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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 118: A Greater Darkness Than The One We Fight

One year and three months prior:

"You can't go! I won't let you go!" The Tian mountain dog protested.

"You have to let me go sweetie. I never belonged here." I said hugging the crazy canine. _"And neither do you." _

Spirit was heartbroken that Lady Ursa and myself were finally leaving the prison but I told him that if he let me go, I was going to do everything in my power to get him out of this place and into another that would better help him. He kissed me deeply and passionately (much to my embarrassment) before I departed. I told him to behave and do not take out his sorrow at my departure on others, it would further hurt his chances of getting out of here.

Bertha Strong took the news a little better.

"You finally got out?" She asked me.

"Yeah, hate to yiff and run." I said hugging her.

"I think you couldn't have chosen a better time. Take care Freckles and remember to enjoy and cherish your freedom."

"Thanks for looking out for me and not getting knocked up on my watch." I said as she returned the embrace.

The two bears also said goodbye to each other in quite a memorable scene. Boris kissed Lady Ursa deeply and passionately before she touched some strike points on the he beast's chest causing him to collapse on the floor of their cell.

"Worth it! Boris regrets nothing!" He mumbled.

I knew what had happened to Spirit after my departure from the Maximum, but I often wondered what became of Bertha, Boris and maybe even Kathryn Hurt and Nikki Waters. But my curiosity was not that great to ever return to that hell hole that took so much from me and my bear. But just like Steven Cheetah's cursed farm, I was returning. Was I nuts? That return didn't end well now that I think about it.

Day 349 [December 24th] 10:33 PM. In the dark wintry skies over the western continent....

*Let's see, two warriors- one from the former empire check, another from a fallen illegal colony check. One medic check, and one systems specialist check.* The fennec sentinel proudly proclaimed. *Current conditions: wind 35 miles from the east, precipitation 100% turning into snow. Temperature 26 degrees.*

"Thank you Feleen. It is to be expected, it is late December after all and we are flying within a storm."

*Alex, Tilikum how are you holding up?* The virtual fennec asked. "Hoping we don't go down?"

"This is so boring." The meerkat complained. "Are we there yet?"

*Getting ever so closer we should be there in about an hour or so.* The nude sentinel on the monitor responded.

I was trying to avoid looking at her but her uncovered rack was right there for all to see!!

"Tilikum you do know why it is taking so long to reach the Maximum right?" I asked the female meerkat.

"Actually no." She responded.

"The High Evolutionary wanted to place the prison in the farthest, most remote reaches of Counter Earth, a place where the weather is the harshest; where it snows year round. That way if there was ever a prison break the escapees would die long before they made their way back to civilization."

*But there was a prison break during your time there Mr. Winter right?* Feleen asked.

"Yes a couple. The most prominent of the breaks involved a guard and some prisoners who fled toward the wilderness and were never heard from again- probably perishing in the numerous snow storms that hit the area." I responded as the meerkat in the jump suit looked on.

"And the rest?" Tilikum asked.

"They fled using a transportation supply system after killing the first warden of the prison- most were rounded up, punished and returned to finish out their sentences."

*That is how you and Lady Ursa were rescued Mr. Winter wasn't it?* Feleen said as a severe gust hit the black utility vehicle.

"Yes the knights found out from one of the fugitives that we were being held there under false pretextes. In short, it is called the Maximum for a reason."

*It houses the worst criminals of the former empire.* The fennec said double checking our heading.

"Feleen I forgot to say congratulations on the promotion. How does it feel?"

*Thank you Mr. Winter! It is wonderful to be free from the auxiliary site and now mobile!*

"Actually it is a little more than that you can assume control of Attack Beast if need be." Tilikum said, yawning. "But your primary function going forward is to assist the operators of this vehicle and the preservation of their lives, not to defend a remote base from hostels."

*Yes. I believe that I am more than capable of performing those tasks.*

"Now if we could do something about your choice of clothing Feleen."

*But I am not wearing any clothing Mr. Winter.*

"Exactly."

"What he is saying is that it is a little distracting for the operator Feleen." Tilikum responded.

**Perhaps, but I am the one piloting this utility vehicle. Alex hasn't quite figured out how to fly yet.* *

*Point one to point two.*

*We hear you Roadie, go ahead.* Feleen responded.

*Lady Ursa and Shira.... Wait, did you just call me Roadie?!*

*Yes, I did. The automated assistants of the other prototypes have names, you should too.* The female automated assistant responded.

*Why Roadie?*

*The prototype you inhabit has undergone a complete retrofit, it has almost all of its original weaponry as compared to the blue and white prototypes and will most likely be the choice pick of the knights going forward.*

_"Feleen, Roadie you can bicker later!!" _

*Sorry Lady Ursa.* Roadie and Feleen said to the fierce ursine warrior.

"Alex, Tilikum scanners are detecting two large objects up ahead." Lady Ursa warned.

"Out here in the middle of no and where?" I asked looking out the window of Attack Beast.

"It is curious Alex. Maintain your formation we are going to attempt to disguise ourselves." Shira said.

*Halo projector engaged.* The automated assistant announced.

"Just in time too! Will you look at those!!!" The meerkat said as we flew by what looked like two large diamond shaped spacecraft making their way through the wind and the snow. It was hard to determine their actual color because it was dark outside.

"Oh my." I said as we traveled by them.

*They didn't appear to be in a hurry wherever they were going.*

"They don't look like any spacecraft I have ever seen either." I said as I continued to stare out the window.

(And the fact that they are flying over the western continent in the middle of nowhere is also very suspicious.)

That thought lingered in my mind for the next hour or so until we arrived at the Maximum. The prison and the surrounding ground was buried in what looked like over 30 feet of snow. My mistress had to use the flamethrower to make us a place to land.

"We are back- pet." Her voice sounded very shaky over the communications link.

"I know you never thought you would ever come back to this place, not in a million years mistress." I said watching the two cube shaped snow covered buildings in front of us.

"But we are here Alex."

"For two buildings that are symmetrical- it looks somewhat off." Shira commented.

"The administration building looks higher than the prison building. Was there a Counter Earthquake?" I surmised.

"Or did this place descend into chaos much worse than the first revolt?" My lady bear asked.

*Alex, Lady Ursa, Shira what is the plan?* The automated assistant asked.

"Simple Roadie, we determine if there are any from my colony being held in there and rescue them." The sabertooth tigress grumbled.

*What about if there are any unruly prisoners?* Feleen asked.

"That is why we brought weapons." The female meerkat said. "Now let's do this!"

"Not so fast." Shira said, stopping her cold. "Tilikum your job is to make sure Attack Beast and the red prototype are functioning at peak efficiency."

"AW!!" She protested. "After traveling all those boring hours to get here, I have to wait?!"

"It is not that bad T, you and Lady Ursa are our backup in case we get in over our heads." I said grabbing the medkit.

"Back up pet?" My fierce but very pregnant ursine warrior asked.

"Mistress you have a little bear growing inside of you- as such you can't thump, wrestle and flatten enemies like you once did." I said stepping out of the utility vehicle into the cold night air.

"Very well tactical it is." She said jumping into the passenger seat after Shira stepped out. She started playing with the copilot monitor and keyboard. "Scans can't penetrate the structure."

*Another sign this could be very bad.* Roadie said.

"I am sending the probe inside." My lady bear announced.

The red prototype burned a pathway to the door of the administration building at which point Shira and I forced it open. As the probe moved inside we lost communication with it almost immediately.

"Must be some type of shielding." Tilikum said. "It is a prison after all."

"Alex, Shira start in the prison building and move floor by floor. Return to the front of the building to confirm you are ok before moving on to the next floor." Lady Ursa ordered.

"You have fifthteen minutes per floor. If we don't hear from you, we are coming in weapons blazing." The meerkat warned.

After checking our weapons, Shira and myself entered through the administration building and then cut right to the prison building. The hallway between the two was quite misaligned.

"This place is huge." The tigress said to me as we carefully entered a stairwell.

"Not really. If you spent any length of time here it is really quite small Shira."

"It doesn't look that small, only desolate." Was her response.

"There are four floors in each building. In the basement of the prison building is the gym. The first and second is the prison area and the third and fourth the art gallery."

"Art gallery Alex?"

"It is where the in-animated are stored."

We decided that it would be best to comb the building floor by floor. I took the lead, she followed me with her crossbow at the ready. We started with the gym in the basement where Gorn, Screech and Thud would pass the time wrestling. It was desolate with minimal lighting and there was a thick layer of dust, which meant no one had been there in some time.

"What did you find?" Tilikum asked when we returned.

"It looks like they placed the building in standby mode." I responded.

"There is minimal lighting, minimal environmental as well." Shira volunteered.

"Hmm... was it coincidental or on purpose?" The meerkat pondered.

"We don't have time to sit back and think about it. The weather appears to be taking a turn for the worst." My lady bear warned.

"Right we are headed back in." Shira said, grabbing me. The tigress was very motivated to see if my vision was valid. So was I.

After checking back with my mistress and Tilikum, we proceeded to the prison floors above.

Shira noticed my complete and utter silence as we stared into each cell on the first floor.

"Brings back a lot of memories huh?"

I nodded. "See this one here?" I pointed.

"Yes."

"That was mine. Lady Ursa's was adjacent."

One year and four months prior:

"I don't want to do this." I protested.

"I know you don't freckles." The dark skinned wrestler said gently. "But we do what we must to survive here."

Bertha spread herself out on the bottom bunk in our cell staring at me. I walked towards her and climbed into her bed. She removed her loin-cloth and then mine, taking time to stare at my equipment before pulling me into embrace.

"I feel so dirty."

"I would rather feel dirty then feel the warden's whip." She said massaging my scrotum. As my erection appeared she rubbed some oil over my lengthening penis before guiding it to her opening. I slid right inside of her.

Bertha did have a nice smell. But I couldn't get over the fact that I was betraying my bear with her human doppelganger.

*grope*

"My nice firm grip you have there." I replied as her vaginal muscles squeezed me.

"I was a wrestler." She said, pulling me to her chest upon which she wrapped her legs around mine and her arms around my back. "Now just because our coupling is forced. Doesn't mean it has to be unpleasurable. Do you feel anything?"

"Yeah.... Um hmm." I responded feeling quite embarrassed.

"Like you are going to explode?"

"Um hmm."

"Then do so and scream my name!!!"

"OAH BERTHA!!" I moaned as the sex tickle I was feeling turned into a tingling as it reached the head of my penis and I exploded afterwards.

"My, quite the payload with a nice feeling of wellbeing too." She complimented me as I collapsed after cumming hard.

"You just have to do that to her twice a day and you won't be punished by the warden." A Tian mountain dog said looking down from the top bunk. "Oh and I get sloppy seconds and thirds and fourths."

"Yeah, a lot of memories Shira."

"Well we cleared this level let's move on." She said as we entered the stairwell.

"Nothing on the first level mistress." I announced as we returned to the front of the administration building.

"The prisoners were removed from their cells for some reason." The former leader of World Six added.

"I think we are going to see the same thing on the next floor as well." I added noticing on how cold it was getting.

"Right, you two be careful. Despite its appearance I do not think the prison is vacant." Lady Ursa said casting her gaze at the administration building.

So after checking back in, we proceeded to the second floor of the prison building as the weather worsened.

"So how many prisoners could these cells hold when they did hold prisoners Alex?"

"Sixty. Thirty per floor." I responded as we started sweeping the second level.

"What if there was an overflow?"

"Then that would be the art galleries upstairs."

The basement and the first and second floors were desolate of prisoners. Power to the Outpost Of The Forgotten was minimal. That was one mystery, the second was what happened to the prisoners and Boris, Bertha, Sodus, Lotus, even Nikki Waters and Kathryn Hurt?

As we made our way to the final two floors of the prison building we would find our answer.

"Look at all the statues Alex!"

"Not statues Shira, prisoners- these are those who received the living death. But there are a lot more here than when I left... unless the warden in-animated all of the inmates."

"Right, let's find our friends." The tigress said.

Combing the third floor was very raw and surreal for me. One by one we looked at each of the statues, who in turn looked right back at us. Well their eyes did, pleading for release from their private hell. I found Nikki Waters and Kathryn Hurt. The griffon and manticore were in the corner facing the pillar Lady Ursa and myself had been facing for a year and a half. At the far end of the room the machine that turned us into living statues... in standby mode ready for its next task.

Across from it were Screech, Gorn, and Thud all immobile. "Anything Alex?" Shira called out to me.

"No, but there is the Warden's private gallery. I thought it was on this floor."

"Maybe it moved?"

"Or he expanded it!" I said locking eyes with the saber tooth tigress. She watched as I ran for the stairwell and up to the fourth floor where the remaining prisoners were housed. In that art gallery we found a recently constructed hall of honors. Marble floor oval ceiling, circular pillar supports and a black carpet.

"Well that is new." I said walking inside the hall which reminded me of a museum. On either side were the warden's collection from his breeding project. I saw the centaur couple Lotus and Sodus, they were standing on a slightly raised platform with their foal. As were many other breeded pairs of beastials of all shapes and sizes as well as a few humans. Warden King had really ramped up the program after my departure.

"Bertha!"

The ex-wrestler was to my immediate right cradling a newborn. A horrid thought danced through my mind until I noticed a man next to her, obviously the father. I recognized him!

"Kendall?!"

The rebel whose truck crashed in the wilderness that caused Corbin, Lord Tiger and myself to encounter Shira and her colony had become Bertha's breeding partner.

Next to them was our mission's target. A dark brown six foot tall bear, muscular and chunky with a grey muzzle. Next to him a female black bear with white highlights and next to her a black bear cub.

"Shira, over here!" I shouted.

"I found Gia around the corner from here, but where is everyone else?! There were forty five in my village."

And we had a third mystery, what happened to the other thirty-nine members?

"Shira, stay here and keep looking. I will update Lady Ursa; we are late for check in." I said running back to the stairwell.

One year and four months prior:

"Yes, what is it?" Warden King said to the tall rabbit guard that appeared in his office.

"It is him again sir; he is requesting another meeting."

"Again?! Very well.... bring him in. Yes, prisoner 69?" The bald grey being with the black eyes said.

_"Sir, you know you are holding Lady Ursa and myself against our will." _

"As I have told you before, I don't care if you and prisoner 70 are not part of the Maximum's complement; I am glad to have you here anyway." He said smiling wickedly. The rabbit guard snickered.

"How long do you plan on keeping us here?"

"Until you impregnate the ex-wrestler, become a father and she becomes the mother." Was the callous reply. "She looks like she would be a fantastic lay."

"And then?"

"You will be added to my collection prisoner 69... permanently!"

My recollection of that conversation came to an abrupt end when I walked into a tall rabbit guard in full uniform and padding in the stairwell. She stopped my descent and knocked me backward onto my butt right there on the stairs.

"Merna?!"

"Prisoner 69. So you have returned after your escape."

"It wasn't an escape, I was being unlawfully held here against my will." I said as she reached for something on her belt.

"And now you have returned."

Her stare was quite chilly like she was sizing me up for some reason.

"I wanted to visit some old friends?" I said smiling.

"You know that we don't offer visiting hours here." She said stepping forward.

That something elongated into a stick. At first I thought it was a collapsible bo staff until I saw an electrified noose on the end of it.

(Uh oh....)

"What happened to everybody? Why have the prisoners been released from their cells?" I said throwing questions at her.

"It was Warden King's will, our king...." She said moving aggressively towards me as I started moving backwards up the steps. "When the quarterly supply shipments stopped arriving- the prison ran out of food, clothing and water and contact with the empire ceased for some reason."

"And the only way to keep everyone here alive was the living death." I said as she followed me back up to the staircase.

"Yes."

"Well I think I can fill in some blanks. Last December- December 31st to be exact, the empire ended just before noon."

"So that is what happened." Merna said.

"Merna your position, function and occupation ended on that day as well; you are working for a government that no longer exists." I said as we arrived at the top of the stairwell.

"You were always my favorite prisoner, so obedient, so submissive and so docile. Come give us a hug!" She said waving the long pole and its electrified noose at me.

"Merna!! Merna!! Have you not heard a single word that I have said?"

"Yeah the empire ended, so did law and order; it is a free for all out there. But in here it is still our king's kingdom."

(Ulp!!!)

"The king was rather upset when you and the bear left. I believe he will be elated that you returned ready to rejoin his breeding program!!!"

"If you think that is happening my dear, then you are snowed!!!" I shouted.

*PFFFFFT*

Merna had just enough time to pull the dart out of her neck and two more to the chest before she collapsed.

"Nice shot." I replied to the female tigress. "Merna was one of the most loyal of the warden's subordinates. If she is still around...."

"If the warden is still lurking about, we will deal with him too." She growled.

"Yeah, you keep believing that tigress. UGH!! Why do I feel so loopy?" Merna asked, feeling really unsteady.

"You have been drugged bunny. If I were in your place, I would be extremely grateful." Shira said, staring down the rabbit guard.

"OH!! And why is that?" Merna asked.

"Alex here would have rather killed you then been captured."

"This docile human?!"

*THOKK!!*

The spear of my grappling hook landed on the ground right between her legs. The rabbit recoiled in surprise.

"That is a rather nice toy. When did you get that?"

"Out there." I replied, picking up her pole and noose.

"What? Not interested in being de-animated again?" She said pointing to a machine in the corner.

(Wow, a second one.)

"We need to hurry up because if that Dowd is around, it is over Shira."

"He can't be that bad."

"It is tigress, freckles here and his bear fought the king and lost." Merna warned.

"We better get moving Shira, who is first?" I warned.

Shira and ran back into the hall of honors. We picked up Kip and brought him back to the machine.

"Guard, you will assist us." Shira announced.

"With a prison break?! I think not." Merna said sternly.

"I got this. Let me see...." We placed the young black bear on the pedestal. I pressed two buttons. Some liquid was sprayed onto the cub, there was a flash and then steam started rising from his body as the living death was lifted.

Kip fell to his side and started crying. "The nightmare is over, young one." I said running Shakara's triangle scanning device over him. "He is dehydrated but he will be fine."

We moved as quickly as we could to reanimate Gia, Kendall, Rose and Basil. To my shock the six foot brown bear stood up immediately.

(How is that even possible?)

"I knew we should not have saved you." He said looking directly at me before collapsing.

"Basil!" I ran over to him.

"Our colony's exposure was not due to Alex, Corbin or Lord Tiger, Basil- just bad coincidence." Shira said, sticking up for me.

"How, how did you find us?" Basil's mate asked as I assessed her condition.

"Well, you have Alex to thank, he saw that you here. Where is everyone else?"

"We were the only ones sent to the Maximum, the rest were split up and sent to other places throughout the empire." Gia responded.

"Then they are among the lost." The female tigress said to her friends. The bears and two humans just stared at her.

"We will bring you up to speed later." I replied combing through the art gallery. Space was limited in our transportation so we could only rescue a few more.

I looked among the gallery. I didn't know the vast majority of prisoners there most probably arrived after I had departed the facility. "You, you are coming with us."

One more re-animation later....

"Thank you freckles." My mistress doppelganger replied cradling her newborn.

"Um, yeah." I replied blushing. "I see you concluded the warden's breeding program."

"After you left, I was reassigned." Ms. Strong said, looking at the man who was my replacement and the father of her child.

"They did what they did to fit in here as have we." I heard a female voice say at the other side of the room.

"Alex!" Shira said, directing my attention.

"About time you got here." Merna exclaimed to the Ibex healer and a vulture guard who appeared at the top of the stairwell.

"You were late coming back from your rounds." The guard said. "Now I know why."

"Alex Winter." The female ibex said.

"Kai." I replied.

"What is this?" She asked me.

"Exactly what it looks like, a prison break." I said pointing my weapon at the two. Slightly behind me and to my left Shira did the same with her crossbow.

"Prisoner 69 we can't allow that." The vulture guard said. "Stand down."

"That is not my designation." I growled.

"Looks like we have a stand off then." He replied pointing his service weapon at us as the whole building shook.

"Momma!" Kip screamed.

"What is that?" Shira asked.

"Don't know." Gia replied it has been happening for the last few days.

"It is like this area has become seismatically active." Basil replied.

"Merna, you have been drugged. You will be alright in time." Kai said, reaching for the vulture's pole and the electrified noose.

"No it is our king, he had made a few contingency plans as the empire appeared to be in some difficulty. He is enacting them now." The vulture smirked as the prison building shook violently again.

"Regardless none of you will be leaving." The female Ibex said standing.

"That will be the day." I replied.

With Basil, Rose, Kip, Gia, Kendall and Bertha newly reanimated Shira and I were in a face off with the prison guards and their healer.

"Which one do you want?" The female barbarian asked me. "The male vulture looks formidable- but I think you have some rapport with the Ibex you are both healers after all."

"Which ever one is stupid enough to attack first." I said aiming my weapon.

Whatever happened next I was damned sure that I was not going to be recaptured or de-animated not here, not now.

To Be Continued....