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Counter Earth Chronicles - Dual Realities

*Chapter 14: Puzzles, Riddles and Enigmas With No Answers *

March 22nd YOE 35

8:00 AM Wundagore Castle (Free Counter Earth)

With the empire's inability to track its second class citizens, the human population has become emboldened. We have observed many instances of humans entering beastial only areas. Then there are those who have vacated areas designated for human inhabitation. A kobold reporter from the hub said trying to sound correct and unbiased.

"You mean the slums?" I said to the hub monitor in the great room while I prepped myself for my important video meeting.

This group was observed leaving their encampment and heading out of the city toward the wilderness. It appeared that they were fed up with the empire's dominion over them, us beastials and our high master. It reminded this reporter of that hidden colony of beastial rejects and cast offs that was discovered a few years back. Is this group going to found another far and away from the empire in violation of the statue settlement? If so...

The reporter's commentary was cut off in the middle of a sentence. I wondered if there was some type of technical difficulty with the news report.

I quickly glanced at the monitor near the sectional in the great room only to see another message like the one I saw on the pad in Sir Ram's lab last night before my belated session with him- which left me sore in so many places.

Do you like what you see Mr. Winter? Piece by piece, bit by bit, humanity is taking back control. This is just the beginning.

It was another scrolling message.

I stopped the news report and selected something else- an episode of that offensive show Why Are You Poor? Then a documentary. It didn't matter, the message was on whatever, I selected.

"Wow."

We are the change we want to see.

"So I was not imagining any of this."

The message crawl addressed me directly. I didn't have time to ponder this for too much longer as the monitor sounded an audible tone. A two minute warning if you will.

I watched the clock on the hub monitor change from 8:29 to 8:30 as I nervously checked myself in the mirror one final time as I waited for the meeting to start. This was going to be the first meeting with my colleagues from the Consortium For Mutual Coexistence since... since my release from incarceration.

It was well known through out the consortium why I had been off the grid and unavailable. Left will few alternatives the group had to move on without me.

"Niko, World Five joining." A white skunk in a pink dress announced.

"Bess and Tess World One here." Two adolescent bisons said.

"Neil World Three present." My doppleganger's brother said.

"Dongo World Two joining." The group's hyena leader announced.

"Doria World Two is on the scene." Dongo's human girlfriend said.

"Alex Winter World One here." I announced and waited for the final two of our group to join. They didn't. "Hey where are our operatives from World Four? Ember and Cinder?" I asked seeing that the aardvarks had missed the conference.

"They were not feeling up to it today." Dongo announced. "I will check on them later."

"Actually if you don't mind. I would like to check on them for you." I volunteered.

"It's legal right?" Neil Winter joked. "Seriously, how is our ex-con?"

I took the jab in stride. "Experiencing the empire's rehabilitation program in all its glory and hoping that I can return to my former life soon."

"So it wasn't you who took down the central system making our tracker/tracers in operable?" The younger Winter said eyeing me very carefully.

"Neil that was in very bad taste even for you." Niko said chastising him.

"Not me. Perhaps it was the other Alexander Winter?" I said mocking him right back. "Was he caught when the knights crushed the rebellion last year or is he still on the run?"

"Alright enough you two we are all friends here." Bess said breaking up our spat.

"It is rather nice to be able to move about freely for a change though." Doria replied.

"Who are you kidding it is wonderful! I feel like a beastial! No offense!" The younger Winter said jabbing the skunk, hyena and bisons in our group.

"We are hearing that the blow was quite damaging and that the central system and its back up will have to be built from scratch." Bess announced.

"The High Evolutionary is not pleased." Tess added.

"But the human populace is- there is a lot of celebrating going on and smiles throughout the empire." Niko added. "Doria, Alex and Neil you didn't by chance join the revelers did you?"

"What? No!" My doppleganger's younger brother replied with a smirk. "I was tempted though."

"Nope. Lady Ursa has severely curtailed my activities." I announced. "I am on a tighter leash than a dog."

"Of course not. My overseer made it quite clear to keep a low profile and not to stand out." Doria said eyeing the blushing hyena.

"That's right the knight core may not be able to track second class citizens but that doesn't mean they can't observe and take notes." Our leader said eyeing his lover right back.

"Did they find out who is responsible?" Tess asked throwing it out there to the group.

"No, but the Hub news service has heard whispers." Niko opined.

"Whispers?" Bess asked.

"Some one or something called Deer Feeder." Neil volunteered.

(Deer Feeder? Was that who was sending me those messages?)

"Interesting name." Dongo's squeeze commented. "So who is that?"

"No one knows." The white skunk replied._ _

"Another dissident group perhaps?" The hyena pondered.

"You mean as in another rebellion?" Doria asked.

Damn, Dongo had hit the nail right on the head. WE ARE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE. That is exactly what this was, but why were they addressing me?

The seven of us were surprised at the revelation.

"Be that as it may, our mission remains the same everyone- we work within the law to help those that are in need." The hyena said blushing again. "So how was everyone's week?"

The meeting lasted for over an hour with the hyena and his dark haired human discussing what events they could perform to mitigate humanity's suffering like promoting a job fair to connect employers with those who are in need.

Inevitably the conversation turned toward Corbin and Dawn Stern. Everyone shared their memories of the bright mongoose boy and his adoptive mother. I did as well but I still wondered why information on their demise was so hush hushed. But then again I shouldn't be surprised after discovering that our timeline had been altered.

"Alright same time next week?" Doria asked.

"And Alex we will have to look into having your overseer let you off your leash." Neil teased.

"Neil!" The white she skunk said.

"Well his lockdown is worse than either mine or Doria's!!!"

9:40 AM

At the completion of the staff meeting I was going to start my chores around the lair but decided to conduct a meeting of my own. An impromptu one.

I waited anxiously for the connection to be established.

(Come on pick up!)

I was relieved when I saw two aardvarks on the hub monitor from a bedroom. Well it was just Ember. His cousin, the boy genius was hiding under his bed and shaking very badly.

"Hey guys, you missed a productive staff meeting this morning." I said greeting them.

"Cinder was not feeling up to it and I wasn't either." The older of the two responded.

"I was just checking in on you two." I responded smiling. "Everything alright?"

"Just tired I guess." Ember recited.

"And/or terrified." Cinder said still shaking from under the bed.

"Busy night?" I asked the two fishing for information.

"Yeah you could say that." The larger of the aardvarks replied. "We just returned from a trip early this morning."

Ember did have some dark circles underneath his eyes and was yawning... a lot.

"Really? Where did you go?"

"OUTER SPACE!!" Cinder shouted from underneath his bed.

"What?"

"I was taken Alex." Ember said all too calmly. "They took Cinder too."

I watched as the bed the younger aardvark who was under it continued to shake badly.

"They wanted to study my brain!" Cinder said horrified.

"Whoa, slow down- take and deep breath and start over." I said to the cousins.

"Cinder and I were having a sleep over last night when they came for me..."

"It was around 1:30 in the morning. I heard Ember groan. that was when I rolled over and saw these grey things levitating him. One of them waved at me... thinking it was a dream, I waved back and they decided to take me too!!" Cinder said horrified.

"So they are still active." I replied remembering Lady Ursa and my abductions a few years back where I had met Ember aboard the extraterrestrials' sky ship. "Let me guess they wanted you to calm and/or comfort their abduction victims?"

Ember nodded. "Starting with Cinder. He was terrified. I told him that it was alright and that we would be returned when they were finished with us."

"Ember, they wanted to open up my head and study my brain!!!"

"Well you are a boy genius after all." I said to the young aardvark. "They were probably curious."

"Alex!! Not helping!!!"

"He whined and cried to their lead scientist not to open him up like a cantaloupe. They finally agreed." Ember replied.

"What did they 'say'?" I asked the older of the two aardvarks.

"They said ok then- next time. NEXT TIME!!!" Cinder said crying. "I am not going to let there be a next time!"

Ember and I looked at each other for a second.

"Let me guess you are going to run far, far away so far away that they won't ever find you?" Ember asked to his cousin.

"If necessary." The voice from under the bed replied.

"Sorry little guy that won't be enough, I replied gently."

"What do you mean?" Cinder asked.

"If you could emerge from your hiding spot, Alex and I will tell you the truth." The older aardvark said.

We watched as the boy genius crawled out from under his bed. He was still dressed in his one piece pajamas.

"Cinder do you have any tattoos?"

"What do you mean tattoos Alex?"

"Check your foot-paws." I suggested.

He shook his head no.

"Now your armpits." Ember added.

"Yeah, what is this... a barcode?!"

"It means you have been marked" Ember said gently.

"What he is saying is that they can find you whenever and where ever; they will be coming for you again." I said being realistic.

"WHAT?! NO!!" Cinder said horrified. "We gotta tell some beast!! Any beast!"

"What are they going to do? I tried when they first started taking me and it didn't make any difference if the KLIS want you, they take you." The taller of the two aardvarks said to the smaller.

I tried to calm Cinder down. "Fortunately they usually bring you back when they are finished. Especially if you are a beastial. It is worse if you are human."

"They don't rather care for humans much. Alex was near death when they had finished with him."

"Yeah, if it wasn't for Ember, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Why does the empire let this happen?!" Cinder shouted.

"Don't ask questions to answers you already know the answer to cousin."

"Because they simply are powerless to stop it. When Lady Ursa and I ran across the KLIS there was no resisting them- we were their prisoners until that had no more use for us." I said sobering the boy genius up.

There was a pregnant pause between the three of us.

"So what did you see on their craft?" I asked curiously.

"Enough to terrify me for the rest of my life." Cinder said.

"The usual- them experimenting on their abductees." Ember said nonchalantly.

"There was this walrus whose insides they were studying." Cinder gasped.

"They cut him open?"

"No, Alex- they turned him inside out!!! On another table there was a feline whose fluids they removed completely from her body she looked like a prune!!"

"It is a big conspiracy that has been happening for the longest time. Possibly since beastials came into creation. I sorry Cinder you are a fascination to them and they will be studying you like wildlife researchers possibly for the rest of your life. Speaking of conspiracies, I stumbled upon a few more recently that are closer to home."

"And you would like Cinder and myself to investigate?" Ember said placing his paw on his cousin's shoulder.

"Remember Corbin Mongoose?"

"Yes the orphan Bess and Tess helped get adopted a few years ago." The shorter of the two aardvarks said.

"Well he and his mother were killed while assisting Theresa Branch and Oliver Justice out in the field. The empire has not been too forthcoming with the details."

"You haven't been able to find much either Alex?" Ember replied.

"What I have been able to find has been classified and redacted." I replied.

"One moment." The boy genius said walking over to a pad, then an monitor, then another pad. "Here you are."

"How did you do that?!" I gasped as the information was transmitted to my screen in an instant.

"That is why the KLIS want to study his brain; he is a prodigy." Ember said.

"The knight core's files are off limits but, not the wildlife researchers' filed notes." The little aardvark said.

"According to this the wildlife researchers stumbled upon a pack of creatures that roam a remote part of the world. They are very territorial. Some ancient civilization left markers identifying these creature's territory." I said fast reading from what looked like Oliver Justice's observational journal.

"That would be the hand statues in background from this image from his cube." Ember replied.

"Wait, that isn't a still picture that is a video and audio capture." The boy genius announced.

"Play it." I ordered Cinder.

*UUUUURRRR*

*UUUUURRRR*

"Oliver I think I can make it out. There is one over there." Corbin announced. "It is like they are cloaked."

"There is another one over there!" Dawn shrieked.

"And there!" Theresa gasped. "We're surrounded! We aren't going to make it to the truck!"

"Friends, I think we are finished here." We heard Oliver say.

*GRROOOARRR!!!*

There was a lot of screaming and shaking of the video which was then replaced by belching. As the cube fell to the ground it captured footage of one the creatures departing. It looked like some sort of ghost monster- white with a large single eye and mouth.

"I am sorry Alex. It looks like the four of them inadvertently violated these creatures' territory and were torn to bits and devoured as a result." The small aardvark advised.

"I think the belching was a dead give away cousin." Ember replied.

"Ahem, I suspect the knights couldn't find enough of their remains to put them back together again." Cinder replied solemnly.

"And this secrecy?" I asked.

"Corbin and Dawn were invited to investigate some statue formations in a forbidden area far west of World Three by Theresa Branch and Oliver Justice two wildlife researchers they had met during a recent convention."

"Well the wildlife researchers had observed some undocumented wildlife in that forbidden area and sought permission to investigate. Corbin and his mother came along for the ride."

"They found something or rather somethings possibly a pack- in the forbidden area found them; the four were attacked and devoured. I suspect Sir Wolf's forces who were searching for them took heavy casualties." Cinder suggested.

I gasped continuing to look at the information Cinder had dug up- the one -eyed white ghost looking creature. One of them was scary but imagine running across a whole pack of them? Corbin and professor Stern never had a chance.

"Alex, you had something else for me?"

"Yes, there is one more thing I would like for you to investigate Cinder- it will be a bit more of a challenge."

To Be Continued....

[MEANWHILE]

March 22nd YOE 35

8:00 AM The Nexus (Conquered Counter Earth)

At a lush paradise away from the horrors that have befallen the planet, Dongo and Doria play a game with its protector...

"You rolled a six." The faux otter said to the human female who was wearing a pink bathing suit, a yellow shirt and tan sun hat.

"Alright one-two-three-four-five-six." Doria said moving her marker on the game board.

"You have entered the Wicked Woods. You are immediately devoured by the creatures you encounter there. You lose." Mr. Xava replied.

"Ugg!" Doria said. "Dongo your move."

The hyena who was dressed in tan shorts and white shirt with palm trees on it, seemed to be lost in thought as he stared off into the ocean.

"Dongo?" Doria asked her squeeze.

"Dongo?" Mr Xava asked. "Something wrong?"

"Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought." The hyena said trying not to blush.

"About what dear?"

"I was thinking about our former colleagues. Doria, Mr. Xava do you think we made the right decision... I mean running away to live here?"

"It was the only decision to make." The otter said. "The empire as you knew it is no more."

"We are in a period of instability as factions both known and unknown fight for control of what is left. Like the warring states period of many years ago." Dongo's squeeze replied.

"I know it is a living hell out there. But I just feel like we need to be doing something about it you know? Maybe we should restart the consortium." The hyena said.

"Trying to change things? Dongo there is no order." Their protector warned.

"Dongo, Niko and Neil are dead. Cinder and Ember are with the KLIS, Alex is off world and Bess and Tess are part of ONE; there is just us." Doria said bringing her beastial boyfriend back to reality.

"Remember each of the five cities is in chaos Mr. Hyena." The being masquerading as an otter said gently.

"And here we are all safe and sound while this is happening." The hyena replied.

"Probably the only safe area away from all the crazy out there." Doria added.

"But unless someone does something how is it going to get better?"

"It won't." Mr. Xava replied. "I am sorry Dongo. But the planet is on fire. The best place, the safest place for you and Doria is here where I am at my strongest."

"Where we can live out the rest of your lives away from the crazy." Doria replied. "This place is magical."

"Yes... magical...." The hyena said joining his girl as they fell under the being of the nexus' spell. "Xava."

"Sorry, just flexing." He said smiling.

"If Doria and I did decide to leave though..."

"I could make you stay hyena for your own good." The otter replied as his eyes turned black.

"You know you are very scary when you do that." Dongo replied. "But you let Titanous go."

"That was a sabbatical one that love sick jackal hasn't returned from." The faux otter said standing. "Look, you, Doria, Dom, Aboa, Titanous , Acala, Tippi, Zhade, Kenna, Bertha and the rest are my family. If you wish to leave, I won't stop you- but I would ask you to think hard about your decision." The otter said staring down the two.

"So how do we make things better?" Dongo thought out loud.

"Dongo, Doria let's play a new game." Mr. Xava suggested- his eyes turning back to their normal color for a moment.

The human female and the canid beastial watched as the faux otter pushed their game table a side. He then had them sit down in a circle and hold hands and paws.

"What is this new game?" Doria asked.

"You will see." Mr. Xava replied cryptically.

The Countess' head quarters World Two...

"Countess, I found this one preaching in our territory!" The red demon said tossing the beastial candid from where Theresa' Branch's sister sat on her throne.

"Preaching? Religion left here a long time ago."

"Not exactly preaching- I was offering hope; trying to help those in need." Dongo said to the noble woman who was wearing a white face mask and staring at him.

"A noble and selfless act. I despise noble and selfless. Earl!!!"

"Yes Countess...."

*SLICE*

"Dongo!!!" Doria screamed as she watched the head of her lover separate from his body and bounce on the floor of the former sports club.

"This is the dominant faction in World Two at the moment." Xava announced to Doria and Dongo who had observed what had happened like a scene from a movie.

"She is a evil woman." Doria hissed.

"This would be the likely out come if either of you returned to World Two." Xava said gently.

"Ok maybe not here." The former leader of the consortium observed. "What about another location?"

World ONE...

"Bess!!! Tess!! So glad to see you!!" The hyena said interrupting the buffalo calves' orientation workshop for the newly possessed. "Despite your circumstances I knew you would still strive to help those in need."

"Dongo Dingo why are you here?" The female bison asked.

"I wanted to reconnect with some old friends." The hyena said grinning weakly.

"You have." The male bison said grasping his paw. "And now we will be connected for all eternity. Now take a seat."

Xava and Doria watched as Dongo's fur bristled as he became the entity's latest meat puppet.

"Let's start with what are the voices we are hearing in our head?" Bess asked those present.

"That would be all of us; the collective. The loudest is our master the synoptic...." Tess said as the workshop continued.

"That could have gone better." The humiliated hyena said stepping out of the picture as if it were a scene in a hub production.

"Actually it couldn't have gone any other way." The faux otter said grasping his paw.

"Mr. Xava what about World Three?" Doria asked.

Former site of World Three....

"This is all there is?" The human woman asked as she stared at a lake of lava and three active volcanoes in the distance."

"Well it doesn't appear that ONE was successful here." Dongo said looking around.

"No but doesn't mean others aren't trying." The otter said pointing to series of diamond shaped sky ships in the distance.

"Weren't those the same ships we saw flying over the nexus?" Doria asked.

"We should leave." The hyena said nervously. "What about World Four or World Five?"

World Four...

"KNEEL BEFORE YOUR MASTERS!!!"

"Doria!!! Run!!!" The hyena shrieked.

World Five....

"ALL HAIL THE MONSTER KING!!!"

"Dongo!!! Run!!!" Doria screamed.

8:30 AM Nexus Beach

Acala and Tippi were returning to camp from a walk in the jungle when they came upon a peculiar site- Doria and Dongo the two were hugging, crying and fawning over Mr. Xava.

"Uh what is going on here?" Tippi asked her adoptive father.

"I would like to know too." Her mother asked taking in the scene "Mr. Xava what did you do?"

"Oh Dongo and Doria were curious if things had gotten better during after empire." The faux otter said innocently.

"How curious?" Acala asked.

"They were thinking about leaving."

"Dear did you force them into staying?" Acala asked again sensing the shape shifter was being evasive.

"There was no need to when all you have to do is just show them the truth." He said hugging the quivering couple. "There there, it is alright you are safe now."

"It looks more like your broke them... dad." Tippi replied.

"They weren't in any real danger I assure you."

9:40 AM In the skies above the dark forest a young aardvark is having a nightmare...

"Ember it is the middle of the night! Turn off that light!" The little aardvark called out to his cousin. "Now I know why no one invites you to any sleep overs!"

"Cinder that is not I." The older of the two calmly responded as the bedroom they shared was engulfed in blue light.

"If it is not you where is it coming from?" Cinder said rubbing his eyes. With his bedroom bathed in blue light he could hardly make out his cousin standing stoically at the foot of his bed.

"Them." The older of the two said calmly.

"Them?" Cinder said walking up to his cousin. He looked up to see that Ember was stone faced. No expression. "Them who?"

"The aliens."

"Really?" Cinder mocked. Ember was silent. "You mean all that you said is true?!"

The blue light intensified bathing the little aardvark's entire room. As it started to recede the little aardvark realized that he and his cousin were no longer alone. There were three beings in the room with them! Small slender bodies, child like heads, black piercing eyes with no pupils, slit like mouths and two holes in their faces which might have been nostrils- all were dressed in silver one piece clothing.

"Ember what do we do?" Cinder gasped. "Somebody, anybody HELP!!!!"

_"There is no help coming Cinder. In fact there is no defying or resisting them either." The four and a half foot brown aardvark said as he was led away. "They will do what they want, when they want. Let them. Eventually they will return us." _

_Cinder watched as the beings took his cousin right through the bedroom wall! _

_"So if we comply and/or submit to your demands you will bring us back?" The little aardvark nervously asked his abductors. _

"Usually. But not today." The being smiled at him. Cinder was levitated through his bedroom wall, outside his home and into a dark black triangular shape craft which took off into the heavens soon after his arrival.

"UGH!! That dream again!" Cinder groaned as he awoke from his slumber remembering his first abduction. He tried to move. He couldn't he was immobilized. His eyes scanned his surroundings... circular room- orange colored walls, orange colored floors weird looking tables and chairs. He was in THE ROOM!!

To his immediate left was the female KLIS scientist.

Cinder felt that the top of his cranium did feel a bit breezy and cold. Oh no she had opened up his skull like a cantaloupe and was fondling his brain again!

"Your have a most magnificent mind for your species." She said to him telepathically.

"Mum, is that why you keep opening me up to observe and/or look at it?" The little brown aardvark said unnerved.

The grayish female alien with the long black piercing eyes, big forehead, with no lips only and slit for a mouth just smiled.

Cinder did have the feeling that he was a child prodigy- did this female KLIS scientist just confirm it or did she just like to stimulate his synapses and study the reaction?

"If that is a compliment. Thank you." The brown aardvark said as the top of his cranium was closed with no residual damage. "So uh, Mum, when can Ember and I go back home?"

There was that silence he had come to know from them.

"Please! My cousin and I have been model prisoners and/or servants since we were taken even after you decided to go off on your own. You see, Ember and I are home sick, we miss our families and even our lives before all this." Cinder said as he was suddenly allowed to move again.

Hopping down from the table he bowed respectfully at his female keeper who was dressed in a silver one piece uniform today.

She turned and floated to a table in the circular orange room they were in. Images soon appeared on the walls and ceiling of the former five cities of the empire. The little brown aardvark struggled to interpret what he was seeing. Was this real?

"Mum, what is this I am seeing?"

"What is left of your planet."

"It has been destroyed. Who did this?"

"A silent conquerer. All that you have known is gone."

The little aardvark was shell shocked.

"When did this happen?"

"While you were here."

*GASP*

"Mum, the next test subjects have been determined." A orange dinosaur beastial said entering the room and kneeling as Cinder finished watching the collage showing the destruction of Counter Earth.

"Just found out huh?" The reprogrammed former member of the Animalitia said taunting the little aardvark.

Again the female KLIS levitated out of the room into the corridors of the space craft followed by her nearly nude beastial servants first the little aardvark and then the dinosaur.

"Psst! Triceraton!"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to Counter Earth?!"

"The government fell about a year ago." The beastial replied.

"How did I not know?"

"We were off planet." The last surviving member of the Animalitia replied. "And locked down."

"That is right, only recently have we been allowed to move about and even to cover ourselves." Cinder said starring at Triceraton's fundoshi.

"Why do you ask? Do you want to go back? To that?" The orange dinosaur replied as they rounded a corner and entered a room with a small amphitheater in the center complete with a map of Counter Earth.

The three came to a stop and looked at the Dark Forest below.

"It appears to be some type of encampment." The little aardvark said looking at the KLIS' potential target.

"Refugee camp for those who ran from the five cities." Triceraton said correcting him.

"It looks like we have been spotted. The residents are fleeing and/or scattering." The little aardvark observed.

The KLIS scientist smiled as a thin blue light emanated from the room to the ground below collecting fleeing inhabitants like someone sucking up soda through a straw.

A doberman, dalmatian, mastiff and rottweiler soon appeared in the amphitheater.

"Canid beastials Mum?" Cinder asked.

"Well her supply is running rather low." Triceraton observed.

The KLIS scientist stared at her servants.

"Well let's get these four cataloged." The dinosaur beasital replied.

"Um, don't they seem awfully calm and/or relaxed for abductees?" The boy genius asked.

"Wait." The KLIS female ordered Triceraton and Cinder as they started to approach the all too calm abductees.

The four canids stood up looking at the alien, aardvark and dinosaur.

You will make a fine addition to our collective. The doberman dalmatian, mastiff and rottweiler said in eerie unison.

"Well, that was creepy." Cinder noted seeing goofy grins on their faces.

"They are ONE."

"UGH!! More Others." Triceraton huffed. "We have been seeing that a lot lately."

"They infiltrated that camp- so they are spreading out from the cities now?" Cinder theorized as a blue light lit up the room returning the four to the Dark Forest below.

"Do you still wish to return?" The KLIS female asked her aardvark servant.

"No Mum." Cinder said dropping to one knee as the blue light dissipated. "But I still wish to know what happened, how it happened."

"So does those who were annihilated." Triceraton said sarcastically.

"Well you look at that!!! I am actually aboard an actual alien space craft! You things are real! GOLLY!!!"

"Eww, it is one of them." The female scientist opined.

"Your, your lips- they didn't move!!"

"It looks like something else was snagged in your net Mum." Triceraton said directing his attention to the newest arrival.

The human whom had been mistakenly abducted, appeared really down on his luck- brown pants, blue blazer, green tie, tattered purple long jacket. He had blond hair, goggles, happy looking eyes and was in need of a bath.

"Why do I feel so groggy?" He asked.

"It is a residual effect from being abducted." Cinder replied turning his attention to the KLIS latest abductee.

"Oh, its that a thing you do? Well the name is Clay Pen. So how long are you going to keep me?"

"We are not." The orange beastial announced. "Like the former government, we don't care too much for your kind."

"No, wait, you can't send me back you don't know what is like down there!" Clay pleaded.

"Hunger."

"Starvation."

"Drought."

"Famine."

"Diseases."

"Plagues."

"Lawlessness."

"Chaos."

The KLIS scientist and her servant replied one after the other, like reading a list of causes.

"So you do know. After the empire government collapsed, there was a power vacuum. If you don't conform to one of the factions you are left at the mercy of all the crazy that is out there!" Mr. Pen continued.

"Rape gangs."

"Blood thirsty creatures."

"Others."

"So you have heard." The human replied. "Please don't send me back down there. I am desperate!"

"Really?" Triceraton said studying the man.

"Yes! Please! If you need someone to keep things tidy around here, I am your man! If you need someone to study, I am your person. If you need someone to take care of your subjects I can do that! Please don't send me back. PLEASE!! PLEASE!!" He cried.

The female KLIS was silent, extremely silent even for her.

"Mum?" The dinobeastial asked kneeling.

"Mum?" Cinder echoed also kneeling.

Clay watched the two beastials. They had a deep reverence to their master. Would they kiss her butt next?

"Mum?" Clay also asked kneeling.

"Clean him."

"Yes Mum." Cinder and Triceraton said bowing.

The two watched the KLIS scientist exit before the dinosaur beastial picked up Clay by the scruff of the neck and carried him out of the room.

"So I am in?"

"For now." The orange beastial said showing little emotion.

"Yes! So where are we going?"

"A 10' x 10'- very sterile, white floor, white ceiling holding cell." The brown aardvark responded.

"In other words oblivion." Triceraton snickered.

"Oblivion sounds nice. So you two work with miss chilly over there? I get it you are the muscle of the group." Clay said smiling. "Hey! You are that guy from the Animalita I heard about aren't you?"

"And you talk to much." The dinosaur bemoaned.

"There was this big search after the rest of your team was exterminated; no one knew what happened to you."

"He was taken, poked, prodded and studied." The little aardvark whispered.

"To what end?" The human asked as they made their way through the center of the ship.

"To see if the evil within could be stripped from him; it was. This is what remains."

"WOW. These extraterrestrials are very advanced."

"I am right here you know." The dinosaur said grinding his teeth at being talked about.

"So you two are very obedient and subservient to missy chilly?" The human replied as the door to another part of the ship opened.

When he received no response from the aardvark or dinosaur he poked a little further.

"She wouldn't be interested increasing her staffing? I would love to travel the stars, you know see the cosmos. Exactly what is out there?"

"Right now we will be dealing with what is in here." Triceration said pointing to a 10' x 10' holding cell.

Mr. Pen walked into the room to look at it. He noticed that there were numerous others holding cells just like it and there was another aardvark moving about the room observing the other occupants.

"This is where you will be staying for the time being." Cinder said gently.

"As in my quarters? How quaint."

Triceraton and Cinder nodded as Ember came over to see who the new edition was.

"Cinder who is this?"

"Mr. Pen. He was accidentally captured and pleaded with Mum to stay." Cinder said to Ember.

"Mum collected a human?"

"The name is Clay and you are?"

"That is my cousin Ember." The little aardvark pointed.

"Interesting place you three have here- WHOA! WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT?" Clay said looking around at this area of the ship.

"This is where the KLIS store their abductees." Cinder said as Triceraton held the human captive high enough to see the other holding cells and their occupants beastials all shapes sizes, young, old.

"What is wrong with them?"

"They have been rendered passive. That is how they are kept. How you will be kept." The taller aardvark said.

"It cuts down on food, hygiene and entertainment expenses." Triceraton snickered.

"You mean you are going to do that to me?"

"Well in you go." The orange beastial said.

*TOSS*

"A nice bench. Cosy." The human male said looking at the other cells and the occupants within. There appeared to be at least twenty five. Maybe even thirty five. Each like his had this plastic looking plexy- glass type window that stretched from floor to ceiling very opaque looking.

As Clay looked around the room he started to focus on the other captives in the holding area with him felines, ursines, canids, primates, equines all quiet, standing up straight with eyes forward but then he noticed a creature he hadn't seen before- it looked rather odd, like lion/wolf hybrid. Weird.

"If you need anything I am the KLIS liaison." Ember announced.

"What is that position?"

"He is the chief bather." Triceraton said leaving. "He washes the captives."

"Oh, and what do you do little fella?" Clay asked Cinder.

"I dry the captives."

"How often?"

"Every day. We will be back to check on you later." The boy genius announced.

"You know, after you too are rendered passive." His cousin added.

For now we have duties to perform." Cinder said turning away. He was followed by Ember and Triceraton.

An hour passed and the KLIS' human abductee caught himself starting to behave like his fellow abductees- standing up straight, shoulders back eyes forward. Then mysteriously the feeling and sensation went away.

Another hour passed before he would see anyone from the KLIS staff. It was the aardvarks again. The shorter of the two was carrying what looked to be a collection of cloths while the taller had what looked to be some type of hose machine.

"We have returned." Cinder announced.

"Great, I am starving." Mr. Pen exclaimed.

"You shouldn't be." Ember replied entering the human's cell.

"Let me guess the passivity thing again?"

"It puts everything on pause, fear, hunger, thirst and most other bodily functions making our daily duties easier." The larger of the two aardvarks replied as he aimed the device at the KLIS human prisoner.

*ZAP*

"OY!!! My clothes!!"

"They were filthy and/or dirty anyway." Cinder responded. "You get to bathe him, I will get started on that wolf-lion-looking creature."

"Fine. Meet you in the middle." Ember said as he sprayed down Mr. Pen with this white goop.

"So what duties does a KLIS liaison perform?"

"I calm down the terrified until the KLIS can make them passive." Ember said as he started scrubbing the dirt from Clay's shoulders and chest.

"Sounds like a difficult vocation."

"It can be. My you are quite dirty."

"The lack of cleaning facilities and other amenities will do that to a fella." He said turning around showing his back and bum to the aardvark."

"Hey wait you shouldn't be moving right now! How is it that you are moving right now?!" Ember gasped.

"I don't know- I feel the same way I always do." The nude human responded.

"How is that possible? Do you have some weird sort of immunity or...." Ember said turning to his cousin who was already in the monster's cage scrubbing down what he that was another passive prisoner.

*GRRR*

*CHOMP*

"CINDER!!!"

Ember and Clay watched in horror as the creature tore off the smaller aardvark's arm and had his torso in its jaws.

Horrified Ember ran to help his cousin who was about to be eaten alive, but the smaller aardvark was not strong enough.

Clay assisted.

"Let him go!!" The human said pummeling the creature on its face and side. "Let him go!!"

*NO* It growled.

No sooner had it said that, something orange rushed by the nude human and desperate aardvark gouging out the creature's eyes. It screamed at the sudden attack and dropped its would be meal and moved back into its cell.

"What happened?" The dinosaur beastial asked as three KLIS entered the holding area.

"That creature were never sedated!" Ember shouted.

"That thing tried to make a meal out of the little fella." Clay commented.

"And apparently you too." Triceraton observed as the three KLIS approached including their lead scientist.

"Mum.... Cinder... he is in bad shape!!!"

The female nodded to the other KLIS who were with her. They picked up the young aardvark, his arm taking him away.

The female KLIS stared down her remaining subordinates as they took a knee.

"Explain."

"I think I can miss chilly. Whatever you were doing to make your 'passengers' docile failed to work on that creature over there and me for that matter. You are lucky that wasn't you back there."

Mr. Pen was rather blunt in his assessment.

"Take him. Then the creature."

"Does that mean I am in?"

"You will be staying with us a while longer." Traceration said picking him up by his armpits and walking him out of holding.

"It is great to be wanted." Clay said smiling. "You like me. You really like me!"

The KLIS scientist was also smiling as she followed the aardvark and dinosaur beastial out of the holding area.

(Perhaps humans are of interest to us after all. Well, this one anyway.) She thought to herself as she wondered pondered what studies to perform on Clay Pen.

To Be Continued....