Yeah, it's me, the Walking Salad Shooter from Heaven. So I haven't been here for a while … I've been busy, okay? I haven't been doing any of my normal internet stuff. but 'tis Spring Break now, so here's an exciting new chappie. And by the way, the number of reviews for this story has now exceeded the number of IEH's reviews. so thank you to all my lovely reviewers:

Aldrea – thanks for all the reviews … and the cookie :eats cookie:

Anonymous-Cat – yup, that does tie into IEH, and it won't be the last time that happens. Did you read it :checks: okay, you have read IEH, just not all of it. Well, like I said, there will be more. and oh yeah, the torture thingy - I remembered the iron maiden and stuff from book 25 and it kinda stuck with me.

KP – Thanks, I had a lot of fun with it :)

Edriss – Yay! You get to join the special club of people who like Visser Three! Good, cause we need more members, especially since some people haven't shown up in forever :coughcoughJaDcough: anyway, thank you for the lovely compliments.

Sinister Shadow – well … this is three days after your review, does that count as soon?

Enjoy this new chapter …

Chapter 25

"Visser! Andalite ships coming out of Zero-space!"

Esplin whirled his stalk eyes around to peer at the Blade ship's viewscreen, which displayed an Andalite Dome ship just beginning to dispatch its fighters. The orbiting Pool ship was already maneuvering itself into a fighting position. ‹Somebody alert Sub-Visser One-hundred-ten down on the planet! Illim 418, you do that. Tell him to get any available Yeerks up here for space battle — I want as many Bug fighters in action as possible!›

"Um … there is an Andalite fighter requesting two-way communication with you."

Argh, don't tell me it's Elfangor again. ‹Who and why?›

"It's Prince Elfangor, Visser."

‹Prince Elfangor? He's a prince now? Tell him no, I don't want to talk to him, I'm going to kill him!›

"They're separating the dome from the rest of the ship."

‹Ignore the dome. Aim for the battle bridge.›

"Dracon beams powered. Target acquired."

‹Then fire!›

TSSSEEEEEEWWWWWW!

TSSSEEEEEEWWWWWW!

TSSSEEEEEEWWWWWW!

With a brilliant flash of light, the Dome ship exploded.

‹Yes! Hah-hah!›

More Bug fighters were arriving on the scene, while the Blade ship joined the Yeerk mother ship in picking off the Andalite fighters one by one. However, one Andalite fighter seemed to be especially well-handled, taking out Bug fighters left and right and even getting in a few shots at the Blade ship. Fortunately, Esplin's ship was bigger and sturdier, able to resist the weaker shredder fire of the little fighter. The Blade ship sustained only very minor damage.

Esplin guessed rightly that Prince Elfangor was piloting that particular fighter. ‹Shoot him! That fighter that just hit us. Fire at it!›

TSSSEEEEEEWWWWWW!

The Dracon shot blasted a hole in the side of the ship and annihilated the fighter's left engine. Yet Elfangor kept flying, although slightly lopsided, down toward the planet surface.

"The Pool ship just destroyed the last two Andalite fighters," Diptran 7875 reported. "Except for this one we damaged just now."

‹Very well. Take us down to pursue that fighter. Tell the other Bug fighters not to follow, except for our two fighters. All other Yeerks should resume their normal business.›

Just about every Controller on the Blade ship wondered something like, And what are WE doing? … but they knew better than to question their visser's order.

As the ship drew closer to the planet surface, Esplin could see the fighter had landed among several partly-finished human buildings. The Andalite — who was indeed Elfangor — was lying on the ground nearby.

The two Bug fighters were the first to land. Their fiery spotlights illuminated the Andalite, counteracting the darkness of Earth's night. They also flickered off the faces of a few human-Controllers, probably curious about what Esplin was going to do. He decided to yell at them later. Right now the Blade ship had to disintegrate a human construction machine before it could touch down next to the fighters.

‹He might be leading us into a trap,› Esplin said. ‹I want all Hork-Bajir out of the ship first, followed by the Taxxons. Do not kill the Andalite. I repeat, do not kill the Andalite! The death I have planned for him will be inflicted on the Yeerk who disobeys my order!›

Some Yeerks gave him a surprised look, but all obeyed. The Controllers circled Elfangor's fighter, Dracon beams at the ready, waiting for Esplin's next command.

Esplin stepped out of the Blade ship and walked over to the wounded Andalite. ‹Well, well. What have we here? A meddling Andalite?›

Elfangor made no response.

‹Ah, but no ordinary Andalite warrior. Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, if I am not mistaken. An honor to meet you. You're a legend,› Esplin said, his voice fairly dripping with sarcasm. ‹How many of our fighters have you shredded? Seven, or was it eight by the time the battle ended?›

Still the Andalite was silent.

‹The very last Andalite in this sector of space,› Esplin continued. ‹Yes, I'm afraid your Dome ship has been completely destroyed. Completely. I watched it burn as it fell into the atmosphere of this little world.›

Actually, only the bridge section had burned; the dome itself had fallen into the largest of Earth's oceans — but Elfangor didn't need to know that.

‹There will be others,› Elfangor shot back.

‹Yes,› Esplin acknowledged, ‹and when they come it will be too late. This world will be mine. My own "contribution to the Yeerk Empire." Our greatest conquest. And then I'll be Visser One.›

‹What do you want with these humans?› the Andalite burst out. ‹You have your Taxxon allies. You have your Hork-Bajir slaves. And other slaves from other worlds. Why these people?›

‹Because there are so many,› replied Esplin, and they are so weak. Billions of bodies! And they have no idea what's happening. With this many hosts we can spread throughout the universe, unstoppable! Billions of us. We'll have to build a thousand new Yeerk pools just to raise Yeerks for half this number of bodies. Face it, Andalite, you have fought well and bravely. But you have lost.›

As Esplin stepped closer, Elfangor pushed himself up so that he was standing right in front of the Andalite-Controller.

Esplin, suddenly angry, leaned over in his face and hissed, I promise you one thing, Prince Elfangor — when we have this planet, with its rich harvest of bodies, we will move against the Andalite home world. I will personally hunt down your family. And I will personally oversee the placement of my most faithful lieutenants in their heads. I hope that they will resist, so I can hear their minds scream.›

An abrupt movement! Esplin jerked his head out of the way, but Elfangor's tail blade sank into his shoulder.

‹Aaaaaarrrrrgh!›

TSSEEEEEWWW!

The Andalite's ship had fired its shredders! The nearest Bug fighter was partly damaged.

‹Fire! Burn his ship!› Esplin screeched.

When the Andalite fighter had been completely annihilated, Esplin turned to three of his strongest Hork-Bajir-Controllers. ‹Take the Andalite. Hold him for me.›

‹What are you going to do?› Alloran ventured to ask.

‹I've been waiting for this moment,› Esplin muttered grimly. He focused on the monster he had most recently acquired: the Antarean Bogg.

‹Why?›

‹Don't break my concentration.›

His head was the first thing to change. It expanded, becoming almost too heavy for his body. The two legs on each side melted into one, then became larger and layered with muscle. Finally his body grew just enough to support the massive head and sprouted long, powerful tentacles. His stalk eyes and tail withered away, and his face split open to form an unbelievably wide toothy mouth.

‹What are you DOING?› Alloran hissed in his head.

‹Why do you think I acquired all those creatures?›

Then, the mind and instincts of the Bogg rose up like a raging fire.

The beast was hungry … agonizingly hungry …

So, thought Esplin faintly, before the monster's mind completely overpowered his own, so this is what it feels like to be a Taxxon.