The Only Way Out
Jake launched at the force field. It stopped him, but he slammed both fists at it before pulling back again, admitting defeat.
Visser One laughed. He was standing on the other side of the force field.
A wonder you haven't given up yet, he said. You've lost, human. You're locked up neatly. Alone.
"I'm not defeated until I'm dead," Jake spat. And then added. "Filthy slug!"
Behave yourself, Visser One sneered. His tail whipped forwards, through the one-way force-field, struck Jake's shoulder and then retreated back to safety. Your friends' health depends on it.
Jake flinched. His hand grabbed the wounded shoulder, but still he glared at the Andalite-Controller.
"Harm them and die!"
Visser One laughed. Don't worry, he said coldly. They're useless dead. We only want healthy hosts. No cripples. But still… they only need to morph to be well again. I can beat them to the limit of survival, and still have a healthy host for one of my lieutenants.
His stalk-eyes twisted and looked sideways at the Animorph leader.
I must admire your courage, he said. It got you far. Almost far enough. But not enough to win. Only to loose with honour.
The Visser turned and left the room, swaying his tail cockily. The lights were switched off as soon as he had gone.
Jake growled. But he sank down on his knees and closed his eyes to stop the tears.
It was too much. It had been seven years since the all-out was had begun. Seven years of hiding in the hills, changing hideout every other day, never staying in the same place twice. The Yeerks had slowly tightened the snare about them all - them, and their families, and the free Hork-Bajir, and the small but strong army that they had built up - by placing guards everywhere. There had been no-where left to hide.
The risks had risen higher and higher.
And all along, the Yeerks had been ravaging around the planet, taking it over by force. There had been resistance. Guerilla groups had popped up everywhere. But only Jake, the other Animorphs, and their small army had been the real threat to the Yeerks. The others had been crushed long since.
He didn't know where it'd gone wrong. Maybe it had all been doomed from the start. Maybe it had been doomed when the Andalites had refused to come.
Maybe it had been doomed when the Yeerks had grown too numerous.
Or maybe, as Cassie said, it was doomed when he forgot how to laugh. When the war had tore too much at him.
"But that wasn't it, Cassie," Jake whispered. "That wasn't the worst part. It must have been when Marco stopped joking. When Rachel grew sick of fighting. When the Andalite pride stopped shining in Ax's eyes. When Tobias stopped flying just for feeling free. And when you stopped… caring."
Jake sat still on the floor. Thoughts tumbled through his head. At the break of dawn, they'd come. The Yeerks would come to bring him down to the pool to be infested. Visser One had scheduled it then to make sure he could supervise it personally.
Until then, he was alone. Locked up securely, no chance of escape. He had already tried every way he could come up with. And a few ways he couldn't come up with.
But the worst was knowing that the others were locked in as well. He might have been able to feel better if he knew someone else was still out there, fighting.
He had tried to make them leave. The battle had been lost before it started. The army, the free Hork-Bajir, the Animorphs… all lost. But he had tried.
"Take the morphing cube and go!" he had called to Cassie. "Go!"
"I'm not leaving you." And Cassie had stayed. She morphed the wolf and joined the fight despite his protests.
"Fly away why you can!" he had said to Tobias.
"I'm not giving up," Tobias had replied. And he hadn't.
"Run away before it's too late!" Jake had ordered Ax.
But the sad Andalite refused. "That is one order I will not take, my Prince."
"Rachel, please! Go! Survive!"
"No. Not now; not ever."
"Marco! Get out of here!"
"If you're staying, I'm staying!"
The replies from the army had been the same. Young and old, every single one had refused to leave. They were dead now. Dead or waiting for infestation, as himself.
Why didn't they listen? But the answer was clear, Jake knew. They didn't leave for the same reason that he hadn't left.
Jake tried to sleep, but restlessness forced him to his feet and he began pacing around in his prison.
No way out.
Jake could have sat down and accepted his fate. It would have been so easy to sit down and accept the inevitable. He would be infested. He would become a high-ranking Controller. Maybe transferred to fight the Andalites on their world. The attack there had begun, he knew. Visser One's next assignment was the Andalite home. Ax would probably be a major part of that.
It was the longest night of human history. The last flame of rebellion against the Yeerks was about to be extinguished. Thousands of hopes were about to be put out. But dawn, it seemed, came early.
A group of Blue-Bands came into the room right on time. Two of them walked through the force field and grabbed Jake's arms tightly. He was too tired to protest.
Too weak, he thought bitterly. Too weak.
As the Hork-Bajir dragged him down to the pool, he could see flashes of battles before his eyes. The one that stayed the longest was the bitter defeat from the day before.
Where is it!? Visser One had raged. WHERE IS THE ESCAFIL DEVICE!!?
No-one had told him. Cassie had hid it safely towards the end of the battle. No-one else knew where it was, and no-one was about to tell the raging visser who had hid it. But soon, the Visser would know.
He had figured that out, as well. Very well, he had said. I will have my escafil device, sooner or later. When you all are infested, I'll know where it is. And you will be punished severely for hiding it from me!
Now Visser One would get the escafil device. He would get Earth. And be far on the way to capturing the Andalite home world. All in one, single, crushing victory.
Jake was half aware that he was left alone in another force field cage. This time, near the pool. He heard the Visser speaking, although it was distant. He almost noticed when the others were pushed in, one by one. Ax, no longer proud and with his tail blade sheathed and tied down to his weak hands. Tobias, in human morph, probably nothlit again. Rachel, battered and almost broken. Marco, his face glum, not even attempting to joke. Cassie. Beautiful, brave Cassie, her face a mask of sadness.
Jake caught her in his arms and hugged her close. With tears rolling down his cheeks and Cassie clutched tightly, he again saw flashes from the past battles.
Cassie had said something to him, very long ago. So long ago that it was almost like a dream. "As long as we're alive, there's hope." He had believed it. But he didn't any more. As long as they were free, there was hope. Being alive had nothing to do with it. Hope was shattered at his feet, and yet he still lived.
Then another flash. The defeat, the last battle; "I'd rather die then be infested!" Cassie had shouted. It had been shouted fiercely, with a very un-Cassie-like determination. At that point, she'd been more alive then she had been for the last four years.
The Visser spoke again. One at a time, he said. Jake heard him clearly. One at a time. Save the leader for last, it'll help break his spirit.
"Jake," Cassie wept. "Don't let them take me."
Jake didn't answer. What could he do?
We'll start with the girl… the Visser continued. The one who morphed the wolf. Bring her out.
Jake felt how Cassie shuddered. Her face was buried on his shoulder. He could see the Hork-Bajir, who stood on a tight circle around the force-field, coming closer. Two of them entered.
He couldn't overpower two Hork-Bajir. No time to tell the others to help. No time to…
He had to save Cassie. There was only one way. One way to save her from infestation.
One way to save her, and the morphing cube.
"I love you," he whispered. He bent down and kissed her forehead. Carefully loosened the grip her arms had around his neck.
Then he burst into motion, pushing her away from him and backwards.
Her face was expressionless as the Hork-Bajir blade shot through her. She didn't make a single sound. Her gaze fixed on his. A thin smile cruised her lips, but blood oozed out of her mouth. Then her eyes faded, and she fell limp in his grip.
Her face was peaceful.
But Jake knew he was screaming.
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Author's note;
Well... sad.
Review, please! Write anything! Just take five seconds to write "good" or "bad" in the box below, make up something that can do for a name, and press the button at the bottom. I mean, you spent a minute or more reading, so you can spare a few seconds, right?
Jake launched at the force field. It stopped him, but he slammed both fists at it before pulling back again, admitting defeat.
Visser One laughed. He was standing on the other side of the force field.
A wonder you haven't given up yet, he said. You've lost, human. You're locked up neatly. Alone.
"I'm not defeated until I'm dead," Jake spat. And then added. "Filthy slug!"
Behave yourself, Visser One sneered. His tail whipped forwards, through the one-way force-field, struck Jake's shoulder and then retreated back to safety. Your friends' health depends on it.
Jake flinched. His hand grabbed the wounded shoulder, but still he glared at the Andalite-Controller.
"Harm them and die!"
Visser One laughed. Don't worry, he said coldly. They're useless dead. We only want healthy hosts. No cripples. But still… they only need to morph to be well again. I can beat them to the limit of survival, and still have a healthy host for one of my lieutenants.
His stalk-eyes twisted and looked sideways at the Animorph leader.
I must admire your courage, he said. It got you far. Almost far enough. But not enough to win. Only to loose with honour.
The Visser turned and left the room, swaying his tail cockily. The lights were switched off as soon as he had gone.
Jake growled. But he sank down on his knees and closed his eyes to stop the tears.
It was too much. It had been seven years since the all-out was had begun. Seven years of hiding in the hills, changing hideout every other day, never staying in the same place twice. The Yeerks had slowly tightened the snare about them all - them, and their families, and the free Hork-Bajir, and the small but strong army that they had built up - by placing guards everywhere. There had been no-where left to hide.
The risks had risen higher and higher.
And all along, the Yeerks had been ravaging around the planet, taking it over by force. There had been resistance. Guerilla groups had popped up everywhere. But only Jake, the other Animorphs, and their small army had been the real threat to the Yeerks. The others had been crushed long since.
He didn't know where it'd gone wrong. Maybe it had all been doomed from the start. Maybe it had been doomed when the Andalites had refused to come.
Maybe it had been doomed when the Yeerks had grown too numerous.
Or maybe, as Cassie said, it was doomed when he forgot how to laugh. When the war had tore too much at him.
"But that wasn't it, Cassie," Jake whispered. "That wasn't the worst part. It must have been when Marco stopped joking. When Rachel grew sick of fighting. When the Andalite pride stopped shining in Ax's eyes. When Tobias stopped flying just for feeling free. And when you stopped… caring."
Jake sat still on the floor. Thoughts tumbled through his head. At the break of dawn, they'd come. The Yeerks would come to bring him down to the pool to be infested. Visser One had scheduled it then to make sure he could supervise it personally.
Until then, he was alone. Locked up securely, no chance of escape. He had already tried every way he could come up with. And a few ways he couldn't come up with.
But the worst was knowing that the others were locked in as well. He might have been able to feel better if he knew someone else was still out there, fighting.
He had tried to make them leave. The battle had been lost before it started. The army, the free Hork-Bajir, the Animorphs… all lost. But he had tried.
"Take the morphing cube and go!" he had called to Cassie. "Go!"
"I'm not leaving you." And Cassie had stayed. She morphed the wolf and joined the fight despite his protests.
"Fly away why you can!" he had said to Tobias.
"I'm not giving up," Tobias had replied. And he hadn't.
"Run away before it's too late!" Jake had ordered Ax.
But the sad Andalite refused. "That is one order I will not take, my Prince."
"Rachel, please! Go! Survive!"
"No. Not now; not ever."
"Marco! Get out of here!"
"If you're staying, I'm staying!"
The replies from the army had been the same. Young and old, every single one had refused to leave. They were dead now. Dead or waiting for infestation, as himself.
Why didn't they listen? But the answer was clear, Jake knew. They didn't leave for the same reason that he hadn't left.
Jake tried to sleep, but restlessness forced him to his feet and he began pacing around in his prison.
No way out.
Jake could have sat down and accepted his fate. It would have been so easy to sit down and accept the inevitable. He would be infested. He would become a high-ranking Controller. Maybe transferred to fight the Andalites on their world. The attack there had begun, he knew. Visser One's next assignment was the Andalite home. Ax would probably be a major part of that.
It was the longest night of human history. The last flame of rebellion against the Yeerks was about to be extinguished. Thousands of hopes were about to be put out. But dawn, it seemed, came early.
A group of Blue-Bands came into the room right on time. Two of them walked through the force field and grabbed Jake's arms tightly. He was too tired to protest.
Too weak, he thought bitterly. Too weak.
As the Hork-Bajir dragged him down to the pool, he could see flashes of battles before his eyes. The one that stayed the longest was the bitter defeat from the day before.
Where is it!? Visser One had raged. WHERE IS THE ESCAFIL DEVICE!!?
No-one had told him. Cassie had hid it safely towards the end of the battle. No-one else knew where it was, and no-one was about to tell the raging visser who had hid it. But soon, the Visser would know.
He had figured that out, as well. Very well, he had said. I will have my escafil device, sooner or later. When you all are infested, I'll know where it is. And you will be punished severely for hiding it from me!
Now Visser One would get the escafil device. He would get Earth. And be far on the way to capturing the Andalite home world. All in one, single, crushing victory.
Jake was half aware that he was left alone in another force field cage. This time, near the pool. He heard the Visser speaking, although it was distant. He almost noticed when the others were pushed in, one by one. Ax, no longer proud and with his tail blade sheathed and tied down to his weak hands. Tobias, in human morph, probably nothlit again. Rachel, battered and almost broken. Marco, his face glum, not even attempting to joke. Cassie. Beautiful, brave Cassie, her face a mask of sadness.
Jake caught her in his arms and hugged her close. With tears rolling down his cheeks and Cassie clutched tightly, he again saw flashes from the past battles.
Cassie had said something to him, very long ago. So long ago that it was almost like a dream. "As long as we're alive, there's hope." He had believed it. But he didn't any more. As long as they were free, there was hope. Being alive had nothing to do with it. Hope was shattered at his feet, and yet he still lived.
Then another flash. The defeat, the last battle; "I'd rather die then be infested!" Cassie had shouted. It had been shouted fiercely, with a very un-Cassie-like determination. At that point, she'd been more alive then she had been for the last four years.
The Visser spoke again. One at a time, he said. Jake heard him clearly. One at a time. Save the leader for last, it'll help break his spirit.
"Jake," Cassie wept. "Don't let them take me."
Jake didn't answer. What could he do?
We'll start with the girl… the Visser continued. The one who morphed the wolf. Bring her out.
Jake felt how Cassie shuddered. Her face was buried on his shoulder. He could see the Hork-Bajir, who stood on a tight circle around the force-field, coming closer. Two of them entered.
He couldn't overpower two Hork-Bajir. No time to tell the others to help. No time to…
He had to save Cassie. There was only one way. One way to save her from infestation.
One way to save her, and the morphing cube.
"I love you," he whispered. He bent down and kissed her forehead. Carefully loosened the grip her arms had around his neck.
Then he burst into motion, pushing her away from him and backwards.
Her face was expressionless as the Hork-Bajir blade shot through her. She didn't make a single sound. Her gaze fixed on his. A thin smile cruised her lips, but blood oozed out of her mouth. Then her eyes faded, and she fell limp in his grip.
Her face was peaceful.
But Jake knew he was screaming.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Author's note;
Well... sad.
Review, please! Write anything! Just take five seconds to write "good" or "bad" in the box below, make up something that can do for a name, and press the button at the bottom. I mean, you spent a minute or more reading, so you can spare a few seconds, right?
