The Aftermath

Takes place immediately after Wade's Storm. This story deals with the beginnings of the results of Wade's attack on the Bangor Buns.

Written mostly by Scott Bernier with contributions by Fuzzy and Wade. Posted on alt.devilbunnies 17-22 December, 1998.

&#COPY; 1998 by Scott Bernier, Bill Wade, and MJ "Fuzzy" Howard
First HTML-ized 27 December, 1998 by Scott Bernier

Jerry had run in terror after being bodily booted out of CrimsonPaw's office. He went straight to the burrow he had been assigned to and cowered in the sleeping hollow. He was too scared to eat and had a hard time sleeping, losing all track of time. At some point he worked up enough nerve to go to the computer terminal and composed a quick note. He then hid in the buck's room for a while before going back to cowering in the sleeping hollow under the blankets provided.

When the door to his burrow openned and two buns in white smocks hopped in, he didn't resist. One of them jabbed a needle in his arm. As things grew dark, Jerry became very calm. *I didn't think they'd be so merciful...*

"Jerry" (pause) "Jerry..." (nudgefluff) "Wake-up..."

Jerry stirred slightly as he came out of a dreamless sleep. He opened his eyes, yawned and rubbed them with his paws....paws? Two paws!?

(disbelievefluff) "I've got two forepaws again!" (pause) "And I'm still alive!" He sat-up only to get hit broadside with naseua which forced him back down.

"Sssshhhh, take it easy, Jerry." (reassurefluff) "Of course you're alive. It was a difficult operation, but Mentat Blackberry is excellent at his work." (gigglefluff) "You've been sleeping for a few days, though, and we were beginning to get worried about you."

Jerry sat-up again, but more slowly. He examined his new right forepaw carefully. It was splinted and matched his other one.

"You'll have to take it easy for a couple weeks as it finishes healing, but the nanites did most of the work for Blackberry. Looks like you'll provide him with several more science journal articles...."

(amazedfluff) "He grew it with nanites?"

The meddoe grew silent for a moment. "No," she replied just above a whisper. She turned towards the doorway as Gus CrimsonPaw hopped in.

"It's your old paw, Jerry, Browny no longer needs it."

"He's dead?"

Gus nodded. "We were attacked by Fouriers of all Frith-damned things." (STOMP!) "He took on their leader and bit-off more then he could chew. Though they had killed Browny, the cowards turned tail and ran away. The only thing that had prevented us from giving chase was the fire they had set to the mall. But we can cover that more later. You need your rest, Commander."

(THUMP!) Jerry collapsed in disbelief.

> You need your rest, Commander."

(THUMP!) Jerry collapsed in disbelief. Gus expected as much. He waited patiently for Jerry to recover from the initial shock. Gus had worked hard these past few days to pull this off after reading Jerry's record and having conversations with most of the buns who had had contact with Jerry for any length of time. A Kingdom Warren counselorbun, DownyFluff, proved to be very informative. It had been her testimony that had swayed the decisions of the various heads of the smaller warrens of Maine to give a convert a chance to command. It was better then calling in an out-of-state bun or worse, bring back the last ineffective bun leader. And Gus saw it as better then to have the job thrust upon his shoulders.

Jerry shook his head as he felt rather woozy. "Commander?"

"You heard me right. A review of your record shows you've more then proved yourself as commander material. You've swayed many humans Down East to the Fluffy Cause™. You've even visited Kingdom Warren and brought back contracts which have proven very profitable to us. My brother was a fool in how he mishandled those. Who better to correct those errors then the bun who negotiated them in the first place?"

"But...but" (confusedfluff) "I use to be a Fudd...."

"Who gives a" (fluff) "what you use to be. You killed several of the buns under my command who were trying to help you. You were ill back then, it's understandable. We've forgiven you of all that."

"What about Cherryfield Foods. A CrimsonPaw has to be in command, that's one of the stipulations and I know you want nothing to do with it."

(gigglefluff) "That's where you come-in, brother..."

Jerry somehow kept from collapsing again as Gus paused momentarily.

"According to the DNA tests Blackberry has performed, enough of Browny's DNA had been used as a pattern to convert you that you are technically our brother. Don't worry, I won't leave you out on a limb. I've staked too much of my career on the bet that you'll do well. I'll hang around for the next month or two and teach you the ropes."

"Really?" (hesitantfluff)

(noddle)

(wellthenfluff) "I have one order to pass on while I recover." Jerry paused as the meddoe hopped back in with a tray of pickled toes and carrot chips. Jerry didn't even hesitate as he dug into some as he realized how hungry he really was. (munch) "mmph.." (gulp) "I want our engineers to start expanding Cherrywarren in preparation for Down East Command to be relocated there."

It was Gus' turn to stare in disbelief.

"Think for a moment, brother. I was military on the other side. We're too vulnerable having our command warren on the front line. Where's the Fudd command center? Hampden? Portland? No. It's out in Bum(fluff) no where near the center of their territory. We'll leave a military warren here, but our nerve center needs to be deeper inside our territory if we don't want to have to rebuild it every 18 months or so."

Gus nodded. *Was this the same convert who was cowering in his burrow 72 hours ago? Did Blackberry give him a backbone in that operation?* he thought to himself before answering, "As you wish, I'll pass the order on. I'm hoping you'll be able to assume some of your duties in a few days, we captured a few Fouriers and need our commander to stand judge over them in their trial."

"Give me a few days and I'll see what I can do..." (yawnbearfangs) "In the meantime," Jerry curled up into a ball. "I think I'll get some more slee.." he started to snore softly.

*****BUNIX™ ENCRYPTED TIGHTBEAM*****
To: Taffy, Whitneywarren Field Operations
From: Jerry CrimsonPaw

Hi Taffy!

By now, I'm sure you've heard the news. (excitedfluff) Could you take a moment and pass a message onto the Haynes for me. (pleadingeyes) I'm going to be stuck in Bangor for a few more weeks as we clean-up the mess over hear after that attack. Also I'm undergoing therapy for the 'new' paw. Go ahead and tell them about the attack and that I'm now commander. I know you'll know how to tell it to them just right. Let them know I'll be home for Christ/Frithmas. (bounce, bounce) Thanks bunches!

(bunnyhugs) Jerry CrimsonPaw,
Commander, Down East Warren Command (DEWComm)

*****END ENCRYPTION AND TIGHTBEAM*****

Taffy stared at the message. The rumors were true. She still couldn't believe it. Ten minutes later the official announcement and full details of the attack by the Fouriers finally made it to her terminal. At least she now had an answer to give Mariel who pestered her everyday asking about Jerry. She was thankful that it would be good news she'd pass.

*****TIGHTBEAM TO SGT WADE*****

Wade, I'm not going to bother with small talk. What the hell were you thinking when you decided to commit [PiG-13] arson? You have any idea how hard it was to cover-up what really happend and get the press thinking it was some wacko anti-folk art cult that torched the place?

Fortunately, we have some folks in PR who were able to cover-up the mess you left behind in Bangor, Wade. They, in turn, recovered 7 bodies in the wreckage of the Airport Mall. What do you want done with them?

Sgt Eugene Pomerleau, 2nd in Command Maine Fudds

*****END TIGHTBEAM*****

*****RETURN TIGHTBEAM*****

Eugene we were friends once, but don't press that bond of loyalty. I did what was nessary and what I have achieved is something you could never. The bun commander lays dead as well as many others. The only thing I failed to do was to finish the rest of the buns off. I am not sorry for what I did and the blood of the buns will run again if I can help it. As for the bodies of the martyrs please send them here as soon as possible. For this I am deeply grateful. Don't think I am not grateful for your help, but I will not stop my mission for anything!

Sgt Wade sends.......

*****END MESSAGE*****

[PiG-13 Alert:  Some may find the following hard to stomach.]

(thump, thump, thump....STOMP!) "Order!"

Many buns had gathered in the meeting hall of DEWComm and had been milling about until the bun sergent-at-arms had called for silence.

Jerry hopped in and behind a podium upon a dias. He didn't bother with wearing anything to distinguish himself as the new commander. All eyes turned to him. Jerry stood there a moment like he was listening to somebun though there weren't any other buns near him.

"Bring in the accused." (STOMP!)

Four male humans, stripped of all clothing, hands tied behind their backs, walked in with defiance shining in their eyes. Bloody bandages covered their ffeet. They were preceeded an followed by several guardbuns. They stopped in front of the podium and glared at Jerry.

"You are accused of the following crimes against bunnydom: mulitple counts of first-degree murder, destruction of property, arson, aiding and abetting in the assassination of our commander just to name a few as the list goes on and on. You've already been supplied with a copy of the charges against you. If it were not for the assassination, I could have offered to spare your lives through conversion, but there are laws even I can not overrule." Jerry bowed his head momentarily and took a deep breath. "How do you plead?"

"We are guilty as charged. Though I doubt any of you can understand the significance of what has been done. Soon all of your kits will know the meaning of fear that has never been known before. Hide and grovel because the end is coming soon. The Great Lord of Shadows has come!" The tallest of the four appeared to be spokesman for them all as he spouted-off Fourier propaganda for a full minute before being silenced.

"You do realize that by pleading guilty that you waive your right to a trial and that the penalty for your crimes is Spamming?" Jerry pointed to the nearby Acme Spam-o-matic™ with his splinted paw.

One of the four somehow broke loose of his bindings. Before the guard buns could react, he sprinted to the spamming machine, hit the switch that activated it and dove in head first. Over the sound of his bones grinding, the spokesman stated very simply, "We are not afraid to die for our cause. The blood of the martyrs will stain you and your kind. You won't get any enjoyment out of our execution."

In unison, the three turned towards the Spam-o-matic™ and marched over. One by one with the spokesman going last, they threw themselves into the spammer. Everybun stared in disbelief and silence. Jerry had all he could do to keep from breaking down and fleeing from the room. With his last breath, the spokesman for the captured Fouriers stated: "This maybe our deaths, but the Four will be yours..." (crunch)

Jerry would spend most of that evening and the following day conversing via tightbeam with DownyFluff. He had spent a lot of soul searching to prepare to spam these humans, but he didn't expect them to be such fanatics and it had all but unnerved him. DownyFluff, in turn, gave reports to Gus and her own superiors. Gus didn't like what had happened more then anybun else. It meant his stay in Bangor would be extended, for Jerry had a long way to go.

Three days after the spamming of the Fouriers, Jerry caught-up with Gus in DEWComm's mess hall.

"I've been worried about you, brother."

"DownyFluff has been a real help, Gus," Jerry replied. "And I've bounced a few ideas off her after looking at how Browny had messed things up." (sighfluff) "Would it bother you if I told you my real opinion of him?"

"He was an egotistical fool who was blind to what he had a chance at achieving..."

Jerry was dumbstruck a moment. He knew Gus hated Browny, but not this deeply.

"That sums it up pretty well, Gus. He threw away a golden opportunity after converting me. With everything I know on the Fudd base, I could have helped save many of their souls." (droopears) "But that's not quite possible anymore, at least not yet..."

(quizicalfluff) "What do you mean?"

"My knowledge of the base is nearly two years old. A lot can change on a Fudd base in two years. Troop movements, numbers, standard procedures. We do know for sure Blake is still in charge and Pomerleau is his second, that's all. Frith, we don't even know if Blake's daughters are still on base or not..."

"Daughters?"

"Yes, you heard me, and they're fluffy just like their old buck. They were all off base at the time of my conversion. Anyway, if we were to attack relying solely on my knowledge, we might as well attack blindly."

"So what are we to do?" Gus was curious as to what crazy ideas the former Fudd had in mind.

Jerry pushed a Newton Thinkpad™ across the desk to Gus. "Take a look." He then dug into the carrot, spinach, Spam™ pizza that was brought to the table.

Gus read through the plan and shook his head in disbelief. It was brilliant. He would have to have words with Blackberry. The mentat must have put a backbone in this convert. After ten minutes Gus set the pad back on the table shaking his head.

"This is an excellent, but unrealistic plan and timeline. It'll never work," Gus stated and dug in to his meal.

"Of course it won't. UNLESS, every part of the preplan falls into place. If those pieces don't, we'll have to think of something else, but if the preplan follows through, the Maine Fudds will be history by this time next year and the rest of the Army of Fudd won't forget why the Chinese consider 1999 the Year of the Rabbit." (fangygrin)

"Why the outside help? You know our policies up here."

"Policies that have failed, brother. And it's not like we're asking PAW for a battalion or two. We're asking Kingdom Warren for a little help in rebuilding our infrastructure in trade for the wonderful PR they're getting out of those jobs Down East. Torbique Warren is just over the New Brunswick border and you've worked with Snowshoe of White Mountain Warren in the past. If we want to bring down the Maine Fudds we have to work as a united group and we can't do it overnight.

"Anyway, we can worry about alll this after the holidays. As commander I'm giving all non-essential bunsonal leave to spend Frithmas with their families. Those we can't spare, I've arranged to have their families brought here. No bun should spend Frithmas away from their family. That includes you, Gus..."

"But, the Fudds..."

"Blake is a Fudd BUT he's also a devilbunny. He's honorable in battle. He'd never launch an attack during the holidays. This I know for a fact from the years I blindly followed him." He waved off Gus' next protest. "As for the Fouriers, they're weak. They would have finished us off if they could. They don't have the numbers to launch another attack so soon. They, however, will be our one unknown factor in this plan."

"As you know, Jerry, I don't have any family."

"You could spend Frithmas with me and the Haynes."

(hesitantfluff) "That wouldn't be a good idea, I don't get along well with humans, and I might upset them. I know how hard you've worked with them."

(finefluff) "Suit yourself, but I'm not allowing you to stay here. At least go back to Bowsbuck Warren. I'm sure there must be some doe who'd love to see you..." He waved off any further protests from Gus. "It's not a request, Gus, it's an order." Jerry hopped out of the room.

Gus decided he definitely needed to have words with DownyFluff and Blackberry...maybe together by a telecom link. He also was going to access what was in the files Jerry and Kingdom Warren had provided on the Maine Fudds. Just how much information had Browny thrown away in this whole fiasco?

(more after the holidays)