.

"Our little group is growing." Bess said.

"Yeah it is quite amazing when you think about it." Tess added.

"Well goodnight everyone." Doria said giving us a devilish look. "My wild dog and I have some personal time scheduled."

"Um, I will contact you when we have set up a date and time for appointment." Dongo said blushing.

"It looks like you and your consortium friends have a mission." My she beast said.

"It looks like that mistress." I said as my warrior bear eyed me up and down. "Let me guess, you want to come too?"

She nodded.

(Man, she really hates being idle.)

"Well then I am going to need your assistance then."

"With what pet?"

"Research."

With that Lady Ursa and I sat down on the sectional and started researching the hub program that had tied Dongo's tail in a knot:

My lady bear called up the hub virtual menu. We found the program under series.

"Wow it looks like ten episodes have been made so far." I commented looking at the list. "Which one should we view?"

"The ones Bess and Tess recommended." My she beast said making her way through the list.

"Just one more thing."

"What is that pet?"

*SNUGGLE*

We made ourselves comfortable as the documentary started.

"On this episode we profile Marvin Marble." A brown avian with a yellow beak and red eyes said. "Another of the second class citizens of this world who is suffering. In an island of prosperity, why is it that he is struggling? Join us for this episode of Why Are You Poor?"

"Well that didn't take long." I said looking at my she beast.

"Pet?"

"It has only been thirty seconds and already I am offended." I said as we continued to watch the broadcast.

The show opened from within the hub studios where a we saw the show's featured guest Marvin Marble a disheveled thirty year old adult male black hair, jeans, green jacket, black hat and a frumpy brown shirt seated at a table next to the show's host who looked like a robin, only he had brown plumage. He was the same one from the promo.

"Welcome to another episode of Why Are You Poor? I am Yama Kite and seated next to me is my guest Marvin Marble. Thank you for coming."

"Well, I guess...." The disheveled human said looking around nervously.

"So Mr. Marble WHY ARE YOU POOR?!" The avian asked assuming a confrontational tone.

"I- I just can't make my ends meet. I can't afford my rent, my hover car or my other expenses." The black haired human said.

"And why is that?" The avian asked.

"Because I can't find a job."

"Why is that? There are many businesses looking for help." The brown bird said.

"None will hire humans, only beastials." The man said tearing up.

"My staff along with help from the knight core looked into your history to find out if there are any other reasons..." The brown bird said. "Roll the package."

_"Marvin Marble is the second of three siblings born to Jake and Cynthia Marble in 001 YOE in what is now World Four. Your family owned Marble Quarry Incorporated which mined components used in construction cement which was in high demand following the end of the 90 year war and the High Evolutionary's accession to power." _

_"Your family was successful financially until the rise of us beastials. In just four short years after the master took over, the Marbles' success tumbled as they were put out of business by new competitors- beastial competitors who provided a better, faster and cheaper product than the Marble Quarry ever could. Your family fell into bankruptcy and lost everything. The Marbles burned through their savings and saw their quality of life evaporate. Your parents were forced to move to more common areas that humans inhabit in World Four- by that we mean the basement." _

"Despite that Marvin's parents instilled that education was paramount in order to survive in this new world they and other humans found themselves in. Marvin attended the World Four School. Upon graduation, he went to college where he studied geology, mineralogy in hope to work at one of the competing businesses that destroyed your parent's business."

" Yes." Mr. Marble said.

"But there were complications." The avian said.

"No one wanted to hire a human. Each time I applied, I was turned down in favor of beastials."

" You suspect that you were more qualified than those candidates that were hired." The brown bird said.

"Yes. They won't hire second class citizens."

"Riiiight." The bird said judgmentally. "We studied the employee roster at the five quarries you interviewed at and discovered that none of them employ humans any humans. In fact there is a requirement that candidates applying for vacancies, must have either, fur, scales, plumage, paws, claws, fangs or tails."

"That is discrimination." Mr. Marble said_._

"That is a reality of being a human on Counter Earth." The avian said_._ "So in summation you are poor Mr. Marble not because you don't come from a fine family or that you didn't have a adequate education or numerous opportunities."

"That is a relief." Marvin Marble said. "So why do you think I am poor?"

"Because society, this beastial society is against you as we are the majority and you second class citizens are the minority." The brown bird said grinning.

"So you are going to help me right?" The man pleaded.

"Um, no but thank you for coming. And that is it for this week's episode. Please join us again next time for Why Are You Poor?! Until then this is Yama Kite saying you only have one life go out there and make it a happy one!"

After the broadcast there was an epilogue; Mr. Marble had been evicted from his apartment for nonpayment. He was then living out of his hover-vehicle until it was repossessed. His whereabouts are unknown.

"Mistress this has to be one of the most offensive programs ever! The host practically made fun of his guest's misfortune and didn't even try to help him!"

We decided right then and there to view a few more episodes. The next one was about a homeless teen who was thrown out by father, who couldn't provide for him. The teen robbed and stole to survive. He was captured by the knights after broadcast.

I made it through one more episode and half of another before I was extremely cross.

"I agree with Dongo there has to be some way to get this shut down!"

"That is going to be very difficult pet, it is quite popular."

"Isn't there anything the knights can do?" I grumbled.

"No Alex. No laws were broken. Although it does nothing to encourage beastial human relations though." My she beast said solemnly.

I was still fuming as we viewed a portion of the fourth episode, it was about a woman who was working at a beasitals only restaurant in disguise and was fired on the spot when a customer discovered that she was, you guessed it human.

"What we seen adds validity to the consortium's mission pet."

"It certainly does." I huffed.

"It is getting late, we better head to bed in case Dongo and Niko succeed in getting Neil on that show."

It was around 10:30 in the evening when my mistress carried me to her chambers. She gently removed my clothing placing everything I was wearing into the laundry pile before laying me down on her bed. I then watched her do the same.

"Trying something different to chase away bad dreams mistress?"

"For tonight." My fierce ursine warrior said. "I am going to sleep on you."

For that night I stretched out on her pillow, making myself comfortable before my she beast laid down on top of me placing her head onto my chest and her chest onto my groin.

It wasn't long after that sleep soon found the both of us.

*POOF*

"This way madam ursine." One of the greys said as we were levitated through a circular room containing orange walls, orange floors and orange ceilings.

We were aboard another sky craft once again taken against our will.

"Do I have a choice?" My warrior bear trembled.

"No." The alien creature said turning to face us the black elongated eyes staring right through us. "But we have allowed you to bring your companion this time."

We entered through a circular door in the center of the ship and were shown a large table.

"There we are, right here." The being said as it laid my she beast down.

I was then placed right next to her.

"We had to really put in an effort to find you madam ursine." The being said.

"That is because I didn't want to be found." Lady Ursa said still trembling.

"Now, now." The creature said as she produced a crystal and ran it across my mistress' foot paws. "There is no escape from us- when the time comes we will do what we need to do."

"There is something different this time." I said looking around the room. "We are by ourselves. Not studying any others today?"

"The liaison suggested that our beside manner needed to be revised as to less terrify our subjects." The being who I slowly realized was female said to us. "Ember also said we needed to communicate verbally with our subjects."

"Wow talk about feedback."

"Now madam ursine, I need for you to raise your arms above your head. Yes just like that." The alien creature said. She then ran the crystal on the markings of Lady Ursa's armpits and looked at it like it was thermometer. "Hmm... still haven't decided to bear young yet. No suitable male ursines around?"

"None that I would care to breed with." My mistress responded.

"I see. Well let's begin." The creature said. "I will be conducting the usual examination- follow up focusing on all your biological systems. It shouldn't take too long."

"How long is that?" I asked the creature.

"About two of your days and it shouldn't be as painful." The being said smiling with that small slit of a mouth. "Let's start with your digestive system."

Once again the being gave my she beast something peach colored to drink. I watched as my mistress drank it all. From there the walls of the room displayed her esophagus as the material made its way to her stomach and the rest of her body.

I comforted my bear as the alien being conducted test after test of all her bodily systems. She had gotten through the circulatory, endocrine and respiratory when she suddenly stopped.

"We are finished for now. But I need a big urine sample." The creature said placing a flask at my warrior bear's urethra.

My she beast gave me a look that was a mix of concern and embarrassment.

"No is alright madam ursine, I have watched many beastials relieve themselves while being studied. You are no different." She said as she placed her appendage on my she beast's head. "Besides, your companion likes to watch."

"I do not!" I protested.

"You think she is quite beautiful when she urinates. You are thinking it now."

"So that is how you maintain control over us you are mind readers!" I said quite indignantly.

The alien creature said nothing but smiled again at us as Lady Ursa started empty the contents of her bladder.

"Ah very good. I will let you rest a while before we resume again."

"What is next?" My warrior bear asked nervously.

"I will need to physically examine your internal organs." The creature said collecting the flask.

"How will you do that?" I asked.

"We will need to turn her inside out. It shouldn't be too painful." The alien creature said smiling as she exited the room."

My she bear screamed.

*POOF*

(Damn, another dream.)

Day 931

As I awoke Lady Ursa was making some distressed bear sounds- very distressed.

"NO! NO! GO AWAY!"

(Did she interrupt my dream?)

"Mistress it is alright." I said petting her on her head. "Bad dream?"

"The worst pet. I dreamed that the beings came back for me and there wasn't anything I could do. I was studied for days and days. They gave me many painful tests and examinations and then more tests. There was nothing left of me when they had finished."

(Wow, our dreams were virtually the same thing.)

"It is alright mistress you are safe. They said they wouldn't be back for a few years."

"Um thanks pet. That was rather comforting." She said as her communicator went off.

It was Lord Tiger checking up on my warrior bear. My she beast again mentioned that she was ready to return to work. But the commander asked if she was still suffering from any after affects of her trauma. She reluctantly admitted that it was true.

He ordered her to continue her counseling sessions with Lea. Having been shot down by the commander again. We proceeded with our normal routine that Monday morning.

Like yesterday we met Lea on the roof of the castle- the start of another beautiful sunny day for our second session. The sexy lioness was dressed in tan slacks and a yellow top from what I could see under her lab coat.

"Now my lady I want you to lay down and completely relax." The lioness said. "We made significant progress during your last session."

Lady Ursa complied.

"Now hold out your paws, slow your breathing." Lea ordered as she grabbed my bear knight's paws. "You are back on the sky ship in that room with the puffin family just after they sent Alex away. What happened next?"

"They made me lie on the floor of the room." My warrior bear said.

"How many of them are there?" Lea asked.

"There are three beings. They are wearing black clothing. They are discussing something amongst themselves. It is a heated debate."

"Do you know what about?" I asked anxiously.

"Alex!" Lea chastised me. "You are going to break the trance."

"Sorry."

"Dear what are they saying?" Lea asked my fierce ursine warrior.

"One of them wants to perform an intelligence test."

"How?" The lioness asked.

"They want to remove my brain!" Lady Ursa said in tone I have never heard her make.

"I am pleading with them not to do it. They are telling me that it won't hurt at all."

"What happened next?" Lea asked.

"The the section of the floor I was lying on turned into a table. An elevated table. One of the beings approached me, he started marking my head where they were going to remove my brain."

(OMG!!!)

"I started screaming and roaring trying to will my body to move. It wouldn't. That was when they decided to coat me with the same goo that was on the puffin family. It drained my strength and I passed out."

"What happened when you woke up?" The sexy lioness asked.

"There was a aardvark holding my paw trying to calm me and then, then.... I don't remember." Lady Ursa said breaking the trance.

"I think I can fill in the rest." I said to the two females. "During that time, I managed to reboard the craft and was placed in one of their holding pens. When Ember failed to calm you, they brought me to you to do the same. That was when the started those battery of tests and exams."

Lea then put me into another trance to see if I could recall any forgotten details. Like before, I was able to remember my experiences aboard the sky ship and didn't have anything else to contribute.

Before we ended the session my she beast told our healer about her reoccurring dreams and the disturbing one she had had this morning. Lea listened carefully.

"Hopefully, the knights and the master will have a way to thwart the greys before they return to re-examine you." The sexy she beast said reassuringly.

"And if they don't?" My lady bear said quite concerned.

"Plead with them, you were able to convince the one that wanted to examine your brain not to do so. If that fails you know from past experience that they won't kill you only studying you- intensely. They can't do that if you are dead."

What the sexy lioness said was not all that reassuring.

Lea soon departed telling us to enjoy the late summer day.

"So what should we do with our free time mistress?" I asked as I followed her to the lair. "How about the Aurora Spa, maybe check out the new movie theater, go to the park or maybe some museums?"

"Neither. You have a video message pet."

Dongo had contacted us during our meeting with Lea. Neil had received an appointment for an interview as a potential candidate for that heinous program. Dongo said that he was going to pick up Neil and Niko and to meet him at the hub studios at 12:00.

"It is 10 AM now mistress we better get going- it is going to take us some time to get to World Five."

Lady Ursa and managed to arrive at the hub studios in World Five just shy of noon.

"Look mistress a protest." I said as my she beast landed her hover bike in the studio's parking lot.

"If you can call it that pet. It is rather small." We said observing about five humans protesting across the street just beyond the main entrance.

My curiosity got the better of me. I decided to observe them for a bit.

"Pet?" My warrior bear said as Dongo, Niko and Neil watched me walk to the end of the parking lot to talk to the protestors.

As I made my way toward them, I noticed that the five were carrying a bunch of signs:

*_We Are Not Second Class Citizens We Are Humans!* _

_*The High Evolutionary Doesn't Care About Us!* _

_*Not My Dictator!* _

*Down With Our Animal Overlords!*

_*No Unfair Treatment!* _

The group of five- two males three females, looked to be in their early twenties. Some were in shorts and tee-shirts others wore frumpy clothing.

"Excuse me." I called out to the group. "But what are you protesting?"

"Unfair treatment! The animal people like portraying us in a bad light." One of the females said.

"It is like we are something less than insects. Have you ever noticed that the majority of programming on the hub is for beastials only?" Another female said.

"And when ever a human is portrayed we are rebels, criminals and thugs!" A man said.

"That is because the animals are in control of what we see, hear and view." Another female protestor said.

"Have you seen their latest abomination?" The second male protestor asked.

"You mean the show Why Are You Poor?" I asked.

"That show is an offense to everyone who is struggling under the current order!" The five said in unison.

"It needs to be shut down. No all of this needs to be burned down!" The first female protester said.

"No more bias!"

"No more bias!"

"No more bias!"

The group chanted.

"I see. Rest assured it is being looked into." I said.

With that I decided to join consortium at the security shack at the entrance to the hub studios.

The front building housing the offices of the hub studios was a rather small brown brick building consisting of two floors with offices, conference rooms, and sets.

"You really do look like my brother." Neil Winter observed. "Thinking about joining that pocket of lawlessness?"

"Alex it isn't too wise to engage protestors like that." Dongo observed.

"Sorry my curiosity got the better of me." I said rejoining the others in the parking lot.

"Who is the bear?" Neil asked.

"This is my guardian." I said introducing my she beast.

"You may call me Ursa. Mr. Winter." My warrior bear said extending her paw. "Nice to see you again Dongo."

"You two my lady." The hyena said. "Decided to come along today?"

Lady Ursa nodded.

"Hi Alex, Ursa." The white ermine(?) said. "I am Niko."

"And a pretty one at that." I said shaking the paw of the young adult.

"You better watch yourself around her." My doppelgänger's brother warned. "Don't startle her."

"Why is that?"

"She shoots first and asks questions later." Neil warned.

(Shoots first?)

"Hey, I made it up to you." The she beast protested.

"Three hours of washing me in a tomato baths hmph." Neil said.

"Niko you aren't a ermine are you?" I asked.

"She is skunk- a white one. Believe me you don't want to experience her inner strength." The brown haired human teased.

"Alright you three, it's time." Dongo said as he spoke to the guard- a short mole.

"You are here to see Yama Kite?" The guard asked.

"Yes." Dongo responded.

"All of you?" The guard said looking us over carefully.

"This is Neil Winter, his um cousin Alex Winter and their body guard." The hyena said to the guard.

"And you are?"

"I am Dongo Dingo his representative and that is my assistant Niko."

"Interesting that he should have such an entourage for someone of his stature." The mole commented.

"It is just for today." Dongo shot back.

"Head to studio C." The guard said. With that we entered the small building.

"How are you?" The brown avian said greeting us. "I am Yama Kite."

"Wow, this building is rather small I commented."

"It is just for meetings, news sets and a little production. The magic happens in the lots behind the building. Shall we get down to business?" The brown avian asked.

Neil and Dongo were taken to a small studio where Yama who turned out to be the originator of the program started interviewing Neil Winter in detail as Lady Ursa stood watch from the door, and Niko and I observed from the control room.

The studio looked like a mock up of the set the documentary was filmed on.

"So Mr. Winter you were born ten years after the High Evolutionary came to power?" Yama said starting the interview.

"Yes."

"So you don't remember a time when our kind weren't around?" The brown avian with the yellow beak and red eyes asked.

"That is true. I went to school with beastials graduated and was unable to find work."

"Why do you think that is?" Yama asked.

"Um, no one wants to hire humans."

"My staff has performed some research as well. You have an infamous brother who was in the rebellion."

"Yes." Neil said.

"Why do you think he joined?" The avian asked intently.

"It was probably due to humans treatment on this world by beastials like you!" Neil said assuming a accusatory tone.

"Mr. Kite we are not exactly whom we claim to be." Dongo said redirecting the conversation.

"Who are you then?" The brown bird said asking the hyena.

"We are from the Consortium For Mutual Coexistence and we want to talk to you about your program." Dongo said locking eyes on the avian.

"Looks like this is going to be a long conversation." My she beast said studying the scene.

"Want to take a break Alex?" The white skunk asked me.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind checking out this place. I think I saw the cafeteria somewhere."

"You two go ahead. I will watch things from here." My lady bear said.

I followed Niko around the building we were in watching the various productions taking place.

"It is amazing what takes place here." I said to her.

We found the cafeteria on the second floor and sat down for lunch. It was in a small northwest corning of the building. The tables and chairs were surrounded by monitors showcasing videos, productions and events in progress including a news programs.

"This is your first time here?" The white skunk asked me.

"I was on the grounds about a year and half ago when I was visiting the amusement park next door, but I never went inside."

"So what do you think?"

"Amaz....." I started to say as I turned my attention to one of the monitors. "Niko is that real?"

She turned around to see what I was starring at.

One of the news programs had been interrupted its own programming and was focusing on a pocket of protestors. It was the same ones that I had seen across the street. Only their numbers had swollen beyond the five I had spoken with. It was now a mob, an angry mob that had crossed the street, trashed the parking lot, beaten the guard and was now making their way to the front entrance of the building smashing, trashing everything in its path.

To Be Continued....