Stranger from a Strange Land.
Mindy Canter was sitting at the edge of a timber, hidden from prying eyes by clever use of cover and concealment. She was looking out across the field at one buck in particular; it was obvious that his spirit was crushed and he was only going through the motions to perform work required of him. She hated having to do what she did, but any attempt to warn him or convince him everything would be fine would have alerted the Trackers and they would have killed not only him but his family as well. Now in her desire to spare his life required her to sacrifice his viewpoint about her... resulted in saving his entire family's lives; but it left her with a Ralph-size hole in her heart.
Now she could see he had a Mindy-size hole in his heart as well. She had tried to put her feelings shoved away in some part of her psyche, but like the buck before her she was barely functioning. She had sacrificed her future with the buck; hoping someday to reverse her decision. Only those who were closest to her could tell the difference. Damn this ancient protocol. Damn the demands that the safety of the caverns below must be placed above everything: above personal comfort, above personal happiness, above true love.
She allowed her mind's eye to relive the events since that fateful day.
Her original assignment given by the Chancellor of the Twelve was to collect semen and return it in vials to medical technicians could purify it and distribute it to families that had been loyal to him. It was he who secretly concocted the plague a few years ago that killed a great many rabbits; it was meant to kill off only those whose loyalty was questionable. Unfortunately it decimated half of those proven loyal, but it also killed equal numbers of the others. The original problem of sterility due to inbreeding remained, thus the need to continue the ancient tradition of importing genes.
When her sister Kimberly discovered the truth, her mother swore upon the dead members of her litters that from that moment forward the Canter Family would covertly work against the council; helping any family that were purposely being denied or placed on an extended waiting list.
But while on that assignment Mindy did not expect to meet the buck of her dreams. She had kept her heat concealed from the council, and had every intention of getting impregnated solely so the fertilized eggs would be sold on the black market and the proceeds used to fund her mother's retirement. But the machine had malfunctioned shortly after her sister's womb been emptied and the fertilized eggs transplanted in the doe who donated them. Since the machine was not officially registered with the council, replacement parts would not be obtained soon enough; there was short time duration to do the procedure, and once the eggs nested in the womb's lining it would require a different machine to remove them. These machines were more difficult to keep hidden; their power requirements more than this section could conceal. Now Mindy needed a quick solution before her condition was discovered, and it would be obvious the father was not a fellow citizen.
She had an idea, even though her own mother cautioned against it. It was better than admitting her mistake to her boss, which would result in her fertilized eggs being removed and distributed according to the chancellor's wishes. This was what she had been trying to avoid, these would not got to the families that were being neglected like hers. No... she had to exhaust all options before succumbing to the chancellor's schemes.
She had visited a nursemaid who used ancient methods to determine if she was impregnated, if her eggs were settling inside her womb. The elder mink performed the ancient blood tests three times, at twelve hours intervals. The results confirmed she indeed was pregnant and she paid the nursemaid and made arrangements for her monthly services. She also falsely disclosed who the father was, only saying it had been a one-night fling she now wished wasn't done. She was shocked when the nursemaid said the father was a Topsider, but her secret was safe as long as the young doe followed her monthly regimen.
Mindy had a classmate that held a crush on her even to this day; it was this buck she approached and inquired if he would marry her. He had many things he wanted in exchange for marrying her; he sensed she would do anything to hide the real cause of her pregnancy and this was a golden opportunity to set all the conditions to favor him. She agreed to all his terms and they were promptly married. Now she was stuck in his home cooking, cleaning, and performs any act he desired. She was now living the life she had tried to avoid, but for her it was worth it to protect the life of her one true love. This... and she had techniques she could use to get her way if need be. Such as having a couple hours to spend alone, which she used to look from afar at her one true love.
His family had other plans. They were of noble blood; their family had for generations been involved in the upper strata of the Underground society. Generations had carefully interbred with other families like themselves, thus they carefully chose qualities that ensured their social status. When their society chose to import genes from Topsiders, these families chose only genes from families proven to be of noble status, families that were upper class. When this buck used his knowledge to become employed outside the family's tradition of government employment, they swore to change his mind. When he became involved in a reactor scramble and his fertility became questionable, his family decided to let him suffer his fate; theorizing he was now infertile. When he married Mindy and shortly afterwards the nursemaid declared her to be pregnant, they reluctantly welcomed him back into their good graces. Her husband's family sneered at her, making plain they knew why she married their son; they though she was a gold digger. If ever there was an example of a fairy-tale abusive parent and siblings, these were it.
Fortunately for Mindy her nursemaid had witnessed this and loudly proclaimed that any mysterious bruising would be brought before the medical council, and everyone was well aware just how serious such accusations was taken by this group. Kimberly, Mindy's sister, was watching from a hidden location nearby, barely keeping her feelings in check. It was her that sent a message to the nursemaid stating a health and welfare check was requested by higher authority. Obviously she had exceeded her authority, but the results were worth it. She only received a cautionary warning from her boss, who also applauded her for looking after the welfare of not only a sibling, but a valuable member of a scavenger team. Upper Command had plans to reinstate Mindy once her kits were old enough to be left alone.
Since she was an experienced scavenger, she used her knowledge of the many access point to the world above to make trips topside. Three times a week she would go above and find where Ralph was. At first she had to travel to the burrow and leave a small pebble on his normal place at the kitchen table, a small token that hopefully would be found and be taken as a sign his lover was thinking about him. Soon she would be unable to make these visits and have to rely on memories of watching him as he worked in the fields. Today he was working in the clover field she had first found when she escaped all those weeks ago. That was the sweetest clover she ever tasted, and she relished the memory.
Kimberly strongly disagreed with her choice to marry the former classmate. Bucks, even those of whose ancestry were citizens of these caverns, did not appreciate raising other bucks young. These were known to be the most abusive; it was not uncommon for them to kill kits simply by a slap or other so-called disciplinary action. The Dark Council rarely held such actions accountable, stating it was fate and the doe was being punished for her unfaithfulness. Kimberly had a friend, a wolf which worked with this buck. For a price he would find a way to remove this buck. For continuing payments he would remain quiet.
A rustle came from the shadows and the Mindy turned to see who it was. A young doe in an all-black skin-tight suit walked towards her. She smiled; it was obvious who this doe was.
"Still wasting time instead of filling your paws with what we both know is right?" Kimberly said as she sat down beside her sister, placing her paw on her sister's belly. "You should go to him."
"We both know if I left the caverns the council will send the Trackers to find me. And we both know where that leads... this entire farm razed to the ground and his entire family killed. My womb will be forcibly emptied and if by some small miracle I survive, I will be infertile for the remainder of my life. I'll be chained in a public place for all to see and mock as they wish. No... this is best for both of us. We both live."
"Live? You call proposing marriage to a low-level technician and getting married right then and there, waving all rights to a dowry and monetary support... living?"
"It threw suspicion away, didn't it? How many of these kits are my husbands and how many are Ralphs... we'll know when they are born."
Kimberly's facial expression was obvious to decipher; the younger doe wasn't buying the explanation.
Mindy sighed. "It was for the best. His family was spared, and that's what really matters."
"That's him over there, isn't it?" Kimberly asked as she pointed towards a buck that obviously was staring in this direction but not recognizing anything out of the ordinary. Her sister merely nodded in the affirmative. "I like him. He's got strong body. Could use an attitude adjustment. Or his one true love beside him."
Kimberly leaned over and placed a file on her sister's lap. "Read this. Then we'll know whose kits are who."
"No... it's not necessary. My husband performed adequately."
"If you say so. But if I were you I would bribe his doctor."
Mindy shot her sister a strange look. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Kimberly looked into her sister's eyes as serious as she could. "That was the report Dr. Twitchel sent to the council. He knows. I intercepted it, promised his secretary I'd deliver it... just not until you saw it. You better see him quickly and get his cooperation. Otherwise..." She kept eye contact until Mindy looked away. Nothing more needed to be said. Infertility was common among technicians in the power plant her husband worked at. Both sisters now looked at the heartbroken buck; he was looking in their direction but obviously more of a faraway stare than recognition.
Mindy squeezed her sister's paw. "Come with me, please?"
Kimberly grinned as she helped her sister to her feet; then headed towards the buck. It was obvious he noticed them, and the does' could swear they felt his excitement.
Damn that report; after making sure her sister was safely reunited with the buck that truly was meant for her, Kimberly would have to return to the council and give them the folder. She will have to accept their commandment to hunt down and kill her only surviving sister, if nothing else than to spare her own life. It also would buy time necessary for her to keep the trackers away just long enough so her nieces and nephews would be born. Meanwhile she would have to seek the sister of this buck, the one who blazed new trails for rabbits to follow. Rumors reached the caverns that this doe had married a fox; if true then perhaps this doe could be unconventional enough to help Mindy and herself.
If true... then maybe the ancient prophesy was about to become fulfilled. Prophesy stated mammals living in dark places would soon find help from a predator and prey who lived together. These would defeat the dark ones who kept them chained to living in spaces contrary to their natural condition.
Ralph couldn't get the strange feeling out of his mind. Every time he looked towards that stand of woods all he saw were trees and undergrowth... but his heart kept insisting she was there. It had been a rough month; but what his parents and his elders said did come to pass. His heart and mind mended just enough to allow him to get out of bed and return to his usual duties. He was currently working in a field of sweet clover, and feeling a little reminiscent; this was her favorite food and she enjoyed him feeding her it. One moment the trees were normal; next he saw two rabbits appear and walking towards him. He watched as they slowly came closer, slowly their shape became more noticeable. Finally his heart leaped into his throat; she was here and standing before him. He wanted to reach out and hold her in his paws, but first things first.
Kimberly spoke first. "Ralph, we are here to make amends and explain why we had to do what we did. But we will leave if you say so."
That was all she could say before the buck must have sensed something. Ralph was gently pressing his ear against Mindy's belly, gently rubbing it with one paw as he stared off into the distance. He stood up and looked into her eyes. "Mine?"
Mindy's ears lowered. "Half. I married soon after returning and mated." She watched his ears droop and hope leave his face.
Kimberly slapped her sister's arm. "You're wrong, doofus. He is sterile and proof is in this report." She was now trying to guard the folder from her sister's wildly reaching to grab it away. Thankfully it was taken away by Ralph, who promptly opened and read the multiple pages. He was still reading when Stu, Albert, and Floyd walked up. Kimberly motioned for them to look at the folder, which they joined Ralph in trying to make heads or tails what they were reading. Soon the elder rabbits closed the folder and handed it back.
Stu looked sternly at the two doe. "So... what do you propose? You left us feeling pretty low, foolish to be precise. Now you return, impregnated and claiming these are ours. I'm sorry, but it's going to take more than showing up unexpected with props supporting your claims. I'll not allow my son to be used in your schemes. Take this doe and return to your world. I will only accept proof from medical authority in Zootopia."
Mindy's ears drooped. "C'mon sis... this was a waste of time." Before either could make a retort Ralph reached over and pulled her close, tightly. His cheek was pressed against hers, his nose breathing deeply her scent. He held her for what seemed like eternity, until his father placed a paw upon his shoulder.
"Dad, grandads... please allow me to take her over to Plainsburrow Hospital. I would like Dr. Greenwood to verify if these are mine or another buck. I need to know, if only for my peace of mind."
Kimberly was grinning like a Cheshire cat and pointing at the folder. The elder rabbits frowned but gathered for an impromptu meeting. They were either interrupted or quickly ended it; three elder does just came over a nearby hill and obviously noticed Ralph holding a doe in his paws. Squeals of happiness echoed across the way and they walked-ran over to the young couple. Bonnie arrived first and hugged both youngsters, sobbing tears of happiness. The elder does' caught up and looked quizzedly at the doe dressed all in black.
Kimberly held out her paw. "Greetings. I am Kimberly Canter and the doe being crushed with the buck is my sister Mindy. The others you already know."
Bonnie introduced the other elder does and then all three looked at their husbands. The bucks sighed heavily and explained what happened earlier and why they were hesitant.
"Yes. We'll all go immediately." Bonnie said as she was now gently rubbing Mindy's firm belly, the look on her face obviously revealing she was having memories of a previous litter. When Stu started to object, she glared at him.
"I wish to know for certain. Dr. Greenwood can better interpret the paperwork... Kimberly, was it? Paperwork that Kimberly brought with her. Once the results are in we can make our decision then."
She was already holding Mindy's free paw as she led the two youngsters towards the burrow. The elder bucks and elder does' walked with Kimberly; asking many questions and getting a short history lesson on her family, basics of life in the caverns, and explaining what happened that caused Mindy to abandon Ralph. Floyd and Elizabeth, having recording devices, made a transcript as Kimberly narrated what best that explains the current situation. When they arrived almost everyone was surprised an ambulance and sedan were there. Floyd said he called ahead and requested these; the ambulance for Mindy and Ralph, the sedan had the family attorney. Once Mindy and Ralph were loaded in the ambulance it departed to the hospital. Kimberly along with Bonnie and Stu got in the sedan operated by Jill and her law firm partner Clara, and then followed the ambulance. Floyd used his own estate-provide sedan to drive the elder rabbits to the hospital.
Dr. Greenwood had Mindy and Ralph in an exam room on the third floor; various medical mammals, mostly rabbits, darted about getting blood samples and urine as well. Ralph had to give both as well, since his genetics needed to be used to verify parentage. Ultrasound, MRI, and a strange machine Ralph never saw before all were used to scan Mindy's abdomen.
"It's a recent breakthrough; basically it allows us to gather DNA from each kit inside your womb. Tiny amount, but enough so it can be read by the machine and compared to the suspected father's DNA. In this case... congratulations: all ten kits are yours, Ralph." Dr. Frankinmyrl said. This elder sheep-goat hybrid was a pregnancy specialist and inventor of this machine. He also forgotten more knowledge than most doctors learned in a lifetime.
Ralph was overjoyed and holding Mindy close. She was in tears of happiness, her paw fondling his chest fur as if reassuring herself this time she was here to stay. True, she did deceive him but as the old saying goes: *It takes two to Tango... and become pregnant*. He pulled her close to him, their muzzles as close as possible. "I don't know what they will do to you, but I'll protect our kits with my life if need be."
Meanwhile in the family guest lounge Dr. Greenwood was briefing the Hopps elders. The elder does' were ecstatic, the elder bucks relieved but equally concerned.
"Told you." Kimberly said, and then offered hugs; this was taken by each of the bucks as a peace offering.
"The paperwork submitted by Ms. Canter indeed clearly states the husband of the other Ms. Canter is sterile. Obviously we needed to verify for ourselves, not the sterility... the parentage of her kits. She is dangerously low on certain nutrients, so she is being admitted for observation overnight. She will be on pre-natal vitamins once the lab determines correct dosage. We'll allow all of you visitation privileges and Ms. Canter may stay overnight, since she is family. Ralph will be staying overnight for observation as well. His bloodwork showed low levels of nutrients; we'll chalk it up to depression. Obviously this will allow all of you to stay overnight if you wish."
Later that afternoon Judy and Nick arrived, Ralph received a big bunny hug from his sister and traded jabs with Nick; both were scolded by Judy who knew it was useless but someday she would train these two. Ralph introduced Mindy and Kimberly and both sisters received bunny hugs; and then Judy introduced her husband. As Judy talked to her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Nick sent a message to Agent Walker requesting GSD to do a search about these rabbits.
The remaining Hopps family trickled in over the next few days, obviously by then these two were released from the hospital and Mindy and Kimberly were warmly welcomed in the Hopps burrow. Kimberly by now had gotten the elder Hopps rabbits together with these ZPD officers and told them about the dangers the Trackers posed to Mindy. Agent Crystal Minksin, Team Lima leader, arrived shortly after Nick's message to Agent Walker. The remainder of Team Lima... Agent Walkerson, Agent Rameras, and Agent Ricardo... were busy setting-up their specialized equipment around the Hopps farm. Agent Minksin was a good friend of Agent Walker and said they were here to solve Mindy's Tracker problem. Kimberly and Mindy both were questioned for hours; this was the price for the protection Mindy received.
A few days later Kimberly left to return to the caverns, bringing the folder and paperwork with her. Kimberly only hoped Dr. Twitchel hadn't contacted or sent a new folder to the council. She should have delivered this sooner than today, but the arrival of government agents prevented her from leaving. Even though she didn't disclose her activities against the residents of the Tri-Burrows, she was certain they would have thrown her in jail solely for the activities of her fellow Trackers. But it was the two mixed-species couple that spoke on her defense; obviously having an agenda of their own. In the end she had to disclose the access shaft she used; it was in disrepair hence why rarely used and therefore made perfect for her sister to use when she wanted to see Ralph. She also learned it had been built through the ancestral Hopps family burrow, which probably explained the mis-matched wooden timbers that smelled ancient.
When she delivered the folder to the chancellor's secretary, she was relieved the doctor hadn't sent a new folder, but she was informed her brother-in-law had been killed when the reactor scrambled and a high pressure steam pipe broke, cooking him in moments. The body was scavenged upon before the authorities could get repair teams inside. His funeral was closed-casket and his parents already claimed the fiscal monies given from the council as death benefit; they never did like the gold digger and since their daughter-in-law didn't appear before the funeral to make the official arrangements... they did so themselves. It was their way of ensuring Mindy and her demon spawn would be permanently kept out of the family trust.
Kimberly informed the medical authorities that Mindy had befallen a tragic end while on a mission, obviously disregarding orders not to go. Kimberly hated to lie, but as a Tracker herself it often was a necessity; and it was a cleaver cover-story suggested by the GSD. Where they got a head that remarkably looked and smelled like her sisters' she didn't know nor cared to; she simply didn't want to look at it and wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. But for the present she had to return to her duties, if she didn't her boss would grow increasingly concerned and soon would send out teams to find her. When she walked into the briefing room her disappearance was the topic of discussion, which she spent the remainder of the day being de-briefed and giving them a GSD-supplied intel on activities of the Zootopians.
Kimberly wasn't thrilled realizing she now was a double agent. Her family was doing things solely to help other neglected families that were being mistreated by the council; this was obviously the main reason why the Topsiders were helping her. They had promised her they had a team down below with her whose responsibility was to wisk her out should she be discovered working against the council. Kimberly still wasn't convinced, but there was one very important rabbit she needed to see.
Kimberly went to her mother's personal space and gently as she knew informed her mother about Mindy's new life with a Topsider. The elder doe was sadden but also happy that for now at least one of her kits found love and a supportive family. Down here in the caverns loyalty was first to oneself then to whoever could get something for them. Bridget knew the junior technician wasn't the true father of her grandkits; she was a nurse and therefore privy to everyone's health records. She chose to remain silent and let Mindy come clean about it when the time was right. Besides... it was better to have her daughter alive and raising kits than disgraced and hung in the public arena for everyone to mock and defile as they saw fit.
Bridget asked her daughter to arrange a trip so she could see for herself how Mindy was being treated. She wished she had a few old kit clothes, but they were sold years ago to buy food. She wished the machine hadn't broken down; the many fertilized eggs could have been sold for a very high price. It did print out a report that these were fine specimens with practically no defects, something that was highly desired in the cavern society... if the Dark Council didn't claim them first. This was why she had discreetly compiled a list of families that were wealthy and known to keep their word. Everything was set until the machine broke down. But on the bright side... she could perform the prenatal services herself, and after the kits were born could sell them to those on this list. While the price was lower, it still was higher those lower-quality eggs on the fertility market.
Bridget packed her bag while Kimberly made the necessary preparations for her trip. With luck the guards would disregard the nurse traveling with only one Tracker instead of a team. With luck they would pretend not to see her entering the access tube which led to the topside world. By this time tomorrow she hoped to be enjoying time getting to know the true father of her grandkits and that of his family. Kimberly said they were farmers; the elder does' mouth watered hoping they grew clover and carrots.
Ralph was starting to show signs of nervousness. Normally by this time in a pregnancy newly expecting parents had their future nearly thought out and most plans implemented. He had spent the better part of the previous month heartbroken and recovering. Now his whole world was turned upside down. Now he had to play catch-up and get his soon-to-be-bride a new home, go through the wedding, write numerous Thank You letters, and many other things before his young was born into this world.
A soft knock came from the door. "Ralph, Mindy... decent? May we come in?" That was the unmistakable voice of Stu. Ralph sighed.
Ralph looked back towards the doe that was snuggled in his paws. "Sweetheart, we have company. You should put something on so they don't think we tried being parents again."
"Uh-uh." Mindy pressed her face further into his chest, holding him tighter with one arm around his waist and for good measure wrapped one of her legs around his.
"Sweetheart... please."
"Uh-uh. If they can't handle a naked doe that obviously is hidden under the blankets, then they just are going to learn to deal with it. I missed out on a complete month holding you close, I have time to make up."
Ralph sighed. "Come in. Beware... we're not presentable."
The door opened and several elder rabbits entered. He was annoyed when his own littermates Clara, Flowers, and Judy entered the room as well. Nick entered last and closed the door. Albert Hopps spoke first.
"I see Mindy has obviously decided to exercise her rights to hold you close until the kits decide it's time to enter this world." Everyone chuckled as the doe removed the blanket from her head and glared at the elder buck. She would have done something else until she realized they were holding a few packages wrapped in colorful paper. Her puzzled expression was exactly what the elder rabbits wanted.
Floyd spoke next. "We normally would have done this simple ceremony soon as you two made your relationship official, but Mindy was taken away from us before this could have been done. We'll forgo the punishment for deceiving the family, considering we now understand it was solely to deceive the hidden mammals whose purpose could have killed all of us."
Stu cleared his throat. "This is a simple welcome to the family ceremony. It is also to officially let both of you know that we have taken care of many of the things normally Ralph would have done himself." Now it was Ralph's turn to be confused.
Opal chuckled. "Your grandfather and I talked it over and we agreed... our original burrow is yours to have and use for as long as you both decide to remain on the farm. Your brothers and sisters are busy cleaning it as we are speaking, so no need to get out of bed. Since they are doing this, they each have the right to one of the rooms. We have limited which ones, so no need to worry about the Master Bedroom being taken... unless you wish to renovate another for this purpose."
Elizabeth spoke next. "Since Floyd and I are members of the Council of Elders, it is obvious that Mindy hasn't gone through any of our courses of instruction. No need to worry about her needing to do so... we, Floyd and myself, will be spending time teaching her what she should know. This will be informal, so no worrying about taking a written test. Besides, she isn't a resident of the Tri-Burrows. The Chancellor and Matron have given their permission for this, seeing as she is a citizen of a foreign nation even though it itself is within our nation's borders."
Bonnie had walked up and held Mindy's only available paw. "You'll need to get dressed quickly, not that I haven't seen a naked doe's body before. But you should open these gifts first. Afterwards we all are going on a trip through your new home. You are allowed to bring your whole family to live in there if you wish; we're cleaning the rooms we think you'll want to see first, not that the others are dirty and unpresentable. Quite the opposite; all rooms have a light layer of dust and the whole burrow is musty smelling. It's going to take a couple months of cleaning and ventilating before its acceptable for newborn kits to live inside... not that you two are anywhere close to Mindy's due date." She enjoyed the young doe blushing face as it was suddenly pressed in Ralph's chest fur.
Flowers stepped forward. "Just so you two know, we your littermates have already taken a vote and officially informing you of the results." Ralph obviously knew what his sister was talking about and felt very grateful for their offer.
"We have become godparents to your first litter; as such we will be rotating the duties among us and will spend a week in your home to do these. Obviously we hope you return the favor and make trips to our burrows to perform same duties. If you're anything like our parents, you'll have this burrow filled with kits in no time at all." She smiled as Mindy's face became a deeper hue of red and mouthed the words Thank You back at her.
Judy pulled Nick up front so the two young ones could see both. "Ralph, we don't expect you two to come to our apartment on your rotation. I don't plan on having as many young as mom did; few of the apartments in Zootopia are as spacious as a burrow." Judy was holding Nick's muzzle closed, disguising it as if she was massaging it.
Clara slapped Judy's arm. "That's not reasonable nor will we your fellow godparents allow this. Your apartment is not as messy as you think, even with the *fun time* activity you two do on a regular basis."
When she noticed Mindy's confused expression, she went over and whispered in her ear what she didn't say that needed further explanation. It was worth seeing the look of epiphany upon the doe's face when she realized what was meant but unsaid. The wry look Mindy now gave the two ZPD officers said everything everyone else already knew. Now it was at Judy and Nick's expense that the giggles were aimed. Mindy went over and gave the duo a warm bunny hug, thanking them for becoming godparents and promising it was unnecessary to straighten up their apartment before she arrived. After all, she genuinely was interested in how a predator could have relations with a bunny... she just didn't say it out loud.
Over the next few days Mindy would learn more about the Wilde-Hopps. Nick would unhesitatly blurt something and Judy would be embarrassed and avoid answering questions. Judy would do things on the spur of a moment, not that other rabbits wasn't like this but this doe was more prone to it. Mindy finally did get her question answered about how this couple could be intimate; mostly by an accidental opening a door to a room she thought was empty and in hind sight thought was an unusual place for such activity. Both does' were embarrassed and Nick was a trooper; Judy allowed Mindy to feel her belly to prove they were indeed knotted. Evelin entered the room along with several of her sisters and took the shocked doe to the lounge reserved solely for adult does'; here she could ask questions and get answers without young ears listening in.
Bridget Canny was sitting next to Bonnie. Kimberly, her youngest daughter, had led her out of the caverns yesterday and several of Stu's older kits met them at the designated rendezvous spot and gave them a ride to the burrow. After a proper shower, which the mother was embarrassed that her daughter shared and showed how to use the shampoo and fur drier, both does' went to the main lounge to meet Ralph's elders. She had heard many stories about the buck who swept her elder daughter off her feet. She wasn't happy that Mindy married that buck who had been semi-disowned by his high-society family, especially to cover up an accidental pregnancy. Now that the buck had died in a reactor accident, which still didn't excuse the mistake, she wanted to meet the buck that was the true father of her grandkits.
Once she met him and his family, she approved. She wasn't happy Ralph had lost experiencing the first month of Mindy's pregnancy, but was glad his parents felt the same. She spent the first night sleeping in one of the guest rooms, with both of her surviving kits next to her. Ralph was annoyed but Bridget insisted he slept next to Mindy, who obviously was quite happy to have her mother here. This allowed Bridget to ask pointed questions about how these two met and once all facts was out in the open; she apologized to the young buck. Mindy and Kimberly prevented him from escaping as the elder doe grasped his head and placed her mother's mark, making sure she didn't cover Mindy's or Bonnie.
The next day was spent trading stories and doing the first round of negotiations regarding what was to be in the wedding ceremony. She had seen Opal's wedding dress and loved the obviously elegant and intricate lace and pearls; and was equally pleased this family knew how to properly prepare a bride to radiate and shine on her special day. She also was taken on a tour of the old burrow that was given to Mindy and Ralph as an early wedding gift. She was surprised she was given a room inside for her own private space, something that was unheard of where she came from. Obviously she chose a room that was purposely built for the Elders of the Burrow, even though her own husband had died years ago. This was separate from the master bedroom, and had amenities specific for elder rabbits.
As mother of the bride, she was going to be right in the middle of all this wedding planning. It was comforting that Bonnie, the mother of the groom, had very similar ideas. She liked Bonnie; they had enough similarities to realize they were like peas in a pod; except Bridget was forcibly prevented from having more than several small litters. The Dark Council allowed her to use her maternal instincts to be used as a surrogate parent to kits that lost a mother. Otherwise she was sterilized soon as she had the maximum number of kits they permitted.
"They will be here momentarily. Shared a shower and now the fur dyer." Albert said smiling like a Cheshire cat.
"Old buck! You didn't!" Opal swatted him to which he grinned bigger.
"I only put them in the guest bedroom. Whatever happened after that is not my fault."
"SHE was to be in there. He was to go to his own bed." The old doe said obviously disappointed.
"We couldn't pry them off each other" Stu said as he came around the corner. "But if it makes you feel better, mother... her sister is with them and making certain they are getting dressed."
"Couldn't or wouldn't?" Opal was looking intently at her son. "And what about the shower?"
Stu grinned back at his mother. "I didn't take a peek. Dad, did you?"
Albert had a wolfish grin crossing his muzzle. "Nope. Figure none my business."
"That's not exactly comforting, you two." Opal hugged them and kissed each muzzle. Bridget and Bonnie shared a giggle.
"Thank you for making the effort. She's got a lot to do today: test fit my old wedding gown so Jane can alter it to fit her, Jenny needs time to have her make-up color corrected for indoor-outdoor lighting, I have to make sure my color pallet is up to date and none has gone rancid, and Bonnie and Bridget will have their paws full getting the wedding details ironed out. This is tough enough doing all this under normal conditions, but we are dealing with a pregnant doe."
No sooner than Opal said those words the two lovebirds entered the living room. Mindy was in a wide frilly dress, obviously borrowed. Ralph was in his Sunday best. Flowers entered shortly afterwards and tied a matching ribbon around Mindy's natural waist. Evelin poked her head into the room saying breakfast was ready and she made something special for Mindy's family. She asked Judy and Flowers to help her bring out the breakfast so Ralph and his sweetheart could sit next to their parents and grandparents for the official welcoming Bridget to the burrow.
Mindy greeted her mother and endured the elder does' rubbing her chin across her forehead, receiving her maternal mark. Bridget renewed her mark on Ralph next, offsetting hers so it wouldn't cover Mindy's or Bonnie's marks. It was customary for each mother to have a specific spot across the kit's forehead, and Bridget knew the proper placement of hers on both young ones. She was pleased as Bonnie placed hers on Mindy in the proper place, and upon Bridget's encouragement placed same on the sister. Bridget was feeling all-emotional and was surprised when Opal and Elizabeth, the elder does' of this family, placed theirs on her forehead.
"You wanted your daughters to receive this burrow's scent, therefor it is only fitting you receive it was well. Since you will be staying here for a little while, it should be sufficiently weakened by the time you need to return to the caverns. Dr. Otterton has a fur shampoo that will neutralize our scent, but I strongly recommend you roll around in the clover so you don't smell like shampoo."
Opal held the elder doe warmly. "But you don't have to return... just saying."
Bridget stifled a strong emotional response. "If I'm gone too long the council will get suspicious. My trip here was supposed to be an outing to check on our members who were known to be injured and in your hospital. I need to make another trip there before this afternoon's fitting of the wedding dress."
Mindy sat across Ralph's lap as breakfast arrived and she allowed Ralph to feed her, nuzzled his muzzle between bites of fruit and vegetables. Mindy whispered into Ralph's ear reminding him to be mindful where his paw was placed; her mother was watching and giving subtle looks towards them. Ralph blushed and felt it unfair; obviously it was ok for her to fondle a certain part of his body, but he wasn't allowed to reciprocate. Then again her actions were more out of direct sight than his. He was vindicated when Bridget gently rebuked her daughter, reminding the young doe that she once was young and did exactly what Mindy was doing at the moment.
After breakfast was over Stu handed the truck keys to Ralph so they could enjoy a ride in the countryside; only as long as he allowed some of his siblings to tag along. Judy watched the truck leave with Patrick, Carl, Joshua, Rodney, James, Evelin, Miriam, Mia, Valentina, and Flowers riding in the back. Obviously Ralph, Mindy, and Karen were up front. As the group departed through the front door Albert reminded them to bring Mindy back no later than two hours so the fitting of the dress could begin.
"You know, I still have her room exactly as she left it. Give me some time and I'll bring some of her clothes so she'll have something besides borrowed things to wear" Bridget said as she watched the young buck help her daughter in the front seat. "Or they can come to my abode. Getting them inside the caverns secretly will be a challenge."
Opal smiled. "Thank you. It won't be long before the old burrow is ready for them to move in... and Kimberly and yourself as well. Your room is almost ready for you to move in, in both burrows."
"Thank you. The guest room is sufficient for now. But I admit, it is as large as our lounge and I'm still getting used to having so much space without walls being nearby. Your ceiling is about right height and I loved the walk through the fields. Kimberly said it was alright to have a mouthful of the clover, I didn't bite any, manners are important."
Albert held up a paw. "Thank you. I think we can allow Ralph's soon-to-be mother-in-law to have a few bites."
Bridget held up her paw. "I'll not eat like a thief. I'll contribute my fair share of labor around here."
Opal held up her paws. "That will be alright. We could use the help but I suspect you'll really want to put more towards getting Ralph and Mindy settled in their new home. We hope Kimberly takes us up on our offer; she deserves to be living with her sister when she has the time. Sisters should remain close and I suspect these desire closer the better."
"Yes, they always have been close; especially when their siblings died in the Great Plague a few years back. No one really knew how or where it came from or even what caused it, but my family has strong circumstantial evidence. Needless to say it reduced the population of rabbits down to a manageable level."
She turned and looked quizzed. "Tell me something, if you will. Your original burrow... it appears quite old. Am I mistaken?"
Albert cleared his throat. "It isn't the original burrow my family built on this farm; that would be the ruins your fellow from the caverns below dug their access shaft through. That one the old timbers have been rotting for centuries. This one is about a century old and should be quite strong for a few more. Providing proper maintenance is maintained."
Bridget cocked her head to the other side. "But why was it necessary to build another?"
Opal placed her paw on her husband's shoulder, her signal she would answer it. "My husband served in the Great War. He saw how bunkers survived bombardment and had a premonition someday he would need such strong construction. He was proven correct in the Lynxion War."
Bridget thought about this for a moment. "So... what makes your newer burrow different?"
"It has a thick dome-shaped room at the bottom which we use for dual purposes. Primarily it serves as one of our storage rooms. Secondarily it always has enough room so every rabbit can fit inside during emergencies. Not comfortably, but at least they'll survive." Opal suddenly had an epiphany.
"Oh... we haven't upgraded the old homestead. We should put that on our *to do list*."
Albert nodded. Bridget tried to assure her hosts this was unnecessary, but found the elder doe's concern endearing. Meanwhile Albert revealed that he had been considering different floorplans and decided to do as their neighbors had done... simply excavate off to one side and put the new the bunker there. This would allow new rooms added onto the existing burrow. When completed it could possibly be larger in capacity than the newer burrow.
At that moment the front door opened and Dr. Otterton, Dr. Bearinton, and Nurse Otterton entered and stood near the group.
Stu shook paws. "Doctors, nurse... you're early."
"We thought it best to spend time with her mother first. Dr. Greenwood already wrote up a biography, we wanted to fine-tune it with information only her mother would know" Dr. Otterton said as he warmly greeted the elder doe.
"I'm here to smooth over ruffled feathers, seeing as both families have quite the difference in traditions. Not that this one has gone through that before." Dr. Bearinton endured a swat from Nurse Otterton. "It's true and you know it. Fox families had quite the differences."
"Oh? Oh! Nick is a fox, am I correct?" Bridget said before realizing said fox was just on the other side of the room. She blushed when she realized it.
"Yes he is, although you wouldn't know it by the only thing he's dangerous to is blueberries." Most everyone laughed at Judy's remark, except for Nick.
The remaining time was spent with the doctors asking questions and getting answers, some not as clear-cut as they expected.
Finally Ralph and the group returned, a bit later than expected. He was being kidded by his siblings, something about Mindy taking him behind a bush for some private time. Apparently this was done several times during the trip, enough for the siblings to document each with a quick pic from their zphones. The two lovebirds disappeared behind the intended spots for whatever Mindy wanted to do in private. Mindy simply claimed she was enjoying the view while being held by her chosen buck; his siblings swore something completely different.
Dr. Bearinton took this as a healthy development between the siblings and their newest family member.
Several mammals were sitting around the large conference table in Conference Room Three in city hall. Commissioner Ursus along with his staff, Mayor Lionheart along with his staff, Director Judi Dench brought along Colonel Gregory Kohle, Director Ben Damyer was with Dr. Ben Bearinton, and Director Audrey Wilde was with her right-paw mammal Commander Camella Warmpaw. Scientists Dr. Gary Bevyton and Dr. Gene Dexter were sitting at a nearby table as was High Priestess Ishanah.
Agents Minksin and Rameras were giving a report on the current status of the three members of the Dark Underground. They were explaining why they chose the security measures for the Hopps farm instead of bringing them in and placing them in high security cells.
"These have been remarkably cooperative thus far. They have given us more intel about the inner workings of the major commanders who control not only the governing council, but of the other societal governing authorities as well." Agent Minksin said plainly.
"Pardon me... but is there a high chance we are being duped?" Jenkins Sighlentpaw, a male jaguar who was Chief of Security of the mayor's office, asked in a neutral tone of voice.
"It is possible, sir. Hence why we aren't using everything they say and making immediate plans. On the other paw we aren't dismissing what they say outright." Agent Rameras said as he showed a few statistics on the overhead view-screen.
"Having said this much of what they have told us makes certain crimes much more understandable, especially their methods of disappearing when a law enforcement officer is on their tail. Then there is their recent ability of adapting to daylight. This alone isn't enough to detain any mammal, but combined with situational circumstances, police can detain for a few hours. It is enough to disrupt whatever operation they may have going on."
Olso Swiftmane, a male lion who is the mayor's Chief of Staff shook his head. "But why are we allowing such dangerous mammals to roam freely? They are the enemy, and as such should be corralled and the key thrown away."
"Zootopia judicial system doesn't work that way" Commissioner Ursus said plainly. "When formal charges are brought against them, then they will."
"These are low-level operatives, the nurse practically a non-player." Director Dench squeaked. "This isn't to say they aren't being actively monitored. For instance... we verified this family is actively working against the Dark Council. If we did as you said, they would never work with us. By providing one of the daughters' protections, the other two have agreed to become double agents."
Mayor Lionheart cleared his throat. "Can we use these to discover the fate of the two Hopps sisters?"
Colonel Kohle looked at the mayor. "The daughter who is a Tracker has agreed to look for her. We've asked only for information, she will help coordinate the rescue when the time comes." He received a nod from the mayor.
High Priestess Ishanah raised a paw. "Can you give me an update on my priests?"
Dr. Bevyton stood up. "We've received burst communique from Agent Rogers stating all are in good shape. The team is experiencing increased opposition, but otherwise all are in excellent health."
This got the curiosity of most mammals at the meeting.
"Why does GSD have a team with these priests? Weren't they looking into missing parentage?" Olso Swiftmane asked somewhat surprised.
The high priestess nodded affirmatively. "Yes, that was the original purpose. However, events unfolded showing a dark presence which was actively pursuing my priests. It seems our interests have combined."
"How so?" the lion asked.
"Because" Agent Rameras injected "there are a few groups that have joined forces. The Dark Council is the one that started the recent upheaval and attacks in Zootopia. There is a sub-pact calling themselves the Crime Syndicate; basically same group but these have their own agenda and refused to be controlled by the other group."
"Ok... so two criminal groups. Go on."
Agent Rameras suppressed annoyance. "The high priestess is concerned about another group calling themselves the Dark Priesthood. GSD intercepted communique that suggested their interest in acquiring said group. Team Bravo was dispatched to assist."
Director Dench interjected before another question could be asked. "We have credible evidence that this priest group has aligned itself with the group of mammals opposed to mixed species marriages. Our priests are not skilled in paw-to-paw combat; GSD teams are highly trained in exactly this. Therefore if our priest are to have a snowballs chance to survive in Hades, they need at least one GSD team. We'll consider additional mammal-power as the situation requires."
High Priestess Ishanah nodded her thanks. She thought it prudent not to let any of these present know that two of the priests involved were Honey Badgers; a species known to love a good fight. If the information trickling-in was to be believed, the trio would need all the help they could get. She suspected more than one would not survive this ordeal when the end finally arrived. She especially wanted kept secret that if the upcoming battle ended as she suspected, one side would see its entire priesthood killed outright. There was a good chance that it would be the Priests of the Moon.
She stood up, excused herself and departed the room as well as the building. She heard what she wanted, and now she needed to get along visiting every outpost her order kept occupied. These she wanted to make sure they were practicing their form of combat in the psychic realm. She also was visiting the outposts her order kept sealed; these were used as emergency shelters and they also were occupied at irregular intervals. Thus she wanted to make sure they were reasonably stocked. If vandals had gained access, she needed to know what was taken and have those items restocked.
The meeting went on well into the night. Once everyone was reasonably satisfied, it was dismissed and everyone went their ways.
Kimberly was with her sister in the evening before the wedding. It was clear her sibling was suffering the pre-ceremony jitters. Evelin, Miriam, Mia, Valentina, and Flowers were nearby; these were celebrating their soon-to-be sister-in-law's last evening as a bachelorette. Both sisters wished their old friends from the caverns could participate, but it would mean getting them new homes and ID's and new homes far away from the Tri-Burrows. Their old friends didn't have the training to conceal their identities much less how to blend-in with total strangers. Their old friends were simple homemakers; barepaw and pregnant once each year so their husbands could enjoy working outside the home.
The Does' took a pause in their celebration to attempt to reassure the strange young doe she was indeed making to proper choice. Everyone who was married listened to the young doe and let her express her fears. These pointed out everything positive about her relationship with Ralph, especially everything that improved since he came into her life. Naturally this led to her current condition, and everyone reminded her who was going to be helping her raise her kits. Talking about the unborn kits helped calm the young doe, naturally she wanted to ask many questions and glean as much about the first hours and first few days as possible.
Soon everyone went to bed; Mindy was forced to sleep with her sister this evening, a tradition these Topsiders claimed made a marriage become ill-fated if the groom saw his bride before the ceremony. Mindy and Kimberly poo-poo'd this, but soon found it exciting to actually have a sleep-over they haven't had in years. The early morning found them buried underneath all the pillows from the guest closet.
Patrick nudged Carl and pointed to their older brother. Both agreed Ralph was showing signs of the pre-ceremony jitters, and they needed to work something out with the other brothers who were here to celebrate Ralph's last evening as a bachelor; namely Joshua, Rodney, and James. One of them was dialing a number to the Playbunny Escort Services... but didn't react fast enough; Bonnie snatched the phone and after inquiring what company was called, quickly let the mammal on the other end know she was the matron of the burrow and tonight their specific services would not be allowed on her property.
Otherwise Bonnie was a very gracious towards her kits. She encouraged the young bucks to enjoy any Tv channel they wanted, but no doe that wasn't a close relative would be allowed on the farm tonight. The gang was talking about sports and their favorite players when she left the room.
Judy and Nick walked the halls of the burrow. They and the elders were staying up all night just to make sure the bride and groom didn't get anywhere near each other. Bonnie and Stu had already checked-in on the bride and groom, making sure they were being treated well and would be in proper shape for the next morning... especially for the groom. Albert, Opal, Floyd, and Elizabeth went to sleep early and would start preparations early in the morning. Bachelor parties tended to be unethical and in recent years involved a doe popping out of a cake and allowing the groom to have his way. This resulted in an increasing number of unintended pregnancies; both the bride and the cake-doe. Obviously this caused the marriage to end immediately in annulment or divorce. This night brought back memories of their wedding. Each took turn telling what had happened at this hour back then; Judy and Nick finally understood what their parents felt that night as they patrolled the hallways.
At 4Am they ran into Bonnie, Opal, Elizabeth, and several of the elder Hopps daughters; these were headed to wake up Mindy so everyone could start putting on the makeup and other things that make a bride radiate. To a lesser degree they would work on Kimberly, since she was the Maid of Honor. They also ran across Bridget who had made several trips checking on her daughters; she had grown concerned when some stories were told about some of the more *untamed* Hopps weddings. These stories were another reason Bonnie made several checks during the evening hours; a marriage between a topsider and a cavern-dweller needed as much good fortune as possible, it would have enough trouble navigating the two societies as it was.
The elders of the family and Mindy's mother were in the adult does lounge getting the last vestiges for the bride and bridesmaid ironed out. Jane was making final subtle changes to the brides' veil, Jenny was getting a few pics as the bride was transformed from her everyday attire and into the most beautiful she could be on this day; she was actually going between these two lounges because the groom and his groomsmammals were in the adult bucks' lounge. Mindys' only wish was that her belly didn't hold these kits; mostly so her wedding dress would show off her once petite and svelte young adult body. Neither she nor Ralph were teenagers, both actually Judy's age; although Mindy was a few months younger.
Soon the time came for the wedding to begin. Stu walked his son and his groomsmammals over to the large tent that had been erected on the grassy knoll; it was a decent distance from the main burrow so music wouldn't wake sleeping kits, but close enough so as not to tire the wedding party. This was purpose-built for such a tent and subtly sloped so any rain would not stay on it. A floor system was installed so carpeting could be placed on it, and it was rebuilt to hold as many elephants as could fit inside. This grassy knoll and the tent system was regularly rented by the neighbors and each made repairs as needed, hence it became known as a communal facility. Each family had to sign papers and get the keys from Albert Hopps to open the storage it was kept in; it was on Hopps property and it was not unusual for the Hopps to help the wedding party to set-up the tent.
Ralph was waiting at the altar in a suit his grandparents assured him would perfectly complement the family's heirloom wedding dress. How difficult could it be to match an ivory-colored dress? Now that he saw the colors of dresses the bridesmaids were wearing, he understood. Opal and Elizabeth made color suggestions to Bridget who made her own suggestion to her daughter. Mindy chose the suit to be Opal's color and the cummerbund be her mother's choice. Her bridesmaids' dresses were a shade of clover-green she had first seen when she walked a field with Ralph many weeks ago.
When Mindy entered the tent escorted by his Grandfather Floyd, Ralph couldn't believe his eyes. Opal, Elizabeth, Bonnie, and Bridget were grinning brightly; another perfectly presented bride to her groom. A few moments later Mindy and Ralph exchanged their vows, placed rings on the others' fingers, and turned around to be introduced as newlyweds. While the bride, groom, and their wedding party were off a little distance away getting photos taken, many rabbits and a few larger mammals were quickly removing the chairs and rushing them over to the dinner tent. The carpeting was replaced with flooring suitable for dancing and the musicians were setting-up additional equipment.
Soon all guests and the wedding party were seated eating Lunch. Earlier the traditional *roasting* of the bride and groom was done by their family and friends, some stories light-hearted, other somewhat questionable. Albert, Floyd, and Stu were the referees; any that started to go too far in raunchy language or obviously insulting the bride or groom, these quickly stopped the storyteller and demanded an apology or said mammal was immediately escorted off the property. Commander Bugs Knolls, chief of police for Bunny Burrow, and Sheriff Ben Springs for the Tri-Burrows, had their patrol cruisers make regular visits to the tent. Each officer and deputy would receive a to-go meal that was almost enough for two meals. This was customary and an intentional benefit; it kept them well-fed and kept the guests well behaved.
Soon the Sandmammal sprinkled sleep dust in young kits eyes as well as the elder mammals. These bid good night and went to their assigned rooms in the burrow. Meanwhile the musicians exchanged their instruments and played the latest songs, with a few of the classics sprinkled among them. As the evening and early morning hours went by various guests departed for their rooms, and by sunrise the only ones remaining were bride being held by her groom as they were sleeping on one of the tables. It was obvious if Mindy wasn't pregnant she would have stayed up all night. Ralph was glad his Best Mammal helped place a sleeping bag on a table and zipped them into it. Judy and Nick stayed around to ensure the musicians were neither harmed nor attempted to steal from the sleeping couple. Nick had subtly showed his detective badge to the lead musician letting him know help was just a call away.
As the sun came over the hills the Wilde-Hopps couple helped the groom get his bride to the old burrow and into their new bedroom. The Hopps family had moved some of their personal belongings over after the wedding festivities were finished, bed being the first moved over. Ralph and his siblings had been working all week putting together the nursery; storing diapers, burp-towels, clothes, installing a new clothes washer and dryer and any other items Mindy wanted. Her sister and mother had to get Kimberly's team to move most of Mindy's personal belongings out of the cavern; by now the team knew where the farm was and often stopped by to inquire the status of the old burrow. Kimberly's only condition before she would accept her own personal room was for two rooms on either side of hers to become bunk room for her team, both equipped with bathroom and shower.
Mindy Canter had tried to put her feelings shoved away in some part of her psyche. It was now more than a week after the Great Feast holiday, itself having been same week as her wedding. Several unpleasant facts now emerged themselves during the week that was supposed to be the happiest of her life; but as in usual Underground societal fashion things appeared that put a damper on the happiness.
She discovered more info about the wolf friend of her sister. It was he that took advantage and arranged a reactor scramble that killed her former husband; and it was he that scavenged from the dead body. Unfortunately for him her former husband had a disease that was deadly to predators, and the wolf was found dead a few days later. His body was cremated and to keep things hush-hush, his family received the death benefits from the council. Doctor Frankinmyrl diagnosed this early in her pregnancy and cured it before it adversely affected her unborn kits.
Her former in-laws renounce their daughter-in-law to cover a business deal gone horribly wrong. When her death was publicly announced they attempted to claim death benefits from hers. Fortunately she had foresight to have this assigned to an orphanage that her mother was in charge of. Mindy giggled to herself; the small amount of money and benefits for her death was peanuts compared to the farm she now was living on. Meanwhile Bridget now had the funds to properly run the orphanage, and decided to have a member of GSD working undercover to help in the family's other business: helping other families that were still being harmed by the chancellor.
Kimberly remained employed as a Tracker, which allowed her privileges to go topside and walk around anywhere she pleased; such as visiting her nieces and nephews a few weeks from now when they would be born. She also brought the elder mink, Mindy's nursemaid, for the required monthly prenatal visits and exams. Dr. Greenwood was annoyed, but relented when he couldn't prove the regimen was harming the unborn kits. The elder mink liked the burrow, and asked for a room close to the nursery so she could stay here for a few days. It didn't take long before the elder nursemaid spent more time topside than underground.
Kimberly helped the elder mink into her office chair as the orderlies rushed around getting the elder her favorite things. The elder mink had submitted her retirement papers and selected one of her senior orderlies to assume her business and client list; many were well-qualified but a few stood above the others. These she submitted to the medical council strongly recommending all for advancement and to receive accreditation and awarded the title as nursemaid. But it was obvious that the mink wanted to say something that was bugging her.
"Kimberly Canny... please lock the door. I have something that concerns me."
She was pleased when the young rabbit did as requested and sat down in the chair near her desk.
"I took the liberty of reviewing your last session with the machine. I also took the liberty of talking... discreetly... with the topsider doctor, Dr. Frankinmyrl. He is a reproductive specialist. I wish to have a meeting with him, and I want you there as well. Your sister and mother may be there as well, but I want you specifically."
Kimberly was taken aback. The tone of voice this nurse maid was using was one she only used when something serious needed to be addressed. "May I ask... is there something that went wrong?"
The elder mink held her paws. "Maybe. I heard the doctor talk about recent medical breakthroughs. Your family has for generations had their wombs drained repeatedly of fertilized eggs. We in the medical field have had increasing difficulty in retrieving said eggs in each generation. Each generation has had increased resistance to this procedure. We have put our best minds working on the problem. We've used... *volunteers*... from outside our society to test promising medical procedures. Unfortunately it seems time is running out. You are among many of your generation that has developed... early resistance to our machines. I'm afraid your first egg extraction is your last."
Kimberly sat down... hard... on the nearest chair. A couple of orderlies that were standing nearby rushed over quickly and helped her sit upright. It took several minutes before the young doe could regain her senses and talk coherently.
"Doc... does this mean I won't be able to have kits of my own?"
The elder mink held her paws again. "We don't know. This is why I want a meeting with the topsider doctor with you present. I understand the Topsiders have perfected a new procedure that restores... somewhat... a does' fertility. I want to see if this doctor will inspect your womb and tell us what our machines did in error. I'm afraid I must insist this be arranged quickly as possible."
The elder mink watched the obviously troubled young doe walk out of the room and disappeared around the far end of the tunnel.
"Did she buy it?" A fellow nurse maid asked in soft tone of voice.
"I don't know. Our machines really do have a problem. Here's to hoping we can identify a new one and arrange for it to become *acquired* for our usage."
As the other mink walked away, the elder mink snickered quietly to herself. This would be profitable in more ways than one. She would collect the bounty on the whole Canny Family offered by the chancellor himself. Before she did, she would use them to get access to the latest medical machines. She just wasn't certain if she would have the Wilde-Hopps duo captured as well. These two had the biggest bounty placed upon their heads, courtesy of those misguided marriage purity mammals. Fate had smiled upon the old mink. She had to time everything perfectly in order to collect everything. Her fellow medical personnel only were aware of the scam to acquire the machine; she was pretty certain they didn't know about the other bounties.
Kimberly walked through the deep tunnels, her feelings racing and her mind... troubled.
She was a Tracker; chosen by her family to assume the position so they could have insider information and thus be able to warn the Resistance of anything about to happen. This enabled the Resistance to acquire medical mammals sympathetic to their cause. It also allowed them to do this... work with Scavengers such as her sister to acquire machines and supplies for them. As a Tracker she had been trained in almost every form of mind game... and something about this conversation set off alarm bells.
What... why was it important to talk to a Topsider doctor? If the machine was having problems, why did they allow the procedure to go ahead? Why allow the gene-collection program to continue with a faulty machine? She was hard pressed to recall any rabbit that had been having difficulty with being impregnated multiple times, especially recently. Something was not quite right.
Kimberly now felt a bit better. She was going to see this Dr. Frankinmyrl before she went with the nursemaid; if he really was an expert he would be able to identify if any abnormalities were in her womb. Perhaps the Hopps family would know how to contact him. But now she needed to regroup with her team. They had an urgent mission the chancellor called the team in, and she was running late. Why this late? It was almost breaking protocol.
She was mindful of her promise to the Topsiders. If anything of value could be used against the Zootopians, as they called themselves, she would pass it along.
Magnus Strongpaw watched the farm from a great distance. The binoculars he was using had been *acquired* from a team of Zootopia military. He knew that even though these Topsiders had him outnumbered in every way imaginable, there was one thing that proved universally true: Fate Favors the Prepared. He showed his team just how possible it was to defeat them; this scope was his latest acquisition after he attempted to physically take-on these smug mammals.
Being as unconventional as possible was what enabled him to be successful against these Topsiders; such as embedding an elder mink physician in their organization.
The chancellor was unconventional as well. He ordered security to leave that one group of mammals alone, the one that called itself the Rebellion. It was unconventional allowing them to continue using the machine; his team monitoring the power distribution grid already knew the Rebellion had a machine used for medical procedures. It enabled the chancellor to monitor what wounds were being tended, and what fertilized eggs were being removed or inserted. And most important of all... names of those that used the machine.
The chancellor was quite disappointed to learn that two of the Dark Underground's most promising does' used this machine; one a Trapper and the other a Scavenger. The command to interrupt the egg removal procedures arrived too late to stop use on the former doe, however it did stop the procedure with the second doe. Now since these were sisters, effectively they would be hindered. The family that received the fertilized eggs now was officially listed as *received maximum allowed young*; they would never again receive government-sponsored eggs. As for the scavenger doe, she would be allowed to carry her young to delivery date. Then she would be brought to a Dark Underground authorized birthing center where her young would be delivered and sent to several families who proved their loyalty.
He had plans for these two sisters. He just might allow his faithful wolf servant to enjoy hasenpfeffer. He told Magnus as much.