Chapter One
Excerpt from the Sonijian Textbook Grade 5
'…By the time the Andalites arrived, it was too late. All ground team 'A', led by then-Aristh Noorlin, found were bodies strewn on the floor and a nation in chaos. An interim government was needed and quickly established. But who sent the signal? Some say it was the
Yeerks, an alien race of parasites whom the Andalites were fighting at the time. Others assume it was a Sonijian civilian who simply found the transmitter and pushed the button. But it remains a mystery to this day.'"Psst, break is over!"
Kecum Manos slammed the book shut at the sound of his best friend's voice. Noticing that Dekis still had a puzzle pad between the pages of his neo-physical science textbook, he shot back to him, " Euo, Te noli voce! * "
As the Andalite instructor, Codin-Inachil-Noleef, droned on about the history and evolution of modern sciences, Dekis whispered, " What is so interesting about that book anyway? It happened so long ago, no one cares anymore. "
" I do. Plus, It's fascinating. It makes you think. You should try it some time."
Ignoring the insult, Dekis curled his wing tips together as and expression of dismissive-ness. *
Kecum poured himself into fantasy again, leaving the boring class and the skeptical Dekis far behind.
After science class, the younger levels were marched military-style into the eating-chamber. While the food was being served by the Sinaks * - in training, Dekis and Kecum sat at the two person table and ate. After the bland edibles were devoured, the two friends once again argued.
" Anyway, we were all fine until the Andalites came! They just got in the way!"
"Got in the way!" Kecum's idealism towards Andalites combined with his upbringing spoke passionately now, ripping the words from Dekis's mouth and tearing them to shreds. " If it wasn't for them, the civ as we know it would have fallen like rocks off a cliff, quickly and steadily towards destruction!"
" And now Li-shon, Zenak, and countless others are dead! Heroes! To some anyway…"
"But De…"
The debate tapered off as an announcement came over the speaker.
Today we have a very special announcement
This didn't catch the Arisths' * attention, for they said this every day, but the next phrase did.
Instructors are looking for qualified Arisths to participate in a special training mission with full warriors.
40 interested sets of ears perked up…
No extra credits will be given…
Half of these dropped…
…But those who participate will get real live battle Sims and field training. Anyone interested report to lock 203 immediately.
The loud speaker crackled off, and excitement pursed through Kecum's mind. Battle Sims? Hands on training? Se-kana *!
"So, you going, Kec? "
"Jox*! "
" I'm not. No credit, no point. "
Curling his wing tips, Kecum left his friend in the eating room and walked down the wide, spacious, empty corridor. Light came in from all sides and the young Sonijian felt as if he were floating. But when the lock numbers started to near the 200s, apprehension settled on him and his imaginativeness again took over. Maybe, they would give him an award and make him a full warrior and a prince and maybe…
Lock 203.
Slowly the automatic doors folded into the walls and revealed a tiny room with one Andalite male perched at a prehistoric data processor playing with the Z-net and muttering to himself. When the grizzled warrior saw the youngster, he pulled himself as easily as he could with dull hooves and barked to the scared minor with a vigor that caught Kecum totally by surprise.
You here for the exercise?
"Y, yes, sir!" The stammered response brought a hard look from the Andalite's main eyes.
"Yes sir. "
That's better. Here.
Paper and ink were shoved into Kecum's arms. The paper read-
Why do you want to participate in this training mission? Can you fly a B-5 model flyer?The questions looked like they were scribbled about 10 seconds beforehand. Hasty scrawling writing on carbon-based paper in ink. The Andalite rightly interpreted the hesitation of the child to mean confusion, and this only made him more frustrated.
Answer the questions!
Without another word Kecum Manos threw down some answers and left the room.