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Counter Earth Chronicles - Dual Realities

Chapter 32: You Will Be Judged By The Strength Of Your Enemy

September 15th, YOE 35

7:10 PM Free Counter Earth (Dark Forest)

“It was about time you got back." The Tian mountain dog said looking up from his book as I walked into our room and plopped face down on the bed next to him.

Room seven of the Oasis Tavern had become our preferred room during our visits to the human sanctuary away from the empire. Not like they had any visitors though.

Spirit was only wearing his orange and brown bottom-wear. A color that nicely matched his fur. I suspected that he most likely wanted to be comfortable- not sure when he was going to shift back into his quadrupedal form.

“So how was your first relocation mission?" He asked reaching over to run his paws down my back.

“RUFF." I replied with my face buried into the white linen on the bed.

Since he shifts from beastial to non-beastial seemingly uncontroled, I had begun teasing him by speaking in a combination of english and animalian, often mashing both together confusing him, much to my amusement.

“Rough or Ruff?" He asked, cocking his head.

“Both."

“And Courtney Perfect?"

“She is now a permanent resident of the Oasis." I replied.

“So one less second class citizen for the high master and his creations to push around." My beastial boyfriend acknowledged.

“Yeah. But it wasn't easy." I replied. “What could go wrong, did go wrong and all during my watch."

“Want to tell me about it?" He said continuing to rub my back.

Earlier….

September 14th, YOE 35

7:12 PM Finnick's Diner (World Two)

“Ms. Perfect are you sure about this?" I asked looking up from my malt.

The waitress nodded without hesitation.

“I thought long and hard about it, mister um… I never caught your name."

“It is best that you don't." I said smiling. “Just call The Envoy."

“Really? How original." Courtney replied.

“I need your thumb print here and here and here." I said giving her my PDA.

“What is this?"

“Confirmation that you are abandoning your life here for a new one elsewhere…." I replied mysteriously.

“...And that I will make no further attempts to reconnect with anyone in my former life after my extraction and that any assets, possessions I own will remain with my said former life…" Courtney said, reading the fine print.

She placed her thumb print on the screen.

“It is done. So now what?"

“If I were you, I would get your affairs in order Ms. Perfect." I replied, finishing my malt. “But don't make it seem too obvious. You don't want to draw suspicion on yourself."

“Geez, you make it sound like I am dying."

“It is analogous to that." I said smiling doing my best imitation of Deer-feeder.

“And when I cleaned up sufficiently then what?"

“We will be in touch." I replied smiling.

“Hey boss, I need some time off!" Courtney shouted to the Fennec fox who owned the diner.

“Well you can't have it!" He shouted back.

“WHAT? WHY NOT?!"

September 15th, YOE 35

11:03 AM Monument Moving Rentals (World Two)

“Come on damn you authorize!" Courtney shouted at the kiosk which looked more like a parking meter from Gaia.

_*Unable to comply.* _

“And why not?!" Ms. Perfect yelled at the machine.

*You have not received authorization from your overseer to rent this hover vehicle Courtney Perfect.*

“Ugg!!" The waitress said punching the kiosk. “OW!"

“Greetings Ms. Perfect. It is moving day, are you ready?" I said walking up to the frustrated brunette. I received my answer in kind.

“GRRRR!!!"

“Something wrong?" I asked.

“I was trying to rent this hover vehicle to haul my things, but the machine won't let me; I need authorization from my overseer!! ARGH!!!"

“Hey…. slow down! You misunderstand what is going on here. You are leaving everything behind and starting anew that includes whatever you were going to put into this vehicle from your apartment."

“What?" She asked turning to address me. I think the kiosk was glad her assault stopped.

“Does incognito mean anything to you? Courtney, you are the one that is moving, not your apartment or whatever is in your apartment."

“So you are saying only the clothing on my back?!"

I nodded. “Anything more and you would attract attention, the kind we don't need." I warned her.

*Would you like me to contact your overseer Ms. Perfect?* The kiosk asked stepping into our conversation.

“No! No! That won't be necessary!" Courtney gasped.

“Now that that is out of the way we just have to worry about your hover vehicle being detected when you break curfew." I said trying to sound like a seasoned extractor.

“That won't be a problem… I don't own one Mr. Envoy." She said.

“WHAT?!" I replied. “How did I miss that?!"

“You are relatively new at this aren't you?" She asked me.

“Geez, I hope it wasn't that obvious. Ahem, well you are going to need some means to escape." I replied. “It will be kind of hard if you don't."

“Ok, so no mover vehicles…" Courtney said, looking at the electronic kiosk.

Next to it was another kiosk for an automated people mover. A robo taxi if you will.

*Please state your destination.*

“Wilderness outside the city." Ms. Perfect said climbing into what looked like a automated grey room comprised of four seats with propellers on four sides. I followed.

“So how much time off did Finnick give you to move?" I asked making myself comfortable on the leather seating.

“He didn't." Courtney said.

“WHAT?!"

“You seem to say that an awful lot. I am scheduled to work tomorrow. I'm not going to show up."

“That doesn't give you much time to leave without being missed." I replied as her cube alerted.

“Ms. Una!" Courtney said, answering.

“I received an alert from a Monument Moving Rentals kiosk. Do you know anything about it?" The red cobra asked.

“Well you see Ms. Una, I was thinking about helping a friend move some things from their home."

_“Did I authorize this?" _

“No, it is a beastial friend of mine. But I changed my mind when I was denied. He will have to do it for himself."

“Who is that friend?"

“A co-worker of mine at the diner, no one you would know. Will you look at the time! Gotta go buh-bye!!" She said ending the communication.

“You hung up on your overseer?!"

“She can be such a second mother! Driver, how long until we approach the city limits?" The waitress inquired.

*Unavailable*

“Why?" I asked the computer.

*Passengers have not received authorization to leave World Two. Redirecting to domicile.*

“What?"

“Looks like you will get a last look at your apartment after all." I replied.

11:22 AM The Nicest Neighborhood (World Two)

“Ceil?" A green turtle wearing a feathered helmet, carrying a spear asked greeting a similarly dressed gecko.

“You got the call too?" The gecko asked the turtle.

“Yeah Iggy wanted us to check up on a human… a Courtney Perfect. Her overseer said she tried to rent a moving vehicle."

“Could you blame her? This area is a dump." Ceil said to his fellow knight.

“Not that type of move… more like the kind where you vote with your feet." Faust replied.

“Gotcha."

“Probably nothing, but Iggy said we need to check on her anyway." The turtle replied.

“What are the Knights of Warwick doing here?!" Courtney said as the automated taxi approached her apartment.

*Probably for possible violation of the statue settlement.* The taxi computer announced.

(And this day gets better and better.)

“Looks like you caught someone's attention." I replied watching the two knights.

“All that because I wanted to use a moving vehicle?"

“The empire frowns on citizens who vote with their feet." I replied looking at the turtle and gecko as they made entry into Courtney's building. Most likely on their way to her apartment.

*We have arrived at your destination have a nice day.* The taxi said dropping us off outside her building.

“Not likely." I said exiting the hover vehicle.

Courtney started to enter her apartment. Most likely in an attempt to dissuade the turtle and gecko.

“Believe me, you don't want to do that." I said grabbing her by the shoulder. “It is going to lead to some uncomfortable questions."

“Damn, what am I going to do?"

“At this point most extractors would cut and run leaving the client to suffer the consequences of your actions. But not me. That is not what I do." I said, assuming some nobility.

“You're afraid that your operation will be exposed if I go down huh?"

“Uh, that too. Let's see Plan A and B failed, let's try plan C." I said, grabbing her by the hand.

“What is plan C Mr. Envoy?"

“We should leave. NOW."

“Do you or your organization have any safehouses we could go to and lay low?"

“Courtney, what are the biggest businesses here in World Two?" I asked dodging the question.

I did have some friends in World Two from the consortium, but I did not want them anywhere near this at all.

12:01 PM Counter Earth Catering (World Two)

“Let's see fifteen tables, fifteen table covers, a couple of gallons of punch, three cakes, cup cakes, brownies and three gallons of ice cream." An ocelot said checking a manifest outside what looked like a big delivery van.

“Yeah, tonight's reception after the concert is going to be epic!" The spotted hyena replied.

“Who is the main act?"

“Sura! Perhaps you heard of her?"

“Are you kidding? Who hasn't!" The ocelot replied. “You better get going, we need this event to be flawless!"

“Gotcha, on my way." The hyena said to the ocelot.

As he headed for the front of the delivery vehicle, he failed to notice two additional passengers making their way inside it's rear.

“This is your plan C?" Courtney asked.

“It is the best I could come up with on short notice. Counter Earth Catering is planning the after party of the Sura concert." I replied as the delivery van took to the sky.

“Yeah so?"

“Said concert is tonight in World One right?"

“Uh huh."

“Our destination is the Aard Woods between World One and World Two." I said smiling. “So we just have to sit back, relax and let our beastial driver drive us to his destination."

“Once there, we can sneak out and continue our journey?"

“That is the plan." I replied smiling. “By the way, I met Sura some years ago."

“Really?"

“I was kinda tongue tied at the time. Nice singer though." I said as the delivery vehicle took off.

Despite hiccups, Our departure from World Two was uneventful. It was about an hour later when our driver stopped at a halfway rest stop that things got sticky…

1:01 PM Halfway Rest-stop (Between World One & World Two)

“Why did you want to meet me out here sir?" Ignatius asked the commander of the Knights of Warrwick.

“I have been thinking about choosing a watch commander." The alligator smiled.

The lizard looked left and right around the dining hall the two were seated in.

“Me?"

“You seem to be the most competent of my underlings and the most promising." Commander gator replied. “It is hard for me to admit it, but there may come a time that you have to sit in for the 'jaws of justice'.

“You mean if you are kidnapped, knocked out, poisoned, captured or blown up?" Ignatius asked.

The alligator cut his eyes at his subordinate. “I was thinking if I called in sick."

“Yes sir." The lizard responded as his communicator sounded off.

“Faust to Izzy."

“Izzy here. Go ahead."

“We have a hit on that missing person you sent Ceil and myself to check up on."

“Courtney Perfect?" Izzy replied as Gary Gator observed. “Really where?"

“Right in your proximity."

“Way out here in the middle of nowhere? Sounds like a runner." The commander for the Knights of Warwick observed.

“Good, then let's go get it!" Iggy said excitedly.

_1:10 PM Parking lot of Halfway Rest-stop _

“Hey Envoy wake up!"

“Hmm? That ride was way too comfortable I guess I dosed off. What's up?" I asked looking around.

“We stopped." Courtney exclaimed.

I peeked outside of the delivery vehicle. “The hyena stopped probably to get a bite to eat or stretch his legs- oh crap!"

“What?"

“I see two Knights of Warwick in the dining hall. Ignatius Lizard and Commander Gary Gator 'The Jaws of Justice'. Most likely looking for you."

“All the way out here? But how? Our tracker tracers aren't working any longer!" The waitress said as she started to reach for her cube.

“I can't believe I did that! Such a rookie mistake!" I said, snatching the device from her hands.

“Hey what gives?"

“Leave that here. They are using that to track you."

She looked at me strangely.

“One of the methods knights use since the tracker/tracer system went down."

“Oh." Ms. Perfect said placing the cube in the back of the van behind some catering supplies.

“I suspect when our knight friends didn't find you in your domicile- they contacted your overseer. Your name was most likely placed on a list of missing persons and your cube tracked."

“Which led them here." The waitress concluded.

I looked around the rest-stop which was comprised of one circular building with parking spots for several vehicles. On its outskirts the Aard Woods, it was truly in the middle of nowhere.

“This forest should lead to the dark forest eventually."

“Eventually?"

“Well, the rendezvous location is three miles from here. Your cube should buy us some time- but we need to leave now." I said grabbing her hand.

I took a quick look around to make sure we weren't being watched and made a break for the woods.

“But the knights have their hover bikes!" Ms. Perfect protested.

“Which will be useless in the forest canopy." I added as we started making our sprint toward the goal.

_1:16 PM Outside Halfway Rest-stop Dining Hall _

“Faust was right- the signal to that missing human's cube is nearby." Iggy replied.

“Can you get a fix on it?" Gary asked his subordinate.

“Triangulating." The lizard said spinning around while looking at the readout on his wrist communicator. “That catering van over there."

The two Knights Of Warwick made their way to the hover vehicle, opening its rear door upon where they found the waitress' cube.

“Question the driver, I am curious if he knew he had an extra passenger."

“Yes sir and you?"

“I am going to wait here in case she went to the bathroom." The gator said plotting.

1:36 PM Aard Woods

“I am starting to think maybe I should have put off becoming a refugee for a couple more days." Courtney complained as we sprinted through the woods.

“Doubtful, the same thing would have happened- your overseer would have been alerted. She in turn would have alerted the knights and you would be in the same fix."

“Well can we slow down?!" Courtney complained.

“Negative. I suspect by this time they have questioned the driver, figured out that you aren't returning to the delivery van, determined what direction you went and are in pursuit; With each passing minute they are closing in."

“So Mr. Envoy, tell me something? What happens when… if I am successful leaving the empire?"

“You remember your co-worker Leslie Arrow?" I replied checking my PDA.

“So that is what happened to her!"

“She made the move. The knights questioned her friends and acquaintances next in an attempt to locate her whereabouts, eventually adding her to a growing list of defectors from the empire. We are being followed… GET DOWN!"

“I don't see anything!" Courtney said looking upward at the forest canopy.

“One o'clock to your right." I replied reaching for my PDA.

“They just flew over us."

“Which believe me, won't happen again." I replied pressing some buttons.

“Hey, what are you doing with that?"

“Making it difficult for them… I hope. Stay near the tree trunks and move quickly!"

About a mile away…

“I think I have something sir. Two blips moving southwest." The lizard replied. “Looks like she had help."

“Take down time." The alligator grinned.

“Commander, those blips, they are gone!" Izzy gasped. “Oh there they are! That direction and they are gone again."

“Ignatius?“ Commander Gator asked.

“It is like something is refracting our scanners!"

“Or something is interfering with them." The alligator reasoned. “What is your best guess?"

As the two knights of Warwick pressed their hover bikes deeper into the woods in pursuit of their prey they saw something that stopped them dead in their tracks.

A black triangular spacecraft rising from the trees below and ascending into the sky where it abruptly departed.

*ZOOM*

“What the….?" The commander of the Knights of Warwick exclaimed. “That is not something you see everyday."

“I think it got our prey!" Iggy shouted.

“That second blip with her was it a KLIS?"

“Probably leading her willingly or unwillingly to their ship." The lizard said to the alligator.

“We better get out of here in case they are looking to add us to their list!" Commander Gator shouted.

_3:06 PM Rendezvous Point _

“I told you we could make it look like an alien abduction." I replied trying to catch my breath.

“Nice trick." Courtney gasped.

“It is why this rebellion will succeed while the prior have failed." A blond haired man in a nicely trimmed beard and black jacket replied. “The knights couldn't see us, only the sky-ship."

“Willam Masters." I said wheezing.

“Operative Alex Winter." He said greeting me. “I was monitoring your progress. You had a lot of obstacles thrown at you, but ultimately overcame them."

“Hey you blew my cover!" I pouted.

“Alex Winter eh?" Courtney said, smirking. “Well thank you Mr. Winter."

“Ahem, Ms. Perfect. I am here to guide you the rest of the way, your time as a second class citizen has ended." Mr. Masters replied, greeting her.

_ Now…_

“Sounds like you made a plan, several plans, they were sabotaged by the client, so you then threw out the plans." The Tian mountain dog said pouncing on me after my back rub.

“Yeah, it was touch and go for a while- but Courtney Perfect was reunited with Leslie Arrow who is helping her get settled into her new life here in the Oasis." I replied as my arms were pinned.

“Yeah, it was ruff. You know, I am formulating my own plan." The beastial on top of me grinned.

“Really what is that?"

“I am going to make my favorite comfort animal forget about the difficult mission he had today!"

“I am your only comfort animal." I huffed.

“You know, you're right now come here!!" He said making a goofy face that would make Sorren proud.

“Hey! Spirit, that tickles!"

To Be Continued….

[MEANWHILE]

September 15th, YOE 35

7:10 PM Conquered Counter Earth (World Two)

“All hail the Countess! All hail the Baron!" Tessa Branch's minions said as they prostrated themselves in front of her and her four armed demon companion.

Despite the display of reverence by her minions, Theressa Brach's sister was annoyed at the gecko, lizard, turtle and rabbit that submitted themselves to her dominance.

“Countess, you wanted to see us?" Sura asked respectfully.

“Yes, we have observed that our influence here in World Two is not what we want it to be."

“What is the status of sector A?" The red demon inquired.

Sura looked at Ceil, who looked at Faust, who then looked at Ignatius.

“WELL?" The countess asked as she drilled her fingers on her throne which sat on a small stage within her headquarters.

The lizard rose to his paws. “Well Tessa…"

“Countess!"

“Yes, ma'am. The northwest side of the city… the neo rebels took a portion of that for themselves." Ignatius reluctantly admitted.

Tessa was noticeably silent.

“What about sector B?" The red demon asked.

“The northeast side? Um… well… you see we lost a portion of our territory there to the road warriors." The brown rabbit replied.

“Sector C?" Tessa Branch asked.

“The southwest side of the city has been seized by the entity rejects." Faust reluctantly admitted. As the red demon seemed to stare right through him.

“And sector D?" Baron asked.

“The southeast side?" Ceil asked as all eyes fell on him. “Monster worshippers." The gecko replied.

“You four explain yourselves right now!" Tessa Branch ordered.

“Well you see your countess-ship our enemies seem to be increasing in size and scope." The lizard explained.

“It is taking considerable resources to defend and keep what we have right now." The gecko added.

“We are at where Kala and her Vigilantes were this time last year." The turtle replied.

“Which is?" The Baron asked looking at the remaining Knights of Warwick.

“We are not expanding your demon-ship." Sura replied. “And struggling to keep what we have."

“I now know how Kala felt." Ceil added.

“Is that why she cut and ran?" Sura asked.

“It was taking an incredible amount of resources to defend what she had- which hampered her from taking more."

“Where is she now?" the brown rabbit asked.

“I heard she and her bunch left the city. The safe zone they inhabited is now full of walkers." Ignatius advised.

“I want to be completely clear on this- I want what was lost reclaimed!" The Countess ordered, trying to prevent her anger from boiling over.

“That is a good idea ma'am- but do you know how to do this? If we spend a lot of resources whacking one faction the remaining coalesce and attack." Faust replied.

“Which is why we are experiencing negative growth." Ceil added.

“Countess we have been breached!" A vulture screamed running into the room.

“By who?" The four armed demon asked.

The vulture remained silent for a moment.

“Minion, do I know you?" The countess asked the interloper who walked into her base of operations.

“No but you will know us very well very soon."

“It's a walker!" Faust shouted.

*“A former sports club huh? We understand why it has been difficult to locate you until now." The vulture said. “Do not fear, your knowledge and experience will be added to our own until we are all ONE." *

“Don't let it touch you!" Sura warned.

“I am starting to think perhaps we should have left with Kala and her bunch." Ignatius observed. Ceil, Faust and Sura agreed preparing to fight.

September 15th, YOE 35

07:30 PM S'mar Pridelands (Chaundoon)

“I have never seen anything like it!" Blade announced. “It is like a white desert!"

“The white specks are stinging my face and it is extremely cold. I can't see anything past my paws!" Barb announced.

“Incredible." The leader of the Three Rivers Pride replied astounded. “I have seen many fantastical things during the past season… this surpasses them all.

“Sir, we are not used to these conditions." Barb added.

“Nor are we equipped to deal with them." Blade added grimly. "Could this be a curse from our enemies?"

“Doubtful no enemy I know of can control the weather. Barb, Blade, have everyone convene here." Saber ordered his subordinate warriors.

Upon entering his hut he closed the shutters over all the windows to halt the blowing snow from making its way inside. He also shut the door leading inside.

“So cold!" Naomi groaned from within Annette's embrace. The barren female with the big breasts and wide butt had Naomi sitting near her lap and was trying her hardest to keep the teen from freezing.

“She hasn't stopped shivering." She said to her master.

Saber looked at his youngest slave, her smooth fur-less skin was raked with goosebumps and started to turn blue.

“That is because she is not like us." He replied looking around his domicile. He fetched a small blanket which was used for cool spring mornings but not what they were experiencing now. He placed it over Annette and Naomi. “It is not much but we will have to make due."

“Master, what is happening?" The female who was hugging the shivering teenager asked.

“Proof that there is something wrong with the planet."

“It's a blizzard." Noami groaned.

“What girl?"

“What is happening outside is a blizzard master; a very strong snow storm. They are prevalent from where I am from and very dangerous."

“In that those who are not prepared can freeze quickly and die where they stand." The pride chieftain said thinking out loud.

“Master, we aren't prepared either." Annette said, stating the obvious.

“Keep her warm." Saber ordered his older slave.

One by one the remaining tribe members converged on their chieftain's hut not long afterward.

“Is everyone accounted for?" Saber asked.

“Pestle and the prisoner are missing." Barb stated. “Should we search for them?"

“No, too dangerous. We will wait until this subsides." Saber said looking at his younger slave who was being hugged from behind by his older slave.

“It looks like that won't be for a while sir." Another warrior stated.

“Alright everyone huddle up, we will have to rely on each other to survive this." The Three Rivers Pride leader ordered his warriors.

Naomi watched as the rest of the tribe mimicked Annette huddling each other in much the same way. That was the last thing the teen did before passing out.

She awoke sometime during the night to howling winds and the sound of snow pelting the hut. Amazingly it was still intact; the drawn shutters and closed door blocking out the accumulating snow outside. Perhaps that was why Saber had everyone gather here. It was well built and the strongest of all the huts in the village and thus the defacto fallout shelter.

The freckled teenager noticed that she was no longer shivering. In fact she was very warm, so much so that she was starting to perspire. Weird, she thought that she was going to be a goner.

Naomi soon realized why, she was the centerpiece of a S'mar sandwich- Annette her friend and fellow slave, was spooning her from behind and Saber the vicious, was hugging her from the front, his chin resting on her head while she laid hers on his chest. What was still exposed- her right shoulder, arm, hip, thigh and leg was covered by the blanket.

What the what? Did these feline warriors just protect her from the cold?!

Naomi started looking at sleeping feline piles around her master's hut. It reminded her of a kitten pile. The whole tribe old, young, tall, short were huddled together keeping each other warm as Annette and Saber did for her. Did these savages who had taken her captive really care about her well being?

The teen arose from her own kitty pile and walked to the door. Brrr… it was as cold as ever! She decided to take a peak outside. The frozen white death continued. The blizzard raged on and the snow had started to pile up- there must have been three feet out there by now.

“Thinking about escaping wench?" She heard her master's voice breathing down her neck. His standard question whenever she was the first to rise. Man, what a lite sleeper.

“Really master? Next you are going to say that I brought this with me from where I came from!" She responded as he wrapped his arm around her. His fur felt so soft.

“That thought did occur to me." Saber responded as Naomi cut her eyes at him. “But no, this is another sign that Chaundoon is imperial but it is only weather, it will pass."

That was a very mature thing to say. Even for him.

“What? Isn't this the part where you say this is a ploy by our enemies to ensure our destruction? And we should go kill them all now?!" She said half jokingly. But also being serious.

Saber cast a disapproving stare at his youngest slave.

“And I will be quiet now." The freckled teen replied.

“I suspect that we aren't the only ones in the drylands who are affected. The other prides are as well. We will see which ones survive this blizzard of yours." Saber the vicious said as he started noticing that her skin was turning blue again. “You are shivering again- come."

Naomi returned to the sleeping bundle she shared with Annette. She laid down on her right side facing her friend. As she did, her master embraced her from behind, placing the back of her head on his chest, his chin on her forehead and her butt in his crotch.

“Well for what it is worth, thank you for keeping me from freezing." The teen replied as Saber's other slave moved in to cover her front.

“But of course girl, a productive slave is of great value to the pride and a obedient and loyal slave is even more so." Saber replied as sleep soon claimed him.

Was that his way of saying you are welcome? Geez.

The teen assumed the rest of the tribe hadn't heard that conversation and was also sleeping.

*SNARL*

*NGHHF!!*

Okay well not everyone, some in the tribe felt safe enough to start working on the next generation of warriors for the pride. The smell of sex soon permeated the hut as Naomi joined her master and Annette in slumber.

To Be Continued….