A/N: Sorry about the delay. School recently started and there was a lot to do, I was very busy. But I'm making up for it now. Three chapters coming your way. Enjoy. R&R.
Fifteen years later
I have detected something on the scanners. A lot of somethings. Landing all over Earth. I left the room and close the door to the monitor room. Tobias was in bed, sleeping. I went to the kitchen and told Loren,
"We have a problem." She came with me to see and tears began to fill her eyes. By the shape of the spaceships we saw our doom. Bug fighters. Yeerk landing ships. I'd had no idea; I hadn't thought of this, I thought we'd be safe here, on this faraway, unknown planet called Earth. I should've known better.
"They're here?" Loren asks. I pulled her close to me so she could cry on my chest. "What'll we do, Elfangor?"
"We'll be patient." I told her. "We can't go guns blazing with this one. We don't know what their plan is yet." I made her look me in the eye. "Loren. We're prepared for this. We won't let them hurt us."
Weeks later, Loren came home with the final proof. "It's undoubtedly true. The Sharing is a front for the Yeerks."
I put my head in my hands. "The Yeerks are cleverer than I thought. Using the human desire to belong to enslave people. They'll flock to them like sheep." Loren came up behind me and rubbed my back. I reached behind me to put my arm around her waist.
"It'll be okay. We'll do something." She said.
"How?" I asked. "We have no way to fight them!"
"Yes we do. We can use the-"
"No! Loren, no!" I interrupted her, standing up suddenly. "We've talked about this. No!"
"We haven't talked about this Elfangor! I bring it up and you tell me no. You can't just keep ignoring this. It's a perfectly good option that we can use. You're the one who wants to fight, so let me fight!"
I walked away from the table, exasperated. "No Loren. Not that way."
"This is because of you, isn't it?" She yelled at my back. "You can't fight so you don't want me to?"
I turned back so she could see the fury on my face. All of a sudden, the expressions on her face changed and she reached out to me. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.
I'm going to pick up Tobias. I told her and walked out the door.
Driving to Tobias's school I calmed down. Maybe it's because I thought about it more and realized she may be right. I realized how scared I was of her fighting alone, not having me there to protect her.
"Hey, Dad." Tobias said, waving goodbye to his friends as he entered the car. Driving him home from school, he told me about his day. I quietly listened to the drama in my son's life while still thinking about my argument with Loren. When we got home, Loren and I pretended everything was alright. Only when we said goodnight to him, did things change. Every night, since his childhood I'd tell him a story. Always from my own people. I told him about our ancestors and our growth across time. I told him about the heroes of my people. One night I even told him of the Escafil device, that which gives Andalites the power to morph, and of those who used its. He seemed to like that. They'd been superheroes to him and he even made up stories about them. No longer though. One night, about a year ago, Tobias told me he was getting too old for these stories. I was slightly taken aback, but understood. He felt he was growing too old for fairy tales. Tonight, after slightly avoiding each other, I wait in bed for Loren to join me. She soon did, stepping into the room cautiously and closing the door. She came close to the bed where she joined me, curling up to my side.
"I'm sorry." She said again.
I pulled her close, as she rested her head on my shoulder. "No. You're right. I shouldn't keep it away from you like that."
"It's okay. You were just trying to protect me. We both know possible consequences of using it."
I shook my head. "But you were right in saying I was selfish. I am. I was a little resentful that you would have this power that I could never use. That I gave up. It's hard sometimes. I still miss my tail." I lifted her chin so she could look me in the eye. "I know it means a lot to you and you're right. We have to fight the Yeerks and the Escafil Device is the best way. There always is danger when fighting the Yeerks; we might as well have an advantage."
The next day, after Tobias went to school, I unlocked the drawer in the hidden monitor room and took out the blue box held within, while Loren placed her hand on it with mine. I wasn't sure if it would work when in this form, but I knew the DNA was still there. I hoped that touching the box would restore my power, but no such luck. I felt no tingling in my hand or fingers indicating I had just gained incredible power. That went to Loren who gasped as the Escafil device reacted to her touch. And now, it was time to collect some morphs. Time to begin, once again, the life of an Andalite warrior.
Loren drove a few hours out of town to a rescue shelter for animals. There were a few exotic ones that she found including a northern harrier, a wolf and a leopard. The leopard was her favored weapon, lightning fast, agile and dangerous. Her first mission went well. So did her second. The third as well. It didn't get easier each time, like you'd expect. I kept worrying about whether it would be this time that she'd fail. Or the next. Her missions were only sabotage. No fighting. Being only one person, it was too risky. Also this way, they wouldn't know how many of us there were. It was also good that I was the one with a job, which gave her time for this.
A few months into her frequent sabotage, Loren is adapting well to morphing. She'd acquired many by now and we'd done some damage to the Yeerks. We'd identified many entrances to the Yeerk pool, which unfortunately stretched far beneath the city. We hadn't penetrated yet, we'd need more firepower for that and I wouldn't risk it, but besides for that, things seemed to be going well. One of the things I appreciated about being in human morph was that I retained the ability of thought-speech. I could communicate with Loren on her missions and give her advice if needed. I had learned that Visser Three, the Abomination was in charge of the invasion of earth and sometimes appeared. On my scanners, I frequently searched for anything Andalite. He would appear and most of the time I would send Loren to investigate. Many times she'd been able to disrupt his plans and I was proud of her.
One night on a mission, I was in the hidden room, monitoring her mission, when something appeared on the screen. Over the time she'd been fighting we'd been able to stretch the limits of thought-speech so with a little brainpower, she'd here me, even far away as she was.
Loren, there's something incoming. Watch out, I'm not sure what it is.
I'm in the bushes, they can't see me, I'll just watch until- oh my god!
Her voice sounded frightened. What? What is it?
It's the Blade Ship. HIS ship. I knew exactly who she was talking about and my blood ran cold. Really cold. I hadn't felt fear like this for fifteen years. I hated her being there alone, being unable to do anything to help her.
Get out of there, Loren. I said. Now. He's too dangerous.
I can't. She replies. He has Hork-Bajir. If I move, they'll notice me. You know how paranoid he is. I got noticed on a few missions. He won't trust that it's just an animal. I shivered in my chair. I couldn't let him hurt her, besides he was MY responsibility, MINE.
Remember that device we made, Elfangor? Loren asked, sounding sly.
Which one? You don't mean-
Yeah, I do.
How do you have that? I thought I locked that in the safe!
Still using "Tobias" as a password?
How did you-
I know you Elfangor.
You brought it with you?
Yeah, didn't know if I'd need it. I have this bag I bring sometimes. It's on the grass now.
You're keeping that IN A BAG ON THE GRASS?!
Loren laughed. Elfangor, it's one of those special, whatever bags you showed me in the monitor room. It needs voice recognition to open it. It's safe. I breathed a little. But Elfangor? She continued. I want to use it.
Use it? I asked. On what?
The Blade Ship.
I gasped. Loren no. It's too dangerous. This is way beyond anything we've discussed.
Elfangor, we may never get a chance like this again. They'll probably be leaving the ship soon. When they do, I will sneak in and attach it to the console.
They'll leave some behind.
I'll take care of them. I have some experience fighting and this body has more.
Loren, you can't they'll-
Elfangor, what would you do if you were me? If you were in this situation and had this opportunity, would you give it up?
I sighed and put my head in my hands. You're right. I just don't-
I know, dear. I'll be fine. Just keep watching.
Tapping into satellites, I could track heat signatures near Loren. Sure enough the Blade Ship landed, and bodies stepped out. I heard Loren gasp.
I can see him, Elfangor. My body clenched and I wished to be with her, if only to comfort her from that monster. He feels so...wrong I sent her a feeling of comfort with which to hold on to. The bodies leave and I told Loren to wait until they're far away for her to go. I gave her the signal and she was off. I couldn't really see her but I knew she was fighting. And fighting well. I only hoped she'd be okay.
