Battle
Jake and I looked at the info on the job offer. It looked absolutely normal.
On Saturday, Jake called a meeting.
We were walking through the woods, towards the mountains.
"Ok, today we attack that 'cavern that they have up there. We're going to go in, and rip everything to pieces, and then run for our lives and go waste our allowances at the arcade.
Let's go."
Ok, maybe that's not exactly what he said. But that was the gist of it.
What he actually said was:
"Ok. We need to spy out that cavern up there again. Try to hack into computers, find out what all they're bringing up there, that kind of thing. No one morphs for battle unless absolutely necessary."
Same thing, only what I said was less confusing.
We flew in, hitching a ride on the first truck.
Jake and I led everyone to the closet we had demorphed in last time.
Only, last time, there were two people. This time, there were seven.
Tight squeeze.
We morphed bat, and flew around again.
We watched the controllers and the Hork-Bajir.
We saw people setting up a computer in one room. Another room, people walked out of it.
We went into the room. There was a computer, up and running.
We checked to make sure no one was coming, demorphed, and looked at the computer.
Ax checked it out. He found a couple of documents, that I couldn't read. They were in an alien language.
He told us that they were making this Yeerk Pool to be a place to breed Hork-Bajir and Taxxons. They thought that if they raised the Hork-Bajir, then the Hork-Bajir would obey them, even if they weren't controlled by Yeerks. The kids were there because they didn't want their adult controllers hurt it something went wrong, like a Hork Bajir went crazy.
"Ok, we definitely need to destroy this place. We have to get rid of this place. No other choice. If they start breeding Hork-Bajir with that big incubator machine, we could be in big trouble. They could get thousands of Hork-Bajir in a month. We have to destroy this place totally." Jake said, resignedly. He sighed.
"Wow. What a totally Rachel thing to say." Marco laughed. "I guess we need to kick some Yeerk butt today, huh."
"Let's do it!"
"What morph should I use?" I asked. This would be my first really big battle. We'd be fighting Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, and human-controllers. I was more worried than I'd ever been in my life. But I wasn't scared. Not really.
"Well, you should probably use your alligator morph. Or your rhino. Yeah, use the rhino. We need as much power as possible. Rachel, elephant. Marco, use your gorilla. Ax, use your elephant morph, the one you acquired back when David was with us. Cassie, you need to use your elephant too. Everyone ready?"
Everyone nodded. They looked really grim.
"What! We're just going to fight? No precautions, no detective work, we're just going all-out ballistic? You guys are nuts!" I said.
"Now, I'm starting to like this girl. She's got the sense none of us have." Marco laughed.
I concentrated on the rhinoceros.
I noticed everyone wasn't morphing, just watching me.
Alright, I thought, if they want a show, I'll give them a show.
I suddenly crossed my eyes to watch the horn sprout from between my eyes. It grew in proportion to my face. My eyes grew dim. My ears worked their way to the top of my head, and turned grey. My skin, all of it at once, turned grey. My legs became stumps, and my skin turned rough. I blinked my eyes.
You all can start morphing any time, you know.
They started morphing.
When we were done, the whole room was very crowded. Lucky for us, it was a big room.
Yeeha! Ride 'um, cowboy! Marco yelled! I felt something heavy land on my back.
I'm not your horse! Get off! I said angrily. Marco ignored me.
We charged out of the room!
Ok, Jackie, go straight, and you'll plow into some Hork-Bajir. Then turn immediately left. Marco instructed me.
I ran as fast as I could.
Thump! Thump!
What was that?
The Hork-Bajir.
I turned left.
Bang!
What is that?!
That was a bug fighter. Now it's a piece of scrap metal.
I plowed on, mowing down Hork-Bajir.
I got a couple of really bad cuts in my side. But they didn't mean anything.
I was fighting.
Thump! Thump thump thump thump CRASH! BOOM BOOM BOOM! CRASH!
What was THAT!
That was about five Hork-Bajir, three bug fighters and a bunch of cardboard boxes. Oh yeah, and and a box of dracon beams. You stepped on them, and I think they exploded.
Cool!
Boom! Boom! CRASH! Splash.
I landed in water.
You idiot! Can't you see anything! You walked onto the pier! Get out of the Yeerk Pool!
I floundered blindly for a minute, then got up.
I heard Jake calling.
Listen! Rachel's hurt bad, and Tobias is trapped in a cage. Rachel, get out of here! Someone go after Tobias, please! We need to split!
Where's Tobias! Rachel yelled.
Rachel, leave! Now! Jackie, I got Tobias! Cassie is out, Rachel is out, and I'm heading for the exit. Get out! There are about fifty Hork-Bajir on the way! Get out, quick! You too, Marco!
Which way is the exit?
Slash! Suddenly, Marco was pulled off my back.
Marco! What happened!
Slash!
A Hork-Bajir slashed open my side! I turned and rammed him. I was getting weak.
Marco! Help me!
I heard Jake outside.
Marco's out! Marco, where's Jackie?
She's still in there! I heard Marco cry desperately! I got knocked off her back, and attacked! I….
Marco, demorph! I'm going back in!
I saw a flash of orange and black in front of me. Another Hork-Bajir slashed at me. I tried to ram him too, but he had cut open my front leg. He kicked me, and my other front leg went down.
Jackie! Get up! You HAVE to get out! Visser Three is coming!
I dragged myself up.
This way, Jackie.
I saw an orange and black object in front of me. I followed it, and finallly felt a cool breeze on my face.
Jackie, demorph! Demorph! Demorph! I heard Marco yell.
I concentrated on my image of myself.
I felt the changes beginning.
I quickly remorphed to bird, and took off, even though I was exhausted. I flew, not back to Cassie's barn. Not to our designated meeting place.
I flew to the Center. I landed on the roof, demorphed, and rested. It made me feel better, just being home. After a while, I saw a red-tailed hawk flying towards me. I remorphed to owl, and waited on the edge of the roof.
Jake and I looked at the info on the job offer. It looked absolutely normal.
On Saturday, Jake called a meeting.
We were walking through the woods, towards the mountains.
"Ok, today we attack that 'cavern that they have up there. We're going to go in, and rip everything to pieces, and then run for our lives and go waste our allowances at the arcade.
Let's go."
Ok, maybe that's not exactly what he said. But that was the gist of it.
What he actually said was:
"Ok. We need to spy out that cavern up there again. Try to hack into computers, find out what all they're bringing up there, that kind of thing. No one morphs for battle unless absolutely necessary."
Same thing, only what I said was less confusing.
We flew in, hitching a ride on the first truck.
Jake and I led everyone to the closet we had demorphed in last time.
Only, last time, there were two people. This time, there were seven.
Tight squeeze.
We morphed bat, and flew around again.
We watched the controllers and the Hork-Bajir.
We saw people setting up a computer in one room. Another room, people walked out of it.
We went into the room. There was a computer, up and running.
We checked to make sure no one was coming, demorphed, and looked at the computer.
Ax checked it out. He found a couple of documents, that I couldn't read. They were in an alien language.
He told us that they were making this Yeerk Pool to be a place to breed Hork-Bajir and Taxxons. They thought that if they raised the Hork-Bajir, then the Hork-Bajir would obey them, even if they weren't controlled by Yeerks. The kids were there because they didn't want their adult controllers hurt it something went wrong, like a Hork Bajir went crazy.
"Ok, we definitely need to destroy this place. We have to get rid of this place. No other choice. If they start breeding Hork-Bajir with that big incubator machine, we could be in big trouble. They could get thousands of Hork-Bajir in a month. We have to destroy this place totally." Jake said, resignedly. He sighed.
"Wow. What a totally Rachel thing to say." Marco laughed. "I guess we need to kick some Yeerk butt today, huh."
"Let's do it!"
"What morph should I use?" I asked. This would be my first really big battle. We'd be fighting Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, and human-controllers. I was more worried than I'd ever been in my life. But I wasn't scared. Not really.
"Well, you should probably use your alligator morph. Or your rhino. Yeah, use the rhino. We need as much power as possible. Rachel, elephant. Marco, use your gorilla. Ax, use your elephant morph, the one you acquired back when David was with us. Cassie, you need to use your elephant too. Everyone ready?"
Everyone nodded. They looked really grim.
"What! We're just going to fight? No precautions, no detective work, we're just going all-out ballistic? You guys are nuts!" I said.
"Now, I'm starting to like this girl. She's got the sense none of us have." Marco laughed.
I concentrated on the rhinoceros.
I noticed everyone wasn't morphing, just watching me.
Alright, I thought, if they want a show, I'll give them a show.
I suddenly crossed my eyes to watch the horn sprout from between my eyes. It grew in proportion to my face. My eyes grew dim. My ears worked their way to the top of my head, and turned grey. My skin, all of it at once, turned grey. My legs became stumps, and my skin turned rough. I blinked my eyes.
You all can start morphing any time, you know.
They started morphing.
When we were done, the whole room was very crowded. Lucky for us, it was a big room.
Yeeha! Ride 'um, cowboy! Marco yelled! I felt something heavy land on my back.
I'm not your horse! Get off! I said angrily. Marco ignored me.
We charged out of the room!
Ok, Jackie, go straight, and you'll plow into some Hork-Bajir. Then turn immediately left. Marco instructed me.
I ran as fast as I could.
Thump! Thump!
What was that?
The Hork-Bajir.
I turned left.
Bang!
What is that?!
That was a bug fighter. Now it's a piece of scrap metal.
I plowed on, mowing down Hork-Bajir.
I got a couple of really bad cuts in my side. But they didn't mean anything.
I was fighting.
Thump! Thump thump thump thump CRASH! BOOM BOOM BOOM! CRASH!
What was THAT!
That was about five Hork-Bajir, three bug fighters and a bunch of cardboard boxes. Oh yeah, and and a box of dracon beams. You stepped on them, and I think they exploded.
Cool!
Boom! Boom! CRASH! Splash.
I landed in water.
You idiot! Can't you see anything! You walked onto the pier! Get out of the Yeerk Pool!
I floundered blindly for a minute, then got up.
I heard Jake calling.
Listen! Rachel's hurt bad, and Tobias is trapped in a cage. Rachel, get out of here! Someone go after Tobias, please! We need to split!
Where's Tobias! Rachel yelled.
Rachel, leave! Now! Jackie, I got Tobias! Cassie is out, Rachel is out, and I'm heading for the exit. Get out! There are about fifty Hork-Bajir on the way! Get out, quick! You too, Marco!
Which way is the exit?
Slash! Suddenly, Marco was pulled off my back.
Marco! What happened!
Slash!
A Hork-Bajir slashed open my side! I turned and rammed him. I was getting weak.
Marco! Help me!
I heard Jake outside.
Marco's out! Marco, where's Jackie?
She's still in there! I heard Marco cry desperately! I got knocked off her back, and attacked! I….
Marco, demorph! I'm going back in!
I saw a flash of orange and black in front of me. Another Hork-Bajir slashed at me. I tried to ram him too, but he had cut open my front leg. He kicked me, and my other front leg went down.
Jackie! Get up! You HAVE to get out! Visser Three is coming!
I dragged myself up.
This way, Jackie.
I saw an orange and black object in front of me. I followed it, and finallly felt a cool breeze on my face.
Jackie, demorph! Demorph! Demorph! I heard Marco yell.
I concentrated on my image of myself.
I felt the changes beginning.
I quickly remorphed to bird, and took off, even though I was exhausted. I flew, not back to Cassie's barn. Not to our designated meeting place.
I flew to the Center. I landed on the roof, demorphed, and rested. It made me feel better, just being home. After a while, I saw a red-tailed hawk flying towards me. I remorphed to owl, and waited on the edge of the roof.