MARCO:
My name is Marco. I won't repeat anything Jake said. I'll just say that Jake and I have been friends for a long time. Also, I was the one who came up with the name Animorpohs. Pretty cool, huh? Did I mention that girls say I'm incredibly cute? Well...maybe not yet. But they will!
My day had been going pretty good until Tobias had shown up and announced the emergency meeting. It seemed like I would finally get to go through a day without worrying about the Yeerks. Guess I'm not that lucky.
"So?" Rachel demanded. "What is it?"
"Over the past few days I've heard some of the higher up controllers talking about a project nearing completion," said Erek.
I didn't like this already.
"They must be at a crucial stage because Visser Three has been more irritable than normal," Erek continued.
"Look, man," I said, "just tell us what it is."
Erek hesitated, the human hologram he projected appeared to be embarrassed. He apparently thought this was important but was afraid we would not believe him.
"The Controllers I managed to overhear said something about a time travel device," Erek said.
No one spoke for a long, awkward moment. The idea was just so absurd! How would they build a thing like that? Yet, at the same time, it was a terrifying idea.
What would the Yeerks want with a time machine? Tobias mused.
How could the Yeerks build such a device? Ax wondered grumpily. Their technology is not that advanced. Even if they do have it, it most likely will not work.
"The most important question is," Jake said. "What would they do with it? I can't think of any reason for them to go through so much trouble."
This was absolutely insane. Instead of playing video games, I was out in the woods trying to figure out why the Yeerks would want to jump through time. Like Ax, I doubted it was a real threat. Though Ax's Andalite pride had been damaged. He obviously hated the idea that the Yeerks could come up with something before the Andalites.
I was starting to get frustrated. There was no reason I could think of for the Yeerks to possibly want a time machine. I could think of a few reasons why I would want one. Like, there was this one test that I really could have done better on.
Apparently Cassie had thought of an idea because her eyes went wide.
"What if," she said, "what if they want to go back in time and destroy the dome ship with Elfangor on it before it reaches Earth?"
"It makes sense," said Erek, "but what would that accomplish?"
I was the one who got it first. "No Andalite bandits to get in the way. Elfangor would never have given us the power to morph, though Visser Three doesn't know that."
He would be changing a lot more than he thinks. Tobias said.
Rachel was starting to look angry, and that made me feel nervous. I had a feeling what she was going to say.
"I've heard enough!" she snapped. "If the Yeerks really have a time machine, we have to go destroy it!"
"Well, fearless leader?" I asked, looking at Jake.
Jake looked thoughtful. "Part of me thinks this is some elaborate deception. Something to lure the "Andalite bandits" where they can catch them."
"Jake, don't say it," I said warningly. I had a feeling what was coming.
Jake glared at me and said, "Let's take a vote."
Right on cue Rachel exclaimed, "I'm in!"
I'll do what I can. Tobias said. As a hawk he's limited to how much he can do, and I think that bugs him a lot sometimes. He wants to be more useful. Though he recently did regain the power to morph, but he doesn't have many morphs yet.
I will do what Prince Jake orders, Ax said. That wasn't a big surprise.
"Ax," said Jake, "I've told you not to call me Prince Jake."
Yes, Prince Jake, was Ax's reply.
Jake looked at Cassie. Being the peaceful, nature-lover, she's usually not too keen on missions. Though for different reasons than me. However, ever since I've learned about my mother, I've had a different attitude about missions.
"If I'm right then this mission may be more important than any of the others," Cassie said, "I vote yes."
"Oh, man!" I said. "Alright. I vote yes."
"That makes it unanimous," said Jake. "Any idea about when they'll be finished, Erek?"
Erek shook his head. "I was lucky to find out as much as I did. If Visser Three knew that anyone had been talking about the project they'd be killed. That's how secret this is."
Jake sighed. "That means we have to go tonight."
That did it. Another mission that we weren't prepared for and knew practically nothing about. Just as long as it didn't involve an insect morph, I would be happy.