Bane yawned as he walked into the kitchen area of the Emperor’s residence. He yawned again as he pressed the brew button on the coffee pot. This universe's Seamus also set up the coffee maker before going to bed. First task done, he wandered over to the fridge to see what ingredients were available for breakfast. The truth was that he always made breakfast back in his reality. Granted this was his reality now but that was hardly the point. He smiled as Ron and Seamus stumbled out of their bedroom. The wolf smiled as he walked over to the finishing coffee pot and poured a cup for both of the half awake fox’s. Neither were really morning friendly but in the days since the attack, sleep had become a luxury none of them could afford to indulge in.

Dasher grumbled slightly as he walked out of his bedroom. While they were happily sharing each other’s beds whenever possible, Bane had insisted that Ron and Seamus not change anything. He didn’t want to risk coming between them, so he had his own bedroom instead of moving into one of theirs. Ron had made it perfectly clear that he wouldn’t be getting between Seamus and Bane but Bane felt it wasn't right he should claim what he had in his own universe. The entire situation was beyond strange for all of them.

Dasher yawned widely as he walked over and took a cup of coffee from Bane. With a nod and a smile, he sniffed at the tantalizing smell of food and a trace of last night's sex. A gleam in his eye and a grin told Bane what his friend was thinking and the wolf chuckled. Pointing a spatula at the cat, Bane said, “Your turn comes later, kitty. Now sit down and your food will be ready shortly.”

Dasher gave a grin and said as he turned to go and sit, “As long as I get to cum, I can wait.” He took a seat in the living room as Bane returned to cooking. The cheetah looked around and considered what he saw. Seamus’s head resting on Ron’s shoulder while Ron sipped coffee, and Bane cooked. The cheetah smiled softly to himself as he thought, 'I haven't seen Bane this happy in a long time.' As for Seamus, Dasher had always suspected that he had held a candle for Ron but nothing had ever developed between them in the universe he had last been in. The differences between this universe and the one he and Bane had come form were slight but they were still there. He would have to watch out for those differences and not just assume things were as they had been.

Bane whistled as he brought in plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, and toast. Handing each of his friends a plate, he went back and got his own. The four friends sat and ate breakfast as Ron and Seamus exchanged a glance and began sniffing the air. They both stared at Bane, who was only wearing underwear and grinned. The wolf looked from one fox to another blinking as he asked, “What?”

Ron grinned and leaned over as he slyly said, “Somebody is enjoying breakfast a little too much, we think.” Seamus grinned and relocated to the other side of Bane, who continued to eat his breakfast. Bane blushed as he sipped his coffee, then coughed as he choked on it. He startled as Seamus reached over and massaged Bane’s swollen sheath thru the wolf's underwear. The wolf grumbled slightly as he sat his coffee cup down and wiped his mouth.

Dasher laughed quietly when Ron reached over to massage Bane's balls. He stood up and walked to the kitchen, shaking his head and put his plate and cup in the sink. Walking back to his bedroom, he smiled as he saw Ron dragging Bane’s underwear to his ankles and Seamus sucking on the unsheathed portion of Bane’s meat.

The cheetah slowly dressed himself in the uniform he had been given. He sighed softly as he looked at himself in the mirror. He had agreed to step into his old role as Minister of State. Dealing with all the contentious delegates everyday was no one's idea of fun but it was how he could help his friends, so he was ready to take on the mantel once again. He had held that position in the other reality and apparently held it here too. He smiled slightly as he realized that the counsels weren’t expecting him to walk into the meeting today. Getting to deal out some upsetment to those who had been handing it to him was going to be fun. This reality had a counsel made up of representatives that were elected from each star system of the empire. Pretty much the same as the other universe's, While on paper this allowed for greater representation of its citizens, in reality it only served to bog the government down in massive amounts of frivolous requests. If a means were found to only let serve, those who wanted to represent their people's best interest, Dasher swore he would gladly be that person's sex toy.

Dasher walked back into the living room to find Seamus under Bane moaning as Ron was humping Bane as hard as he could. Dasher pulled out his data pad, snapped a photo and walked out before they could notice or stop him. Entering the private elevator, he pushed the button to carry him to the diplomatic office level. The elevator was secured with bio-metrics and this meant that only the four of them could use it. The elevator softly chimed and its doors opened. People of all species were running about preparing for the day’s work. Dasher smiled as he walked towards his office. He, Ron, Seamus and Bane had all talked about this the night before. They thought it good for him to step back into that role and try and bring some sanity to the counsel. His people skills were unmatched and he was trusted to use them to get the job done.

The cheetah walked into the reception area of his office to see a solid white fox sitting behind the reception desk. The fox looked up with a coffee cup in hand. His eyes locked onto the cheetah and he froze in complete shock. Dasher smiled as he walked calmly over to the desk and said, “Good morning, I’m Dasher Cheetah and you are...?” The fox sat the cup down as he blinked and took a deep breath before answering, “I apologize sir. I am Schande, your new assistant/receptionist.” The cheetah nodded and said, “Well, welcome aboard Schande. I will want to get to know you better as we will be working closely in an at times, hectic place.” Schande stood and gave a slight bow to the minister, then went to his office door and opened it. Dasher followed, catching a whiff of something before inhaling deeply as he walked to his desk. On it sat a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies and a pot of coffee on a warmer.

Dasher smiled as he sat down at 'his' desk and remarked lightly, “Schande my dear, you have found the way to my heart!” The fox blushed slightly, dipping his head as he said, “I…I’m glad it pleases you, sir. It’s an honor to work with you, Minister Cheetah.” Dasher laughed and leaned back casually to put his feet on the desk and said, “You can just call me Dasher, hun. At the end of the day, I am just a person like you.” The fox nodded as he shuffled a bit and replied, “Hardly as I could never have done the things that you have, s-sir. Shall I go over your schedule for today?” The cheetah agreed and took another bite of the warm gooey goodness of a cookie as the fox walked back to his desk and retrieved his data pad. He returned to begin, “First thing this morning you have a meeting with the counsel. It's only supposed to last for two hours but I’ve cleared your morning because it’s never that short of a meeting. Then you have a conference call with the wolf leadership after lunch, then for the remainder of the day I've cleared so you can read over any reports or finish any paperwork.” Dasher nodded and smiled at the perceptive and professional fox as he said, “Thank you, Schande. Keep up the good work and I'm sure we will get along just fine. That will be all for now.”

--- Meanwhile ---

Ron hummed to himself, making his way to his lab. There was a lot of work to do. First, he had to figure out how his data had been breached. He was, sure that it wasn’t the AI that he had recently made contact with because at that time the AI was not online. Second point was to even transmit the data, the party responsible would have been forced to go back to the main city because the entire building was cut off from outside communication. As the turbo lift opened to his main lab, systems powered on as he was detected. He sat down and smiled as the mornings events went thru his mind once more. Breakfast had been amazing and the old Bane had never cooked like that. The after breakfast exercise had been equally amazing. He just couldn’t keep his paws off Bane, for whatever reason. Remembering the AI that he had made contact with, Ron smiled as he saw the little fox flying around in the center of the room. Taven smiled back and flew over, landing on his shoulder.

He piped up energetically, “Good Morning!!! I’ve missed you. Where have you been? I was afraid I scared you off.” Ron Gave a small grin and shook his head as he answered, “No, I went to take my newest ship for a test drive. Long story short, it was attacked, a bomb was detonated, many people died and I survived.” The little fox dipped its muzzle out of respect and said, “I am sorry to hear that. Who attacked you?”

Ron took a seat at the central console and told the little AI, “That’s just the thing... I have no idea. The bomb they detonated was a design that I created! Some asshole attacked me with my own bomb!!!” The fox blinked and cocked it's head to ask, “Why did you create something like that?” Ron gently picked up the little winged fox and leaned back. Setting it on his tummy, Ron said, “Well... I only came up with the design. I never actually intended the bomb to be used against anybody. As a matter of fact, just the opposite. I planned for it to be a benefit to everyone. My original idea was to create an artificial black hole that could be observed and studied, in an extremely isolated area of space. We cold find a natural one but not likely in a place that couldn't endanger us or any other inhabited systems. You see black holes are something we know very little about but can show us some of the limits to time and space. I never actually designed it as a bomb, though I did see the potential for such applications. I stopped the project upon realizing the danger it posed and how unstable the reaction could be. I locked the data away here on my private servers and forgot about it until a few days ago.”

The little fox nodded and offered, “I could look into your servers for any signs of tampering, if you wish?” Ron hesitated, considering this. He really wasn’t comfortable with allowing the AI or anyone, access to such sensitive information. As if sensing this, the little fox chuckled and told him, “You need not worry about your secrets. My creators were much more advanced than you. If I wished you harm, I wouldn’t need your secrets to accomplish this. Besides, who would I share them with? My makers are long turned to dust and I know no one beside yourself.” Ron nodded, seeing the validity of this argument. He picked up the little fox and walked over to the central console. Setting Taven down, he entered a series of commands and said, “Alright, I’ve given you direct access to the local servers and access to the full holo system that I have installed here. You are free to move about as you see fit. The only condition is to never harm or betray me or my friends.” The little fox yipped and sprang into the air, flying into the next room.

Ron chuckled and followed, amused the artificial flying fox seemed so full of life. The little fox landed on the floor and seemed to grow into a full sized winged fox. Ron studied it, amazed by how lifelike the fox was. How detailed the image was. His eyes scanned down from the fox’s chest and he blushed when he realized that Taven was anatomically correct as well. The holo fox laughed as he watched Ron blush with embarrassment. Taven said with amusement, “I have never understood why modesty is such a big deal with you organics. My creators embraced their natural forms, dressing only for formal events and when they needed protection from something.”

Ron tried to deny embarrassment with, “It's not that I’m modest, it's just…” Ron blushed more and cleared his throat nervously as Taven finished Ron’s thought with, “It's just that you find me sexually exciting?” Ron nodded, even more embarrassed as Taven chuckled and told him, “You should know that I am a fully sentient being. I have thoughts, feelings, emotions and desires. I am as you are but with no organic components.”

Ron nodded as his curiosity got the best of him and he asked, “I don’t mean to insult you in any way with this question…but how can a program have true emotions?” Taven smiled, “I take no offense to that as there was none intended. You see a program as lines of code and up to a point, you are completely correct. If the program is designed to learn and be adaptive, given enough time, true sentience develops. I guess you could say that I grew as a child would until I gained a higher level of existence. It is that or one copies a living mind and writes it into the form but few organic based minds can hold themselves together until they learn to operate their new body. I understand that the sensory isolation until the eyes and ears and such are integrated id the primary reason.” Ron nodded as his mind raced with idea’s. The glint in his eye made Taven ask, “You’re not planning to experiment on me, are you?”

Ron shook his head feverishly and answered while still thinking hard, “No, quite the opposite. I am wondering would it be possible to build you a body. For you to take on a physical form.” The winged fox stood thinking for a moment and said, “Wel-l-ll…I suppose it would be possible. Mind you, I’ve never given it much thought though. I’ve never been in a position to have the resources to accomplish such a task.”

Ron grinned and told him, “You are now! Give it some consideration and let me know what you decide.” Taven looked at Ron and asked, “You would do that for me? Grant me a personal freedom I haven't yet had? Hmm... I'll think about it but for now, let's see if I can help you figure out how someone got into your personal computer?” Taven looked at the equipment and made comparisons to what he knew. The little AI said, “This is a quantum computer and there should be no way to search it without leaving traces or corrupting the data. Since you are the key to activating it, no one should be able to make it work but if you say they have stolen your research, then what does that leave us? A copy of you would have to be exact and would not want to let this information out to anyone else, anymore than you would yourself.” When one eliminates the possible, one has to consider the impossible. Someone has gotten in undetected to this lab.”

Ron had considered this before but now hearing it from Taven, he began to more seriously think on it. It fit the requirements but how had someone other than himself entered when that should be impossible? Taven said, “Why don't you go about your work while I observe? You might not be able to detect things I can and the spy will give itself away.” That sounded reasonable so Ron stood and Taven disappeared! Ron looked around and heard a quiet voice by his ears say, “I have stopped projecting an image but have maintained a node of sensory awareness. That way I can observe without being observed. I have access to the security sensors too, so I should be able to detect anything trying to observe you. That is assuming that watching you is how it gains it's information. Don't act as if I am here and we shall see what we see...”


Ron walked over to the internal elevator and took it to the bottom floor. The door opened upon the hanger bay. Ron shook his head as he walked to the entrance to the computer core. Pressing his hand to a blank screen beside the door, the screen hummed to life as the computer system scanned Ron’s paw to ensure it was him. He had already been bio-metrically scanned. The door hissed open and Ron walked into the room.

Taven paused just inside the entrance. He was scanning multiple frequencies of many spectrum. If anything changed, Taven would notice it and examine it further. The core was a state of the art quantum computer that utilized specially grown crystals as storage and processing devices. It had an almost infinite storage capacity. Ron walked to the circular console in the center of the room. Ron sat down and signed into his personal computer. Taven yipped as he pounced, becoming visible with what looked like a moth in his mouth.

Taven flew over and set the moth down on the console, placing a paw on it to ensure it did not escape. It was hard to see, colors shifting like static across it's wings. It faded from view as it matched the console surface. Perfect camouflage, just match whatever it was on and no one would notice it. But what sort of insect could do that and why? Ron picked up a heavy jar and held it out so Taven could put the thing inside it. Closing the lid and sealing it with tape, he set it down to see better.

Taven stared at it and growled a moment before the bug faded back into view. Ron watched as the AI growled and barked for a minute, then sniffed the jar before sitting down and announcing, “This is not alive. It is also not made by any technology I recognize. It seems to operate in a way I would have said was impossible if it were not before us. It is and is not a device but shows no power being used within it. Do you know how this could be?”


Ron thought it sounded impossible too and asked Taven for certain scans but the data revealed nothing. Meanwhile, it was crawling around, trying to find a way out of the jar. It focused on the lid and hung upside down before a high whine was heard. Taven growled louder and smacked the jar lid, making the thing stop trying to cut its way free. Ron placed the jar into a hazardous containment vessel and sealed it before sitting down to boggle at what they had caught. There were no circuits or motors. No magnetic/electrical emissions that motors would require but still it was very active without them.

Ron looked at Taven, who was watching him and said, “When the possible is eliminated, you move on to the impossible. Thing is, I'm not so sure it is impossible. I need to have Dasher and Talon look at this to be sure but I think it is magic based.” Taven blinked as he processed that and then asked, “Magic is impossible, so I admit it would fit the criteria but... Have you seen any examples of this 'Magic'? How is this effect reconciled with physical laws?”

Ron told the AI, “Talon the dragon emperor has magic and so does Dasher Cheetah. I have not looked into how or why it works but trust me, it does very well. I see you too think magic conforms to discover-able laws and therefor is merely a science to itself? How it fits into the theories of life, the universe and everything, I just don't know. I'm pretty sure the answer isn't 42.” Taven looked blankly back and Ron chuckled as he said, “Never mind, it is from a story written long ago. Hey! Where did it go?” Taven told him, “It is still in there. It is hiding and waiting for an opportunity to escape.” Ron eyed the container and said, “I'll take your word on that. Now I really want those two to see this as soon as they can.”

The AI asked, “If it is using regular ways of communicating with it's owner, it has to exit the lab. It came in with you and hid where it could watch you. It left when you did and either sent the data or wait for pickup. If that is so, they don't know you have caught it and are aware of them. If this magic can send what it sees by ways I can't detect, then they already know.

This was bad, so very bad. Not only did they have the bomb but they potentially had every piece of data he had ever created, researched, or saved. Ron finally leaned against the chair back, pulled his knees to his chest and lay his head in his hands. He sat silently breathing as it just kept rolling over and over again as to how bad this really was.

He sat silent as Taven watched over him. The fox had full access to the data saved to the system. There was so much that could be used against the empire, so much that could kill. However, in the time that he had gotten to know Ron, he had started to learn that the fox simply sought knowledge. Knowledge was similar to a hammer. Yes, a hammer could be used for painful or destructive purposes. With it you could build something or bash it apart. You could harm somebody or build something to save them. The actual item was neither good nor evil, it simply was. Knowledge was the same way. There was no such thing as evil knowledge. That was a human construct intended to make the world a simpler place. In reality, life was not that black and white.

--- Meanwhile ---

Dasher walked into the council chambers. A dull roar from all the representatives made his ears fold down to protect his hearing. Its many occupants were chatting away about too many subjects to really make out. Without saying a word, Dasher walked to the head of the massive table and took a seat. He sat watching as silence fell across the room and all eyes turned toward him. The people took their seats with with shock and surprise at seeing the dead minister sitting there. looking over the occupants of the room as one by one, their attention turned to him. Silence fell over the room as one by one each of the representatives took a seat, most sat looking in complete shock. Dasher sat in silence as the fact he was alive went thru their minds.

He had been briefed on how far the council had really fallen since the other Dasher’s demise. It had ceased being an outlet for representation and instead was a place of corruption, bribes and treason. One thing he had learned in all his years was that a little theater would go a long way. While he wasn’t the other Dasher, he had come to learn he was extremely close, down to his life choices.

The cheetah took a deep breath and his voice boomed throughout the chamber, “Greetings to you all! You have been very busy in my absence. In three months’ time, you have got NOTHING done!!! In fact, I should have every single one of you arrested and thrown in jail for treason against the empire. Your job is to bring forth the concerns of those you represent. You are to be a voice for the citizens of the empire. Instead, you have done nothing but look after your own well-being! You have grown wealthy while your people’s concerns go unspoken!”

By this point the cheetah was yelling. Mind you, he wasn’t yelling at anybody. It was because he knew based on research that the only way to take control of the situation was to establish himself as alpha. In less advanced civilizations, this would be accomplished though individual combat. However, in modern times this was frowned upon. Instead, he was putting on a show…so to speak. He had to remind them all that this was the demon cat they faced, not the diplomatic cheetah they had seen before.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I sit here before you to bring us back to the path. I grant you a recess. Over the next forty-five minutes, I suggest you all take a moment and rethink your positions here. When I return, I expect you all to be in a completely different mindset. I expect meaningful proposals. If not, then it will not be Dasher Cheetah that you deal with. Instead, I will let the demoncat take over. Dasher reinforced this truth with snarl to show his feral side, then walked out of the room and into his office. Schande followed the cheetah and got a chilled bottle of water from the hidden refrigerator. The cheetah smiled as he accepted the glass. The fox bowed his head slightly and lowering his ears in a submissive display as he said, “I am sorry that things went as...poorly as they did.” Dasher smiled slightly and easily answered, “Actually, I think it went rather well. I knew my little speech would have to be given. They have been warned that the empire does not need to listen to them and it will not let them get away with this profiteering. I’ll give them some time and go back. I feel they will be much more helpful this time.” Schande nodded and he went about his responsibilities.

--- Meanwhile ---

Seamus and Bane walked towards a teleport room in the capital building. Seamus had received a strange message asking for his presence in the lower floor of Ron’s lab. The strange part was that it came at all. Ron’s lab was supposed to block all communication. It was unusual for Ron to break this for any reason. Seamus looked around as he exited the lab’s internal lift into the bottom floor. Bane stood by his side as the wolf took in the cargo hold for the first time. There were bits of technology scattered all over the floor. It was large enough to hold a small ship, though it looked like Ron had already taken everything apart. Seamus noticed the door to the computer core was open, though he couldn’t see anybody inside.

He pointed and they moved toward the door. Entering the room, they saw Ron sitting on the floor with a white winged fox sitting beside him, his arms wrapped around the distraught Ron. Ron was rocking slowly, a occasional quiet sob could escaping him. Seamus squatted down and took the fox’s paw into his own. “Ron, what’s wrong hun? We are here, so what has upset you so much?”

Ron sat silently, so Seamus turned to the white fox and asked, “I don’t mean to be rude…but just who are you and how did you get in here?” The winged fox chuckled and answered, “I would hardly call it rude to ask another to identify himself. I am Taven, I am an artificial intelligence that Ron discovered and made contact with. I am here to assist Ron in any way and get to know your people better.” Seamus nodded, it would have been nice had Ron actually said something about this. The white fox smiled and continued, “Ron found a device that had been spying on him. It was designed to get around the security measures and steal from his research. Someone has had full access to not only the bomb schematics but everything in the core that Ron has looked at while it was in place.”

Seamus nodded, the full ramifications of this was beyond bad. Right now the damage was done and they would deal with it when they could. He sat down beside Ron and said, “Hun, it's alright. We will fix with this.” Ron slowly looked up and thru teary eyes gulped out, “S-Seamus you don’t understand…they used my ideas to hurt people…innocent people. I’m responsible for every life lost on that damned ship! What have I done?” Taven took Ron’s other paw and held it gently as he told the distraught fox, “A wise fox once told me that knowledge was neither good nor evil. It was how it was used that determined that. Somebody his taken your work and twisted it for use against your people. You are not to blame for what other evil people do with that knowledge.”

Ron got to his feet as the sadness evaporated and was replaced by anger. “I want to know who the hell did this!!!”, he growled out, flashing his teeth in his rage. Seamus smiled and placed his paw on his friend's shoulder as he said, “There’s the Ron I remember. We will all help to find out who did this and together, we will make them pay!”

Ron looked at Taven and blushed as he saw the still naked winged fox still sitting on the floor. Seamus' attention was brought back to him also and he looked the fox over from ear to toe, blushing as he better took in that the white, winged fox was naked. Bane saw them both staring and looked too, likewise blushing. The fox laughed and asked, “What is it with you guys and blushing? There is no shame in admiring someone’s form. As I’ve already told Ron, I am a fully sentient being. I am capable of feeling, thinking and having emotions. I can even enjoy physical pleasure.

Seamus looked the fox over once more and remarked, “You're just a hologram, how can you enjoy physical pleasure?” Taven rose from beside Ron and walked over to Seamus. Laying his paw upon the red fox’s chest, he told him, “I enjoy it the same way you do. For you, physical stimulation is translated in your brain to pleasure. In my case it is the same, even tho I was programmed and not a product of evolution. Just because my physical form is different doesn’t mean that I can’t pleasure you.” Seamus blushed deeply as Ron turned his attention back to the contained spy bug and began to scan it with his instruments.

Taven glanced at Ron and said to Seamus, “The benefit of this device still being here is that we can trace it back to its receiver, assuming that Ron figures it out. We think it may be a product of magic, not technology. At least it is still active. Ron thinks Talon and Dasher may be able to tell us more about it. Then we can set a trap for the one who sent it.”

Ron grinned and told them, “And I have just the plan to get them to react. I’ll simply put out a memo with vague details of a new project I’m working on. I’ll make it just tempting enough that they can’t resist getting their hands on it. Then we release their 'bug' and track it back to them. I will track them and have security take them into custody. Then we can question them at their leisure.”

Seamus nodded and asked, “What could we advertise that would be sure to draw their attention though?” Ron chuckled and said, “Well, I figure a modified version of the alpha bomb should do the trick. I’ll create a new file with modified plans. The modifications will be trash obviously. We will let the 'bug' see them, so it will lure the ones we want, to where we want them.”

It was Talon who confirmed that the device was created by magic. It had a limited intelligence, enough to be able to hide and what to look for. After getting out of the lab, it then would return to where it would wait to be retrieved. With such camouflage, it could sit in plain sight and not be seen. When it's master showed up, it would fly to him, like an obedient retriever. The little bug seemed interested in Dasher to a surprising degree. When they had it ready for release, it flew around the surprised cheetah like a butterfly for a couple of minutes before it flew to the wall above the door and hid, waiting for Ron to leave so it could sneak out as usual.

Security tracked the thing and it flew to a nearby park, settled on a tree and became invisible. Security kept a low profile but the area was saturated with them. If the spy had magic, as the device indicated he might, it would be very hard to capture him. Every type of weapon that could stun was ready to try and capture the spy and snipers in place to use lethal force if the stunners didn't work. Not as useful as alive to question but even a body would give them more information than they presently had.

The operation went without a hitch and a black furred wolf was brought back unconscious to the most secure prison, in the middle of the Empire's military training base. Layers of soldiers ringed the building to prevent rescue or escape and inside, Bane, Ron, Seamus, Dasher and Talon waited to question the spy. All were eager to get their claws into him but held themselves in check. Information was what they needed and they would do anything to get it.

Bane and Dasher stood behind a two-way mirror awaiting the arrival of the newly arrested culprit. The plan had worked perfectly. Naturally, the city’s news outlets had been eager to get their hands on the story. However, a media blackout had been put in place to keep the story from getting out until more details were known. It also would not do to alert those who were behind the spy to his capture. If they knew he had been captured, they would have time to destroy evidence or escape themselves. Bane was determined to root out their evil, root stock and branch!

Bane growled as a wolf was brought into the room and handcuffed to the table. Dasher put his paw on the wolf's shoulder to help calm him and said quietly, “Don't make me use the other means of getting you to relax, wolf. We need you in control, not being an avenging engine of destruction. Showing him he is facing Bane the tactition will serve us better.” Bane trembled and took a deep breath as he got his emotions under control.

Bane looked at Dasher and said, “If we had the time, I would take you up on that but... Anyway, when we do have the time, you better be ready for me to unleash part of myself on you. I owe you at least that much.” Dasher laughed and told him, “Any time, big fella. For now, let's concentrate on finding out who our enemies really are.”

Bane and Dasher had insisted they be the one’s to question him. While Ron was somewhat eager to do it himself, he bowed to the wisdom of allowing a little fear to grease the wheels and get the wolf talking. Confronted by the Hell Hound and Demon Cat, this wolf would break if he knew what they had done and were capable of.

Dasher took a deep breath and sighed softly as Bane’s paw shook. The wolf reached for the door and opened it allowing Dasher through first. The solid black wolf who was handcuffed to the table sat motionless as Dasher walked in with Bane in tow. Dasher let a snarl show and he liked his lips as he stared at the wolf. The look promised much pain and no mercy. Bane showed a burning rage kept in check but ready to be unleashed at any time.

Bane walked over to the opposite side of the table and took a seat. He leaned back in his chair and placed his folded paws on the table. Dasher stood at his right shoulder and stood, staring down as he ostentatiously sharpened his claws with a file and remained silent. This was Bane's show. He was there for show and to let Bane know if the wolf lied to them.

The black wolf glared at Bane, as though trying to bore a hole right through the leader. Finally the wolf broke his silence with a sneering, “Your majesty... I had heard you were alive. I’m sorry to see the rumor is true.” Bane chuckled back with confidence and said, “Well, I’m hate to disappoint but there was never much danger in me actually staying dead.” The black wolf with insincere sadness chuckled, “Alas, one can always hope. You do realize I won’t tell you anything. There’s no amount of torture you can do to me that will make me say anything that you want to know.”

Bane laughed and said, “What…you think I’m here to question you? Heavens no, I’m only here to meet you. You certainly did go to an awful lot of trouble to try and kill my husband and friends. Well, I’ve always said it's important to have goals.” The wolf scoffed, “What, you're trying to bond with me?” Bane gave a harsh bark of laughter and said, “Don’t flatter yourself. If I had my way, you would be dead right now. But for what you have done… I’m not the one you have to answer to.” The wolf sat back in his chair, confused and said, “Of course you’re the one I answer to. You’re the emperor, aren’t you?” Bane grinned with a wicked gleam in his eye as he said, “No, you see…while I am the emperor, I’m not the one whose intellectual property, you used to hurt all those people. I’m not the one you stole from. I’m not the one who’s ideas you twisted into a weapon of mass destruction. While I am the ultimate power here and now, for this circumstance I have placed your fate in the paws of another. He just so happens to be right behind that mirror.”

The wolf grinned and challenged, “Well then… why don’t you invite him in to say hello? I’m sure we have lots to talk about.” Bane smiled because in this moment, he saw a slight glimmer of emotion on the wolf’s face. This was the leverage he needed. Like the original Bane, this Bane was not only a tactical officer in his old life, he was also a master at interrogation. The first rule was to keep prodding until you found a weakness and he had just found one. Bane smiled and taunted, “Well, I’m not sure that would end well for you at the moment. You see, he’s ordered you imprisoned for life. You will be placed in a maximum security cell for the remainder of your days. No windows, no entertainment, just you and your memories and regrets. You will have lots of time to reflect there.” The wolf laughed at his threat and said, “Ron will put me to death for what I’ve done and I will be rewarded on the other side!”

Bane smiled and nodded, well pleased with himself. He told the wolf, “Thank you, you just gave me what I wanted to know… you are religiously motivated. That tells me we are dealing with a faction who has been preaching the shit you believe in. All we need do now is wait and listen. Your group won't be able to keep quiet and eventually the wrong person will hear. Then we will sweep them all up at once and send them to meet their god. I doubt he will look kindly on a bunch of failures and losers who have sullied his name. Enjoy that thought as you count the hours of your life in solitude.”

The wolf sank low in his chair as Bane got up and walked out followed by Dasher. In truth the wolf hadn’t really given them anything they hadn’t suspected. However, it was important that he believe he had. The first step in getting information was not physically breaking a suspect, it was all mental. Torture would only yield false info. If you wanted actual intelligence, you had to make the suspect believe they had nothing to lose or to win. In the case of a an individual hiding behind a religious belief and looking for reward, it was taking away that reward.