The Finding
My name is Cassie. I can't tell you my last name or where I live, but the rest of what I'm going to tell you is true. There is an invasion going on. I don't mean that another country is trying to invade us, I'm talking about aliens.
Have you ever seen that movie Them? You know where that one guy puts on a special pair of sunglasses and he finds out that normal people are actually aliens. It's kind of like that except that the Yeerks don't take on human forms. They use their slug-like bodies to crawl into a person's ear and make them a controller. You can't tell who is a controller or not, it could be anyone you know. It could be everyone you know.
We fight them. Us Animorphs, it's not the first time we fought them, when we were all 13 we found out about the invasion from a dying Andalite prince. Right before he was murdered he gave us the power to morph. The power to get an animals DNA and then become that animal. After three years, with the Yeerks still thinking that we were Andalites, we drove them away from Earth.
We went back to our normal lives, got through high school, went to collage, and drifted apart. I guess we didn't want to be reminded of the Yeerks, of the battles we fought, of the terrible things we had seen and done. Then about 3 months ago, Jake, our leader got information that the Yeerks were back. He got us all together again.
But we messed up badly.
The Yeerks found out that we where mostly human, and they found out where Jake and Marco lived. Jake was taken he is one of them now. I still miss him so much, sometimes when no one is around I burst into tears.
Marco, well he used to be this wise cracking guy. Cute, but not my type. He was very smart too, and often saw things that we had failed to miss. Marco is dead now. When controllers surrounded him he took his own life. But at least he died free. (Authors note: Haha Alicia)
But the point is we were down by two people. So we made another Animorph. Jake's brother, an ex-controller… Tom. So far he has been with us completely unlike poor David. I'm starting to think of him as one of us now.
My story begins as I was walking in the woods in search of mushrooms with Rachel. Rachel is a fellow Animorph and my best friend.
"Are you sure you know which ones are good?" She asked. " I don't want to get high off 'em and get lost in the woods."
I sighed; Rachel is a very brave person, but not really into the out doors. That's too bad because we have been forced to live in a cave in the woods since we have been discovered. " Of course I know which are good. I did a paper about it once." I pointed to a patch. " Those are the ones we want."
We bent down and began to pile some of the mushrooms in a carry sack. We were about done when a shadow passed over our heads. " Hey Tobias," Rachel said without even looking up. Tobias has become our leader in the place of Jake, but I don't think that he knows it yet.
Need any help? Tobias asked politely in thought speech.
" No we are about done here." I said.
" Tobias can I talk to you for a moment?" Rachel asked.
" I'll meet you two back at camp." I said wanting to give them some private time.
Chapter 2
Tobias
Rachel walked along while I fluttered along on the branches above her. The sun was setting in a blaze of glory turning the pine needles around me a bight orange.
So what's bothering you Rachel? I asked finally.
She stopped and looked at me. " Eric paid me a visit the other day" She began, "He and his friend have gone back to spying for us."
That's good. I said.
Rachel continued. " He has figured out how to capture Visser 3's blade ship."
I considered that, It would do some damage to the Yeerks and it would seriously piss off Visser 3. This would be great! Maybe we could save Jake in the process and-
Suddenly and shooting pain went through my left wing. I felt my heart start to speed up.
I was just a little worried. Rachel usually made my heart beat fast but this was ridiculous! Rachel something is wrong… I said but my own voice seemed far away.
"What is it?"
I couldn't answer her. It was hard to breathe. The branch seemed to be swaying under me and I felt my talons loosing their grip. I beat my wings a few times to stay on, but again a searing pain shot through my left wing.
Rachel. I moaned before toppling over, not even caring if anyone caught me or not. I was sinking in a vale of fog, a voice from far off cried. " Morph Tobias!"
Morph? Why? I was so tired, just lying here. I needed to sleep; yeah sleep would be good now… But I couldn't… I was being shaken back and forth. It hurt. I'm to old for this.
" Morph Tobias!" A far off voice cried. " Concentrate on being human!"
Human? I remember being human once… The dense fog around me began to swirl and condense into shapes and structures. I was in to auditorium at school. I hung back in the shadows watching the ceremony for the Packard outstanding student award.
The recipients filed out. Rachel was last in line. I stepped out of the shadows, Cassie gave her a wink as she walked by. Marco gave her a bow and Rachel laughed. When she was right in front of me her eyes swept over my human form, indifferent. She stopped walking and turned to face me with wide eyes.
" Hi Rachel." I said with a human voice.
Suddenly the fog around me broke apart. I was no longer in pain. I opened my eyes and saw the other's standing over me even Tom. " What happened?" I croaked, realizing that I was human.
" You just barley made it into morph." Cassie said looking concerned. " You were out for about a half hour."
" Well I feel fine now." I said standing up. " I think that was just a heart attack."
The others exchanged glances; they were hiding something. We think it may not be wise for you to demorph. Ax, the Andalite said at last.
" Say what?"
" How old are you?" Tom asked. " In hawk years."
" 13"
Cassie said. " That's old for a red tail. You know that. If you morph back your hawk body might just go through another heart attack. And next time you might not be so lucky."
" What?" I said not wanting to believe what I was hearing. " You want me to pass the two hours again? To be a human forever? No way, I would rather die then be without my wings."
No, I have been thinking about this for a while now, and I think that since your Human DNA has continued to age it proves that you might be able to receive the power to morph in that body. Ax said suddenly.
" Ax. Why didn't you just say that before?" Tom demanded.
No one asked me. Ax said.
Rachel rolled her eyes. " I'll get the box." She ran off into the woods.
" Are you sure about this?" I asked the Andalite.
Well it seems like it should work. He replied stubbornly. It would be like you were human. Your hawk form would be just like another morph.
Five minutes later Rachel returned with the blue box in her hands. The morphing cube, it was one of the most destructive weapons ever made. It could give the morphing power to anyone. Rachel gave it to Ax who then told me to put my hand on the box. I did and I felt a tingling sensation run up my arm.
You should still be able to use the DNA that you acquired before. Ax said helpfully.
" Ok," I said as I focused on one of my morphs. I didn't care what the others said. My hawk body was like home and I had to find out if I could still use it. I began to shrink, my arms changed direction first with a loud POP. My head shrank, and feather patterns appeared on my skin.
" Don't morph that!" Rachel yelled alarmed. But I ignored her.
Finally I was all hawk again exempt for some differences. My left eye wasn't blind, my talons were not twisted from a joint disease, and my feathers were clean and shiny again.
My body was as young as it was when I had first acquired it.
It had worked. I was a human.
Chapter 3
Tom
" So who's this Eric guy?" I asked.
" He's an android." Tobias replied. " You've probably met him before, his last name is King."
I was shocked. " Whoa! That one kid with light brown hair and about this high?" I held my hand to my neck.
Everyone nodded. Then I heard footsteps, the bushes parted and a normal man with bleached blond hair and smiling eyes walked out. Or what looked like a normal man. Underneath that hologram was an android, I guess. But he looked normal to me.
Eric smiled. " Hello Animorphs."
" You changed your hologram" Cassie pointed out.
" Well I had too, the controllers would have recognized me otherwise" Eric said reasonably. I relaxed a little. There was something that kind of made you want to like the guy.
" So go on… Tell them." Rachel urged.
Eric began. " We have gone back to spying for you and we have learned of a opportunity that you may want to take advantage of." He paused for a second like he wanted to collect his thoughts. " The blade ship is going in for repairs tomorrow. It would be a simple matter to disarm the skeleton crew and hijack the blade ship."
We were all silent for a moment, thinking about what this could mean. If we showed the world what was going on…. " Ax could you fly the ship?" I asked.
Ax snorted. Of course, it is only Yeerk technology after all.
" Ok," Tobias said " Everyone who wants to try this raise their hand." Quickly all the hands were raised. Tobias sighed. " I guess we will be doing this then. Eric what time is the blade ship most venerable?"
I answered for him. " 11:00 Am, the guards will be changing and most of the host bodies are taken for breakfast." Everyone stared at me. " I did some work on the ship when I was a controller. And I picked up a few things" I explained.
Fly morphs would be best, but how will we be able to get into the blade ship? Ax asked.
" Visser 3 will be traveling down to earth in about three hours." Eric said. " It would be simple to hitch a ride."
" It sounds almost to easy!" I said excitedly. " Follow the Yeerk onto his own ship, then just wait until we can strike!"
" Yes," Cassie said softly. " It does."
*********
Getting into the meeting was pathetically easy. The meeting was in an old S.P.C.A. building. The locks were old and rusted; Ax took care of them with his tail. We were walking down a long corridor. Dog and cat cages lined either side of us with its occupants growling or softly barking. Ahead of us the meeting was being held.
"Ok, let's morph." Tobias whispered.
I concentrated on the fly that I had acquired only hours before. The first thing that happened was the wings. They shot right out of my back. I tried to see if they buzzed but the mussels that moved them had not formed yet. The shrinking kicked in and the walls and cages seemed to grow before me. Legs popped out of my chest and my face melted together to from tube-like thing.
Do you think you're a brave person? Well think about how brave you would be if your whole face just suddenly melted and formed into the mouthparts of a fly. The only thing that kept me from screaming my head off or reversing the morph was the fact that the others had done this before with out harm.
Finally… As disgusting as it is… I was a fly. Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, Ax… Anybody! I cried on the edge of panic.
I heard Rachel laugh in my head. Don't worry Tom, you'll get used to it.
Ok, let's fly. Tobias said.
I beat my tiny wings and took off like a rocket! We flew crazily toward a shaft of light coming from under the doorway. ZOOM! We flew like a well-trained squadron under the door. We flew up toward the nearest corner toward the ceiling where we would not be seen.
The fly couldn't really hear sounds, but it could feel vibrations and after a few minutes of listening I began to understand what was going on….
I want them found! Visser 3 roared in thought Speak. Do you understand me? I don't care if we have to plow the whole forest.
" But… But… Visser. They are morph capable and we can't just…" A human controller squeaked.
Are you telling me that you can't find a bunch of humans?
" No, Visser it's just that…"
I saw a blur of blue and heard a piercing scream. The Controller was sliced and diced in about 5 seconds. Visser 3 spoke softly. You have your orders and I want them carried out. Then he turned and walked out the door.
After him! Tobias said.
Chapter 4
Ax
We flew after the light blue blob that was Visser 3. The abomination. A bug fighter was waiting outside the building out of view of the highway. It was child's play to follow the Yeerk inside unnoticed.
Stupid Yeerk technology. I said to my self. Andalite internal sensors would have picked up any alien presence entering or exiting from a ship. The air vibrated around us as the bug fighter took off.
What is our ETA? Visser 3 asked in his loud thought speak.
I couldn't be sure of the answer since it was a Taxxon that spoke, but I thought he said 20 minutes.
Ax, once we get off this thing we are going to need a place to rest. Tobias said.
Umm… The storage rooms would be the safest place. I said. Especially at this time of the day.
Good could you get us there? Tom asked.
Of course.
21 minutes later the bug fighter docked with the blade ship and we followed the Visser out. Ok Ax lead the way. Cassie said.
I had expected it to be relatively easy to find some simple storage rooms, but the ship was dark and the layout of the ship was different than I remembered. So I had a very hard time finding the ship.
This isn't right! I yelled out of frustration. The supply rooms should be on the starboard side, but all we seem to come up with is dead ends!
Cool it Ax-man. Tobias advised.
Suddenly I saw another corridor that headed starboard. We were low on time and if this one didn't work out… Wait a minute… There is! I yelled in relief.
Oh good work, Tom said with a tone of what I believe is called sarcasm So now what do we do?
Now we wait and see if anyone opens it. Tobias said grimly. Or we will have to demorph right here.
We did not have to wait long. A Taxxon came slithering by and opened the door. We flew in after him and with five minutes left. When the Taxxon left we demorphed and when I was fully andalite again I looked around. It was a typical storage room about the size of a human gym. The deck underneath us was medal and a dim row of lights from the ceiling lit up the hundreds of boxes around us.
The humans were already gazing at the boxes. Humans are an eternally curious species that learn remarkably fast. " What's in these?" Cassie asked pointing to the boxes.
Rachel shrugged and walked over to Cassie " Lets find out." She opened one that was on ground level. " What the hell?"
I opened my own box. It's liquefied grass! I said not believing my own four eyes.
" What?" Tobias said.
It is used to feed Andalites who cannot get up and run properly. I explained.
Tom snorted in laughter. " Maybe Visser 3 has been having a few problems."
Yes, but why a whole room of it? That fact bothered me… and made me hungry.
" What time is it?" Tobias asked after we had opened a few more boxes and confirmed that it was all grass.
It is 1:32 AM I said
" Ok people that means that we have about 10 hours until this thing goes in for repairs." Tobias said. " I think we should get some sleep while we still can."
Mostly everyone agreed and we hid behind some of the larger piles in case anyone came in. I don't know if humans get to sleep easily but Andalites don't. I think it's some kind of a throwback from the time when we where hunted by predators. But I guess I did get to sleep because I was woken up by strange sounds. It was coming from Tom's mouth, it was almost a growl but louder and it occurred whenever he breathed in.
Well it was around 3 Am and there was no way I could get to sleep with that kind of noise going on so I decided to make myself useful and hack into the Yeerk computer system. There was a small computer at one corner of the room by the door.
I got up, stretched and walked toward the computer, my hoofs making CLUP-CLUP sounds as it echoed on the medal floor and ceiling. The computer system it's self was a little harder to get into then I thought it would be but once I did get into it I confirmed that the blade ship would be going in for repairs tomorrow.
The humans were still fast asleep and I still had some extra time on my hands so I decided to do a little spying. It seemed harmless enough. I quickly got into the security program and tied into the camera systems. At first I only got a fuzzy black and white image and after a few minutes of tinkering with the program it became crystal clear.
It showed Visser 3 working on a computer also. I laughed to myself. That Yeerk has no idea that I'm watching him. Ha! My laughter was cut short when I saw another andalite join him.
Two andalite controllers?
I switched to another camera and to my horror I saw three more andalites working. I switched cameras again and got the same thing. The realization was slowly dawning on me.
Desperately I switched yet again and again and again, but I always got the same image: andalites working. Andalite Controllers.
No, No, No! I shrieked.
" Ax shut up!" someone yelled from behind the boxes.
But I couldn't stop. No, No, No, No…
Suddenly someone grabbed my arm. I spun around ready to use my tail but it was only Tobias. " What's wrong with you Ax!" He demanded. " Do you want to get us all killed!?"
They're all controllers. I moaned.
" Who is?" Cassie asked walking up to us.
I pointed to the screens and Cassie said some words that I had never heard her say before. Then we heard the door beginning to open. Hurry! Behind the boxes! I said trying to pull myself together.
The humans ducked behind the boxes but I was to slow and I was in plain view when the door opened revealing a Hork-baijr. " Hey, what are you doing here!" He said in Galard.
I was.. um.. Cataloging our supplies. I said.
The hork-bajir eyed me suspiciously but then picked up a nearby box and left.
Chapter 5
Rachel
" The whole race?" Tobias asked.
" That's what the computer said." Tom confirmed glancing at Ax. He was in the farthest corner of the room with all eyes turned away. " It happened about 5 years ago." Tom continued. " They just popped out of Z-space and…enslaved the whole planet." We where all silent while the news sunk in.
I jumped up. " Ok, so that's a major set back, but who cares! I mean, sorry Ax, but we drove the Yeerks away once. We can do it again… and if this works then everyone will know."
" She's right." Cassie said " We have enough power on this planet to drive the Yeerks away or else the invasion wouldn't be a secret."
Everyone nodded in agreement. " Makes sense." Tobias said. " But if this mission fails-" He let if hang.
Ax seemed to snap out of his daze. We should use elephant morphs.
" Say what?"
To get onto the bridge. Ax explained The bridge should be abandoned, but we may encounter some controllers on the way.
So over the next few hours we planned our attack and watched as the controllers left the blade ship via the camera system. Finally we were as ready as we were going to get and the blade ship only had a skeleton crew aboard. " Let's morph." Tobias ordered.
I concentrated on an elephant picture and the DNA inside me began its work. My legs thickened until they became as wide as telephone poles. My hipbone changed shape and I fell onto all fours while gaining several thousand pounds. My skin turned from whitish to the color of lead within seconds. My ears expanded and my nose literally rolled and stretched from my face. Finally I was an elephant, several thousand pounds of unstoppable power. I lifted my trunk and screamed " Haaaarrooowww!"
Let's get us a ship! I yelled in thought speak and slammed myself into the door. It was flimsy and easily came open. Then we rushed out, I was first, followed by Cassie and Ax, Tobias and Tom in his lion morph brought up the rear.
The ship trembled beneath our footsteps. Any controller who got in our way was smashed. A Hork-bajir tried to stop us, and seconds later he was pieces of hork-bajir.
Tom! There's an andalite behind you! Tobias warned. I heard a lions roar and a minute later Tom said He won't be bothering us.
Turn left here. Ax instructed from behind. The bridge should be up ahead. I turned left and came to a large door, kind of like a garage door. I ran into it full force hoping to break it down but it felt like running into a brick wall at full sped. And I didn't even make a dent. I fell back, to dazed to even try again.
Uh oh, I hear a whole bunch of Hork-Bajir coming this way. Tobias reported.
I got it. Ax said and through blurry vision I saw him demorph and open the door by ripping out a keypad near it. We ran in and Ax found the button to shut the door seconds before the Hork-Bajir arrived.
We demorphed and as my vision cleared I looked around. The bridge looked like something out of Star Trek, except triangular. I mean, there was a view screen up ahead and consoles ringed around the edges. I saw the remains of a Taxxon in a corner that looked like it had been there for weeks.
" I guess they don't believe in house cleaning." I said trying to sound tough.
" What are we going to do with the controllers?" Cassie asked pointing to the door.
" Ax, is there inter ship communication?" Tobias asked.
Yes, Ax said after moving to a consule. He played with the controls for a second. I have it so what ever you say will be broadcasted throughout the ship.
Tobias cleared his throat. " Attention controllers." He paused for a second. " In two minutes we will evacuate all the air from the ship. Good luck." He signaled Ax to cut communications.
Out side the door we heard panicked shouts and orders in an alien language and then loud footsteps as the controllers ran for their lives. We all grinned at each other.
" That was so easy!" Cassie declared.
Only Tobias seemed distracted, I walked over to him. " What's wrong?"
He shrugged. " I was hoping that we would… you know… find Jake."
I squeezed his hand. " I know but-" I was cut off by Ax.
Their gone, I am disembarking from the mother ship.
We heard a muffled click as the blade ship disconnected from the mother ship. Someone should take over weapons. Ax said.
" I'll do it!" I said. I slipped into a seat that Ax had pointed to and grabbed the… Joystick… Yes, there was a joystick as weird as that seemed.
Suddenly the whole ship jerked and I was almost thrown out of my seat. " What was that?" Tobias demanded.
Ax looked at his consule and let out a thought speak groan. Tractor beam, the mother ship has us.
Meanwhile my consule was beeping at me. " What!?" I demanded looking down at a tiny screen. It showed a part of the mother ship were greenish beams of light were coming from. " Ax! Can I shoot the… the tractor beam thingy?"
Yes!
I took careful aim with my joystick and squeezed the buttons. Through the little screen I saw twin dracon beams hit the target. It exploded in showers of sparks and the ship gave another wild jerk.
We are free! Ax announced over our cheers. On the big screen earth was getting bigger and bigger. Cassie stood next to Ax and pointed out where Washington DC was. It was surreal, floating through the atmosphere. I guess the sky was overcast in Washington, but when we broke through the clouds we found ourselves almost right over the White House.
" Ok, take it down slowly." Tobias said. We landed on the front lawn and through the screen we could see secret service agents poor out of the White House with guns drawn. We waited until the president herself came out and stood by the bridge hatch.
" We did it." I whispered to myself as Ax slowly opened the hatch………..
And now a small part of part 5: The Lunatic.
" I'll can do it." Jake said heavily.
Tobias nodded and Jake took off. " Wait!" I said. " We still need Cassie!"
Tobias fixed his gaze on me and I could see the sorrow and regret in his eyes. " No, Rachel. We can't wait and if Jake does his job right then the whole place will blow in 5 minutes."
I looked at them, disbelieving. " You can't do this!" I screamed. " She has to be in there and I'm going after her!" I turned and ran back into the entrance with my hands over my ears so I couldn't hear them calling me back. But I could not, would not, leave my best friend to die.
" Cassie!" I yelled to the corridors. Every once in awhile I would run past a controller but they assumed that I was one of them on some business. " Cassie!" I screamed again. Why wouldn't she answer? What if, I caught my breath, she wasn't able to answer me?
HH