Ch.10 Battle in the Yeerk Pool

[We're all set, Rach.] Actually, Tobias was all set. I had yet to get in position. [You're doing great, Erek,] I said. He couldn't answer, but I knew he understood. I was inside his hologram in my Grizzly form. He projected the extra form as the surroundings. I was ready to do some damage, especially since I knew for sure Visser Three was lying. I could barely see through the hologram of Erek, but just enough. Jordan was being held on an infestation pier. Two Hork-Bajir held blades to her throat. Surrounding the pool were my friends. No doubt the sight was tearing them apart inside, but they had to maintain character.

Visser Three laughed as Erek revealed himself. "Release my sister!" he commanded in a picture perfect imitation of my voice. [Dear girl, what made you think I'd release her?] He turned to the Hork-Bajir. [Infest the younger one first!] He ordered. [I want the last bit of freedom you have to be spent watching her be taken!] I saw my friends give Erek a knowing look. It was if they knew it wasn't me. They were in human form so they couldn't use thought-speak. But I could. [Guys, it's about to hit the fan. Are you in?]

They each nodded. [We are ready, Rachel.] Ax gave me an Andalite smile. Tseer! Quickly and without warning, Tobias struck the Visser's eye stalks. He was so concerned with me that he wasn't paying attention to anything else. [ARRGH!] the Visser screamed. As he stumbled blindly, I stepped out of Erek's hologram. Erek changed to the surroundings at the same time to conceal himself. It worked perfectly. [Holographic technology. Impressive!] I knew better than to think it was a compliment. As we made eye contact, my friends began morphing.

The Hork-Bajir holding my sister didn't know what hit them. Tobias got one with another pass, and the other found himself being used as a throw toy by Marco. [Good to have you back, Xena!] he said happily. I hit a taxxon who'd charged me with a paw. [Good to be back!] I said. Jake and Cassie were busy taking a pair of Hork-Bajir in the corner. I saw Ax swinging his tail left and right, like a salad shooter. Anyone in his path was quickly cut down. In all the excitement, everyone forgot about Visser Three. [Traitors!] he yelled. [I have a special morph to deal with the likes of you.]

As I watched in horror, his entire body turned green. He began growing. In no time he was at least a story tall. He grew clawed limbs, and a mouth full of needle sharp teeth. The most defining feature was that his belly had three holes, from which spiked protrusions sat. [I have waited to see what this morph can do] he gloated. [You will all be destroyed by-] The Visser was screamed in pain. [Do you ever shut up?] Jordan asked. She had morphed to lion during the commotion. [Very well then!] the Visser said. A split second later and Jordan went flying.

[He has a tail!] she exclaimed. She landed in a heap. From what I could tell, you didn't want to be on the business end of that tail. She was bleeding in several places. I charged. [Oooh, a direct challenge!] he said. One of the spiked belly things launched itself in my direction. There was no way to avoid it. It knocked me back about fifty feet through a concrete wall. [Holy crap!] I said. [His belly's tough too!] As Tobias flew, trying to find an opening, the Visser launched his claws at him. They seemed to spiral in the air. [I can't get close enough to get his eyes!] Tobias said.

I managed to get myself up, my forelimbs dripping blood. I saw Jake swipe at him, only to have no effect. His claws couldn't penetrate the Visser's scaly hide. Ax was keeping the Hork-Bajir busy. [Surely you can do better?] the Visser mocked. I looked at the piece of his body that was still attached to me. [Marco, get over here!] I yelled. He dodged claw blades and another belly shot to get to me.

[What do you need, Xena?] he asked. I gritted in pain. [Two things. First, pull this out.] He grabbed and pulled with all his might. It hurt like hell, but eventually he pulled the thing out. [We're getting destroyed.] he said angrily. I saw Jordan rush him again, only to get knocked to the side. [We can't penetrate his skin.] I observed. Marco still held the piece of his body in his hands. [Do you think you could?] I didn't have to finish the question. [Cover me!] he said.

As Marco hefted the spiked protrusion, I made another attack charge. [Jake, Cassie, everybody attack him at once!] Ax jumped on one of his belly spikes, trying to use it to get to his head. The Visser swiped at him, and almost took his head off. [That was too close!] he said. he swung his tail, and carved a nice slash into the Visser's chest. To our dismay, there was no wound.

Our distraction was working. He fired a spike at me, but missed, and I hit him full force. It seemed to knock him off balance. As he stumbled, Marco jammed him in the side with his own body part. Green blood flowed. [I knew it!] I yelled. The Visser screamed in the first real pain since he'd morphed. [We have to cover Marco] Jake said. It was nice to see him in leader-mode. The Visser launched another spike at Cassie, who barely avoided it. Her wolf wouldn't take one of them. Heck, my grizzly barely took one.

Marco ripped it out of the wall and took aim. Tseer! Tobias screamed. He managed to strike one of the Visser's eyes. [ARGGH!] the Visser yelled. At the same time, Marco threw the spike and caught him in the throat. It was a mortal wound. [Everybody out!] Jake ordered. The Visser began demorphing as we hit the exit. [You will pay for this!] He yelled after us. [No matter where you go, I'll find you.] I noticed a support beam. I ran into it with all the force I could muster.

It hurt like hell, but I accomplished my goal. I knocked it right out. [Cave in!] Cassie yelled. We wasted no time getting out. The school began collapsing as we made our exit. I could still hear the Visser screaming as I made it out. We all began demorphing. Jake smiled as he returned to human form. "Using Erek to double as you was genius!" he said. As we finished, Erek revealed himself. "Happy to help," he said. We had to resolve the issue of the Yeerks.

Cassie had the perfect solution. We used the morphing cube to give them the power to morph, and Cassie gave them their selection of morphs. It was a tearful goodbye in the two hours it took them to become nothlits. "Good luck, Tekra," I said. Cassie's Yeerk had chosen an owl. [I'll never forget you!] she said in return. I realized however, that I was probably responsible for several hundred innocent people dying. "Were there holding cells where we where fighting?" I asked. Ax gave me one of those Andalite smiles.

[Not to worry, Rachel. There weren't any where we were.] I breathed a sigh of relief. "Is it over?" Marco asked. Ax shook his head. [No, the Yeerk Pool is too large. We only caved in a small part of it.] Jake smiled wearily. "I'm happy just knowing we put a huge dent in their invasion," he said. It was true. Not only would it take several months to repair the damage, but there was the possibility that Visser Three had been killed. "Hey," Cassie said. "You did great, Jordan." My sister smiled.

"It's official, you're one of us now," Marco added. He then got a good look at her. "Is there any chance you'll go out with me?" he asked, smiling crookedly. I gave him a death glare. "Marco, if you try to date my sister, I will kill you!" He looked right at me. "I know," he said with a laugh. I looked at the destruction we'd caused. "I say we party!" I said happily. We headed back to the logging camp, glad to have won one of the largest battles we'd ever fought.

The End