_____Lazer_____
I'm Lazer-Sammos-Dammate. I'm an Andalite fighter pilot. A war prince, but right now, I have no one to command, so I suppose at the moment I am a casualty of war. Or was. Now, I am stuck on the third planet in this system. Earth, I believe it's called. But now, I have been looking for my shorm, Rowxaliss, and I am here to tell you my story.
I was running in the human woods. I came upon a clearing with a menagerie of strange animals. There was Andalite thought speech in the air, as well as human mouth sounds.
"So much for the neat mouthed Andalite theory." I am no expert on human expressions, but this human sounded amused.
Good grief, Tobias rescues this space cadet, and we end up being baby sitters? Is that fair?
Why do you sit on the baby? Is that a human ritual? I heard an Andalite voice say. I suddenly realized that something was strange. There were other Andalites around? I jumped into the clearing.
I saw a familiar face. Rowxaliss. She cried, Lazer! You're alive! She rushed up to me and looked as if she could cry, which is a human thing where they excrete salty water from their two eyes. I believe it is a sign of distress or great happiness. But since Andalites cannot cry, I knew that she would not.
I did not mean to cause you any distress, Rowxaliss.
I know you didn't, don't worry. I missed you alo- Remembering that she had a big, tough reputation with the humans, she stopped and simply said, Good ta see ya, Prince.
Who are these Andalites? I do not believe I've met them.
She looked puzzled for a second. Andalites? Oh, them? She questioned, indicating the animals around us. No. They are humans.
That's impossible. Are you sure?
Yes. Cassie, why don't you show Lazer here? Rowxaliss said, looking at the canine-like creature. It nodded. I had no idea what that meant, but the creature started to morph. I was amazed to find that this was a human female, with dark skin and coarse black hair. A hominid black creature that had been watching left the clearing.
You are human? That would mean-
Yes, Lazer. They were given the power by Elfangor.
But Seerow's Kindness forbids-
I think it was for the better, Lazer. They fight the Yeerks.
And you and Aximili fight eachother.
Yes, well-
Out of the woods stepped a human boy with short, spiky black hair interrupted. "Yes, well nothing, Rowx. You have been acting more immature than than"
A large brown creature I believe was called a Grizzly filled in, Than you, Marco.
"Whatever." Marco' said. "You met Erek?" The human jerked his thumb at a strange creature that had suddenly become a human. "He's with us."
"I'm a Chee, if you're wondering."
Which is?
"An android."
Oh.
Another boy with a solid figure, who was tall with brown hair, said, "Stop fighting, Rachel, Marco. And you say Rowx and Ax are bad." Then he looked at me. "I'm Jake. And you are?"
Then it occurred to me. The human wanted my name. My name is War Prince Lazer-Sammos-Dammate.
The human looked relieved. "Thank God. Ax, now you have someone to call Prince. You too, Rowx."
Aximili jumped in. Yes, Jake-
Jake' sighed in relief. "You have no idea how good it feels to hear you call me that."
Yes, Jake, but even though I will not call you my prince anymore, Rowxaliss will.
"WHAT??? No
Yes, Prin- Jake. Rowxaliss and Lazer are shorms, or close friends, and such friends are not required to use such formalities. Therefore, Rowx will still call you prince, and so will I on occasion, because it is hard not to after such a long period of time.
I decided it was time to get some answers. Human Jake, what is your plan?
Marco' lifted his shoulders, then lowered them. "I didn't even know we had one"
"Our plan of action, Marco. And yes, we do have one." Said a girl who had morphed from the grizzly bear. Looking at Jake, she inquired, "Right?" He nodded. I later found that her name was Rachel, and the bird flying overhead was Tobias, a nothlit who had his morphing powers returned by an Ellimist.
"I knew that."
Jake turned to me and said, "I can tell you that later. What I'm interested in now, is a plan that you guys will be very helpful with." And he told me a plan that should (but isn't) be in the Andalite data files.
Chapter 2_____Jake_____
"I can tell you that later. What I'm interested in now, is a plan that you guys will be very helpful with. We need to acquire you guys. We already have Ax. Now all we need is you two. With your permission, of course."
Of course. At least, it's all right with me. My shorm might have a different opinion of course.
Rowx shrugged. Some puny human using me? I think that's an amusing idea, I'd like to see how they handle the tail, but wouldn't the Yeerks notice a bunch of me's and you's? Otherwise, I guess it's fine.
That's where I stepped in. "We could do what Ax did. We could combine the DNA."
Lazer folded his arms, considering it. Yes, he started, Yes, that would work. You could perform the Frolis Maneuver. You will all put it together in a different way, so you would all look different. I think I see what you're saying, Jake. The Yeerks must think you're Andalites, so if they see you in human form, and see you morph Andalite, then they'll assume your Andalite morph is your true form.
I nodded. "Yep. I also had another idea, but I don't know what you guys'll think of this one."
Marco rolled his eyes, which I believe is a sign of exasperation. "Oohh, I'm beginning to understand the phrase, Ignorance is bliss.' I'd rather not hear anymore insane, suicidal plans, thank you, Jake."
"I have a way to free Tom. And your mom, too, Marco."
Marco's eyes widened as he looked at Lazer. He doesn't like people to know his mom's a controller. Visser One, to be exact. "I could morph a Yeerk." I closed my eyes, knowing exactly what Marco would say.
He stared at me even more. "ARE YOU INSANE!?!?!?! Do you want to die? Is that what you want??? You have some insane death wish?"
Rachel nodded. "For the first time, I agree with you Marco. Jake, that's the dumbest idea you've come up with yet. And yet, it might work."
Marco covered his head. "No, now Xena's for it to! Stop the insanity! Is the world pitted against me? Huh?"
Lazer, Rowx, and Ax all stared at me. That's twelve eyes, plus Tobias, Cassie, Rachel, Erek, and Marco. Now, it was twenty-two. "Ahhh, you guys are freaking me out! Look at something else!"
Erek raised a hand like we were in school. "Uhh Jake? I have a place where you could get one. A Yeerk, I mean."
Instantly I knew where Erek meant. The one inside his head. You see, Erek passes for a Controller by keeping a Yeerk in his head and tapping into it's thoughts. His hologram had vanished. A Chee was standing there, knelt down. His head seemed to crack open, and then, through the mess of wires, I saw it.
Yeerk, Ax, Lazer, and Rowx said, all at the same time, in the same disgusted way that the Yeerks say Andalite'.
I shut my eyes and reached down. I could feel the Yeerk's slimy grayish-green skin. Its body, which had tensed up, relaxed for few seconds as I pulled away.
"So now what?" Marco asked.
I shrugged. "I morph it, I guess."
"I have an idea." Cassie offered. "Why don't you get in one of us, just to see what it's like? And maybe a Yeerk has some instincts we need to learn about."
I nodded. "OK, let's get this over with."
I shut my eyes, and began to morph.
Chapter 3_____Jake_____
The morph was just as I thought it would be: Slimy, evil, and disgusting. First, my hair got all gray and green, while my legs and arms got sucked into my body. Then, my skin got all slimy, and the same color as my hair. In less then three minutes, I had become a Yeerk. I could feel the Yeerk's pure lust to kill, and it's desire to conquer. All of a sudden this rush of hatred ran through my body. The Yeerk mind wanted a place to hide. It crawled along the floor, only to be lifted by an Andalite's multiple fingers.Take control of the Yeerk, Prin- er, Jake. Reassert your individual consciousness. I am going to put you in Marco. Do you have control? Ax asked in a firm voice. Ax... I remembered Ax. I remembered everything about who I was, and what I was.
Ax? I said.
All of a sudden, I felt myself being dropped onto a hard surface. A table.
"OK, so I just put my head here and..." I heard Marco say as he put his head on the table. "So, you crawl into my head, right? Eww..." Just shut up, OK? I'm doing this, like it or not. But if you wanna chicken out... I teased. I felt his breath as he sighed. "Me?? No way! Let's get this over with." OK, this is gonna sting a bit. Hang in there, alright? The Yeerk did its dirty work. It drilled a hole in Marco's brain and got in. While Marco was still under control of his own body, the whole time he was going, "Owww, hey that hurts! Knock it off! Yow!" When I was in, I told him, Hey, shut up already! Yeerks don't skimp on the pain, do they? Out loud, using Marco's voice, I said, "OK. I think I have the hang of this." They all were staring at me... I mean, Marco... us, whatever. Rachel said, "Let's see how well you can act like Marco. Marco, you're a wimp!" To me, Marco said, Don't say this, but that was rude. And totally uncalled for. Searching Marco's thoughts, I said, "That was rude. And totally uncalled for." I smiled Marco's sardonic smile. Traitor. Marco replied. I rolled his eyes. "That was pretty good." I let Marco take over for a while, laying back and observing the way he acted. When I thought I could mimic every joke, every tease, every cynical laugh, I told him, OK. Let's try this again. Don't tell them, OK? "Jake wants to try his pathetic luck again." I said, trying my best to imitate Marco's sarcastic tone. Tobias, in human morph, said, "Go ahead Jake. Let's see your best shot." "I'm not ready. I'll chill for awhile." I said, sounding as reluctant as I could. He shrugged. "Cool." I changed my facial expression so it looked like Marco was taking over again. "So, Rachel, have you heard of that new brand of clothing in the mall? I hear it has some great outfits!" I said, starting a joke Marco had been wanting to pull ever since Rowx had shown up. She glared at me. "Are you kidding? Marco knows about a new clothing line that I don't? What kind of outfits? Do you even know?" "Oh, yeah. Just your typical leather skirt, complete with chakram and clothes for four-legged, two-armed, scorpion-tailed sidekicks." Rachel whacked me Marco us in the arm. "That was the worst joke I've ever heard. Got any real jokes?" "OK, have you heard the one about the blonde who" I was quickly silenced by a poison coated glare. "Well, I do have a real, non-blonde joke. You aren't speaking to Marco, cousin." Rachel stared at me. "Jake? That was you the entire time?" "Yep. How'd I do?" They all smiled. Rachel did too, but then she said, "Yeah, yeah, bravo, let's move it people!" That's just Rachel's way of giving a compliment, don't worry. I grinned. I had passed the test. Now it was time for the biggie. The Yeerk pool. Chapter 4 _____Rachel_____ You guys aren't going to believe this entrance. Tobias said. We're heading towards the car wash. I recalled what he was talking about. He had tried to show the entrance to me the day we found the Hork-Bajir, Ket Halpak and Jara Hamee. We were all in our bird morphs, of course, to make better time. All of us included the new additions of Lazer's peregrine falcon and Rowx's bad attitude red tailed hawk. I think Tobias was flattered by Rowx'schoice. I remember exactly what she had said: I chose this creature. It seems very powerful, very efficient, and very fast. I think, Tobias, my friend, that you are very well off, for a nothlit. Back to reality. Yeah, Tobias I remember you telling me about thisentrance. How do we get in? I asked. OK, we head into the car wash Marco interrupted. We know that. What do we have to do to get in Visser Three's Little Shop of Horrors? I was telling you. We actually HEAD into the automatic car wash. From there, we talk into the money thingy and say, "We'd like a hot wax. And that wax had better be cold." Then, once the wash is almost over, we pull that little light that says the wax is about to go on. You don't move fast enoughwell, let's just say you could hold some rope and we'd call you a candle. Wonderful Marco mumbled. Then what? Well, there's a door that opens after you pull the light. You can figure it out from there There it is. Tobias said as we rounded a corner to the car wash. It took a few tries, but we eventually got in without getting slightlywax burned. It was so odd. The Yeerk pool was normally filled with screams and cursing. That was the same but there were no Controllers around, and a grayish sludge was coming from the sprinkler system in the pool. It soaked me to the bone, and smelled really bad. "Ax, Rowx, Lazer One of you What is this stuff?" Jake asked. "And what's going on?" Lazer stayed quiet, not wanting to get into a Rowx/Ax fight. Ax started to speak, but, just to diss him, it seemed, Rowx beat him to it. Prince Jake, the Yeerks are re-filling the pool and sanitizing the area. The liquid coming from the ceiling is the substance that would normally be seen in the pool. In fact, I believe- "Wait a sec, wait a sec. Are you saying that we are soaking in Yeerk bathing water?!?!" Marco interrupted. We all nodded, wondering the same thing. I believe so. Prince Jake, if I may, I am going to shift to human. My digestive system doesn't work well with this liquid. Rowx said. Then she started to change. We had never seen Rowx Shift' before, as she called it, but it was almost, in a way, graceful. Everything was very gradual, and not at all abrupt, and yet, at the same time, very fast. She was almost done in about half a minute when she realized everyone was staring at her. "What?" She asked defensively. "Nothin'." We all replied in unison, not wanting to look rude. "Right. So, let's get this show on the road, shall we?" She asked, sounding much more human than when Ax was human. "Anymore info either on what we're doing, or what's happening with the Yeerk pool automated housekeeper?" You can guess who that was. "Well, you might want to know that all of the controllers will PROBABLY be in cages or roaming free, if they're voluntary. But we should be on the lookout for the volunteers. Never know what could happen." "Well in that case power morphs, guys." Jake commanded. "Don't you guys just love the way that he gets so gung-ho? Like Bruce Willis in Armageddon." Marco said. "I hope that's not a prophesy. Remember? Bruce Willis dies in the end of that movie." Cassie pointed out. "Thank you, Cassie, for that wonderfully encouraging bit of information." Marco, of course. "Well, you brought it up." "But Prince Jake, Lazer and I don't have a power morph." Rowx pointed out. "Well, stay Andalite." "But our digestive systems can't handle this crud. As you can see, Aximili is beginning to morph to human." "Well, then we have a problem."
Chapter 5
_____Tobias_____
Problem, my wings. We didn't just have a problem. We had a disaster.
But, we couldn't have Andalites puking (or whatever Andalites do when they're sick) all over the Yeerk pool, so Jake and the others decided that it would be best to have them in human form. Rowx managed to steal a Dracon beam from a sleeping voluntary Controller for each of the Andalites.
We were going to try the impossible. We were going to try and destroy every single Yeerk in that pool.
Chapter 6
_____Rowx_____
"Wow," I whispered. Even I, with all of my expertise, had never actuallyseen such an empty Yeerk pool. As I leaned over to look into the pool, Icouldn't believe what I saw.
It was disgusting. There were thousands of Yeerks, writhing, crawlingabout in the pool, being filled with replenishment liquid as I stood watching. The process was being sped up in the pool by large tubes on the side, where more of the leaden junk flowed. I pointed my Dracon, ready to fry slug.
Suddenly
Rowx, behind you! I heard Marco call. I spun to see a very large voluntary human Controller reaching for my human neck. I reached for the Dracon beam I had swiped and fired at Maximum. Missed!
Shifting to Andalite as a last resort, I swung my tail. I missed again! I shifted to human again in an attempt to avoid any blows that were aiming for me.
The human, puzzled with the shifting, knocked me hard in the stomach.
And I fell.
Down. Down into the refilling, disgusting pool of Yeerk scum.
Chapter 7
_____Marco_____
Jake, you guys! Rowx just fell into the pool! I shouted.
Thank you, Marco, for the news flash. Man, that guy is so dead said Rachel, lumbering towards the Controller in grizzly morph. OK, Yeerk scum. Start talking.
The Controller sneered. "Andalite filth. I have no clue what you're talking about." He started to back away.
NO! Rachel grabbed the Controller roughly on the shoulder. You WILL tell us what's going on. And you're going to tell us now.
You could tell that even the big Controller was starting to get scared. "The-pool's-being-disinfected-I-am-waiting-for-my-Yeerk-to-come-back-so-I-can-get-back-to-my-life-now-please-let-me-go."
No crap, Controller. Tell us why this place isn't guarded. You have um thirty of your seconds to spill it. I said, trying to emphasize the "YOUR" in the seconds, to keep the illusion that we were Andalites.
In private thought speak, Rachel said, Yeah, Marco, that's going to help. Oh, yeah,' you'll say later. I said YOUR minutes instead of just plain old minutes. That oughta make them think we're Andalites.' Right. I think that saying No crap, Controller' is gonna give it away. To the Controller, she said, TALK!
The Controller gulped. "The Visser is confident that you will not escape with free minds. He suspected that you would come tonight. Right now, one of my brothers is probably crawling into your fellow Andalite's brain." He smiled a smug smile. "We've won."
Rachel was about to let the man laugh, but then she paused. Just give the word, Jake, and it'll all be over for this guy.
Jake seemed just as disgusted as the rest of us. Do it. He turned away. I had a good idea what was to come, as did the rest of us. We all turned as well. I was just turning away when Rachel pulled her paw back. There was an awful choking noise, then there was silence.
I had the awful urge to hurl.
Chapter 8
_____Jake_____
As I turned around, I heard Marco say, Man, I do NOT want to ever see no, hear that again.
Ditto.
When we were fully turned around, expecting to see a bloody, gory body laying there, we saw nothing. No blood. No body at all. But there was Rachel, watching us. I gave him to the Taxxons when I was done.
I felt nauseous once more.
So, Jake back to business. About Rowx?
We can't go in there. It's too risky. If Rowx I bis/I/b a Controller now, which I'll bet she is, she won't act any different. We have to be suspicious the whole way through. But no one can let on until we have some sort of proof got it? I warned.
Got it.
So now to getting her out, said Marco, leaning over the edge slightly to see. A task that I am Iso/I not looking forward to.
So, guys and girls any ideas?
Chapter 9
_____Rowx_____
Everyone knows that Andalites can swim. And I don't think an Andalite has ever been more thankful for that than I was. When I fell into the pool, I kept my head above water, shifting back and forth from Andalite to human waiting for the relinquishment liquid to reach near the top. Then I could get out. But in the meantime I got to get a nice long look at the Yeerks around me. I finally heard
Jake, you guys! Rowx just fell into the pool!
And I went unconscious.
Chapter 10
_____Cassie_____
So, guys and girls, any ideas? Jake inquired. We need a rescue team, and we sure as heck need it now.
"A rescue team isn't necessary, Prince Jake."
Don't call me Rowx? To us, he said, Remember guys. Caution.
The Yeerk pool liquid had stopped flowing by now, so we were pretty dry. Except for Rowx. She was drenched with the stuff from head to toe.
"This stuff is really getting to me. I'm going to shift back." Rowx began to change once more. Back in Andalite form, she stretched her tail and arched her back in an almost cat-like way. So, now what do we- And suddenly, Ax's tail was at her neck. Man, Aximili, I knew we had some hard feelings towards eachother, but isn't this just a Ibit/I much? Cool down!
I don't trust you Seniority or no seniority, I am not moving away this tail. Ax threatened.
Lazer was coming back into the room. I came back a bit early. What did I miss?
Marco narrowed his eyes. Oh, no biggie. Rowx just fell into the pool, Rachel killed a guy, nothing out of the ordinary. And now, Rowx comes and basically tries to convince us she's still a free Shifter.
Oh. I see. Lazer seemed totally unfazed by all of this information.]
Chapter 11 _____Jake_____ This was all just too suspicious. Rowx trying to act like everything was normal? I had to question all of this. No one knew better than me that controllers have almost no control over their feelings for Andalites. If Rowx WAS a controller, none of it showed. "Listen, Rowx," I started. "We'll get you out. It's gonna be all right." That sure blew my cover. Oh well. Rowx lifted her head, suddenly realizing what I was suggesting. Prince Jake, I am very insulted by what you're insinuating. Rachel narrowed her eyes in that "I-Know-Your-Number-Don't-Mess-With-Me" look. "Don't mess with us, Yeerk. We'll give you a choice: Starve. Or, you can come out. Your choice." LISTEN!!! I'm not a Controller- "Said the obviously-trying-to-cover-it-up Yeerk scum. Gimme a break," said Marco. The scene was getting uglier by the minute. Chapter 12_____Rowx_____
You can hold me but you'll be wasting your time. I'm telling you, I'm not a Controller. My shorm would know in his hearts ask him.They all turned to look at Lazer. He shook his head. I can't answer that. If I were to make the wrong choice, the entire Animorph group could be at stake.
Jake sighed. "You're right. But let's high-tail- and I do mean that literally- out of here. Marco, you carry Rowx." He glared at me. "In human shift."
Marco thoughtfully nodded and morphed gorilla. Come on, Yeerk. On my back now. It'll get really ugly if you don't. Not wanting to become a Shifter baseball bat, I gladly obliged, and we left the pool.
At Cassie's barn, Rachel folded her arms. "I am just NOT going to put up with this. It was sickening enough when that Yeerk in Jake's brain pretended. But this is just pathetic."
"Listen, what am I going to have to do to PROVE that I'm not a Controller? I'll stay for three days, but I can guarantee that nothing is going to happen."
Fine, then, Tobias said. we'll do it.
"WHAT??? You're supposed to say, Hey, Rowx, we're just kidding. We know you're not a Controller and we'll get off your back about it!'"
Being Rowx, you understand why we have to do this.
I had a feeling that this was going to be a long three days
Chapter 13_____Tobias_____
It really did hurt me that we had to do this to Rowx, but we had no choice. Unfortunately, since we had no way of tying her down, we had to keep constant watch on her in our most powerful morphs.To make a long story short, Rowx turned out to be fine. Controller free. No Yeerk. We all apologized and basically remained embarrassed for a couple of weeks.
A short time after that, Rowx said to me, Tobias, you're my friend, right?
I had heard this question from Ax before. And the answer was still the same: Of course I am, Rowx.
Good. I was just thinking if I actually had become a Controller, you guys still would have held me, and I would have still been free anyway. You guys would have saved my life. And I was thinking that you guys really are my friends.
Something sentimental like this sounded strange coming from someone like Rowx, but I knew, that that was probably one of the most sincere things she had ever said.