A/N: Hi, it's me again. In case you're wondering, I ended up uploading the last chapter a total of 5 times:

-Insane9

-Insane9improved

-Insane9letstrythisathirdtime

-Insane9thisonebetterwork

-Insane9ifthisonedoesntworkIamsuing

Yes, I WAS getting mad. Make that incredibly ticked off. I hope it works this time.

-Cathy: Thanks mucho. Compliments are always welcome. And you probably never saw it because is evil. *points to aforementioned unsuccessful chapter uploads*

Now I've uploaded this one, and guess what it's doing? It mashed the paragraphs together, which I've seen happen in other stories. But it only did it with this author's note; the story was fine ... I typed fun instead of fine at first ... too many Fs ... is evil ... more Fs ... so is my sister . now too many Ss ... MAKE IT STOP!!!

oh look, another s.

Ahem. Anyway ... hey, now it's the attack of the As ...

I am not going to say another word.

Second upload didn't work. It's messing up my dots.


CHAPTER 10

~Two Years Later~

"Esplin, I'm bored," Tarak complained.

"You're not the only one," Esplin told him. He surveyed the area. Nothing but Taxxons, Taxxons, and more Taxxons, as far as he could see, with the occasional ship.

"Sssrreewaaaaaa!" screamed a Taxxon.

Both Yeerks whirled around. "What in the world — oh."

A Taxxon fell from one of the mag-lev trains which now crisscrossed the Taxxon planet.

Splat!

He exploded like a dropped bag of water.

Esplin made a face. "There goes another Taxxon."

Tarak shuddered visibly as other Taxxons swarmed around their wounded brother.

Esplin understood. Tarak knew what it was like to be a Taxxon. He didn't. Still —

"Hold it! What? No way!" Esplin blinked. Yes! It was true!

"What?" Tarak asked.

"A Taxxon just ran away from the wounded Taxxon," Esplin explained.

"What?" Tarak said again. "That does not happen."

It could only mean one thing.

An Andalite.

Andalites on the Taxxon home world. And along with them, a second chance.

"Not with a normal Taxxon," Esplin agreed. "This one is unusual. And I believe I know why. Esplin!" he yelled. "Hekliss! Sub-Vissers Twenty-one, Twenty-five, and Nineteen! Over here. Come on, Tarak."

The Yeerks surrounded the Taxxon.

Esplin walked up to the Taxxon and gave the signal for the others to to aim their Dracon beams.

"Welcome to the Taxxon home world," he said brightly, trying to control his growing excitement. "I am Sub-Visser Seven. You interest me. Yes, indeed. I am very interested in any Taxxon who will not eat fresh meat."

Esplin led the Andalite-Taxxon and the other Yeerks to a mag-lev train car.

"Everyone off," he ordered its occupants. They obeyed. Esplin and the other Hork-Bajir-Controllers boarded the train car.

Esplin stared outside as they took off from the platform. He waited for a long time, while hundreds of disconnected but eager thoughts swirled in his brain.

Finally, he could take it no longer. "So, Andalite, how long have you been in this morph?"

"Ssssewwaari ssstwweeeshh," the Taxxon answered.

The Andalite was trying to make the Yeerks think he was a normal Taxxon. Well, it wouldn't work.

"Don't waste that snake-speak on me," Esplin warned, giving the Andalite-Taxxon a look. "If you're one of us, you'll be able to speak Galard."

The Taxxon didn't answer.

Well, I'll play along, then, Esplin decided. "So. You want to resist me? Good. I need the entertainment. It's rather dull, being in charge of security for this sector. I suppose you're one of the rebels. One of those mountain Taxxons who refuse to join the Empire. Well, we'll get to the truth quickly enough."

The train approached their destination - the mound where uninfested Taxxon allies were kept temporarily.

Now it was time to scare the Andalite. "Rebels are just fresh meat. But being a Taxxon, you understand. Any rebels we catch go to feed loyal Taxxons. It's sad, really. But I have no choice. It's one of the idiotic regulations I have to deal with. It's all part of our deal with the Taxxons: Any suspect Taxxon is turned over to loyal Taxxons for interrogation. Of course, Taxxons don't really interrogate. They don't have the patience for it. They ask one or two questions, then ... well, then it's dinnertime."

He paused, looking for the Andalite's reaction. The Taxxon body shuddered.

Esplin grinned. "Of course, you could tell me why you're here, and what your mission really is ... Andalite. You'll still be executed, of course. But I can make it painless. Much better than being eaten alive." He leaned over to the Andalite-Taxxon and began to whisper. "There is one other possibility. The Hork-Bajir body I use is fine, but there are millions of Hork-Bajir-Controllers now. And what are my other choices? To go back to being a Gedd? Or to take a Taxxon body? No thanks. I won't live with that Taxxon hunger."

Suddenly, it was dark. Esplin looked up. They had entered the dirt mound. He looked back at the Andalite-Taxxon and his excitement began to increase again.

"There is one other possibility, Andalite. There has never been an Andalite- Controller. None of us has ever succeeded in capturing an Andalite alive. Your warriors use that nasty Andalite tail blade on themselves rather than be taken alive." Esplin grinned again. "Such a waste. Really. See, I want to be the first to have an Andalite body. With that body, with the Andalite morphing power, I wouldn't remain a sub-visser for long. I could be a full visser."

The Andalite stared hatred through Taxxon eye-globules. Esplin stared back, unintimidated.

"Let me take that Andalite body. You'll live." Esplin grinned. "It's the only way you'll live."

‹My name is Elfangor, Yeerk,› the Andalite responded defiantly. ‹Remember the name. You'll be hearing it again. But you will never take me alive.›

"A pity," Esplin sneered, annoyed. "Stop the car! Open the door!"

Hekliss, the Yeerk closest to the controls, obeyed. The car slowed, stopped. On one side of the mag-lev track was a sheer drop. Esplin looked out and pointed downward. "See them? Taxxons. Not Yeerks. No, those are Taxxons in their natural state. Unimproved, you might say. As savage and bloodthirsty as any creature in the galaxy." He glanced at Tarak. "Throw him out," he ordered.

The Hork-Bajir-Controllers shoved the Taxxon out the door and watched him fall ...