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Counter Earth Chronicles

Chapter 93: Know More, Know Why (A Quiet And Simple Vacation Part One)

Day 313 continued

The gorilla draped a sheet over the side of the compartment forming a banner which read Know More, Know Why in larger letters visible to anyone at the base of the great wheel and those attending the amusement park.

Meanwhile the wolf grabbed the paw controlled device that was underneath his jacket.

"Jerry make it happen." Nate said speaking into the device.

It had been some time since I had been under duress. I think for my mistress it had been just a few hours- but once again here I was, here we were. We all assumed that our ride companions, the wolf and the gorilla were going to detonate their electronic devices in protest of the High Evolutionary destroying, the ride and bringing down the great wheel on the unsuspecting amusement park visitors below. Naturally we would be killed if not in the explosion, then the 400 foot drop.

There was something that was odd about all of this- I did not sense any danger at all. I wondered if it was because I was only a partial clairvoyant or maybe it was a fluke. I looked at Lady Ursa. Who just stared at me giving me a very stern look.

"Make what happen?" The one Nate called Jerry said via the paw controlled device.

"Lock the ride Jerry!"

"Oh right."

Our compartment was locked in the 9 o'clock position. When the big wheel stopped, Lady Ursa was ready to thump the two demonstrators.

I looked at her and shook my head.

My she beast looked at me as if I had gone mad.

I then mouthed out to her 'no danger'. As the wolf and gorilla removed their mechanical devices and placed them on either side of our ride compartment.

It was then that the gorilla grabbed his paw controlled 'detonator' and spoke into it.

"Attention my fellow beasitials! Gather around! The Movement has something to say!"

Corbin, my mistress and I watched as those who were walking by the big wheel that afternoon looked up at Nate and Tuskin's banner giving the two the platform that had wanted to broadcast their views.

_"Listen well fellow beastials the end times are upon us! That's right the end times are upon us! And our master the High Evolutionary is powerless to stop it!"_Tuskin started.

"His laws and policies have caused the humans to revolt. Their misery and suffering has given rise to critics, dissidents and separatists who are outwardly vocalizing their displeasure by destabilizing the empire and this civilization." Nate said joining him.

"As a result, our civilization has now begun a period of decline as both sides become emboldened by their rhetoric and their causes which will only lead to more pain misery and suffering until we are all destroyed. The end is coming!" The gorilla said.

It was true we weren't in any danger at all. The mechanical devices strapped to Nate and Tuskin that we thought were bombs were portable loud speakers. The paw controlled detonators were actually microphones which the two used to give a three minute tirade to the crowd below as to why they thought the empire was going down hill, why we were all doomed and it was the High Evolutionary's fault. The two college beastials called their protest know more, know why.

"So they aren't going to blow anything up?" Corbin asked.

"Only our ear drums. Their sound system is very loud." I added.

"Regardless, they are going to scare the populace and incite mass panic. They need to be dealt with now." My warrior bear growled.

I guess on some level my she beast was frustrated that despite taking the afternoon off to get away from the stress and pressures put upon her to deal with groups like this, the job had followed her.

"Sorry boys demonstration is over!" I said as I threw Tuskin and Nate's banner over the side of our ride.

The pair was furious. "What did you do that for?!" The wolf asked.

"Not cool man!" The gorilla started to say.

"The High Evolutionary allows citizens to voice their opinions, but only to a point." My warrior bear said to the two.

"Says who?" The gorilla said turning around.

"I do." Lady Ursa said cracking her knuckles.

I tried to grab Nate's microphone. That was when the wolf shoved me backward into Corbin who then went over the side of the ride!

!!!

"Corbin!" I screamed as I went after him bungee style. I quickly caught him. "I got ya!" I said holding on time him.

"Alex!" Lady Ursa said as she grabbed me by my ankles- Corbin and I were dangling over the side of the ride.

"Wow, what a view!" The little mongoose exclaimed.

"It is much better if you aren't thrown off of the ride." I said as our bear knight pulled us back in.

"You two alright?" Lady Ursa grumbled. As the wolf and gorilla looked on.

We nodded.

"Sorry about that." The wolf blurted out.

"If I were you two, I would surrender right now." Corbin warned the alarmists.

"He is right." I added as the two stopped their demonstration and looked at us. "You just came between a mother bear and her cub. That is one of the most stupidest things you could have ever done." I warned the pair.

"The mongoose?!" The gorilla blurted out.

Seeing what had just transpired my warrior bear decided to shut down the two protestors as Corbin and I watched. We felt very sorry for them, well maybe not that sorry.

Lady Ursa growled loudly as she clawed the gorilla.

"Hey!" He managed to scream out as she slashed through his shirt and grazed his abdomen. He was about to say something further when my mistress clamped down on his neck with her left paw while striking several pressure points on his chest in one fluid motion with her right paw. "UNGH!" Tuskin groaned as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Lady Ursa let go of his neck and he hit the floor of our compartment with a loud *THUD*.

Nate watched this all unfold in pure shock.

"Your turn." My she beast grimaced at the idealistic wolf.

"What, what is she man?!" Nate stammered as my mistress turned her attention to him.

"She is a knight in service to the High Evolutionary who simply wanted to forget about the pressures of her job and take the afternoon off. But you ruined that for her." I said to the wolf who was starting to realize his mistake.

"Does she look happy about it?" Corbin asked me.

"Nope." I responded.

My she beast clamped onto Nate's neck with her left paw like she had done with the gorilla. But this time she picked the terrified wolf up off of the floor.

"Demonstration is canceled." She growled.

I plucked Nate's communicator from his paw as he was dangling and handed it to Corbin.

"Ah Jerry, the protest is over, you can start the ride again." The little mongoose said to their contact.

"Affirmative." Came the response as the big wheel started moving again.

I turned to my warrior bear. She was beyond awesome- her attacks were swift, eloquent and efficient; she had not wasted any movements.

"Wow! You knocked out that gorilla with minimal contact!" I said to my she beast.

My fierce ursine warrior then turned to our would be alarmists well the one that was still conscious. "You boys are in quite a lot of trouble. Our master tolerates freedom of expression, but only so far. Your actions here today could have incited panic and endangered lives."

The wolf shuttered and looked up at Lady Ursa. His eyes said it all. "So what is going to happen to Tuskin and me?"

Lady Ursa poked Nate on his nose with a claw-tip. "Incarceration, devolution or the living death."

"Incarceration?" The wolf answered hopefully.

"That will be left to your master, you know the one whom you have no faith in and whose forces you consider too inept to protect the empire and its citizens." My she beast said as she similarly touched several pressure points on the scared he beast's chest.

Nate grimaced, moaned and then passed out in the same manner as the gorilla.

"Momma bear, you're awesome!" The little mongoose boy said.

"Now let's enjoy the rest of our ride in peace." My she beast growled sitting down.

(Yup the job is getting to her.)

"Uh one problem mistress."

"What's that pet?"

"What about the other members of The Movement?"

As the great wheel resumed moving, Lady Ursa decided to contact the Knights of castle Sovereign here in World Five.

"Wow what an afternoon! I got to watch momma bear thump some baddies!" The little mongoose boy beamed with pride as our compartment reached the ground.

Lady Ursa tossed the gorilla and the wolf out onto the grass in front of the ride as well as their portable sound system for all to see. As she did, We saw a seal, crow, anteater, mustang and walrus all collegian looking, gasp and take off running in separate directions.

Corbin and I looked at each other.

"I can't be sure, but I think that was the rest of The Movement."

"I think you are right little brother." I said to Corbin as we were approached by two knights.

"What happened here?" A large female badger in a blue and grey uniform with a red cape asked as she approached.

"What happened here is that you can't control your dissidents, separatists and critics!" My she beast said as she shook the badger's paw.

I recognized the female warrior from past communications I have had with Lady Ursa and with Lord Tiger.

"How's that?" The badger asked.

"My family and I had to take a few of them down during our afternoon off." My she beast said cackling.

"Is that so?!" The badger shot back.

"And who is this family Ursa?" The other knight a big rhino in golden chainmail said approaching Corbin and myself.

"Alex, Corbin this is Commander Rhinox. He is the leader of the knights of Sovereign castle here in World Five." My she beast said to us.

"Lord Tiger's counterpart?" Corbin asked.

"The same." He said. "How is mister silent and introspective?"

"The same as ever commander." My bear knight said.

"Greetings commander. I have heard so much about you!" I said shaking his paw. "It is an honor and privilege to finally meet you."

"I have also heard about you too little human." He said giving me a slap on my back that pushed me several paces forward.

(Wow, is he strong.)

"Alex and Corbin this is Lady Barq."

"Yes, she was with you and Lady Vermin on that mission. I recalled you were helping her mop up some rebels."

"That is right little human." The huge badger said. "Nice to meet you and you too Corbin. They both are quite adorable."

"So what happened here?" Commander Rhinox asked.

"Another group appeared and had a demonstration against the High Evolutionary and the Empire." I said to the knights of World Five.

"Yeah right in the middle of our ride too." The little mongoose boy said.

"You mean The Movement?" Lady Barq asked.

"The same." My she beast said. "Two of them started some type of assembly during our ride."

"Yeah, yeah they had loud speakers and were going on and on about how the end times were coming and that the High Evolutionary caused it all." Corbin said to the two knights.

"Anything else?" Commander Rhinox asked.

"Before Lady Ursa thumped both of them they were talking to another here on the ground. I think he stopped the ride from moving during the group's tirade."

"Do you remember the third's name?" The large badger asked me.

"Jerry."

"Probably one of the ones who fled before we arrived." The tan rhino warrior said to me laughing.

Commander Rhinox was nothing like I had expected. He was quite different from other commanders of the knight core I had met. Lord Tiger the commander from World One was quiet, introspective and a thinker. Gary (Jaws of Justice) Gator the commander from World Two was overconfident and a touch arrogant. Sir Wolf the commander from World Three was middle aged, grumpy and wise and then there was Commander Rhinox of World Five who was very jolly. I supposed he really enjoyed his job and those under his command.

On a side note, I would meet the last of the knight core's commanders Lady Keiko from World Four nearly a year and half later and she, like Rhinox was nothing like I expected either.

"Uh, what is so funny sir?" Corbin asked the laughing rhino.

"I do love it when they run!" The rhino warrior said.

"These little movements are like flies they swell and swell and when you show up with a swatter they scatter." Lady Barq said to us.

"It is quite tiring and very frustrating hunting them." Lady Ursa commented.

"What about this latest one?" Corbin asked.

"We have been watching them for the last few weeks. They are a new movement comprised of some idealistic younglings barely old enough to operate hover vehicles." Lady Barq said.

"We were waiting for them to make their move and it looks like today was the day." The commander said.

"Lady Barq you and Lady Ursa clean up here." The commander ordered.

"And you commander?" The badger asked.

"I am going back to the situation room to check on the rest of our alarmists. Come along children." The rhino warrior said motioning us towards him.

I looked back at my mistress.

"Go ahead." She said. "We have some interviews to conduct here."

Corbin and I followed the jolly warrior from the great wheel to a secret office off of the midway.

"Uh, what is this place commander?" Corbin asked.

"Well if you must know, it is a secret base where we knights watch and see all!!!" He said making a spooky voice.

(This guy is too much!)

"So what is with my mistress and Lady Barq? I mean the way they treat each other- it is like they are fri-enemies." I asked as we entered the office.

"No, Alex they are just friendly rivals." The rhino warrior said to Corbin and myself sitting down at a chair in the 15' x 15' room.

"Rivals?" The mongoose boy asked.

"Those two have always been in competition with each other to see who is the strongest knight in the empire." Commander Rhinox said as he pressed a button on the chair and virtual bank of monitors appeared all around us even on the floor and ceiling.

"That is right Lady Ursa is the third strongest knight in the core." I said.

"So who is ahead of her?" Corbin asked.

"I give you two boys a hint. You met both of them today." The rhino said scanning the monitors.

"Wow, you and Lady Barq?!" I said.

"She is number two and I am number one." The rhino warrior said casually. "Your mistress and her friend are in constant competition for number two."

(So that is why.)

"Ah here we are boys. Come look at this." The commander said.

"What are we looking at sir?" Corbin asked.

"This is the base of the great wheel about twenty minutes ago."

Corbin and I watched the footage. We saw five beastials in front of a crowd that was assembled watching the demonstration. A large avian who looked like a crow, a dimwitted anteater, a young mustang, a cute seal and a chubby walrus. The walrus was operating the ride while the anteater and mustang had tied up the its operator.

"That was how The Movement was able to hold their demonstration. They hijacked the ride." I said.

"And they scattered once they saw momma bear." Corbin said.

"As you can see boys this group is rather small seven members. We have two of them. Why don't we go for the complete set!" The big rhino said as he pressed a button on his chair.

"Tima."

"Yes commander." A female dhole appeared on the monitor.

"The Movement made their move this afternoon at the great wheel."

"Was anyone injured?" The female junior knight asked.

"Little Corbin here was knocked over the side of the ride during their demonstration."

"If not for Alex, he would have been badly injured."

"I see." She said.

"We have two of them now do you have visuals on the other five?"

"Affirmative sir. They are still in the amusement park. Do you want us to move in and take them down?"

"No." The rhino said thoughtfully. "Just keep an eye on them."

"I take it you have something special planned?"

"Exactly." The rhino said ending the communication.

With that we returned to the great wheel just in time to see the wolf and gorilla placed into a transport van and hauled away. Nate and Tuskin looked so sad and defeated as they realized the enormity of their actions.

"Congratulations boys, you just destroyed your lives." Lady Barq waved as the two were driven away.

"What did those two have to say for themselves?" The commander asked.

"Still idealistic and naive sir and they would not give up the remaining members of their group." The badger said to her commander.

"Doesn't matter we interviewed the ride operator and some others in attendance and received some detailed descriptions." Lady Ursa said to the commander.

"And we retrieved their communicators as well." Lady Barq said.

"Good job. It looks like we are going hunting then." The tan rhino grinned.

"Actually sir why don't we just kick back, relax and let them come to us?" The badger smiled menacingly. As Corbin, my mistress and I looked on.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked the lady badger.

"We know where their hideout is located and we have their communicators- I think Tuskin and Nate are going to have an emergency meeting with the rest of The Movement."

"That is quite devious Lady Barq." The commander laughed.

"Thank you sir."

"So where is their base?" Corbin asked.

"Why the hub studios not far from here." The commander answered.

"The studios?" I asked.

"Yes pet, it is where programming on the hub is created, produced, and broadcast." My she beast said.

"It is also where Zed Zebra got paddled for false reporting by yours truly." Rhinox said smirking.

(Now that I think about it, that was him!)

"Can we watch them take down The Movement momma bear?" Corbin asked.

"It would cut our afternoon together short." I said to her. "But it would be outstanding to see the hub studios."

"Actually I insist." The commander said. "That blue coupe of yours would also come in handy."

"So you know about that?" My she beast said.

"There have been whispers of a mysterious vehicle in World One with amazing weaponry." The badger said to the bear. "What's wrong your hover bike not cutting it for you anymore?"

"Come you two." The rhino said. "You can bicker later."

So my mistress, Corbin and I ended our afternoon at Harbor Center to assist the Knights of Sovereign in hunting down the remaining members of The Movement.

We followed Commander Rhinox, Lady Barq and junior knights Tima, Tandor and Fulli to the hub studios just north of the amusement park.

The site was a huge lot about half the size of the amusement park, many sets, buildings and back drops. It was amazing to realize that all the entertainment on the hub for the entire empire originated here.

"Here we are." The commander said.

"A small trailer?!" I said looking at the grey 20' x 20' structure on a abandoned backlot.

"A make-up trailer actually." Lady Barq said. "This is where The Movement was born."

"And where their base of operations are located." The rhino commander said.

"Hidden in plain site." My she beast said.

"Tima, Tandor and Fulli- you three check out the trailer." The badger ordered the dhole, red panda and bat.

I noted that the three junior knights were adorably cute and quite small compared to their superiors.

"Yes ma'am." The three responded.

"So this is the knights of Wundagore's mysterious weapon?" The badger said peering into the prototype.

"Yup." Corbin said from the passenger seat.

"It is a secret prototype to aid the Knights of Wundgore- but since you know about it, I guess not so secret any more." I said.

"It looks quite ordinary." The commander said studying the interior.

"That is by design." My she beast said as the junior knights returned.

"It is clean ma'am." The dhole said to the badger.

"Actually it is bare." The female bat added.

"Very good you three." Commander Rhinox said to his subordinates. "Alright everyone this is what we are going to do...."

"Tuskin, Nate I thought I saw you being hauled away by the knights!" The crow said as he entered the trailer.

"It is a miracle, how did you two escape the knights?! The grey seal asked.

"The transport vehicle we were in had an accident and we escaped." The gorilla said.

"Won't the knights be looking for you?" The mustang asked.

"Actually since we exposed ourselves at the rally, the knights are looking for all of us." The wolf said.

"We are going to have to go into hiding for awhile guys." Tuskin said to his followers.

"Times are going to get tough for us from now on." The wolf added.

"Its fine we will have to just stick it out and stay several steps ahead of the dictator." The walrus said.

"Don't forget the knights as well." The seal added.

_"It shouldn't be that hard." The crow said. _

"I don't know." They did manage to take down the Liberate Counter Earth Now and the Equality Now movements and some rebel factions." The anteater said.

"Hey Jerry, they aren't that competent!" The crow said. "They only took down half of the Animalita, they are still looking for the Madam and her minions as well."

"Yeah it is because of the master's laws and the ineffectiveness of his forces that we are all in danger." The mustang said. "Remember the Neo and the weeks of fear that followed before he was caught?"

"We need to continue to broadcast that to all who will listen." The walrus said.

"So what are you are saying- that he High Evolutionary needs to be replaced?" Nate asked.

"If that is what needs to happen to make the empire safe then so be it." The crow said.

"I am inclined to agree." The seal said.

"Then we also need to increase our numbers, recruit like minded individuals and take our message to all five cities." The walrus added.

"In essence join the rebellion?" Tuskin asked his fellow members.

_"Ya, I guess we have become rebels." The mustang added. _

"For the future of Counter Earth!" The seal said raising his paw to the air. He was joined by the anteater and then the crow and finally the walrus.

"For the future of Counter Earth!" The five chanted as the wolf and gorilla remained quiet.

"For the future of Counter Earth!"

"For the future of Counter Earth!"

"Say Tuskin, Nate. Why aren't you joining us?!" The crow asked the wolf and gorilla.

"I was thinking. There is a problem with our newly formed cel." The wolf said shaking his head.

"What is that Nate?" The seal asked.

"It just won't succeed." The gorilla added.

"Why is that Tuskin?" The crow asked.

_"Because as of this moment you are prisoners of the Knights of Sovereign." The gorilla said pressing a button on his left fore arm. _

The crow, anteater, seal, walrus and mustang watched in horror as the image of the gorilla was replaced by a tan, rhino in golden chainmail.

"Oh my no!! Nate what are we going to do?!" The crow shrieked.

"Come along quietly." The wolf said as he dematerialized into a large muscular female badger.

"Oh man, oh man it is over!" Jerry cried into his paws.

"Yes it is Jerry." Lady Barq said as she placed her paws on the despondent alarmist anteater turned rebel.

"Maybe the master will be lenient."

"Not a chance of that happening. You and the others commandeered a ride, restrained its operator, to hold a protest to denounce the High Evolutionary. During said assembly you endangered the lives of those on the ride and tried to incite mass panic. All of which are very very illegal." The rhino said to the grieving anteater.

_"Just now your group transformed from alarmists to rebels." Lady Barq said to the five. _

"Maybe I can get off with just a paddling." Jerry wept.

"Not going to happen either." The badger said. "You see that circular device over there?"

"Yes?"

"That is a probe. It has recorded everything you and the others have said since you entered your not so secret headquarters."

"Congratulations, Jerry, Jimmy, Wally, Jimber and Button. You younglings just screwed up your lives." The rhino said to the five.

"Not to mention walked right into our trap." Lady Barq added.

"This is getting good." Corbin said as Lady Ursa, he and I watched the footage from the probe from within the confines of the prototype.

"Excuse me ma'am?" Tandor asked Lady Ursa.

"Yes?" My she beast said addressing the red panda.

"Are you sure they can't see us?"

"As long as you three stay right next to the prototype you will be hidden under the false image we are projecting." My she beast said to the junior knight as Fulli and Tima watched the feed from the probe on the blue coupe's monitors.

"Wow, that is some vehicle!" The female dhole exclaimed.

"Shush! Here comes the best part!" The bat whispered.

"Run!" The crow said to the mustang.

The four remaining rebels from The Movement bolted out of the door of the trailer.

"I do love it when they run!" Commander Rhinox exclaimed. "Tima, Tandor, Fulli coming your way!"

"On it! sir!" The dhole said charging. She pounced on the seal.

The red panda tackled crow. While the she bat took out the walrus who was easily much larger than her.

*OOF!!*

"Where did you come from?!" The crow screamed as he was tackled."

"Oh we have been here all along." The red panda said as I deactivated the holo projection- of some unused and abandoned movie props we had used to hid ourselves.

"Oh we have a runner!" Commander Rhinox said stepping out of the trailer.

"You better get him before he runs into the studios. It is like a maze in there commander." Lady Barq warned.

*Side-pod engaged*

"Not to worry commander, this one is on me." Lady Ursa said as she made her selection from the weapons menu and pressed the left toggle switch on the weapons console.

*Static Pulse engaged*

A ball of electricity fired from the side-pod hitting the mustang in his tuchus!

*AUGH!!!* The horse screamed as he was electrocuted.

"Whoops, I meant to use the bola." Lady Ursa said embarrassed.

"Sure you did." Corbin and I said in unison.

"We want you five to remember that you were caught by the same bumbling minions that serve the High Evolutionary." The badger said as the anteater continued to grieve. "You know the ones that have failed to keep us all safe?!"

"What is going to happen to us?" The walrus asked horrified while Fulli checked on the now out cold mustang.

"That will be entirely up to the master. The same one you believe is inept." The bat said chiding the five.

The Knights of Sovereign stuffed their big capture into another transport vehicle and hauled the former alarmists, now rebels away.

"You really enjoyed that commander?" Lady Ursa asked the jolly rhino.

"You're damned right." The rhino said to the bear.

"Corbin let's go get the probe." I said to the little mongoose.

"Okay!"

We exited the prototype to give the senior knights some time to talk.

"You see it is not all doom, gloom, frustration and extreme seriousness dear. Our line of work can also be quite humorous and fun at times too." The rhino said to my lady bear.

"So what happens now?" Corbin asked the knights when we returned with the probe.

"We should head for home." My she beast said.

"Nonsense! You and your family came here for some down time only to have it interrupted by OUR rebels. The least we can do is make it up to you."

"But what about your captures?" I asked.

"Fulli, Tandor and Tima can take care of that." Lady Barq said. "That is what junior knights are for."

(Rank does have its privileges.)

"How about dinner on us?" The commander asked.

"AWESOME!" Corbin and I said in unison.

"That would be acceptable." Lady Ursa said accepting the invitation.

"And as a personal thank you, you can tell us a little more about that top secret toy of yours." The lady badger sneered.

"I knew with you there would be a catch." My warrior bear huffed.

"Always is!" The badger shot back.

To Be Continued....