Timing





Thanks for that, Jake said. Back at the cliffs. You saved my life.

Only one out of three, Ax replied.

Quit thinking about that, Jake ordered. He was silent for a few moments, as silent as the owl wings that carried him through the night. Ax was soaring not far from him. Then Jake said; Do you think they made it?

Ax didn't need to ask who he was talking about. Rachel and Tobias. From looking over the scene, no, he said. Before Jake said anything, he added; From knowing our friends, yes.

Conclusion?

They are probably about in the same position we are.

Which is, we have no clue what to do or when to do it. Jake sighed heavily. What time is it?

By now, the Animorphs will have been gathered in front of the Visser, Ax said. The resistance is crushed. Earth is doomed.

Not if we can do anything about it. A short silence before Jake continued. The valley. If that's where the other us are, maybe we should be there as well, he said. What do you think?

I will follow your orders, Ax stated plainly.

And I want you to tell me what you think.

Ax flapped his wings and looked out over the ground below them. I think it is time to set course towards the valley.



Theresa and the other Chee hid, disguised as trees, and watched the scene in the dead-end valley below the long slope. Visser One was pacing around, looking generally deadly. Hork-Bajir-Controllers were guarding the prisoners, all standing in neat rows on their knees, hands bound behind their backs. The Taxxons were all busy eating the dead - and the wounded.

For once, it seemed that even the Taxxon hunger would be stilled.

It was a horror.

Theresa wished she could look away, but her eyes refused. It was almost as if they were glued to the prisoners. Not for the first time did she wish that her programming didn't forbid violence. And not for the first time did she wish that her programming forbad watching it and its consequences.

At the center of the scene were the Animorphs. Somehow, all six of them had survived the battle, and all six of them were sitting on the ground, bound and under draconpoint.

Tobias had morphed human, after several threats first against himself and then against his friends, for the simple reason that Visser One wanted to see them all kneeling. Ax was the most awkward. Andalites were not made for kneeling.

And to everyone's surprise, maybe mostly her own, Cassie was the most defiant. Her eyes were flashing angrily. She had refused to kneel until Visser One had ordered a Hork-Bajir to push her down to her knees. Even then, she was defiant.

Theresa couldn't figure it out. She herself was terrified, and she wasn't even among those caught. Maybe Cassie felt she had nothing more to lose. If that was the case, she was right.

Where is it!? Visser One raged. WHERE IS THE ESCAFIL DEVICE!!?

No-one said anything. The gazes of the prisoners were stubbornly stuck on the ground. The refugees shivered, glanced around nervously, terror shining clearly on most faces, but they all kept quiet. The warriors, off to one side and under extra guard, didn't even move. Some of them lifted their faces proudly and glared, openly rebellious, at the Visser.

Around the Visser stood his special guard. Four enormous, Blue-Banded Hork-Bajir, their eyes never ceasing to search the area.

Visser One shook with anger. Tell me where it is! he demanded. His gaze fixed down on the Animorphs, sweeping from one to the next. Who has it?!

"Scream if you wish," Cassie spat. "You'll never get it."

Visser One's eyes narrowed. All four aimed at the usually calmest of the Animorphs. "Sweet defiance," he said, and suddenly laughed. "It will get you no-where! But do not worry. We'll watch that defiance fade, human, once you've been brought to the pool."

Cassie flew up to her feet. "I'd rather die than be infested!"

A Hork-Bajir slammed a fist into her stomach and she fell to the ground again with a grunt. Turning around to lie on her back - and on her tied hands - she looked upwards. The Hork-Bajir lowered a hand to pull her up but Visser One stopped him.

No, he said. Let her lie there. It will do her good.

Because of that, Cassie pushed herself up to sit cross-legged on the ground. "Forget the escafil device," she said lowly. "Because you will never find it."

Visser One watched her for a few seconds. Cassie didn't move, but fixed her gaze on something in front of her that only she saw.

Very well, Visser One said, still watching Cassie with an icy stare that was usually enough to make anyone shiver. I will have my escafil device, sooner or later. When you all are infested, I'll know where it is. His tail flew down and struck a rock, causing a sudden sounded which made everyone, even the guarding Hork-Bajir, jump.And you will be punished severely for hiding it from me!

TSEEEW!

Dracon, fired at the Visser! A Hork-Bajir guard leaped in front to save him, and the Visser turned a stalk-eye in time to watch his guard fall with the dracon's characteristic burn on his face and arms.

Someone tried to shoot me! Visser One roared, as if it was the Hork-Bajirs' fault. His eyes had gone wide, both from surprise and anger. Then they narrowed again, this time definitely from anger. Rebels! REBELS! Find them! Kill them! KILL THEM!

Theresa turned her gaze to down by the trees.

There was only one rebel. A woman, who was clutching a dracon tightly in one hand as she ran away, as fast as she could.

Theresa reacted immediately. She put out her own hologram, stepping into the holographic tree that was projected by her friend, and built up her own hologram around the woman to let her escape.

When the woman came closer, Theresa and her friend projecting the hologram around them ran up to meet her and stop her.

She almost panicked when she saw the two androids, but Theresa used her most friendly voice, and the woman stopped, and followed them as she was asked. Maybe she was too tired to object. She certainly had good reason; she was burnt from head to foot.



Jake stopped himself at the last moment from crying out in disappointment. Someone had fired at the Visser… and failed!

He didn't remember that happening. He didn't remember that happening while he had been kneeling in front of the Visser, so long ago and yet at that same moment.

He and Ax had morphed Hork-Bajir, stolen blue bands for their arms and joined the Yeerk guards. It had been amazingly simple to do, and no-one seemed to suspect anything.

Visser One kicked lightly at the dead Hork-Bajir that had leaped and saved him. Strange, he said. Of four guards, only one leaps to save me. his stalks traveled around the other three guards. I do expect more enthusiasm.

"Visser, the…"

Kill them, Visser One said coldly. And feed their bodies to the Taxxons. He looked out over his guards, leaving to his followers to handle what he had just ordered. The three doomed guards just stood there, gaping, and before they even thought about getting away each was shot with dracons.

Jake knew it was a waste. The Visser felt angered, possibly even a bit shocked, about almost being killed. Instead of dealing with it, he let it out on his guards. Foolish. Jake looked away, as most of the Hork-Bajir guards, as the Taxxons began eating.

They might need replacing as well, the Visser continued, glaring out over his guards.

With your permission, Prince Jake, Ax said quickly.

Jake thought about if for half a second and decided it was a good idea. Go ahead, Ax-man.

Ax stepped up and took a place by the Visser's side. So did three other Blue-Banded Hork-Bajir. The Visser, unconcerned by the problem of the enthusiasm-lacking guards now that he considered it long gone, turned to one of his Sub-Vissers and the two began talking privately about something - probably concerning the prisoners.

Suddenly there was a sharpness in Jake's mind. As if something had jumped in unannounced.

Something had. A memory. An old memory… of that same day. But from the perspective of the Jake that sat with his hands tied in front of the Visser.

Jake's eyes went wide as he realized what it was about. And realized that he had to stop it.

Ax! he cried. Don't!

Too late. He knew it was too late even before the words were out of his mind.

Ax flew forwards, blades flashing. The Visser saw him with one stalk-eye, turned to face him, began rearing up on his hind legs and received a deep slash across his chest that had been intended for his throat.

He thought-roared in pain, sidestepped to avoid Ax's blades, and…

FWAP! FWAP! FWAP!

Ax slumped to the ground. Began getting up again… FWAP… and he fell, his skull split wide open.

Jake stood frozen, unable to move. Afterwards, he knew that if he had moved, if he had rushed up to mourn his fallen friend, he would have blown his cover and been killed himself. But at the time, he didn't move because he just felt… numb.

He didn't hear the Visser roaring. Some of the prisoners had taken the distraction to attempt to flee, and Hork-Bajir were sent to catch them again.

Jake saw another Hork-Bajir being ordered to take Ax's place, as the Taxxons began their next meal. The remains of a once-proud Andalite was gulfed down in large chunks.

Jake followed the other Hork-Bajir as they led the prisoners to transports. He snuck away for a couple of minutes to demorph and remorph, and after that managed to get a place guarding in the transport of his own old troop. The Animorphs were honored with their own transport, filled with three dozen dracon-equipped Blue-Banded Hork-Bajir, force field cages for each of them, and BioFilters at each exit.

Jake remembered being almost flattered. Almost, because he wouldn't have minded a little less guards. A little less high-tech security.

He and four other Hork-Bajir were the ones chosen to escort the Animorphs, one at a time, to their cells. Jake saw immediately that it would be a very bad idea to refuse and back down the offer. It seemed that the Yeerks considered it a very high honour to escort the captured Animorphs. It would have rooted a lot of suspicions if he had said no.

And the commanding Yeerk was Reith. His own Yeerk. Jake remembered very clearly how cruel Reith was. He remembered clearly how he'd cringed back to a corner of his own mind when the Yeerk was angered.

A part of him wanted to fly up at Reith's throat, rip it out, and care nothing for what happened after. Another part of him managed to beat the idea out of his mind, knowing that it would do no good in the end.

A third part of his mind agreed with the second part, but out of actual fear for the Sub-Visser who had shared his head for seven years.

Jake still had a tight feeling in his throat as he grabbed a struggling Rachel under the arms, pulling her along, knowing exactly where and exactly to what. Knowing what he doomed her to.

But he had no choice; not before, not when it had started. Against the four real Hork-Bajir guards who accompanied them, he could do nothing except die trying, even with Rachel's help. He felt like a coward, but knew it was true.

Dragging himself to his own cell was not as bad as he had thought. That time, he didn't have to do the dragging. He walked in front. And guarded outside the cell as the other Hork-Bajir pushed the younger him in behind the one-way force field. He could hear himself screaming in spite, and was surprised at how strong his voice was. He seemed to remember it being much weaker.

One at a time. Marco, Tobias, and Ax. Ax tried to break free, more successfully than any of the others thanks to having back legs to kick with, and ended up being led with two Hork-Bajir holding an arm each, Jake holding the leash of the Andalite-shackles in front, and two Hork-Bajir walking behind, holding his tail. As well as the three Hork-Bajir that accompanied from here and there along the way, for extra security.

Then came Cassie. Jake couldn't bear dragging her, and instead lifted her up - as carefully as possible - on his shoulder. He almost broke out crying as she kicked wildly against his chest, twisting and turning and screaming in rage. He worked very hard on keeping a straight face.

The other four Hork-Bajir waited outside the cell as he led her in. He put her down gently on the floor, holding her shoulders to make her stay more or less still, and easily avoided being hit as she kept kicking.

Be brave, he said.

She stopped kicking. Looked at him, frowned, tilting her head to the side, and mouthed one word; "Jake?"

Jake gave a short nod, stroked her cheek reassuringly, then pushed her in behind the force field, and turned his back to her. She began screaming again, raving, slamming against the force field, roaring at him, but he ignored her pleas - ignored the cries of his own mind - and left the cell, closing and locking the door behind him.

He felt horrible.



Rachel jumped again as a dracon sliced past, just next to her.

"Oh, I want my camo-bug!" Tobias exclaimed. "I'd shoot those guys out of the sky faster than you can say 'ha'!"

"We all would like your camo-bug, Tobias," Rachel said. "Unfortunately, they haven't been invented yet. What a shame, huh?"

Tobias muttered something that Rachel missed, because another dracon shot down with a loud TSEEEW.

"We can't stay here long," Rachel said.

"Gee, you think?" Tobias was in a very bad mood. He was in a bad mood because he was scared. And that tended to happen to people who were shot at.

"Problem is, where can we go?" Rachel continued.

"We should try to find Ax and Jake."

"Good one. Next problem; if we were a rebel leader with a near-death experience and a self-pitying Andalite, where would we go?"

"I don't know."

"Somewhere safe?" Rachel suggested, trying to straighten out her hair with her fingers as if she was at home in front of a mirror. "Or somewhere they could do some damage."

"Okay. Safe. Plus do damage. Let's see, where's that? NOWHERE!"

"Tobias. Stop snapping and start thinking."

Tobias began muttering again, but sat down with his arms crossed and did as he was told.

"Safe might be somewhere the Yeerks wouldn't be looking for us," he said finally. "Somewhere they don't expect us. Somewhere they think is safe."

They exchanged a glance. Dawn was coming, and they could see with their own human eyes again. An advantage for them, but also a disadvantage; it meant that the Yeerks could also see them.

"Yeerk pool," Rachel said.

"Yep."



Jake had demorphed and remorphed several times as soon as he had gotten the chance. It was dawn, and it was time for the infestation of the Animorphs.

Jake had decided to watch. He knew he wouldn't be able to do anything, but if he was there… maybe, somehow…

But of course, he could do nothing. He watched, together with hundreds of other spectators, himself being pushed into the large cage in the center of the pool area. He knew the others would be following soon. And things would start over again.

Jake was by one of the exits. After watching the display, he was going to leave. Find Rachel and Tobias. Maybe find a way to end his own suffering. It was growing too much. Failure upon failure, nothing could change it.

He had been a fool. Thinking he could undo what's done. Thinking he could change the past. But he had learned his lesson now. He knew. You don't mess with time. Time messes with you.

All the pieces fit perfectly. Even the Andalite world's defeat; they were defeated because their fleet had been called away. Who's fault was it? Theirs. Everything they had done set them on the road they had tried to avoid. Everything they had adapted and changed only tied them harder to the fate they feared.

Jake sighed when he saw a younger Ax being half-dragged, half-pushed towards the force field cage in the center of the pool area. He turned on his heel, and began walking away. Quickly. There was nothing left to do. And he couldn't bear watching it.

He demorphed to human as he walked. Passed through the BioFilter, walked further and further away from the pool, and finally morphed falcon. He flew for a whole two hours, caring nothing for where he was flying, just following the winds, before he landed. Drank some water from a spring, ignored the burning hunger in his belly.

He found himself walking again. It was the middle of the day, and any Yeerk who passed by could easily spot him and kill him. He didn't care. He hoped half-way to find Rachel and Tobias, but made no effort to do so.

It was almost night again when his thoughts changed. Suddenly he stopped, not knowing why, and looked behind him. He was far up in the hills, probably safe from the Yeerks, especially since darkness was falling.

He squinted up against the sky, and the beautiful silvery moon. The stars were shining as brightly as ever. He didn't know why he was looking up, but he was. Maybe he was even hoping to see something that signaled the arrival of the Andalite Fleet.

Then there was a sudden buzzing sound.

Jake spun around, expecting a bug fighter, dracons, Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, human-Controllers, or even Visser One himself.

Instead there was a woman. She fell to the ground, writhing, bleeding; a wicked, perfectly circular burn from a dracon right between her shoulder blades. Her breath came in rasps, she coughed, and tried to turn towards him but failed.

"Help me," she croaked in a voice that was no more than a whisper.

Jake stared, first at her.

And then at the large metal sphere on the other side of her.




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Author's Note;

Oooooh, this I like. I'll give you a clue; someone's getting burnt awfully much these chapters... Poor thing. *hehe*
And if you figure out who she is, can you figure out how she got there? And what she's been doing?
Gave you something to think about, there. I hope.