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Counter Earth Chronicles - Dual Realities

Chapter 45: The Kingdom That Will Bring Forth A New Era

October 9th, YOE 35 (continued)

10:00 PM Chaundoon (Central Tower, World Seven)

Sorren looked at the crowd that assembled outside of the central tower on the mainstreet of the city. To his right Duchess Jua who was wearing a white shoulder strapped toga. Off to her right her subjects. Next to them were humans, beasitals, monsters- King Dragon's subjects and next to that group, members of the local tribes in the surrounding area merfolk, stone folk, tree folk, marsh folk, mud folk, Chado and four S'mar warriors.

"Friends, family and loved ones!" King Dragon said addressing the crowd that had assembled to hear his victory speech.

"The long night is over; the celestial body that threatened all life on this world has been defeated; it was removed from our skies by a courageous group of warriors, scientists and explorers." Duchess Jua continued.

"With its removal gone are its destructive effects and influences on this planet and its inhabitants!" Sorren shouted, his arms raised.

The crowd cheered.

"Today we are free to pick up the pieces of our routines, traditions, cultures and essentially our lives." The leader of the sand folk said continuing.

"I want to thank captain Raizi and his crew for coming to our aid in our desperate time of need. You have made many friends here." King Dragon said presenting the robo bear.

The crowd cheered and cheered and cheered.

As the noise died down the white she dragon turned to her boyfriend.

"I also want to thank you King Dragon for taking in my people after our village was destroyed and our lives uprooted. Now that the danger has passed, we will be returning to our ancestral land to rebuild."

"No." The red dragon replied.

"No?" The dragoness asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"If the past months have shown me anything, it is that the sand folk and my folk err... subjects are much stronger together than apart; our destinies are entwined together as are yours and mine." King Dragon said taking a knee in front of the Duchess.

The crowd drew very quiet.

"Sorren?" Duchess Jua asked surprised.

"You fill a void that has been ever present since my relocation to this world. You have become more than a friend, more than a confidant, more than a teacher. Duchess Jua leader of the sand folk, will you stay and become my steady?"

The she dragon looked at Mathias, Mattimeo, Ripple, Raffu, Marigold, Marja, Rainy, Ganzel, Trail and the rest of her subjects, then back to her beau.

"Well it is a rather nice city." Ripple observed.

The dragoness nodded.

(Well who didn't see that coming?)

"Very well my subjects will live, work, play, fight and love side by side with your subjects." Duchess Jua proclaimed.

The crowd cheered.

"There is still much to be done though as we pick up the pieces of our lives but for now, let's just enjoy this moment." The white dragon replied as she held paws with the red dragon.

A fireworks celebration started at Friendship Park nearby.

10:40 PM Chaundoon (Infirmary, Central Tower)

"Shaman Psi you wanted to meet with us?" A beautiful chakat asked the sand dragon. She was dressed in a green shoulder strapped shirt while her boyfriend was wearing a black shirt and tan pants as compared to the grey dragon's black bottom-wear

"It must be important, you pulled us from the celebrations." A maned wolf added holding his kitty cat's paw.

"Well your tests results have come back." Psi began.

"Uh oh here it comes." The mid level knight said readying himself.

"Naka and Song you are intact mentally and physically despite what you have gone through. In fact you both have gained weight." The grey scaled dragon replied.

"And the rest of our group?" Song said, studying the living statue's expressions.

"Tonka from what I can tell is fine as well. Bow and Pestle too."

"And our son?" The knight asked the shaman.

"Follow me." The wolf and cat followed the dragon to a room. Inside there was a brown haired pre-teen seated on a chair watching over two felines from the Perna Pride.

"He hasn't left Stab and Impale's beside since we returned to the city." Song replied.

"That is not the issue." A grey female bat said materializing in front of the boy's beastial parents.

"Psi, Nezera if you have something to say, please say it." The wolf bristled.

"Kiwi has been the recipient of hypnotic suggestions." The vampire bat replied.

"What type?" Song asked.

"Honestly, I don't know or what commands were issued."

"Nezera, does he pose a threat to himself, or anyone else?" Naka asked.

"I just don't know." The she bat added.

"Who issued these suggestions?" The grey dragon asked the bat.

"That is unknown as well- but it was within the last day or so." The lady bat volunteered.

"It must have been the Yowie who were masquerading as Stab and Impale. But what did they order him to do?" The maned wolf said thinking out loud.

"More tests must be conducted if we are going to give you a definitive answer." The vampire bat added.

Kiwi's parents were left with more questions than answers.

October 10th, YOE 35

6:21 AM Chaundoon (S'mar Nation, Three Rivers Pride Territory)

Something was going on with Saber the vicious. Naomi had noticed a change in his demeanor. It had started just after the fourth moon had disappeared. He seemed less blood thirsty, less calculating, less vicious, less savage-y.

Lately he didn't seem preoccupied with the weight of leadership of the pride. He even spent more time with his slaves. The freckled teen thought to herself as she opened her eyes.

She was laying on her side resting her head on the feline warrior's left shoulder. His paw was caressing her backside. Annette was resting her head on his right shoulder mirroring her. Saber's arm around her waist. Sticks was sleeping on his torso. The boy's head resting on the feline warrior's tummy.

In a weird light the four of them looked like a family. But then again maybe not. Saber's idea of quality time was screwing Annette stupid while she and Stick's watched. He then would masturbate the orphaned boy to several dry orgasms before moving on to her who he finger banged until she had passed out from cumming. It was almost like being screwed stupid but not quite.

Naomi did note that Saber did managed to stick two of his paw fingers into her sex that evening. It wouldn't be long before he could fit three in there. If that happened she would become his comfort woman just like Annette- being penetrated, pumped full of his semen, feeling his hot abs on her, gawking at his beautiful pecs and that line of fur that went down the center of his chest to encircle his genitals and then back up and then there were those spots up and down his sides and that tuft of fur on his chin and those fangs that made her wonder if the S'mar were distant relatives of saber tooth tigers. Yeah, she had it, she had it bad for her master.

But what was most interesting was that he was sleeping well. Naomi glanced at the blood thirsty, vicious savage. He seemed to be quite at peace.

"Something wrong girl?"

"Wow, you are a light sleeper master!" She whispered.

The feline warrior looked at her.

"Right. I guess someone in your position would have to be. I mean you seem to be sleeping better as of late."

"If you must know, the dire dreams I have been having have ceased."

"You mean the ones about the end of the world?"

"Yes." He said rubbing her butt.

"That is good master. Getting a good night's sleep is very important. So what do you dream about these days?" The freckled teen asked.

The savage warrior stared at his middle slave neutral faced.

"Stupid question, stupid question, slaughtering your enemies, destroying competing prides until it is just ours and other violent things." The freckled teen sighed.

"Most nights wench. But tonight I dreamed that you had fully matured, your body had blossomed and I could grope and hold your breasts instead of just licking them and that I could do more than just finger your cub tunnel.

Naomi stared at her master who made a wicked smirk.

"I dreamed that I could penetrate you, scrape my penis barbs against your inner walls while kissing your neck and snarl as I fired my bolts until you were very, very, very, soggy and you passed out from receiving more gasps and moans than you could handle."

"My that is quite a graphic dream master." The teen squeaked as her bottom was squeezed.

"It is more than a dream girl. It is prophecy!" Saber said, kissing Naomi on her forehead.

*blep*

The teen looked at Annette who was passed out but had a goofy smile on her face as the savage's semen leaked out from her vagina. Soggy but very satisfied.

"You were headed for some place else entirely when you wandered into our village seasons ago- lost, confused and alone when I claimed you for my own. Looking back, having you here has been quite beneficial."

"Really? How so?" Naomi asked the feline savage.

"You have made this pride stronger as a result."

The freckled teen realized that her master was talking about her warning concerning the recent snow storm which she helped them to survive.

"Does that mean that I will receive less chores and less portions of eyeball soup as compensation?" The teen ask-pleaded.

"No." The savage feline said kissing his slave again.

*blep*

"Damn." Naomi pouted.

10:45 AM Conquered Counter Earth (World ONE)

A workshop for the newly possessed draws to a close....

"So what are the voices we are hearing in our head?" Bess' student, a young kobold asked.

_"That is the collective." _ The male bison replied.

"All of us here?" The female asked curiously.

"Not exactly." Tess said stepping in. "It is not just World ONE but the entire collective; we who have been chosen by the synoptic."

"So every beast here in this city and in the other cities?" Bess and Tess' student asked.

"Yes, we are all ONE." The teenage bisons said together.

"That is so much to take in. There is a voice that is louder than the rest, it navigates our thoughts, directs us and controls us."

"That is our master, the synoptic the conquer of worlds... ONE." Bess said gently to the female kobold.

"Mind blown." The bison's student replied.

"It is a lot to take in. But if you have any more questions, reach out to us." Bess said organizing the chairs in their small studio.

"Yes, reach out to us, we are available forever and always." Tess added as a dragon fly entered their teaching studio and landed on one of the lights.

"Bess, Tess we have a task for you."

"Yes master?" Tess said as a lamb, dawn horse and small eagle were led by a horde of Others into their studio. Interestingly enough the horde would not touch any of the three.

"I don't think this is a good idea." The eagle replied to his friends.

"Are you kidding this place is amazing! It has many environments- a forest, a beach, mountains, even an indoor amusement park!!" The ewe countered. "In fact it is the only thing standing in World One."

"Touch me! Touch me! I want to be a part of whatever this is!!" The dawn horse shouted. But was ignored. The Others surrounding them pulled back as if the three trespassers were some type of cure for the phage enveloping the planet.

"Actually this is the worst idea we have ever had." The eagle said to his friends.

"Ed, this was our last idea; we are out of options, food, clothing and water- we can't survive out there." The dawn horse countered. "Why won't any of you touch me?!"

The three looked like they had been through hell. Their clothing such as it was, made them look like they were from Earth's middle ages not from a superior technological society.

"And the empire is not coming back. We are in the after empire era where lawlessness and chaos pervades, except for here among the Others." The ewe added.

"These are three friends that have willingly approached us. They wish to become ONE." The entity said to Bess and Tess.

"That is fine master... but why the hesitation?" Bess asked.

"They do not have anything to offer the collective. We were about to reject them summarily."

"Please synoptic!! Let me live in your paradise!!!" The male dawn horse said to the Others that had guided the three into Bess and Tess' orientation seminar.

"But we have assimilated all that there is to be assimilated here in World ONE." Tess observed.

"Yes." The entity confirmed.

"All but these three master." Bess added.

"Yes. Your task is to find something beneficial that they offer us."

"Yes master." Bess said.

"Yes master." Tess added.

"Ah so... when do we become Others?" The ewe asked the bison siblings.

"If and only if ONE deems you are worthy." The two replied in unison.

"So that explains why no one here has reached out to us." The Dawn horse replied. "We are not worthy!"

"Story of our lives." The lamb sighed.

"Perhaps we can convince our master. We are Bess and over there is Tess." The male teenage bison said beginning introductions.

"Jonan." The ewe said beginning introductions.

"Ed." The eagle said, waving at the horde who recoiled.

"Dane." The dawn horse replied. "I remember you two were with the Consortium For Mutual Coexistence before the empire ended."

"Yes and now we assist the newly assimilated." Tess added.

"How about you three tell us about yourselves?" Bess asked.

"Well worked in sales prior to the fall." The Dawn horse replied.

"What?" ONE asked through his two vessels present.

"Whoops, I mean the awakening." Dane replied.

"Where?"

"Counter Earth Cosmetics." The lamb replied, picking up the story. "We were hired right out of school. The work was great, so was the salary."

"It got a little tough during the human unrest." Ed replied. "But we persevered."

"But when the empire ended so did everything else no one reported to work, customer leads dried up." Dane added.

"That was because everybody kind of died... our supervisors, coworkers, potential clients." The eagle commented.

"Societal order collapsed... there was chaos and unrest as survivors fought each other for what was left. Monster creatures roamed the streets preying on the luckless, the homeless and unfortunate." Jonan added. "We have had countless close calls. One day our luck is going to run out."

"It was particularly bad here in World One after the city burned. There was nothing left until this place was built. From the little I saw it is magical, a place of wonders." The eagle replied. " A paradise I want to become part of no matter the cost."

"The cost is what you three have to offer our collective." The synoptic replied through Bess and Tess.

"Three years of sales experience." Jonan said proudly.

"Irrelevant." ONE said shooting her down.

"I am a ambitious self motivated go getter." Dane said egotistically.

"No longer applicable in the new order." The synoptic added.

"I have great beastial to beastial skills." Ed said throwing it out there.

"Which would not benefit the new society we are building." The conquer of worlds said through his vessels.

"So that is a no?" The dawn horse asked tearing up.

"Mr. Synoptic there is no life outside of this structure; only pain, misery, suffering and death." The lamb bleated.

"Please don't sentence us to that cursed land." The eagle pleaded.

"It would be a death sentence." Dane cried.

The synoptic was silent.

_"Master these three would be an asset to the collective." _ Tess replied stepping forward.

"In what way young one?"

"They worked in sales prior to the awakening. There is no need to change that. Let them continue to do so, but for you." Bess observed.

"Yes, yes we can collect souls for the master!!! Err.... I mean we could spread and promote the joy and bliss of ONE to all who are willing to hear!" The Dawn horse exclaimed.

"Yes far and wide to all corners of the former empire!" The eagle shouted.

"Well master?" Tess asked.

The synoptic thought for a moment. "Very well we will allow you to live in our paradise. Orientate them as to what will be expected."

"Yes sir." Bess replied.

"Looks like we are returning to sales guys." The eagle replied.

"Yeah with better benefits." The lamb added hugging her friends.

"Survival in the after empire era is a most welcome benefit." The Dawn horse said addressing the horde. "So when are one of you going to touch me?!"

_6:40 PM Chaundoon (Lady Ursa's Home, World Seven) _

"I thought I would find you two out here." My female brown bear said joining Shakara and myself on our balcony.

"Unwinding after a very long day big cutie?" Shakara replied.

"That's right there were the celebrations that went on late into the evening." My perfect person said joining us.

"And then everybody went back to work the today." I added as my females rubbed my back.

"You two look like how I feel." The bear said.

"Shakara and I were checking on the nearby clans and tribes that took a direct hit from the toxic fog." I said locking my gaze at where King Dragon had given his speech yesterday.

"Unfortunately not everyone was as lucky as we were; there were casualties." The red eyed lioness replied.

"I was in meetings the majority of the day with knight command."

"Really? What about mistress?"

"Our lives here in the city and on this planet and the knight's responsibilities going forward. World Seven is going to grow from this point forward, from a small stone city to a mighty metropolis. Knight Command and the Dragon Defenders will have to prepare for that."

"Penny indicated that the Infirmary is going to become a regional medical center." Shakara added. "A very important one."

"King Dragon and Duchess Jua are thinking about expanding the colony council to include leaders from the local tribes and clans." My fierce ursine warrior added.

"So things are going to be changing and it all started with the demise of the dark moon. How awesome is that?" I said.

"Come, we should get ready." My perfect person replied.

"Get ready big cutie?" My devious person asked.

"Yes we were having dinner with Naka and Song, remember?" Lady Ursa replied.

"Oh yeah I almost forgot!" I said as I was escorted inside.

_7:00 PM Chaundoon (Watch Tower, World Seven) _

"Night shift is here; go home!" Corey Collins said to the two dragon brothers.

"...anything to report...?" Rumble asked.

"Sporadic celebrations are still taking place across the city." Ganzel replied.

"No evidence of sentient clouds, hostile insects, toxic fog, haboobs or the crazy." Trail added.

"...imbalance is over..." The brown werewolf replied.

"So... will you two be traveling again?" The smaller of the two dragons asked.

"Nah, Rumble and I were talking about it last night after the celebration we would like to stick around for a while." The white werewolf replied as he received a clipboard from the taller of the two dragons. "What's this?"

"Starting today the science division is expanding their knowledge of the planet- there will be teams studying the flora and fauna, present civilizations and ancient civilizations, the weather, climate and whatever other forces that are out there shaping this planet." Ganzel said.

"King Dragon and Duchess Jua want to know if the imbalance has truly ended and what effect having only three moons has done to the planet." Trail added.

"That is all nice and good but how does that affect us?" Mr. Collins asked.

"We get to conduct and document weather observations!" Trail said, smiling.

"Enjoy your shift!" Ganzel said waving as they departed.

"So we are scientists now? Yay." Corey replied, crossing his arms.

_7:10 PM Chaundoon (Naka and Song's House, World Seven) _

"Alex, Ursa and Shakara welcome!" The beautiful chakat said greeting us at the door of her home.

I was kind of disappointed that she and the maned wolf were not dressed like the native S'mar they had been living with. I think Shakara was as well- in that they both looked great naked.

"Hi Song. Say where is Kiwi?" I asked.

"He is still keeping watch in the infirmary." The she cat responded.

"Oh the two Perna Pride warriors?" I replied.

"He hasn't left their bedsides." Naka said joining his squeeze. "But we have two more that will be joining us in his place."

The couple ushered us inside to their kitchen where we found their plus two. Two S'mar warriors seated at their rectangular stone kitchen table.

"Greetings." My bear knight replied. "Bow and Pestle is it?"

The two nodded.

"They are staying with us during this confusing time." Naka said gently.

"Um, why are they naked?" The horny lioness said noticing Bow's athletic build and how slender Pestle was. "Not that I mind now."

"We have to conform to your village's customs but here we are allowed to dress like S'mar." The former acting leader of Kenja Pride acknowledged.

"This village has many things that are both new and strange." Pestle replied.

"I want to sit next to him!" Shakara exclaimed.

*shove*

"No, you are sitting next to us." The bear said reigning in the horny lioness.

I sat with my bear and lioness on one side of the table, while Bow and Pestle sat together on the other and Naka and Song on the opposite side.

"Actually we haven't found anything that they like." The chakat admitted bringing dinner which looked to be some type of meat stew.

"Everything that I have worn, I found uncomfortable and limiting." The female warrior admitted.

"There are a few more shops we can check out tomorrow." The wolf said to his guests.

"Naka, Song how did you meet these two?" Lady Ursa asked as while bowls were distributed around the table.

"After Tonka, Kiwi, Naka and I escaped from the Chado with their device, we bounced around trying to get back to the city." Song began the story.

"Ultimately arriving in the S'mar Pridelands after a massive snowstorm had hit the area." Naka added.

"They found us frozen within the base of a tree." The feline warrior replied. "And freed us."

"After some uneasiness..." The maned wolf added.

"You mean xenophobia?" My lioness interjected.

"Well yes, they agreed to be our guides." Song added.

"And they brought us to the land's end within the Marble Canyons." Naka added.

"I read your report the locals called it the grey nothing, an impenetrable wasteland that couldn't be crossed by foot." My bear knight said. "Only by air."

"We couldn't go forward and we didn't dare go backward so we stayed in the Marble Canyons with Perna Pride." The knight replied. "The pride was involved in a conflict with the Yowie when we left."

"The colony council is debating whether we should involve ourselves in the affairs of other tribes." The chakat said.

"As is knight command." Lady Ursa said. "There isn't any formal relations between us and that pride or any of the prides for that matter."

"Perhaps there should be?" The maned wolf opined. "They did take Song, Kiwi, Tonka and myself in when we had nowhere else to go."

"And we wouldn't want to see them wiped out by their enemy." The chakat added.

"But they kept Bow and myself as their prisoners. We had just escaped when we were brought back here." The slender witch doctor replied inserting himself into the conversation.

There was a pregnant pause between the senior and sophomore knights. I decided that it would be best to move on.

"Bow, I am curious how did you and Pestle get frozen in that tree?"

"I was on a quest to unite the prides to fight the imbalance." She began.

"A very difficult quest." The former feline of Three Rivers Pride added.

"Well I convinced you." Bow shot back.

"Only after the white death arrived and after threatening to cut off my balls." Pestle countered.

"Don't they make the cutest couple?" Shakara asked placing her elbows on the table and her paws underneath her chin, eyeing the exchange.

"When I approached the Three Rivers Pride's chieftain he wasn't receptive to my proposal." Bow continued.

"Initially." The thin warrior interjected. "But he did decide to help."

"You mean by ordering that I be impregnated before I could continue my quest?!" The feline warrior said to the feline healer.

"He felt that a pregnant female would be less likely to be killed by the other prides if approaching them for help." Pestle said as if trying to defend his former chieftain.

"That is ruthless!" I gasped.

"My former chieftain is." Pestle commented. "But I did agree to abandon my pride and join her on her quest."

"We were surprised when these two told us what was the real cause of the imbalance." Bow said looking at Song and Naka.

"And now that the threat has passed, what are your plans?" Lady Ursa asked the two S'mar felines.

"Well... I can't return to my pride. Saber, my chieftain... former chieftain would have my head on a platter." The witch doctor admitted.

"Kenja Pride was enveloped by Sabra which was infiltrated by skin-walkers." Bow added.

"Sounds like it wouldn't be a good idea to go back there either." The red eyed lioness interjected.

"Why don't you make your home here then?" I asked the two. "We already have two S'mar felines. There is always room for two more."

"Yes they would just need to find their place here." Shakara observed. "Pestle is already a healer so I think he would fit in well with us in medical."

"I would?"

Shakara moved from where she was seated to the other side of the table right next to the slender feline where upon which she started eye fucking him.

"A very youthful frame, slender body, small butt, twig size penis, cute balls. Most definitely yes." She said finishing her initial impressions.

"Yes. Penny said that the infirmary is going to become very busy in the coming months." I replied leaving my seat to fetch the horny lioness.

"You should consider joining the knight core Bow." Lady Ursa said.

"You mean like Naka?"

"Yes, along with the Dragon Defenders we protect and defend our village from all threats and help those in need." Naka added.

The feline warrior was silent.

"Take your time and think about it Bow you don't need to make a decision about it right at this moment." Song said gently.

"The next few weeks are going to be quite busy indeed." My bear knight replied. "King Dragon is going to order a number of expeditions."

"I heard he wants to know if the imbalance has truly ended. Duchess Jua wants to know of any adverse effects of only having three moons will have on the planet." I replied adding my voice.

"There is also the exploration of our new home- how it operates the way it does, why it operates the way it does." Shakara added. "And why it is enchanted."

*Knock* *Knock*

"Were you expecting someone?" I asked our hosts?

"No." The maned wolf replied as the chakat went to answer the front door while the rest of us dug into tonight's meal.

On the other side was a white leech boy.

"Tonka?"

"Kiwi sent me. Shred has recovered and he wants to see you. Something about returning to the Marble Canyons."

To Be Continued....

[MEANWHILE]

October 9th, YOE 35 (Continued)

10:00 PM Free Counter Earth (Master Koala's Lab, World Three)

The koala scientist had been studying the dark alternate version of his world intently using his reality observing machine. He was fascinated about this Conquered Counter Earth- how did the empire fall? Who were the survivors of the after empire era? What factions were vying for control of what was left? And what happened to his doppelgänger in this world? Could the same happen to his Counter Earth? Damn it, it was down right depressing. He needed to take a break.

Why not visit that alternate, alternate Counter Earth? The one Naomi Good was trying to get to? The one inhabited by humans? That also sounded down right depressing. Ick. But he fired up his dragonfly camera to take a look anyway.

Master koala opened up a window right at the outskirts of where World Three would have been. What he saw was not a modern technologically advanced city but a small colonial town not unlike the Oasis in the Dark Forest. The humans here rode horses, lived in one floor houses and wore simple clothing. There was no electricity, vehicles or other technological innovations. Proof that the bestials were the drivers of innovation, of technology.

"Very interesting but also dull." He decided to spend a couple of hours looking around before switching back to the other Counter Earth- the darker one.

October 10th, YOE 35

6:21 AM Free Counter Earth (Psychiatrist Tanni's Office, World One)

"Tanni your next appointment is here."

"Send him right in." The psychiatrist replied to his virtual assistant.

The pheasant looked down at his pad. He didn't remember having anything scheduled for this time. But eh, whatever.

"A human?!" The avian replied as a slender scruffy adult male entered his office. "I see only beastial patients."

"The psychiatrists in my area are incompetent and ineffective. I needed to speak with a highly regarded, well respected expert, the best of the best." The man said to the white avian with a grey beak and blue eyes.

The pheasant studied the man. He was about five foot five. His hair was brown and shaved down on all sides except for the top of his head, it was fully grown there. He wore a brown shirt with grey pants and had a nice set of teeth white and- nicely aligned.

"Fine." He sighed. "Come on in, strip to your bottom-wear and sit over there."

The man walked toward center of the room and did as ordered. As he knelt on the floor his arms were shackled in chains.

"Let me guess this is the latest method in psychiatry?"

"Do you have a name human?" Tanni asked side stepping the question.

"Reed."

"Well Mr. Reed, what seems to be the problem today?" The pheasant asked.

"I feel like my life isn't mine to live anymore."

"Could you be more specific?" The psychiatrist asked.

"It isn't my own. I mean between work, my mate, the kids, worshiping the high master and catering to first class citizens- I feel like some type of automaton."

"Eh, okay Mr. Reed, what do you do for a living?"

"I am a veterinarian; I take care of animals."

"I know what a vet does." The beastial said condescendingly.

"I work long hours." The human said, continuing.

"And how often do you spend time with your mate and offspring?"

"About maybe twenty minutes a day. Ten in the morning and ten in the evening before bed." Reed replied, reinforcing his complaints about his life.

"What do you do in your after hours?"

"The rest of my time is spent studying the High Evolutionary's dictum daily- everyday."

"And after that?"

"Servicing Ms. Pots my former overseer. I cook and clean for her, give her massages, wash her clothing, purchase her supplies and pay her bills."

"And how long have you been doing that?" The pheasant asked looking at his patient.

"Almost a month. I am exhausted. I have no free time to myself, I feel under appreciated, I work six days a week, overtime and nights! I don't know what I am doing with my life!"

"Let me ask you something, this excessive work that you do. Is that on your own accord?"

"I don't understand the question." Reed said looking at the beastial.

"Your former overseer she is a beastial, that much is true. What about your immediate supervisor?" Tanni asked.

"The owner of the vet hospital? A beastial." His patient replied.

"Then you are 1000% correct, your life is not yours anymore." Tanni replied to his patient. "I have it from a good authority that the empire eliminated humanity's free will."

"When did this happen?"

"Earlier this month. Second class citizens' primary directive now is to first class citizens and not be a burden to the empire."

"So that is why I am working myself to the bone? Burning the candle at both ends?" Reed asked.

"Yes, to please us." The pheasant said with a gleam in his eye.

"What can I do about this? How do I make it stop?" Reed gasped.

"Nothing. Well maybe ask the beastials you serve to cut back on your workload or threaten to throw yourself off a building if they refuse. Anyway, I hoped that helped. Thank you for coming have a nice day." Tanni said unshackling the man before pushing him out of his office.

10:45 AM Free Counter Earth (School Of Technology Sciences, World One)

"And in closing the only constant is change; the future is in flux and you here are the future and you need to be prepared for challenges ahead!" The red canine said, stepping down from his podium.

"Thank you counselor dhole!" The students shouted in appreciation.

"Some motivational speech huh Lester?" Bess asked his seat mate.

"Yeah, yeah, it hasn't been the same Naomi left." The raccoon replied only half listening to the teenage bison. His attention had shifted toward a shy human male wearing a red blazer and yellow shirt seated next to the two of them.

"That is not what I said Lester." Bess said correcting him.

"Have you noticed that the humans in our class have been acting weird the last few days?"

"It has been more than that Lester, it seems like it is humans everywhere." Bess commented. "Three in the group my sister and I participate in have been affected as well."

"Affected how?"

"They seem compliant, docile and demure like their individual personalities have been stripped away and what is left is subservient and obedient." The male bison replied.

"It is probably the empire's latest attempt to clamp down on human activities or maybe something even more sinister! Mu ha ha ha ha!"

"Sinister?" Bess asked the raccoon.

"Let's conduct a experiment shall we?"

"Lester?"

"Psst!!! Hey Hiro!! Some presentation counselor dhole gave today huh?" The raccoon asked his human peer.

"Yes it was." The shy male replied as he prepared to leave the lecture hall. "Did you have a favorite part Lester?"

"Nah." The raccoon replied.

"That was mine too." He replied.

"Say Hiro, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Lester leaned forward and whispered something into Hiro's ear.

"Yeah sure, anything to help." He replied.

"Lester what are you up to?" Bess asked as his sister entered the lecture hall.

"Testing a theory."

"Bess, Lester, how was the presentation?" Tess asked greeting her brother and his classmate."

"Boring but I think the post presentation is about to be a big hit." The raccoon smirked.

"What in the?" Tess gasped.

The three of them watched as Hiro made his way toward the front of the lecture hall and the podium counselor dhole had just used. Upon his arrival, he removed his red blazer, yellow shirt, brown pants, undergarments and socks until he was completely naked. It was then that the blond haired shy male started dancing, really dancing! Gyrating his hips, flexing his pelvis, moving his arms!

"Theory confirmed." Lester said to Tess and Bess. "Hiro is behaving in a way that is contrary to his personality."

"What did you say to him?" The male bison asked the raccoon.

"I ordered him to go to the front of the class, remove his clothes and dance for us." The raccoon remarked. "Hiro that is enough. Why don't come back here and have a seat?"

"Sure."

Bess and Tess watched as the shy human returned to his seat next to Lester without putting on any of his clothing,.

"Hmm.... I though you would be better endowed." The raccoon smirked looking at his groin.

"Sorry." Hiro replied.

"Eh?" Lester said, smirking to the teenage bisons.

"So that is what is going on- the empire has found a way to control its second class citizens!" Bess declared looking at Tess.

"Ya, think?" Lester replied leaning back in his chair.

10:59 AM Free Counter Earth (Master Kola's Lab, World Three)

"Looks like we are returning to sales guys." The eagle replied.

"Yeah with better benefits." The lamb added hugging her friends.

"Survival in the after empire era is a most welcome benefit." The Dawn horse said addressing the horde. "So when are one of you going to touch me?!"

"On the contrary we will allow you to retain your individuality as long as you provide us with more souls to be awakened." ONE said to his new proxies.

The koala scientist who watching the entire exchange through his dragonfly camera was shocked.

So that is how this version of Counter Earth wound up in ruin! It was this synoptic character!

What was more disturbing was that everything seemed to relate to a fixed point in time. December 31st YOE 33. Hmm....

Master Koala recalled his dragonfly camera, turned off his world reality observing machine. He seemed to recall something Arthur Speedwell had mentioned to him during a recent communication.

He reached for his cube. He and the hedgehog needed to compare notes.

_6:40 PM Free Counter Earth (Sir Ram's Undisclosed Lab, World One) _

These are dark times indeed my subjects." The High Evolutionary said beginning his broadcast." The long standing rumors and eyewitness reports are true. Counter Earth has been visited by extraterrestrials. I am here today to acknowledge that the empire has become aware of these sightings of things we can't explain. Strange lights in the sky, visitations in remote areas, citizen complaints of missing time and missing beastials. We thought that they were benign until very recently. Apparently not- the attack on Castle Wundgore was proof."

"As of this moment I am ordering my knights to be on high alert. Citizens that spot anything ship or craft not of native design should report this to the knight core immediately. Together we will repeal this alien threat, and safeguard planet. Not just now but for the future as well."

(Interesting broadcast. It took the empire this long to acknowledge that the KLIS were taking its citizens for experiments?!) I thought to myself as my bear and her colleague watched the empire live broadcast.

"That should generate a lot of leads." Sir Ram. "But we are still going to have a hard time rescuing those who have been harvested."

"Yes Commander Ursa, I read you and the boy's report from your ill fated vacation from several years ago. The both of you were helpless to resist and were only let go when the KLIS decided to let you go."

I looked at my beastial superiors.

"Those aliens are a technologically superior race of beings Sir Ram." I said stating the obvious to the knight and scientist.

"Yes boy they are." The evil beastial said waving his paw at me. "I am in the process of developing a multifaceted plan."

"You are?" Commander Ursa said, crossing her arms.

"Yes. Step one we need a reliable method of determining their location. Follow me."

We exited a darkened room of broadcast viewscreens and entered a smaller room- grey floor, grey walls, grey ceiling. There were three rows of four chairs. Seated within each row were... were...NO WAY! Extraterrestrials the empire had taken prisoner here on Counter Earth!!!

"These are but a small portion of those that the empire was able to capture entering Counter Earth illegally."

"Impressive Sir Ram. That explains why they have been placed here away from Castle Wundagore." My bear explained noticing my uneasiness.

In the first row were two of what appeared to be robotic bears about half my size. Next to them two orange tentacled eyeballs reminiscent of the Manassas. Behind them a creature that looked like a rhino-lizard with purple skin. Behind him two of what looked to be black bowling balls but much larger and with red eyes. Next to that were these one eyed vertical centipede creatures with no limbs, only feet. All were bounded, tied and blindfolded.

"Sir Ram?" I asked nervously. "What are we looking at?"

"A question for you two. How does one go about finding the whereabouts of a superior technological race?"

My mistress and I were silent.

"With these beings right here. They have precognitive abilities which I am putting into use." The ram said deviously. "Everyone, clear your minds and concentrate on the KLIS."

An image appeared on the ceiling of the grey room of a black triangular spacecraft in orbit around Counter Earth.

"That's... that's... woooow." I replied my jaw dropping.

"No boy, it is pure genius." He said closing it for me. "But as you see commander our quarry is out of reach."

"For now Sir Ram. For now." My bear said, placing her paw to her chin.

7:00 PM Free Counter Earth (Entertainment District, near Sir Ram's secret lab)

"I don't believe what I am seeing." A chipmunk said speaking into a large playing card from his hiding spot.

"Operative Kiff, what are you seeing?"

"Tell our superiors to back channel into Commander Ursa's communicator."

"One moment. That's... that's... wow!"

"That is what former operative Winter just said."

"The business owners and entrepreneurs on this block would freak if they knew a hidden lab with captured aliens was nearby."

"Correct operative Spirit. Deerfeeder's target is using remote viewing to determine the whereabouts of the KLIS."

"What about Alex?"

"He seems to be doing fine for someone missing their free will; subservient, demure, docile and obedient to his masters. Just like the rest of our former operatives."

"Excellent work operative Kiff." Spirited Spirit replied.

"Right back at you. that ruse you perpetrated to protect the Oasis was ingenious... diverting the empire's attention to the KLIS."

"Why thank you operative." The tian mountain dog replied. "It is a step forward to accomplishing Deerfeeder's objective... and mine."

"I have to go, Commander Ursa and Alex Winter are leaving." The chipmunk said from the shadows.

7:10 PM Free Counter Earth (Entertainment District, World One)

"Where to now mistress?" I asked sitting down in the white prototype.

"How about dinner? What are you in the mood for?" The she beast asked me.

"Whatever you feel like." I replied without skipping a beat.

"Of course." My perfect person said powering on the prototype.

She drove up and down the street noticing an increase in the crowds that evening.

"How about that hot dog stand over there pet?"

"Convenient location just below financial tower." I commented as she parked.

"You know in business it is location, location, location." She said following me to the vendor. "You there, two with everything."

We sat on some benches next to the white prototype while we ate. I took in the sites and sounds of that fall evening.

"I didn't know the knights had been THAT busy since the harvesting." I said biting into my hotdog. It was only so-so. I have had better.

My bear lifted her eyebrow.

"That's right you were promoted and the core sent knights from the other cities to backfill."

"Not just the knights Alex, but the empire in general. It has become easier to focus our attention in other directions now that the human disruption has been eliminated."

"Yes mistress." I said, staring at the ground.

"I know the methods from your perspective may seem harsh." She said placing her paw on my shoulder. "But it is really for the greater good. Look around, there are no protests."

_*_On the contrary commander I am detecting a beastial protest forming in the historical district about the alien cover-up.*

"Ok human protests, no curfew breaches, human crime, no acts of disobedience, no rebels. If it weren't for the KLIS we would be on the cusps of another golden age."

!!!

"Mistress, look out!" I shouted. Pulling her toward the white prototype which had a half second to engage its deflectors before....

*KLUNK*

*BOUNCE* *BOUNCE*

"What was that?"

*That used to be a human commander.*

I was nauseated looking at the broken battered remains.

"Clay Reed a veterinarian." My she beast said scanning his tracking chip.

*Angle of impact suggests that he fell from the financial tower.*

"No signs of a struggle or fight." The female knight said analyzing the corpse.

*Did he jump from his own free will?*

"That doesn't exist anymore automated assistant." My bear said.

"Mistress, what if he was ordered?" I asked, looking at her.

To Be Continued....