...Sadness For Everyone

                            By:

                         Fox Cutter

    Chapter 11

I took the Fold directly to my house. Then walking quickly I
went to the kitchen, hoping to grab a bite to eat before I
went to address the Council about what had happened on the
Theriamorph's world. As well as Dwight actions regarding it.

I really wasn't sure if Dwight knew what he was giving me or
not, but I could not believe that he would play the fool so
easily. He was a intelligent man, he had to be in dealing
with the Council.

With a sigh, I slipped into the kitchen.

"Fox!" Oria said, her arms immediately wrapped around me. I
laughed, pulling her closer and kissing her soundly.

"How long have you been back?" She asked as we broke the
kiss.

"Minutes," I answered. "I want to get cleaned up and maybe
something to eat before I go see the Council."

She nodded, "I think I have something left over from last
night I can make into a sandwich for you."

I smiled, dropping my pack on a free chair. "That will be
great thanks. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Not really," she commented, pulling some food from the
refrigerator. "Naomi is doing well, the doctors thing she
will give birth in two months, give or take a week. It's
going to be a girl."

I chuckled, rubbing the base of my ear. "Good for her."

She nodded in agreement, setting the food out with some
bread. "She's starting to get excited by the prospect, she's
going to adjust well to being a mother."

I grinned. "So will you."

She swished her tail around her legs in a kind of a laugh.
"I hope I am. Also, Sora has gotten most of that data put
together for you, she's setup to show you at a moments
notice."

I smiled, looking around the room for the gunk that would
unglue my ears. I found it in a corner by the phones. "Good
to know, I'll get right on that once I get back from seeing
the Council."

"I also went after one of the items that Grasion left
behind," she continued, "a small power converter, it
couldn't have take more then two hours to get. I put it in
the book with the super conductor."

I chuckled. "That's good, I'm glad you didn't have much
trouble with it." I made a note to ask Rachel why we were
keeping the stuff we were going after. It would have made
more sense to give it to the Council so they could do what
ever they though was proper with it.

"I'll be right back," I said, picking up the small bottle.
"I need to take off these ears."

She smiled to me. "I should have your lunch made by then."

I smiled back, heading out of the kitchen to one of the
bathrooms. Putting some the gunk in the bottle on my ears, I
worked it in with my fingers, after a few seconds the fake
ears just fell off into the skin.

With a content sigh for having the silly things off finally
I washed the left over gunk off my ears and out of my hair.
Once I got a look at myself in the mirror though I decide at
least some cleaning was in order. Bending over the skin I
worked the water over my face, removing the dirt and grime
that had built up on the past week.

After drying off, I put my glasses back on, and started back
for the kitchen. Only to find myself nose to nose with a
familiar face.

We both jumped back away from other, Romana yelped sightly
and dropped her staff.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

She chuckled. "Running into you, I though that was obvious,"
was the answer she gave as she bent down to retrieve the
staff.

I nodded, "Right then, what brings you here? Visits from you
or Burke have never been social."

She nodded with a sigh. "I'm afraid this one isn't either.
You need to give the bomb to Oriana, tell her to hide it on
her world."

I frowned, "why?"

"I'm sorry," she said, her tail drooping a bit, "I don't
have the time to explain. Please, just have her do it, and
do it now."

I sighed, that didn't sound good. "Ok," I said, turing to go
to the kitchen, but spun back around as I though of
something, "Why are you telling me this and not Burke?"

Romana slowly shook her head, her ears falling as well. "My
brother will have nothing to do with you, or the rest of the
family. In fact, he has run off someplace, I think father is
the only one who knows where. I was sent to deal with you
until he either he comes back or we finish."

I shook my head, this was something to think about later. "I
would love to question you, but if this is as important as
you want me to believe I had better go tell Oria."

She seemed to suddenly notice that I was still there. "It
is, now go, tell her, you don't have much time." she said
with a wave of her paw, before vanishing.

I sighed, walking back into the kitchen. Oria meet me at the
door, handing me a plate with a thick sandwich made mostly
of meat on it. I smiled, taking the plate and kissing her on
the nose.

She sat down at the table, offering me a seat.

I shook my head, setting the plate down. "Oria, I need you
to do something, right now."

She gave me an lopsided smile. "Right now?"

"It's not like that," I said with a sigh as I dug into my
pack. Pulling out the box that held the bomb I set it in
front of her. "I need you take this to your world and hide
it. Hide it good, and keep it away from the Fold."

She frowned sharply, her ears dipping down low. "Why, what
is it?"

"You don't want to know," I said as I took a bite from my
sandwich. "Please just do it," I said, swallowing the food,
"I need to leave to see the Council as soon as I finish
eating."

She nodded, picking the box up as she stood. "Ok Fox, I know
exactly where I can put it, but I have to leave right now."

I smiled. "That will be perfect, I'll see you tonight."

Oria nodded, walking over and giving me a second deep kiss,
which I happily returned. I smiled as I watched her go, her
tail swishing slowly behind her. Damn, it felt good to be in
love!

Finishing up my meal I took the fold to the Marble Hall. As
I walked inside the entrance to the Council chambers I was
meet by the secretary. "Hello sir," she said, standing just
inside the door.

"Hello," I answered back. "The Council is more then likely
expecting me, could you please tell them that I'm here."

"Your name then Sir?" she asked.

"Cutter," I answered.

The young pantheress nodded, walking back behind the desk
and talking into her phone. I took a seat in the small
waiting room and flipped through the assorted literature. I
had no problem waiting for the Council to call me, I didn't
think it would take very long.

So I waited, and waited, and waited. Two hours later, once I
had been through every magazine and paper in the room,
twice, I finally approached the secretary again.

"Excuse me," I said.

She looked up, a slight frown showing on her muzzle for just
a second. "Yes sir, is there something I can help you with?"

"I was wondering if the Council wanted to see me, and about
how much longer I would have to wait."

She frowned, "Well sir," she started, but couldn't seem to
find any words to come after.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Sir, I've been instructed not to let you see the Council,"
she answered.

"What?" I asked, glaring at her. She jumped back a bit,
shivering slightly. "Who instructed you?"

She gulped. "The Council Head sir, he told me himself, right
before you got here sir."

I closed my eyes, feeling a growl building in the back of my
throat. "Is the Council in session right now?"

"Yes sir," she said.

I nodded, looking back down at her. "Thank you," I said, and
pushed through the door into the Council members Offices. I
started down the main hall towards the door of the Council
chambers.

A pair of guards we're waiting at the door, the seemed to
take an interest in me. Stopping there own conversation and
stepping in front of the door.

"I'm sorry sir, we can not let you inside." The bigger of
the two said.

"On who's orders?" I snarled.

"The Council Head sir," the second guard answered.

I glared at the pair of them. "I am going inside to see
them, you understand that don't you?"

The second guard nodded. "Yes sir, but we still can not
allow you to enter."

I shook my head, then punched the second guard in the
muzzle. While he was reeling I shoved him into his partner,
sending them both sprawling to the floor.

Stepping over them I shoved open the door and walked onto
the Council floor.

The Council was in one of there 'conversations' one person
yelling to another, with someone else trying to yell louder.
All the while everyone else is trying to have a conversation
with the person sitting next to them, and trying to be heard
over the rest of the yelling, making it even louder.

I had the floor to myself, no one seemed to have even
noticed my entrance. Well, almost no one.

"What is the meaning of this!" Dwight bellowed down to me,
the suddenness of his comment hushing everyone else in the
room.

I glared back up at him. "Of this? I should ask you the same
question. Why was the secretary told to refuse me admittance
to the Council!"

Dwight stood, glaring back down at me. "I felt your presence
was unwarranted after the situation you put us in regarding
the Theriamorph's. The Council has never bargained on the
weight of threats. I do not see why you should be allowed
that right!"

"I did what I felt was necessary." I said, my voice almost a
yell. "I didn't think they would compile with me in any
other fashion."

He snorted, "You were sent on a fact finding mission," He
said, his own voice growing louder as he spoke, "with the
sole purpose of discovering if the release of the Plague was
intentional on there part. Instead I find that you have
ignored all I told you to do, and have forced them into a
trade agreement that we now must honor."

"Bull shit!" I yelled back, my temper flaring to it's
fullest, "I did what I had to I had to so this could end in
some kind of peaceful agreement!"

"Mister Cutter," one of the second level members said in a
calm voice, I just barely registered that he said anything
at all.

Dwight snorted, "I gave your a direct order which you failed
to carry out!"

I growled, "You Son of a Bitch!" I said, spitting the words
out at the top of my voice. "If I had what you ordered they
would all be *DEAD*!"

"Mister Cutter," The second level member again said, this
time yelling it just as loud as I was as he rose to his
feet.

"Yes?" I yelled back to him.

"You force your way in here," he said, his voice falling
back into a level tone, "assaulting our guards, during a
session that was closed to you. Then yelling incoherently at
the top of your lungs at the Council Head and you expect us
to listen to anything you have to say? You have nor the
right or the privilege. I have no recourse but to put a vote
in front of this Council to find you in contempt!"

"Oh shit," I whispered to myself, my anger felling away as I
realized what I had just done. This was not what I wanted to
happen here or now. I was support to present the Council
with what Dwight had done, not make a fool of myself.

There was silence in the room as every head turned to look
up at Dwight and Theo, the other seat for the first level
member was currently vacant.

Theo frowned, looking down at me. "I am forced to agree. Fox
your actions are uncalled for and unwarranted, no matter
what the argument is. I second the motion on the floor. A
show of hands for the vote for everyone for finding Mister
Cutter in contempt."

Every hand in the room shot up.

I sighed, shaking my head. I had really done it this time. I
felt a paw fall in each shoulder. Looking behind me I saw
the two guards who had been guarding the door.

"So recorded," Theo said, looking back down at me. "The
minimal penitently for a contempt charge is a fine of a
thousand credits. Adding to this is the charge of assault on
the guards to enter into the Council chambers. To this
charge you may entry a plea of your own."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I did attack them."

He nodded, "Do you wish for this Council to pass sentence on
this crime, or should this go to court?"

"Lets just get this over with," I said with a sigh, looking
down at the floor.

"Very well, sense you did no physical damage to either of
the guards you will be given the shortest sentence," he bent
forward to refer to something in front of him. "That is one
month in prison. Do you accept the verdict that I have given
you?"

"Yes, I do." I answered, putting my hands behind my back for
the guards to handcuff me, which they did almost instantly

Dwight stood, "then let the sentence commence immediately.
You will be placed in the security section of the prison for
you own safety." He was speaking very calmly, but I could
see anger behind his eyes.

I nodded. "Thank you for show of kindness." I said as the
guards turned me around and marched me off the floor and
into the Offices.

They escorted me to one of the back entrances to the Council
chambers. There we were meet with a pair of guards from the
prison. They escorted me into a bank of elevators and deeper
into the Hall. We took a long winding path to the prison,
going up a down a few times until we came to a side
entrance. My guess would be to avoid the certain media
attention something like this would almost instantly bring.

Still though, there was one photographer waiting by the
door. I smiled while she took my picture. I'm sure she was
going to get paid a fortune for it in the next few minutes.

Once inside I was finger printed, had my DNA sampled and my
retinas scanned. Then was given a full physical by the
prison doctors. Which caused a bit of a problem as I refused
to take off my pendant. It took a bit of time but someone
finally got my medical records and found that it required me
to wear it at all times.

After that I was given a new change of the usual grayish
white prison clothing and was escorted to a small room where
I was left.

Sitting in the one chair in the room I waited for something
to happen. Eventually the warden herself came in to talk to
me. As per Dwight's orders I was going to be put in the
security section, which gave me a few luxuries. Mostly I was
just going to be stuck inside the cell, only being let out
once a day for a shower, which would be private as well.

After that I was left alone again in the room. I sighed to
myself, rubbing the back of my neck as I waited for
something else to happen. I was now very glad I had Oria
hide the bomb. I would definitely need it later to prove
what Dwight had done.

Now though I was starting to wonder what other implications
that might have. Mostly I was thinking that if people found
out the new Council Head was corrupt, the result would be a
panic, I didn't think the Council could survive such a
revelation this short after the Hammerheads.

I needed to talk to Rachel, she would have a better feeling
about how this would go. But there was feeling in the pit of
my stomach that said it was going to be just as bad as I
thought, if not worse.

A few minutes later the door opened again, and Oria came
into the room. She frowned when she saw me. "They say on the
news that your going to be in jail for a month."

I nodded. "Yep, I put my foot in it this time."

She sighed, crossing her arms. "Have you even though about
what's going to happen?"

I shook my head. "No, not really."

"I'm glad I did then," she said, smiling slightly. "Think
about this, how well do you think Rhea will do inside a jail
cell."

I closed my eyes and swore to myself. She was right, I did
have to be Rhea in only a couple of weeks. I was quite sure
she would not like to be confined up in small cell.

Oria chuckled softly, "I've already talk to some people
about it, we might be able to arrange something. But you
more then likely going to have to stay Rhea longer then
normally."

I nodded, looking at her again "I can deal with that."

She smiled, then hugged me quickly. "I don't know why you
seem to be so calm about this. I saw the footage of you in
the Council chambers, you where screaming. What happened on
that trip, and why are you so calm about it now?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "I can't say, not right away at
least. Though I think this might serve me nicely."

She frowned. "How?"

I chuckled, petting her cheek with one finger. "Because
patients can be a weapon."

She rolled her eyes. "Assume I understood that. Right now
though I have to leave, you be careful ok. I don't know how
bad this place is, but I know Grasion is here, so watch out
for him."

I kissed her softly. "I will, and call Rachel, I need to
talk to her as soon as I can. Call Page as well, tell her I
want everything she can find on Dwight. Have her give it to
Rachel when she's done."

She nodded, kissing me back deeply before breaking away. She
was escorted out of the room a few seconds later. A minute
after that a guard entered the room.

"Come on, we have a cell for you in security wing." He said.

I nodded, standing up and following him as he escorted me
down the hallway.

"Have you been informed of the rules here?" He asked as we
were buzzed through a locked door.

"Yes," I answered.

"Good, I dislike having to rehash them." He looked down at
me, his seven foot high imposing. "We've been told that you
won't be much trouble for us."

I shrugged. "I hope not." I commented as we started down a
corridor lined with cells. Each one was a small room that
had a door looking out into the hallway. The door was the
only part of the cell made up of bars, the rest was just
metal and stone.

"I'm sorry about putting you in here," The guard said as he
ushered me inside one of the rooms. "There was a note on
your personal file, but it's the only cell we have free in
this section."

"What's wrong with it?" I asked as he closed and locked the
door.

The guard shook his head and walked away.

I sighed, sitting down on the single bunk in the room. On
the whole this had been a pretty nasty day. I didn't think
they was anyway it could get worse.

"Well now," a familiar voice said from outside, "fancy
meeting you in here."

I frowned, looking out the door of my cell, on the far side
of the hallway, leaning up against the bars of his door,
with a massive grin on his face. was Grasion.

With a groan I fell back onto the bunk and burying my head
under a pillow, it had just gotten worse.

-----

This story is (c) 1998 by Fox Cutter, hardcopy reprints
limited to one a person, all other rights reserved. This
story may not be distributed for a fee except by permission
of the author, and this copyright notice may not be removed.
The Theriamorph's are (c) 1998 by Chris Bradford.