A/N: Some of us would be happy to know that someone –me- is post this new fic. Probably because I missed all those long very…uh…meaningful reviews from all who reviewed my previous fic –I'm not hinting!
Okay, just so you know what this fic is about I'll give you little points, (since the first chapter doesn't reveal anything about chapter 2) you'll see why they're brief –they're not spoilers because you'll find out all this by the next chapter.
Ohh, this is going to be a bit difficult…let's see…
1) a bunch of fugitives announce war on the Andalites (chapter 1)
2) The Rachel ends up with 'dead' crew members. (I'm not saying anything else)
3) Time distortion allows Rachel –our Rachel- to come back in a strange bizarre way that can never be called clichéd –since when did I ever write anything that's clichéd? (chapter 2)
Okay, that's it for now because going any further will spoil your fun of reading the fic, jut read chapter one for now.
BATTLE OF THE TITANS
The Hoax
A harmonious voice chirped, a figure paced, a second figure walked in circles around a fountain, and a third sat on the fountain's stones - long fingers caressing his smooth skin as he contemplated deeply.
"Yes I understand." Chirped the harmonious voice, "you have not provoked us or broken our truce. We declare war openly because it is what honorable warriors do before attacking another honorable species. We warn you that we are victorious and bold, we have nothing to fight for in our lands and wish to expand our empire."
The voice on the other line bristled, but this is madness, if you are as honorable as you state you are why declare war on a peaceful species?
"You are weak then?" The harmonious voice chirped, "are you asking for mercy?"
No, the voice snapped, but you must give us time, we have been in a very bitter war, we need time to boost our numbers, you must understand this if you wish to be fair!
The pacing figure stopped pacing. And stared at the blue face, "You are peaceful but you are in war?" he cast a glance at his friends.
The voice on the other sided grew defensive, we were being attacked, our people were under threat.
"A bitter war you say." This came from the third figure, the one who had been contemplating peacefully. "Speaker. Are you easily intimidated?"
What?
The question was not repeated. And the creature who asked the question fell silent.
The pacer paced again, he started speaking, "speaker, I ask of you this; why are you worried about opening the borders? Surely you are strong and well capable of dealing with unequipped fighters, we only wish to probe the border. No more."
I decline your request! The blue face said hotly.
"Then we are at war, does this answers your previous question?"
We are supposed to be negotiating in order to stop war!
The harmonious voice chirped, "you miss understood us; we are only negotiating to probe your borders, you may feel free to enter the borders of our space too. Do not be under the impression that war is negotiable, if we find evil on your side then we must dispose of it quickly."
And what if we find evil in yours?
The one that had been walking in circles stopped and looked at the blue face. He said, "that is not possible, we are well evolved and our side of the universe is clean, we -"
The one that had been sitting on the fountain stones interrupted his friend, he lifted one of his long thin fingers and pointed it at the blue creature, he said, "are you willing to open borders or not? This discussion had been carried out for far too long."
And if we decline?
"You would buy yourself a war."
We could beat you.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that."
And what if I except? The blue head asked, what if I open our borders and you demand more, what then?
"We are honorable," chirped the harmonious voice, "we would not infringe our own words."
Then we open borders?
"Is that a statement, or a question?" The pacer asked.
The blue head used all four of his eyes to stare at the pacer, its just our way of saying we're playing it safe.
The communications were cut from the other side leaving the four in silence, but silence did not stay for long.
The harmonious voice let loose a silvery chain of laughter. Then softly he added; "The fools."
The third figure stood up, he was noticeably older than all of his acquaintances, though his skin was still smooth and his eyes bright, and he walked with as much grace as his fellow creatures –and perhaps with more dignity, as the others seemed casual and relaxed. This creature was built frailly with bony old hands and his hair had lost color; turning into a noble white instead of the lust redness of his friends' hair.
These creatures were not large in size, they were small, short but lithe, their features were elf-like, with pointed ears and pointed noses, their eyes were a light purple or yellow and they wore red and brown robes and gold-rimmed hats.
"Oh shut you up." The pacer announced in a gruffly deep voice, looking at his laughing friend, "Doi-yung, there is more to life than laughing and singing."
"Waib," Doi-yung chirped back cheerfully, "there is more to life than being a stiff-old-fool like yourself."
Waib, a warrior with little likening for a commoner growled angrily. He assumed an attacking position to which Doi-yung playfully ignored.
"Ankarr." The one who paced in circles said attentively to the old creature, "Are you sure this is right? Are you sure we are not asking for overkill?"
Everyone stopped to listen to Ankarr's answer. Ankarr is…or was…an aristocrat, a member of the most noble clan in Kelbrid society, but after a political scam Ankarr The Fifth of Nehrab, was denounced to commoner status and his name no longer recognized.
Ankarr had always been described as greedy, bossy and an irritable grouch who's acting skills concealed his true personality, this description fit him well and did not need any new modifications, his family and friends never really liked him but had –in the past- to honor him and shower him with false love and forced respect. But now with his name ruined Ankarr was easily forgotten by all who knew him. This and the fact that he was a runaway in a ship full of fugitives made Ankarr somewhat more cranky –if that was possible- and his words of 'wisdom' harder to seek.
"My dear friend Chlab." Ankarr started, looking wistfully at his other acquaintances, an air of nobility suddenly overcame him, he smiled his forced smile and his beady eyes were almost swallowed up in wrinkles, "we are no longer real Kelbrids, we cannot fight for Kelbrids since they will not fight or us. Not that it matters because the Kelbrid authority is trying to kill us, but, my point is, life is very dear to me…er…us all. Yes, and for that matter we must do whatever we have to do so that I survive, er, we all survive." He coughed loudly, "it is in my interest to save you and all of us who lives on the kind ship Hathy and may she forever be so kind and generous to us."
Waib rolled his eyes and Chlab stared at Ankarr skeptically. Doi-yung started to giggle nervously as the fool Ankarr continued, trying to poorly conceal his concern for his own welfare. "so it is my responsibility as Ankarr The Fifth of Nehrab to open borders to allow us easy escape from Kelbrid authorities and the much hated Whole." Ankarr closed his eyes and nodded his head, his old voice continued on oblivious to the others remarks and gestures, "Ahh. The Whole. Has any of you met any of The One's cohorts, The Whole who serve The One? The Whole who are only whole when One had knocked off one too many?" Doi-yung laughed hysterically. But everyone else had ignored Ankarr's babbling and started to continue about their day.
"Ah, I see young Doi, you like my pun?" Ankarr mused, "a good one it was, fast and clever and swift. Yes, and just-"
"And just as old and worn out as you are!" this exclamation came from Vynily, the priest/medicine-man on board, "why don't you stop your blather and help us fix our defense screen?! Our run in with the Stalkers hadn't helped much."
"Ah, Vynily," Ankarr said with another one of his forced smiles, he attempted to fake a cough and his back slumped, when he spoke his voice had a fake quaver to it. "I am old, weak and starved, not as young as I used to be, I'll tell you what, I'll go to my quarters and if I ever get better I'll tell you."
Waib, the warrior snorted, "Lets hope you never get better."
Ankarr ignored the remark.
Chlab hoped over the fallen conduits, he knelt down to the defense screen to examine the power readings. "Aright everybody, enough of the fooling around, Pilot? How much could Hathy spare us in respect of energy?"
Through Chlab's communicator came pilot's voice, "Not much Commander Chlab, Hathy's left engine has been singed and we're draining power really badly-"
"Well," Chlab said sounding annoyed, "have the Darn's take care of it." The D-A-R-N's or 'darns' where the ship's Data Analysis and Repair Net System, they are the small robots that take care of Hathy's condition and health.
"Commander Chlab, I have detached as many Darns as I could but it is still not enough, we must call for help."
"Pilot," Chlab groaned, "why do you always come to me with bad news? You know what happened last time we tried get 'help'."
"I know, Commander," Pilot said tightly, "but you must remember that my sole concern is Hathy's health, if we do not conduct the appropriate repairs there is no way Hathy will survive this assault." Pilot paused suddenly and when he continued there was a hint of anger suppressed in his voice, "This assault has been mainly triggered because of your presence on board, I do not think it is fair to leave Hathy in pain like this."
Everyone stopped fidgeting and they started to look at each other. Chlab assumed control of the situation, he spoke softly, "Tell Hathy we did not wish to harm her, and we would do our best to preserve her, now, Pilot, will you please shift energy levels?"
Pilot considered, when he spoke he spoke hesitantly, "Commander Chlab, if I shift the energy levels then Hathy will not be able to reach…help. If energy levels are left in the current ratios then we would get there in time."
This caught everyone's attention. Doi-young stopped smiling.
Waib said, "Pilot, what sort of 'help'? We are on the boarders of Kelbrid territories, we would not gain help from Nehrab outstations. Or any of the One's bases."
"Hathy feels like it is worth a try. As you all know, she does not wish to jeopardize her offspring's health."
Hathy is a female Olligian ship. Although she is big and her defense screens satisfactory, she did not have any weapons and in a fight she could easily lose. Three cycles had already passed since the crew first discovered that Hathy was pregnant, Pilot and Chlab were genuinely happy for her and fully understood the dangers of such a finding. Doi-yung and Vynily were excited at the prospect of having another ship and constantly reminded Hathy of their support. Ankarr and Waib were not so pleased, in Ankarr's words "She better move as fast as she used to with another ship inside of her or we're ending up inside a Nehrab outstation or one of the One's many bases before you could say 'fool'." Waib simply said, "We will only profit out of this if her off spring is a male battleship."
For everyone's personal reasons they did not want to lose either the offspring or the mother ship. So, it was then decided with a sigh from Chlab, that they advance to the 'help site' defenseless and half battered going with the hope that Hathy's instincts were not –as Ankarr put it- 'rusty'.
Hathy's crew had journeyed together for many cycles, all of the crew were fugitives with the exception of Chlab –he was the result of an experiment gone wrong. Doi-yung is a runaway, Vynily a priest accused of fraud. Waib wanted for impersonating rank of a general and killing three comrades. Ankarr's story is as pathetic as any of the others' stories. The only person on board unscathed by the profiles of the others was Pilot.
Kelbrid pilots are special because when one is appointed to a ship; he is to stay with her or him for the rest of his life and the ship's fate is no different than that of the pilot. Pilots of Kelbridian sentient ships form a mind link to the ship's computers and become one with the machine. So naturally, if anyone wished to communicate with the ship they do it via Pilot.
Of all the crew members it was Pilot who was the most unnerved when the sight of help reached his senses through Hathy. They were two unfamiliar ships, both black ugly and very formidable in battle. He wondered briefly why Hathy was drawn to them.
And then, in a blur of action and bright green light, the smaller of the vessels rammed the larger one.
The larger one maneuvered in answer to the assault and fired it's weapons. When the ship's onboard sensors caught the presence of Hathy the ship seemed to waver -uncertain.
And then, for some unknown reason, the dark large vessel turned and fled into Z-space.
Since you got this far, you're not leaving without reviewing. Now. Please? I need to know what you think of this.