NOTE: Finally! An update! Sorry this took so long, all that stuff that piles up at the end of the school year. Well, finals are over with and I can finally give you something new! Enjoy! Oh, and just a reminder that I own neither Animorphs nor Beast Wars.

No Good Deed

"That's enough, Dinobot!" Optimus shouted. Then he said, "Rattrap, help Rhinox back to the base."

Rhinox picked up his arm. Then both he and Rattrap started making their way back to the base while looking back occasionally to make sure everything was all right.

As Rattrap walked away he could be heard to say, "I told him dis was all insane."

Visser Three was hardly a fool and he knew things were not going to go his way and were unlikely to. Out of thirty Controllers only four were left and even that number was shaky at the time. He didn't like it, but he only had one option. He morphed a kafit bird.

He's going to make a getaway! Marco exclaimed.

Let him! Rachel snapped.

All the Animorphs turned to face her like they couldn't believe what they had heard.

Did I really hear that? Marco asked.

I think so, Tobias replied. I mean, I heard it too.

We got better things to deal with, Rachel said. We find Jake, and if the Visser causes any more trouble, we deal with him too.

Rachel has a point, Cassie said. The Visser can't do much with most of his Controllers gone. Jake could be in trouble right now, and we're wasting morph time.

Speakin' of morph time, said Marco. How we doin' Ax-man?

There are approximately 90 of your minutes left, Ax replied, slightly grumpy. Once again his vow of vengeance was delayed.

Ax... how many times do I have to tell you they're everyone's minutes?! Marco exclaimed in annoyance.

Before everyone knew it the Visser was flying off and three of the Controllers were running after him. One of the Hork Bajir was still there and he wasn't looking too good. He had dropped his dracon beam and was looking very confused.

"What's happening?" asked Cheetor. The Maximals were baffled, but the Animorphs knew exactly what was going on. They had seen it before when Jake went through the same thing.

The yeerk in his head is dying, Cassie replied. It doesn't seem like it will be much longer.

While we wait, Rachel snarled as she turned on Optimus; 800 pounds of angry grizzly bear. What did you think you were doing?! You had no right to step in!

Optimus was stunned. Did this human want her friend to get hurt or killed? He expressed this out loud and got snapped at again.

It was HIS fight! Rachel yelled. We were all right here. This happened before and Ax understood that we would jump in if things got too out of hand.

No one else said anything. All of the Maximals were afraid of drawing Rachel's wrath and the Animorphs were sharing Rachel's sentiments. Ax was just as angry, for the second time he was denied the opportunity to avenge his brother. This time someone who was supposed to be helping them denied it from him.

It was his fight, Rachel emphasized, and then she turned to Dinobot. You understand what I'm saying, don't you?

Dinobot considered that for a moment. "Yes, I understand. This was a fight for his honor."

This was a fight for his brother, Rachel said. Visser Three killed his brother and Ax has to avenge that! You don't understand, you weren't there. We saw his brother die.

For the first time since Visser Three flew away, Ax spoke. The Abomination must be destroyed. If you were hoping to gain my trust, then you will have to work much harder now. You were instructed about the Yeerks and yet you still helped them.

You helped our enemy, Rachel said. How can we trust you?

"The humans have a point," said a white tiger as he trotted up. "Air Razor told me what was happening." He glanced up at the birds circling overhead. "She has told me everything being said and explained the situation. Her and Tobias."

Go ahead and direct though-speak to him too, Tobias said. He's a good guy.

After what just happened I'm not so sure, Rachel said.

Trust me, Rach, said Tobias. You can definitely trust this guy. He's different.

"Tigatron," said Optimus. "I don't think I've ever been happier to see you."

Tigatron was a peaceful bot, and he had a way of diffusing tense situations with his calm voice and peaceful demeanor. Maybe he could help calm down the Animorphs.

Though the rest of the conversation would have to wait. Suddenly a small gray slug came out of the Hork-Bajir's ear and writhed on the ground for a moment before it stopped moving completely.

"What is that?" Cheetor asked.

That's a yeerk, Rachel sneered. Don't let its appearance fool you.

All attention suddenly turned to the Hork-Bajir because he was suddenly up. He was starting to realize that the Yeerk was no longer in his head and that he could function on his own. A look of apparent surprise and perhaps joy flooded the Hork-Bajir's face as he moved limbs that were previously not in his control and hadn't been for a long time.

"Free," he said quietly and then louder with raised arms, "Free!"

"That guy looks ready for some serious action," Cheetor commented.

You could not be more wrong, Marco replied.

Hork-Bajir are harmless without Yeerks in their heads, Cassie explained. The blades are really just for harvesting bark to eat.

That was when the Hork-Bajir began to eye the group uneasily, especially Ax and the Maximals who had weapons drawn. He had seen what had happened to the others with the other robots, and he was all too familiar with the Andalite Bandits.