Disclaimer: Animorphs is still the property of KA Applegate. This is merely an exploration of the world she created. Please come along on this wonderful ride, but keep all arms and legs within the vehicle of your mind. Also read and review! It makes you better people. Maybe.

My name is… Part II

Darek

My name is Darek, and already I've said too much. Or at least for all you know. I could be lying. Our identities are our lives. At this point, though… maybe it doesn't matter. In this war we're just a small hindrance to the enemy. Even so, it's something. I've got to take charge even now. Being leader is tough.

Life is boring. You go to school, and then you graduate. You go to more school, and then you graduate again. You go to work, and then you die. Maybe that's a bit bleak, but it is how things are. It was up to me to make things more interesting. If you do everything at the last minute there's a little exhilaration. There's that jolt in life, found in risks. Sports can also fill that quota. It all brings out the Life in living. It makes everything more bearable. Some people seem content in just going through the phases of life, but what's the point in that? We only have so long here, so things might as well be interesting. Even now, I was barely getting back from making it to the financial office in time. Of course, now all the parking spaces by the dorms would be taken.

Even with only a few people here this early before classes, the parking lot was vicious. I parked by the Great Lake. On the radio I heard the music, just barely audible over the hum of my car. I laid back and let out a breath. Sometimes I needed to find the excitement, but it made me tired. I closed my eyes and the music seemed to grow. "When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight. It ends tonight…"In the darkness I seemed to grow more energized. I could see myself in my mind growing less and less tired. I just needed to take a few seconds to breathe. In my mind I was standing. I was 5'10'' and had short black hair in a crew cut. I was well built, but not huge. My sports were mainly swimming and tennis. I had dark brown eyes that I always thought were too serious for me. This was the picture I held onto for the next few seconds. Suddenly a bright light flashed through my closed eyes. I opened them and was almost blinded by the brilliant white flashes coming from ahead. I got out of the car and heard a scream. I would have tried to find its source, but I was too preoccupied by the spaceship coming towards the ground.

Ben

My name is Ben. The thing is, I can't concentrate anymore. It's getting to be too much. I can usually figure it all out. It's always so clear. Now, I can barely make any decisions. This may not be the right one. I don't know. I just don't know anymore. Being the leader is about finding the right path, but I can't see it anymore, so how can I lead? Maybe this is for the best.

I had it all planned out. If I was here a few days early there'd be no problems getting my financial aid stuff in on time. Unfortunately none of it was going as planned. First I barely make it to the office before it closes, and then some guy rushes ahead of me. I spend a good fifteen minutes staring at myself in the dim reflection from a glass door. I'm not ugly, but by no means am I good looking. I'm short with brown floppy hair. My eyes are always serious and I have a bit of an acne problem. By the time he was finished they were closing the office! I get to the parking lot and he's there too. As I drive back towards the dorms, he's there too! Finally I follow him into the parking lot by the Great Lake and get out, ready to confront the idiot. There is nothing that annoys me more than when things don't go the way they're planned. That's when I see the spaceship. Again I'm right behind the maniac as we run over.

Ane

My name is Anellore-Imaroan-Philiir. I have done my best. My soul is clean. I give myself fully to my people. My life for freedom.

((You are a traitor to your race!)) Those were the last words of the dying Andalite at my feet. They were probably the last thought of most aboard the ship. And they were right. I was nothing more than a traitor now. And for what? To these warriors I was less than an insect.

We had been aboard a small ship stationed behind the planet known as Jupiter by the sentient species of this system. A larger dome ship was supposed to have dealt with the Yeerk menace on the planet Earth. As much as I hate to admit it, though, our numbers were wrong. The Yeerks had a pool ship hidden from that dome ship. Our fellow Andalites had been sent on what was no longer anything more but a suicide mission. This ship was meant to do nothing, but establish their status. It was pretty clear that they had lost.

On board that ship, though, was my shorm, Ismil. Maybe she had rubbed off on me. Maybe her passion had managed to get me caught into this mess. She had morphed a male Andalite. She purposely became a nothlit. She went into this war. Now, she was certainly never coming back from it.

I was reckless in my passion. I had acquired an Ulgap, an insect of the home world and stowed away. In the captain's chambers I waited, hiding until I could acquire him. As soon as he fell to the acquiring trance I secured him. He would not get away. Then I morphed.

Morphing, the prized Andalite technology. There were minor changes to my body, but still the process was weird. I felt myself rise as I grew taller. My tail blade grew and I felt myself put off balance. I felt muscles grow and strengthen. Finally, I was the captain. I moved quickly and gave the orders. The next set of moments became a blur. When the crew became suspicious I had to become forceful. Finally in a last attempt fueled by adrenaline and passion I pushed to the controls and pushed us farther towards Earth.

The Yeerks quickly found us, and our engine was shut down. We stopped and then began hurtling towards the blue/green planet. In those moment of falling everything seemed to slow down. Then in the final seconds I heard ((There! Computer stabilize.))

One technical worker had managed to stop the fall, or so it seemed, until we began the descent for one rapid second before we hit with a dense thud. I could still here the other Andalites going through the final dying ritual. I looked to that Andalite that had saved us. His eyes were filled with horror and I suddenly understood why. The Yeerks would not give up a chance to take Andalite hosts, or to destroy us. All he had done was give us a few more moments of life. There was a quiet crunch as the hatch opened up, but in the silence the sound was unbearable. He ran down the hall, and quickly returned with a blue box. The Escafil device.

((We have to get out)) he said. ((Out there we have a chance of escape. We can wait until the home world sends help.))

2 other Andalites had joined us, and more were coming. ((Go!)) he said. His stalk eyes were glued to the screen showing the Earth's darkened sky. ((Go. Take the device. We'll meet up soon. I'll make sure that everyone gets out.)) I looked at him with the main eyes of the Captain. The stalk eyes stared at the open hatch. I closed all 4 eyes and began demorphing. I shrank for a few seconds. Then the rest of the changes took place. My own body came back slowly. Within moments I was fully me. I grabbed the box within my hands and looked to my fellow Andalite. ((Thank You.))

I ran out into a marshy area. As my hooves began to splash in the murky waters I felt the heat. I turned back and saw the bright flash of light. The Dracon Beam hit, and seconds later all was quiet. I expect no survivors.