Chapter 61- Marco

Ax and I morphed our bird morphs, and flew to his scoop. I landed first and demorphed, and turned the computer on. Ax was behind me, and I moved over as he placed his fingers on the keyboard. He moved fourteen fingers quickly and soon we were on the e-mail section, and he typed in the address and we decided on a date.

Two weeks from now, we would meet in the mountains. Close to where we had set my mo-where we had set up Visser One and Visser Three. We had failed, but we had almost tricked them.

We made the e-mail sound convincing. I made it arrogant, and Ax made it technical, with all those weird words he uses. Like a math teacher meets an engineer that has hobbies in nuclear physics. Stuff like that.

Then to kill time, we played Minesweeper. I lost to Ax…Somehow four extra fingers give him an advantage to it. I blinked as he moved, click-click-click-click. Congratulations, you won. Blink.

"Let's watch some television."

We turned on the tube and watched some rerun of an old '60's show. We kept the volume low so we could here the e-mail alert noise.

It took about an hour, and by that time we were Charlie's Angels out. But we got a reply. It was brief, like the last had been.

Dear Bandits,

How nice to hear from you. Interesting directions. I shall meet you there.

May the best warrior win, aye?

Signed,

Estreen

It was in a weird curly font, a bit like Comic Sans MS meets Curlz MT. Weird.

Shall we report? Ax asked, turning a stalk eye towards me.

"Nah. We'll wait awhile. They're probably busy. Let's see if we can figure out where this address comes from, anyway, eh?"

Excellent.

"Make sure she can't trace it." I told him. He turned a stalk eye to look at me. It blinked like I had offended him. "Hey, just want you to be careful, right?"

The stalk eye turned.

Chapter 62- Lauren

"This will be your standard battle morph. To use it to fight well, you need to know everything available your morph has to use as a weapon. You can also use your surroundings. With the help of Tobias and Ax and Rachel, you will see what it's like to battle three Hork-Bajir. Remember, don't kill them."

I nodded, and morphed my battle morph. I had already tried it earlier to learn what the mind would be like, so I was ready when it reared up. The mind of a killer. Cool, calm, collected.

I was invincible! I was a leopard. I had speed, grace, and agility. I had steel claws and needle teeth. I could hear and smell anything before it tried to attack. I would leap at my prey-a tapir or another mammal, maybe even a snake- and strike! I saw Jake standing there, and considered. There was no other predator around to claim him. I could swipe my paw with claws outstretched and-

NO! I shook myself free of the mind. I'm in control. What do I do now?

"Go find the others and fight them. Remember, don't kill them."

Ok. I moved forward, moving with the liquid grace of a big cat. I was fast, and my eyes swept over the woods. My fur blended in perfectly with the foliage, and I kept my ears perked for movement or noises unnatural to the forest, and my nose tuned to the scents, to see if I could smell something weird. Not that I knew what "weird" was.

Suddenly…A noise! Harsh breathing, and soft footsteps. I grinned to myself. This might easier than I'd thought.

I walked towards the noise, and my padded feet kept me from making a sound. I spotted the monster. He was maybe thirty yards away. I crouched lower, and moved forward, making hardly a sound. The Hork-Bajir, whether it was Rachel or Ax or Tobias, turned. I leapt!

I landed on the bladed beast, and we ended up in a tangle of blades and claws. I tore at his-or her-stomach, biting his/her arm.

With a mighty kick the Hork-Bajir dislodged me. He bounced from the ground onto me, and pinned me down with a blade at my throat.

"You lose." he/she said in a rough guttural voice.

Never! I wiggled, trying to free myself, but I was stuck.

I kicked at the Hork-Bajir, swiped with a paw, but I was careful not to move my head into the blade. I reached up a paw and shoved the arm and the blade away. Instantly I was up, and I leapt into a tree. Leopards could climb trees, right?
I ended up in a tree branch, with the Hork-Bajir looking for me. I waited…waited…

He walked under my branch, looking around yet, when I felt two blades at my throat. "Hork-Bajir can climb trees too."

The Hork-Bajir looked up, and grinned. "Good try, though. You might've lost one Hork-Bajir with that move, but not two. Definitely some human-Controllers or Taxxons."

The Hork-Bajir on the ground demorphed, and from it emerged Tobias. The other Hork-Bajir leapt from the tree onto the ground, and demorphed. Rachel appeared in its place. Finally, a third Hork-Bajir came forth, and Ax took its place. Well done, Lauren. Though you need practice, that was done well for the first time.

Thanks. I said, dropping from the branch and demorphing. I think.

Chapter 63- Ax

The human Lauren had not achieved her goal- "killing" all three of us. But she had come close to getting Tobias. Maybe if Rachel had not appeared. But that was fine too, they said. She was still learning.

Lauren had adjusted better than David. Then again, David had lost his family to the Yeerks, his home, his life. Under those circumstances I think anyone-Andalite or human-would "snap" as my human friends called it.

Lauren practiced some more, this time she was timed in racing around, doing different things, practicing escaping, running, attacking. She went home tired. I didn't blame her.

Marco, Tobias and I returned to my scoop to watch TV. A movie was on, about some aliens invading and attacking humans. It was very strange. The aliens looked nothing at all like anything I had ever seen, and their ships looked like a species called the Fe'lackax. It bored me, though Tobias and Marco enjoyed it.

I turned a stalk eye to the computer. It was still on, and online. I checked it. One message.

I clicked and checked on it. It was from Estreen.

Dear Bandits,

I have noticed you attempted to "hack" me. Please stop your futile attempts. Although I must admit, it was a most interesting approach. But, while it might "hack" into a Yeerk or human computer file, it will not do me justice. You forget I have technology from almost every species in the galaxy, Yeerks, Andalite, Skrit Na (even though most of their technology is stolen), and many others. I will see you at the field in two weeks.

Sincerely

Estreen

Interesting. I said aloud.

"What, Ax-man?" Marco asked.

I have received another message from Estreen. Apparently, she noticed us attempting to hack her.

"Oh?"

She explains that our attempts are futile, and asks us not to try again.

Marco raised an eyebrow. "I won't say it."

Good.

Marco burst out laughing, though Tobias said, Hey, I'm trying to watch a movie here!

"Whatever."

Chapter 64- Fannaer Eight-Five-One/Tom

~Stupid Yeerks. You're working against your own employee. Tom jeered in my head. How can such an unorganized group of slugs have come this far?~
Shut up, human. I answered, not in the mood to argue.

I sneaked into Estreen's/Genia's room and looked around. Opened the drawers and found nothing, just some clothes. Opened the closet. Nothing. NOTHING! I sank to my knees and looked under the bed. A suitcase! I pulled it out, and unzipped the sides. I looked in.

Inside where some documents, legal jargon from the Visser hiring her, and-

A disk. A tiny, small disk. Not much smaller than a human computer disk, but larger than a Yeerk computer disk. I grinned. But then frowned. I couldn't check it anywhere without going into Jake's room. But he was gone…

I slipped the suitcase back under the bed zipped up incase I couldn't get back to it in time, and crept to Jake's room. I closed the door silently, and saw the computer on screen saver. I put the disk in, and suddenly a bunch of windows opened. Would you like to open? It asked. I clicked "Yes". On the screen appeared what were basically alien "newspaper" clippings. They were in an alien language, with no pictures. I searched for some sort of help, but there was nothing. I tried to decipher the language, but couldn't. Angrily I closed the program, and took the disk out.

I slipped out of the room, into the hallway, and back into Estreen's room. I crouched, pulled the suitcase out, and put the disk back in under the documents. Zipped it up and put it back under. Made sure everything was back in its original order, and left. Then I went into my host's room.

I had learned nothing. The Visser would not be pleased. I would leave the disk out; if I told him about that, he'd be in a raging fit because I hadn't brought it with me.

Through the whole procedure I had tuned out Tom's mockeries and comments. But now, with nothing to focus on, his "voice" returned to me, in mid-sentence. –can't be long now, Yeerk. ~Sooner or later the Visser will kill you. And then I'll be free.~

Until the next Yeerk, stupid human. And if he does it out of anger, most likely he will kill you in the process.

~Better dead than a Controller.~

Chapter 65- Cassie

Lauren practiced after school and on the weekends constantly. She got better. She "killed" two of the three Hork-Bajir, which was a great achievement for someone who'd never been in a real fight. Depending on your point of view, that is.

But the time to fight was growing nearing. There was one day left. Today was Friday- no school because of some teacher thing. You know how it is: every month you basically have one day off because of teacher meetings, or whatever it is they do those days. I wouldn't know. Anyway, Saturday, we would fight her.

Oh goody.

Meanwhile, I still had chores. Rachel helped me more than usual and I was pleased with that, even though about all she did was hand me pills or new bandages. It's the thought that counts, isn't it?

Eventually Rachel left. I finished feeding the animals and giving them their meds or bandages. I swept the floor quickly, and then flicked off the lights except one that was left on incase of emergency with a patient.

I walked towards the house through the dusk. Much of the light was gone but small flickers. I sat on the porch to rest a minute to rest. After five or six minutes, I went in.

Hoping the tan flash I had seen against the last ray of sun wasn't what I thought it was.

Chapter 66- Jake

The sun rose in the sky, blinding me. I blinked a couple times to clear the sleep from my eyes. Wiped my nose, and stood up.

My clock read 6:00, two hours before when I usually got up on a Saturday. Five if I was feeling tired. I rubbed my eyes and yawned.

Then I remembered: Today we would fight Estreen again. Lauren had been bugging me a bit, asking if she could go. I was deciding, and I figured we should take a vote. I called Rachel and Cassie, and told them to meet me at the barn. Since Cassie was already there, I asked her to get Marco, Ax, and Tobias.

I flung my window open, and morphed peregrine falcon. As soon as the changes finished, I spread my wings, hopped onto the window sill, and flew off toward Cassie's.

****

We voted. Rachel and Cassie and Marco for, Tobias and Ax against. I was surprised Ax voted; normally he just followed me. But I wasn't about to object. I was still trying to decide. Rachel and the others argued we needed all the help we could get. The others thought she didn't have enough experience. I agreed with both sides, but which would I choose? I weighed options carefully, trying to think ahead. Finally, I shook my head.

"I don't know. I think we should take her-" Rachel smiled, assuming victory, but I held up a hand to silence her and continued. "-But I also think she might not be experienced enough." I thought hard. What was it that would work?

"We should take her." Rachel insisted. "She may not be experienced enough, but we need all the help we can get. Besides, when we started out, we weren't very experienced. Practice makes perfect."

I nodded. "Yeah. We probably will. Shall we call her? Or send her air-mail?"

I can get her. Tobias answered. I shook my head yes, and he disappeared from his perch in the rafters.

We conversed about the battle. We needed to leave now if we were to prepare. It was an hour or two to fly, and we wanted to pick a few things up first- like food.

Lauren and Tobias appeared shortly after we came to a conclusion. It was impossible to tell the birds apart, except Tobias went back up to the ceiling, and Lauren landed on the barn floor and began to demorph.

"Let's do it!" Rachel cried.

Chapter 67- Lauren

We split up again, and had a quick breakfast. We met up at the barn in a half hour, and got ready. Cassie did some chores around the barn, Jake paced, Marco laid on a bale of hay, and Rachel stood in a corner. Ax was partially hid in a stall in case Cassie's dad sneaked up on us.

"Alright. This is your first mission, Lauren." Jake sighed. "Just do good, OK?"

Rachel grinned, and Marco laughed.

I shrugged. "Fine. Can we go now?"

That really got Marco and Cassie and Jake laughing. "Remind you of anyone?" Marco managed to ask between laughing.

"What'd I say?" I asked. But no one answered.

"Right. It's going to be hard, Lauren. But remember- we're here. We've seen it before. You'll live through it."

"We hope anyway." Marco added.

I was puzzled again, but shook my head yes. "Right. Can we go now?"

Jake shrugged, and said, "Alright. Let's morph. Remember to stay far enough apart, but not too far."

I began my morph to Tobias. I focused on his laser eyes and rusty feathers. And felt the changes start.

First I shrank. I was a miniature, bird-sized human. Then I felt an itching, and noticed feathers growing over my skin. My face jutted out into a beak, and my hair sucked up into my skull. As the changes wore on, I looked around. Jake was a five-foot bird, except his feet were still normal. Rachel was almost done but had blond hair yet. Marco's lips were still there and he was smirking at Rachel. Cassie, on the other hand, was done. Ax had a scorpion tail yet, and Tobias waited patiently in the rafters.

I felt the changes stop. I fluttered up next to Tobias.

But which is which is which? I heard someone ask. Most likely Marco.

Let's do it!] Rachel cried, as everyone finished.

Everyone ready? Right then. Starting on the left wing!

But Jake- that's your right wing.

I laughed. Jake flew out first, followed by Ax, then Tobias, Cassie, me, Marco and Rachel.

We spread out, a hundred yards from each other. Jake "led" us to the place. A valley surrounded by high mountains. It took us twenty minutes to get there, and one by one we spiraled downward and landed under the overhang of some rock. It made a small "cave", and we demorphed inside. Tobias kept watch as Ax demorphed first, then the rest of us.

Prince Jake, a bird approaches. Ax said at the same time as Tobias said, Jake we've got company; a sparrow.

Jake's mouth just emerged. "Battle morphs!"

I focused on the leopard in me.

Chapter 68- Estreen

I flew to the determined battle "arena" that the Andalites informed me of. As I drew closer, I noticed a hawk and an Andalite. I landed and transformed to my human form. Grinning, I watched as a bear, a tiger, a gorilla and a wolf emerged. Last came a leopard.

My grin disappeared. My eyes narrowed.

"There are more of you."

There are not. We have always had this number.

"No! Lies!" I spat. "Before there was a Hork-Bajir, elephant, cheetah, snake, rhino, and a bear. Now there are seven!"

One of us was absent.

"No!"

I "demorphed". To my natural, normal state. The Cha'raek. "Paw" feet, Hork-Bajir head, lava skin.

I stared at them all. I moved my gaze slowly. My skin tingled from the energy, almost like a shark's. My eyes moved from the bird to the Andalite, the bear, gorilla, tiger, wolf, and leopard.

"Very well. It does not matter, yet, why there are more of you. I am being paid to fight you, and fight I will.

"I'll take the first move if you don't mind."

Before they could move, I charged. Towards the spotted cat, the leopard.

The leopard hissed and leapt. I stopped, right where it had been. And blinked.

I ducked from a blow aimed by the bear. I stepped back. Scanning for the leopard. Where, where, where…

Up! On top of an overhang. If I moved back or to any side I would fall prey to it.

I stepped forward. The leopard jumped down, missing me by inches. It growled angrily, while I laughed.

I stopped immediately and narrowed my eyes. Faked a step to my right and kicked.

Just as I suspected, the cat jumped to the left. I slashed with an arm blade, but missed by millimeters.

Not so fast after all, aye Estreen? Asked the cat.

"We shall see who's faster!" I growled.

I dodged a paw swipe, and had to move back towards the more opened area of the field to avoid the Andalites grouping up and knocking me down.

The leopard followed me, and headed to the open. We circled each other. I had my back turned when it happened. I didn't notice until it had happened it-

Chapter 69- Marco

A brown-and-tan blur! It raced across the open valley floor, and jumped between Estreen and Lauren. It paused and we could see its shape. It was a cougar! A mountain lion had jumped between a cat not native to North America and a monster not native to this planet.

It growled at Estreen and protected Lauren ferociously. It made swipes in front of her and showed its teeth.

Estreen paused. Should she kill the cat? Or leap over it? Or was this an Andalite trick.

While she paused, the puma sprang on top of her and held her down with amazing strength.

Estreen moved to kill it, but suddenly stopped mid-swipe. What was going on?

Move in, while she's distracted. Jake decided. We moved into a small ring around them, and I noticed Tobias hopping off and beginning to morph Hork-Bajir.

Lauren backed off. The cat… told her to leave me alone.

The mountain lion got off Estreen and she jumped up, glaring at it.

There was a moments pause. Then I heard a ruff voice in my head. Let her go, Estreen.

"Never! The Andalite scum must-"

What Andalite scum? You mean him? He has not raised his blade against you since your last fight. And he is the only Andalite I see.

"The others are Andalites in morph, you fool!" She spat.

You jest.

"YOU are the jester. These are Andalites- and I have been employed to fight them!"

They are humans, fool, HUMANS!

Jake leapt at the cougar. No!

Ax whipped his blade to Estreen's throat. I grabbed her arms and held them behind her back.

Estreen began to laugh. "This proves it! You are humans."

Jake and Rachel tried to catch the puma, but failed. It bounded back and sat, almost regally, in front of Estreen.

You humans are almost stupider than Andalites. But I will go back. You shall not harm the girl.

"The leopard? Why?"
Behold, she is your-

I grabbed at the cougar. It dodged, and hissed, ears flattening against its skull.

Estreen broke free, and ducked from Ax's blade. She slammed my chest with her fist, and hit me with the flat of her blade.

And everything grew dark.

Chapter 70- Cassie

Estreen knocked Marco unconscious. She whirled. "Speak, fool!"

The mountain lion sat again. It flicked its tail back and forth, in an almost memorizing pattern. I noticed a nick in his ear. It reminded me of something…

First: I have a name. It is not fool. It is K'laile-

"K'laile, son of Me'ik, daughter of F'dara?" Estreen demanded.

The same. Yes, you know me very well. As should the girl. F'diria.

What are you talking about? My name isn't Federia, or whatever. It's Lauren!

"THE GIRL!" Estreen shouted. She leapt and slid into Lauren, knocking her onto the ground. She twisted her head to the left, and whispered in her ear. Then, so we could all hear, she cried, "Why have you come here? You were dead. Dead! And she cannot be one of them. I will-"

Not kill her. No. Come here. I will explain. He said the last part to us. We drew nearer. Feel free to demorph at any time.

Once I lived on a planet far from here, far from the Yeerk home world or the Hork-Bajir -slash- Arn or even the Andalite worlds. I had a family. A wife and a daughter.

Shortly later, when my daughter was merely five-by your standards-her mother, my wife, died. I was stricken with grief, and left. I left the child to live, and teach herself.

I took a ship to another planet. It was not hard. A Skrit Na ship landed, and I stowed away on it. They landed on some other planet, and I got off.

The people on this planet were strange. The most advanced species were two-legged, vulnerable things. Not that there is anything wrong with walking on two legs.

I changed my appearance to look like them. I forgot my cares on another planet, another world. Here, far, far away, I could forget.

I almost forgot who I was. I married, and we had a child. But then I remembered. The pain. I ran away again, but I could not leave this planet. I was stuck.

I became another human. I got a job at a factory. For five years I tried to forget. Then I heard that the Yeerks were here. I feared for my daughter. I returned- but I did not take her. I was afraid she would hate me. That she would not want to leave. So I watched her. Whenever danger threatened her, I helped her. But in doing so I took on a semi-permanent shape. I followed and protected her from the Yeerks and from trouble. She was safe, with me. Though she knew not who and what and where I was.

I named my second daughter F'diria. In our language it means "wind-blown". Or, at least about that. You have no words for the true meaning. I named her this because I felt that she was at the mercy of the wind- it blew her from me to her foster parents and in any direction, she had almost no freedom.

I did not remember my other daughter much. Every now and then I heard of the Yeerks. I feared for my daughter. That is my story. My daughters stand before you. Both beautiful jewels-hard, and deadly, but so perfect and expensive.

Nice story. What's that got to do with us?

Do with you? He echoed. I want my daughters back.