The Homecoming
Chapter One -- Marco
My name is Marco, and for the sake of tradition (and just to be contrary), I won't give you my last name. It doesn't really matter anymore though - the Yeerks have won.
I guess we fought well, but it just wasn't enough. They won. For days, that phrase spun around in head, mixing and interweaving with one other - She's dead. She - my mother, Visser One - was really gone. In the back of my mind I always fought for the day when I'd rescue her and hold her someplace for three days until the Yeerk in her head starved. Then we'd be together again. A real family, like in the days before she "died." But she was dead, and by now my dad was a Controller. So it would never happen.
Gee, Marco, you're probably saying. Where're the jokes? And the sarcasm?
Sometimes there's nothing to be funny about. Once we left Earth on the Andalite Dome ship, I occasionally cracked a joke to help bring some sort of normalcy to my friends' screwed up lives, but my heart was never in it.
And then there were the nightmares.
I'd had lots of nightmares over the last five years - all of us had. Nightmares about stuff you wouldn't believe. Nightmares that made me wake up screaming in a cold sweat with the sheets soaked through. And after we left, I think they got worse for all of us. There were mornings when even Ax looked like he'd only slept for about ten minutes. But these nightmares were different from any I'd ever had before.
I was usually asleep - and I know you're thinking, Well, yeah, wouldn't you be? But sometimes I'd just be sitting there and suddenly I'd be trapped in this nightmare, watching the scene from a third person point of view, and I'd start crying but I couldn't "wake up" until it was done. But that only happened two or three times, and only when I was alone, so mostly I just tried to stay with the others as much as possible.
But whether I was awake or asleep, the nightmare was always the same.
I was in the Yeerk pool - only I wasn't me. I was watching me, watching everything happen, powerless to move or do anything to stop it.
It was our last battle. We knew it was going to be our last battle. The Yeerks had pretty much won by then, and Ax had received a thought-speak message the day before that the Andalites would reach Earth the next day - not to fight, but to rescue us. But we wanted . . . well, to tell you the truth, I don't really know what we wanted. Maybe just to do some damage to the Yeerks one last time, before we had to leave. And we knew we had to leave. That decision had been made after Ax received the Andalites' message. But some of us had personal scores to settle. I wanted one chance to free my mother, even if it was only for a few minutes, just long enough to tell her I loved her and promise her we'd free everyone someday. Ax wanted one last shot at Visser Three. Jake wanted basically the same thing I did - to free his brother, Tom, for just a few minutes. And Rachel was angry at us for voting to leave, and I think she just wanted to kill a few more Yeerks before we left - before we 'abandoned Earth,' as she put it.
So we went to the Yeerk pool for the last time.
We found the latest Pool entrance - 2nd floor, Ladies Apparel, Macy's dressing room. We morphed flies and hid in the dressing room until a woman came in with a purse. While she was opening the door to the Pool we crawled in her bag and hoped the Gleet Bio-Filters that were in place in every Pool entrance wouldn't fry us. They didn't. I wasn't sure whether I was happy about that or not.
Once we were inside we demorphed and remorphed into our battle morphs in an empty side room. For once, we had no special plan - just attack. We were defeated and facing the loss of everything we'd ever loved. I'm not sure any of us (except maybe Ax) cared whether or not we got out of there alive.
In my dreams, I watched the scene unfold. I was a gorilla, my favorite morph, and I watched myself swing a huge fist at a Hork Bajir. He went down hard and stayed down.
I was aiming another blow at another Hork Bajir when I saw her.
She was in one of the cages used for involuntary hosts, screaming her lungs out. She was alternately cussing out Visser Three and cheering us on.
I knew it was stupid. We had purposely walked into a fight we couldn't win and I knew we would need everyone to get out.
But my mom came first.
I slugged the three Hork Bajir guarding her cage. One of them sliced my back pretty good before I knocked him out, but I barely felt the pain. I yanked the lock off her cage - it was just a padlock, no combination, nothing hi-tech. Child's play for a gorilla. ^Go!^ I told her frantically. Dracon beams were beginning to fire as the Yeerks finally got it together enough to fight back. ^Get to safety. Now!^ She didn't argue and disappeared down a corridor just as another walking salad shooter jumped on my back. I turned around and fought as hard as I could for the next ten minutes. Finally, Jake gave the order to retreat, and we pulled back. One by one we managed to make it to one of the drop-shafts.
I was the last one out. Cassie had gone only seconds before me and was waiting when I emerged. Four human Controller guards were unconscious on the floor of the building we were in.
"The others all made it," she told me, as I demorphed in the next room. "I don't know how, but we all made it out alive. They're waiting outside."
^Gre - ^ I started to say, but I crossed the line between thought-speech and spoken speech and couldn't finish. I started to walk outside, but Cassie stopped me.
"Marco," she said gently. "Your mom . . ." She didn't finish. She didn't need to.
"Oh, no," I moaned. I began gasping for air, like I couldn't breathe. My chest felt tight, and there was ice water in my stomach. Cassie took my hand and led me outside.
The others were waiting in an alley. Ax and Tobias were in their human morphs, and Rachel and Jake were themselves. Jake was sitting on the ground with a still human form in his lap.
"Mom . . ." I gasped. She turned her head. She wasn't dead. Yet.
"She was hit with a Dracon beam," Cassie whispered to me. I almost didn't hear her - in fact, it was only after having the dreams that I could recall what actually happened. I knelt next to Jake and took my mother in my arms. The others moved a few yards away to give us some privacy.
"So," she whispered weakly, shivering. "You were the 'Andalite bandits.'" She smiled, trembling. "My brave Marco." I nodded, trying not to look at the wound in her side.
"Mom, we'll get you away from here. The Andalites are coming tomorrow. They'll help you. You'll be okay," I said, desperate to believe myself.
"No, Marco. But I'll die free. I only wish . . ." She gasped in pain. "I only wish we had more time . . . and your father . . ." She trailed off.
"I love you, Mom," I sobbed.
"I love you, too," she murmured. And then she was gone. Just like that.
We hid in the woods that night and the next day, always changing morphs and keeping on the move. At midnight the following night, we met the Andalites in a clearing far from our city. We boarded their ship and left everything behind. I couldn't watch as Earth got smaller and smaller. We all felt like we were running away, but in the back of our minds we were all thinking that someday we would return - and the next time, the Yeerks wouldn't win.
Chapter Two -- Marco
I finally opened my eyes, tears streaming down my cheeks as I tried to stop shaking.
"Same dream?" Jake mumbled groggily.
"Yeah," I answered, breathless. I sat up, ran a hand through my hair and wiped the tears off my cheeks. Suddenly I jumped as someone knocked at the door. I got up on shaky legs and answered. It was Tobias in his human morph.
"Hi, Marco," he said. "'Morning, Jake. Ax said that we all need to meet in our room as soon as possible. We're reaching the Andalite homeworld today."
"Yeah, that's what Ax told me last night. Is he excited?" Jake asked.
"Excited, scared, nervous. I don't think he slept more than a half an hour last night, but he's bouncing off the walls."
"We'll be there," I said with a sigh.
Five minutes later we were all gathered in Tobias and Ax's room, watching an extremely hyper Andalite pace back and forth, tail twitching.
Finally, after about fifteen minutes, I just couldn't take it anymore. "Ax, stop!" I cried. "You're gonna wear a hole in the floor and drive me crazy in the process!"
"Too late," Rachel muttered, shooting a slight smile in my direction.
^I'm sorry,^ Ax apologized, sounding tense. He stopped, but his tail twitched more violently than ever. And an out-of-control Andalite tail is a very dangerous thing.
"Okay, Ax," I said after several minutes of nervously watching him - and his tail. "I've changed my mind. Pace all you want. Just get that tail under control before you impale one of us!"
^I'm very sorry, Marco,^ Ax said again. ^But I haven't seen my parents in more than six of your years. I don't know what to expect.^
"Everything's going to be fine," Cassie reassured him.
^Yes,^ he replied dubiously. ^I am sure you are correct.^
Chapter Three -- Aximili
I was home. I kept trying to convince myself that this was a good thing, but I was feeling apprehensive about seeing my parents. I had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and now I was worried about what was going to happen.
^Warrior Aximili,^ I heard. I turned quickly and saw the door slide open. Captain Kalainth walked in. ^Aximili, your parents are waiting at the base. You will be taken to see them.^
^Thank you, War-Prince Kalainth.^
^Unfortunately, the Council has requested that you not return home until after the hearing. You and your human friends will be given a place to stay.^
^All right,^ I agreed, trying to cover up my disappointment.
^Please remain in your quarters until you are sent for. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to be on the bridge when we dock.^
"Hearing?" Prince Jake said after Captain Kalainth had left. "Are we being charged with something?"
^I don't know,^ I answered honestly. ^I was given the impression that it would be more of a questioning.^ Suddenly, there was a jolt that knocked my friends off their feet and threw me against the wall.
"What was that?" Marco demanded.
^I think we have docked,^ I answered. We waited for several more minutes. Finally, the door slid open and an aristh appeared.
^Warrior Aximili, I am Aristh Ferran,^ he said. ^I am here to escort you and the humans onto the base.^
"The humans have names," I heard Rachel mutter.
Ferran led us down the hall and toward the front of the ship. As we got closer to the front, I heard more and more commotion - thought-speak voices shouting, cargo being unloaded, and the sound of two thousand hooves as warriors and arisths arrived home for the first time in months.
I started down the hall toward the main exit, but Ferran stopped me. ^Your parents have been taken to a separate room on the base. Captain Kalainth thought that it might be better if you were not in a crowd of several hundred Andalites when you were reunited with them.^
^Yes,^ I agreed. I followed him down a hallway that branched off the main exit, and Prince Jake and the others followed me. I was growing more and more impatient.
After what felt like hours, Ferran led us down a separate exit off the ship and stopped in front of a gray door. ^This is the room,^ he said. He looked at me expectantly.
I was puzzled. What did he want? Suddenly, I remembered. I was a warrior now. Ferran's superior officer. ^Oh, um, Aristh Ferran, thank you. You are dismissed.^
^Thank you, Warrior Aximili,^ He trotted off down the hall.
"Well, Ax, you ready?" Prince Jake asked.
^I believe so,^ I replied, my insides churning.
"Do you want us to stay out here?" Cassie asked.
I hesitated. ^Maybe for a little while. But I want them to meet you. You were with Elfangor when he died. And Tobias . . . you and I have something very important to tell them.^
"That's for sure," Tobias agreed. My parents did not yet know that Tobias was their grandson. "Good luck, Ax-man."
^Thank you. Oh, Tobias. You should demorph. You have approximately fifteen minutes left.^
"Okay," he said, feathers already sprouting from his arms. I noticed Rachel watching him with an expression of sadness on her face.
I faced the door and took a deep breath. I touched the access pad and the door slid open.
Chapter Four -- Aximili
^Aximili,^ my father said, turning at the sound of the door. His voice had a strange quality to it that should have bothered me, but I was too overwhelmed by the "sound" of it in my head to notice. My mother, standing by his side, said nothing. She looked at me with all four eyes, and I could see a mix of sorrow and joy in them. Joy at seeing me after all this time. Sorrow at the realization that there should have been two sons greeting them.
I stared at my parents. Six years is a long time. I knew I had changed a great deal, physically and mentally. My parents had changed also. My father's coat was not as bright as I remembered it, and my mother's tailblade was looked dull. Normal signs of aging in Andalites, but it was a shock all the same.
^Aximili-kala,^ my mother finally said, using their special name for me. Literally, it simply means "little Aximili," so it's nothing particularly special. But after not hearing it for five years, it was like music.
^Mother,^ I whispered. ^Father . . .^ I walked forward quickly, and my mother touched her tailblade to mine, and then reached out to touch my arm. I waited for my father to do the same, and after a moment, he arched his tail forward to briefly tap mine - but he did not touch my arm. Strangely, the lack of physical affection bothered me. I suppose it was because humans use touch much more than Andalites do, and I had become accustomed to it during my time with them. My reunion with my parents seemed to be lacking something.
^I'm glad you're home, Aximili,^ my mother said. ^I have been so worried about you, all alone on that strange planet.^
^I - I was not quite alone,^ I replied.
^Ah, yes. The humans with the morphing ability. We have heard about them.^ My father looked at me. It was a look I couldn't read.
^What - what have you been told?^ I asked nervously. This was what had kept me awake all night, and made me pace and shake earlier.
^Just the very basics.^ Now I knew what my father knew. All affection was gone from his voice and my mother was watching him anxiously.
^Noorlin, please,^ my mother begged quietly. I think she had meant to exclude me from her thought-speech.
^Father, Mother, the humans are just outside. I'd like you to meet them, please.^ They knew the lie. The Council had lied to them! They had disgraced me in front of my own parents!
Shortly after I arrived on Earth, I contacted my homeworld using a high powered telescope. I spoke to Lirem, the Head of the Council, and received instructions. One instruction was to not give the humans any information or assistance that would be in violation of the law of Seerow's Kindness. I soon began breaking that law regularly.
The other instruction was to lie. My brother, Prince Elfangor, was a great hero, but as he was dying, he broke the same law I was instructed to follow. He gave my human friends the power to morph. Revealing that would have marred his name and memory in the eyes of our people, so I was asked to take the blame for Elfangor's transgression. I was shocked at the request, but I had always thought that the Council would at least have the decency to tell my parents the truth. Apparently, I was mistaken.
^Yes, ask them to come in,^ my mother said softly. My father was looking at me in a way I never thought he would have to. There was shame in his eyes. He was ashamed of me. I felt all three of my hearts break as I turned back to the door.
^Just a moment,^ I told my parents as I stepped outside.
"Well, Ax?" Prince Jake said, scrambling up from where he had been sitting on the floor. "What's up?"
I said nothing. "What's wrong?" Cassie asked. "I expected you to be ecstatic."
^Do you remember about five years ago, when I contacted my homeworld?^
"Oh, yeah," Marco said with a laugh. "You rewrote that software my dad was working on. Man, he flipped!"
I silently stared at the ground, unable to speak. Suddenly, Cassie's eyes widened as she realized what I was trying to say. "That was when Lirem told you to take the blame for Elfangor giving us the power to morph, wasn't it? You - you mean they lied to your parents?"
^Yes,^ I answered. ^My father and mother think that it was I who broke the law of Seerow's Kindness.^
^Oh, Ax,^ Tobias said sympathetically. He was perched on Rachel's shoulder. ^What did they say?^
^My mother is clearly trying to understand. She wants to meet you. But my father . . . I thought that perhaps he would never be proud of me the way he was of Elfangor, but I never thought he would be ashamed of me. That he would have reason to be ashamed of me.^
"He has no reason to be ashamed. In fact, he has every reason to be proud. You are every bit the hero Elfangor was," Prince Jake told me.
^Thank you,^ I said, but I didn't quite believe him. ^Tobias, perhaps it would not be wise for us to tell them just yet.^
^Yeah, you're probably right. Are you ready for us to go in?^
^Yes,^ I lied. But we could have stood in the hallway for a year and I wouldn't have been ready. I opened the door and my friends followed me inside.
Chapter Five -- Tobias
Ax's parents were standing at the far end of the room. One of them, his mother, I assumed, because she was smaller and seemed to have a more feminine shape to her torso, was facing us. His father was turned away.
^Mother, Father,^ Ax said, sounding nervous. ^These are my human friends. Prince Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Marco, and Tobias.^
^Hello,^ his mother said. ^I am Forlay-Esgarrouth-Maheen, and this is my husband, Noorlin-Sirinial-Cooraf. We are very sorry for the loss of your planet.^ Ax's father - my grandfather, I realized with a shock - didn't move.
"So are we," Jake answered.
^You are somewhat famous on our homeworld. It's nice to be able to meet the humans who managed to hold the Yeerks off for so long.^ Ax' mother smiled at us with a strange Andalite smile.
"After knowing Ax for so long, it's nice to finally meet you, too," Cassie said, smiling back.
^Ax?^ his mother repeated, confused.
"Oh - Aximili," Cassie replied. "It's kinda hard for us to pronounce his full name, so we call him Ax."
^I see,^ Ax's mother said. There was an uncomfortable pause in the conversation. None of us knew what to say, and Ax's father's silence was very conspicuous.
At last, Ax said, ^Father, please. Say something. I know you are ashamed of me -^
^Yes, Aximili, I am ashamed of you,^ his father said, angrily turning to face us. ^You, an Andalite aristh, broke our most important law, the basis for everything we do. You gave these humans,^ he spat, as if "humans" was a dirty word, ^the ability to morph! You helped them and gave them information, despite strict orders not to! I don't want to hear excuses, because there are none! None!^ He glared at Ax. ^Forlay, we are leaving.^
^Noorlin, please,^ Ax's mother whispered. Her husband ignored her and started to walk out the door. Ax's mother hesitated for moment and then followed, touching Ax's hand as she walked by.
Before he left, Ax's father turned and looked his son in the eye. ^Aximili, you are a disgrace to your family. Your brother would never have done such a thing.^ With that, he left.
Ax leaned against the wall, as if he couldn't stand up by himself. "Ax," Cassie said, gently. "Everything will be fine. We'll tell them the truth . . ."
^No,^ Ax interrupted, sounded shaky, but firm. ^No, they must never know the truth.^
"Why?" Rachel demanded. "You're just gonna let yourself be humiliated and disgraced for something you didn't do? And come to think of it, why is everyone so pissed off anyway? I mean, you have that law to prevent a new race of Yeerks, but the five of us are obviously not going to become that. Why should you be punished?"
^Because I repeatedly broke a law. And they must never know the truth because it is either I who am disgraced or my brother's memory. And I will not allow that.^
^We understand, but, Ax, think about the consequences!^ I said frantically.
^I have,^ he replied. ^If anyone asks, I gave you the morphing capability.^
Chapter Six -- Cassie
Soon after Ax's parents left, we were transported to a different part of the base. Once again, we were given three rooms, slightly larger than the ones we'd had on the ship, and told to remain there until we appeared before the Council.
Poor Ax was in a daze. The first night, he spent two hours just staring out the window. He was crushed, and nothing we said seemed to make him feel better.
Our hearing in front of the Council was in two days. The next morning, Jake came to see me after breakfast. (We'd been eating something grayish blue ever since the Dome ship picked us up. I think it was some sort of universal nutrient supplement. It wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't bad either. Marco's quote: "Not as good as a hamburger, but better than Spam.")
"What do you think we should do at this hearing?" Jake asked me. We were sitting on the floor in the room I was sharing with Rachel.
"I don't know," I replied helplessly. I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I know Ax asked us to lie, but I just hate the thought of doing that. I mean, he's giving up everything to protect his brother's memory."
"I know," Jake said. "I feel the same way."
"Have you talked to him?"
"I've tried, but he won't listen." He shook his head.
For awhile, neither of us said anything. It was the first time we'd been alone since we left Earth. Finally, he took my hand and squeezed it.
"How are you doing?" he asked me softly.
"Okay," I answered. "Sometimes I almost forget what's happened and I start thinking stuff like, I'd better get home before dark or Mom will be mad." I sighed. "How about you, Jake? You've been taking care of the rest of us, but no one's really asked how you're feeling."
"I'm okay, too," Jake got up and stared out the small window. "You know, this planet isn't so different from Earth." I stood next to him and looked out.
"I guess," I replied. I didn't quite agree.
"I mean, the grass is a little bluer than ours, and the sky's red and gold instead of blue, and there isn't as much ocean, and most of the animals have six legs instead of four - but overall, there's really not that much of a difference." I didn't answer. For the umpteenth time in the past three weeks, I sadly wondered what was happening back home. Were our families still alive? Did they know what had happened to us? Was anyone still free or were they all Controllers?
"Jake," I whispered. "Do you think our families - do you think they blame us for losing Earth?"
Jake didn't answer. He pulled me close and kissed my forehead. "I don't know," he finally murmured in my ear. "Maybe we'll never know. But we did our best."
"I know. But sometimes I wonder if there wasn't something else we could have done . . ." I turned my head and rested it on his chest as I looked out the window. A six winged bird flew by. What had Ax called it that one time? A kafit bird? I smiled. Except for the extra set of wings, it actually looked a little like an eagle. Maybe Jake is right, I thought. Maybe when you get right down to it, the Andalite world isn't that different from Earth.
I was startled out of my thoughts as I felt Jake's arms tighten around me. He kissed my forehead again. "Cassie," he whispered. I looked up at him. He tilted my chin up with his hand and kissed my mouth softly as he slowly ran his fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes and kissed him back.
Chapter Seven -- Aximili
My father's words had devastated me. I tried not to show it, but my friends knew. Especially Tobias and Cassie. Tobias, in addition to being my "nephew," is my shorm. Cassie is simply a very emotional person herself, and generally quite good at reading other's emotions.
I would never be the hero that Elfangor was. Even if by some miracle I was allowed to continue with my training, my father would never look at me with respect or pride. I was certain of that.
The night before the hearing, Captain Kalainth came to see us. My friends and I gathered in Prince Jake and Marco's room.
^Are you ready for the hearing?^ the captain asked.
"I guess so," Prince Jake replied uncertainly, glancing at me. I aimed all four eyes away.
^Who will be speaking?^ I asked.
^Lirem and the six of you. I will also be addressing the Council, giving recommendations since I know the five humans better than any other Andalite - with the exception, of course, of Aximili.^
^Will my parents be there?^ I asked.
^I assume so,^ Captain Kalainth answered. ^They won't be addressing the Council, but they will most likely be observing.^ I nodded.
^You will be taken to the Council's meeting hall in the morning. Do you have any questions?^ No one did. ^Good night then. I will see you tomorrow.^ The captain left.
^Ax, what are you going to do?^ Tobias asked.
^What I was ordered to do,^ I replied bitterly. ^Lie. And you will do the same. Tomorrow, when you are questioned, you are to never have met Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul in an abandoned construction site. You met me and I gave you the morphing capability. The Dome ship crashed into the ocean and I morphed a sea creature and swam ashore. The five of you were walking by and saw me. Tobias, say nothing of your relationship to Elfangor. You never met him.^ I looked each of them in the eyes as I said this.
I turned and walked out the door before my friends could see the pain in my eyes.
To be continued . . .