Chapter 7
I got up, I couldn't sleep anymore, I wasn't sure I wanted to after that dream.
Perhaps it was part of my brother's 'hirac delest', that had somehow found its way to me. Perhaps...
Looking about, my ears and eyes told me it was late aboard our ship. Captain Evaren and T.O. Alloran had probably gone to their chambers and left Kelt Mahet, Jennifer Lovedye, and Zachary Hummal in charge whilst the rest of us slept.
Slowly, I wandered out of my quarters, I needed to move.
Something about the ship at night made me uneasy. It was quiet, and where I was it seemed I was seemingly alone.
A ghost ship.
I meandered through the small R&R area, where we can graze and prepare ourselves for upcoming events. Like battles.
Then, I saw them. The information stations.
They were all in the same room. I entered and closed the door. What I was about to do could be considered treasonous, I realized that. But I didn't care.
I was tired of being called "female" by Captain Evaren, tired of wondering why the command of the Shorm was weary.
I wanted answers.
The stations were different, each had an individual symbol on the side of the panel. It was printed in Galard, an intergalactic language. In school we were taught to read and speak Galard as well as a few other languages if we took the right coarse.
I read them.
"Ship Log".
"The Shorm".
"Crew".
There were several others, but I was only interested in "Crew."
The panel had an incryption code, but I broke it easily in two minutes time.
Computer, I said when the screen was ready, list crew member data profiles.
In a few seconds the screen blinked and the names of our crew were listed. I looked them over.
Licturn, Corass, Hummal, Meylenee, Orion, Mahet, Lovedye, Gah-
I paused. Ralimn was already listed? It would take another twenty-six hours before the computers would update and he would listed. Normally.
What was going on? The only other way he would be listed would be if...
If he were already listed from the very beginning. Open Gahar's files, I said in private thought-speak. Yes, I was talking privately to a computer. What else was new?
The screen blinked again. Ralimn's files appeared and listed down the viewscreen.
Profile.
Battle Files.
War Records.
Academy Training Sessions.
Hold on. HOLD ON.
War Records?!
Most tactics and skills would be kept in Battle Files. War Records were used only when something 'unwanted' was to be listed.
Unwanted as in "not good".
Computer, open War Records.
In a flash the document opened on my screen. I read it.
"The Andalite Warrior, Ralimn-Lasult-Gahar, during the great Human/Andalite vs. Yeerk battle fought valiantly for the Andalite/Human side.
"However, in the Battle of the Diversion, Ralimn showed cowardice under fire. Right after long time friend, Warrior Jahlil-Kraventz-Enaste was pronounced dead Yeerk fighters swarmed to get away. The living Andalite fighters killed them off, one by one. Ralimn's fighter did not join in.
"Warrior Ralimn had taken his fighter off to the corners of the field, where he powered down his ship and 'waited,' as he told commanding officers, 'for death to finally reach him.'
"Disobeying orders from his superiors, Ralimn-Lasult-Gahar, is charged with cowardice under fire by running away from the battle to wait for the enemy to fire at his fighter."
I stood there, momentarily, shocked. I backed out of Ralimn's records. Then, another file popped up. Family.
In the same langauge, Galard, it read that his family had also been killed in the same raid as mine. It made sense. His family's scoop had been next to ours.
I read all the family and war record files of my comrades. I know it was wrong, but I also knew I had to understand. Ralimn, Alloran, and Evaren must have already known everything about everyone.
Captain-Prince Evaren's family had died in the war against Yeerks in the beginning. His war files charged him with scandalous violent acts.
Torture.
Murder.
Abuse.
It was against the Yeerks, mostly, some happened against lower officers who would not follow commands.
I already knew what was in Alloran's War Records, therefore I didn't read the deeper content. He had a wife and two children. His children were adults now.
Kelt Mahet was a Hork-Bajir Seer.
No wonder she seemed different. I murmered to myself.
She had a brother. The rest of her family, and her mate, had died in freedom fights.
Jennifer Lovedye was tweny-two years old. Her parents lived on Earth, but she had not heard from them in years, being in space. She had no War Records, not having really been able to participate in action due to minor injuries.
Zachary Hummal worked as a mechanic for four years on Earth. He later flew to Leera to help with a new Dome ship in the making. At age 18, he had no war records.
And then there was me, Yaolyn. I had no War Records, being to young to fight by the laws of my people. It said I had remarkable tail-fighting and combat skills. Which made me laugh, I barely passed the class.
For fun, I checked personnel files. Mine.
I stopped laughing. Couldn't breathe.
"Killed in Action, eh?"
I spun, my tail blade flew, stopping inches from the throat of...
Zachary Hummal.
He held up his hands, "Whoa! I'm not here to harm you, aristh. I wanted to see what the hell you were doing in a private area."
I'm learning why everyone is acting so suspicous. I glared at him.
"Well, I could probably help you."
How?
"Read the screen."
It says I was killed in action.
"Exactly, it says that for everyone onboard I'll bet," he said.
I didn't have to check, I knew.
Zachary continued, "We were all wanted onboard, including that new guy, Ralimn-what's-his-face. Evaren left without Ralimn, so Fletchet, on orders from Galuit had no choice but to steer his ship over and have a stern talk with Evaren.
"I was wanted for my engineering skills. Jenn for her agility and no concern for anyone. Kelt for her intelligence. You for your fighting skills. And etc."
Not too mentiont he fact we have now large family support, except for Alloran, I added grimly.
"Alloran's here because he's disgraced. If he can get back the Animorphs and our living legend, Ax, then he stands a good chance of being liked again."
So, there's a second and third reason for why we're here? I wondered.
"Exactly."
My eyes hardened, I kept my tail blade near his throat, then I withdrew it. You were there in the meeting before Alloran or I, I said harshly. Tell me why else I am on this mission.
"But,"
Tell me! I hissed.
Hummal fidgeted, nervous. He played with hands as he replied, "You're here because mwerf eh mmmm."
What? Stop muttering!
"Alright!" he exclaimed. "You're here because Galuit knew you would be good in a fight, had no excessive family to speak of, but also because you wouldn't have lasted long in the academy anyway."
Explain to me why, please, I whispered.
"Galuit saw your files, grades and so forth. You'd barely accomplished your training and passed. Barely passed school grades. Had you stayed much longer you'd have been kicked out, and then where would you go?"
My shoulders sagged, tail drooped. My back legs almost buckled. I felt older. Too old to be worth anything.
The human saw my reaction. He tried to be comforting, "Hey, come on. Want to here why else I'm here?"
No, that's alright.
He took a step forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, Yao," he said, "go back to your quarters, get some more rest. I'll walk you there."
It was a pitiable attempt to comfort me, I felt sick. But, it worked. And it made me like the human, Zachary Hummal, more.
I got up, I couldn't sleep anymore, I wasn't sure I wanted to after that dream.
Perhaps it was part of my brother's 'hirac delest', that had somehow found its way to me. Perhaps...
Looking about, my ears and eyes told me it was late aboard our ship. Captain Evaren and T.O. Alloran had probably gone to their chambers and left Kelt Mahet, Jennifer Lovedye, and Zachary Hummal in charge whilst the rest of us slept.
Slowly, I wandered out of my quarters, I needed to move.
Something about the ship at night made me uneasy. It was quiet, and where I was it seemed I was seemingly alone.
A ghost ship.
I meandered through the small R&R area, where we can graze and prepare ourselves for upcoming events. Like battles.
Then, I saw them. The information stations.
They were all in the same room. I entered and closed the door. What I was about to do could be considered treasonous, I realized that. But I didn't care.
I was tired of being called "female" by Captain Evaren, tired of wondering why the command of the Shorm was weary.
I wanted answers.
The stations were different, each had an individual symbol on the side of the panel. It was printed in Galard, an intergalactic language. In school we were taught to read and speak Galard as well as a few other languages if we took the right coarse.
I read them.
"Ship Log".
"The Shorm".
"Crew".
There were several others, but I was only interested in "Crew."
The panel had an incryption code, but I broke it easily in two minutes time.
Computer, I said when the screen was ready, list crew member data profiles.
In a few seconds the screen blinked and the names of our crew were listed. I looked them over.
Licturn, Corass, Hummal, Meylenee, Orion, Mahet, Lovedye, Gah-
I paused. Ralimn was already listed? It would take another twenty-six hours before the computers would update and he would listed. Normally.
What was going on? The only other way he would be listed would be if...
If he were already listed from the very beginning. Open Gahar's files, I said in private thought-speak. Yes, I was talking privately to a computer. What else was new?
The screen blinked again. Ralimn's files appeared and listed down the viewscreen.
Profile.
Battle Files.
War Records.
Academy Training Sessions.
Hold on. HOLD ON.
War Records?!
Most tactics and skills would be kept in Battle Files. War Records were used only when something 'unwanted' was to be listed.
Unwanted as in "not good".
Computer, open War Records.
In a flash the document opened on my screen. I read it.
"The Andalite Warrior, Ralimn-Lasult-Gahar, during the great Human/Andalite vs. Yeerk battle fought valiantly for the Andalite/Human side.
"However, in the Battle of the Diversion, Ralimn showed cowardice under fire. Right after long time friend, Warrior Jahlil-Kraventz-Enaste was pronounced dead Yeerk fighters swarmed to get away. The living Andalite fighters killed them off, one by one. Ralimn's fighter did not join in.
"Warrior Ralimn had taken his fighter off to the corners of the field, where he powered down his ship and 'waited,' as he told commanding officers, 'for death to finally reach him.'
"Disobeying orders from his superiors, Ralimn-Lasult-Gahar, is charged with cowardice under fire by running away from the battle to wait for the enemy to fire at his fighter."
I stood there, momentarily, shocked. I backed out of Ralimn's records. Then, another file popped up. Family.
In the same langauge, Galard, it read that his family had also been killed in the same raid as mine. It made sense. His family's scoop had been next to ours.
I read all the family and war record files of my comrades. I know it was wrong, but I also knew I had to understand. Ralimn, Alloran, and Evaren must have already known everything about everyone.
Captain-Prince Evaren's family had died in the war against Yeerks in the beginning. His war files charged him with scandalous violent acts.
Torture.
Murder.
Abuse.
It was against the Yeerks, mostly, some happened against lower officers who would not follow commands.
I already knew what was in Alloran's War Records, therefore I didn't read the deeper content. He had a wife and two children. His children were adults now.
Kelt Mahet was a Hork-Bajir Seer.
No wonder she seemed different. I murmered to myself.
She had a brother. The rest of her family, and her mate, had died in freedom fights.
Jennifer Lovedye was tweny-two years old. Her parents lived on Earth, but she had not heard from them in years, being in space. She had no War Records, not having really been able to participate in action due to minor injuries.
Zachary Hummal worked as a mechanic for four years on Earth. He later flew to Leera to help with a new Dome ship in the making. At age 18, he had no war records.
And then there was me, Yaolyn. I had no War Records, being to young to fight by the laws of my people. It said I had remarkable tail-fighting and combat skills. Which made me laugh, I barely passed the class.
For fun, I checked personnel files. Mine.
I stopped laughing. Couldn't breathe.
"Killed in Action, eh?"
I spun, my tail blade flew, stopping inches from the throat of...
Zachary Hummal.
He held up his hands, "Whoa! I'm not here to harm you, aristh. I wanted to see what the hell you were doing in a private area."
I'm learning why everyone is acting so suspicous. I glared at him.
"Well, I could probably help you."
How?
"Read the screen."
It says I was killed in action.
"Exactly, it says that for everyone onboard I'll bet," he said.
I didn't have to check, I knew.
Zachary continued, "We were all wanted onboard, including that new guy, Ralimn-what's-his-face. Evaren left without Ralimn, so Fletchet, on orders from Galuit had no choice but to steer his ship over and have a stern talk with Evaren.
"I was wanted for my engineering skills. Jenn for her agility and no concern for anyone. Kelt for her intelligence. You for your fighting skills. And etc."
Not too mentiont he fact we have now large family support, except for Alloran, I added grimly.
"Alloran's here because he's disgraced. If he can get back the Animorphs and our living legend, Ax, then he stands a good chance of being liked again."
So, there's a second and third reason for why we're here? I wondered.
"Exactly."
My eyes hardened, I kept my tail blade near his throat, then I withdrew it. You were there in the meeting before Alloran or I, I said harshly. Tell me why else I am on this mission.
"But,"
Tell me! I hissed.
Hummal fidgeted, nervous. He played with hands as he replied, "You're here because mwerf eh mmmm."
What? Stop muttering!
"Alright!" he exclaimed. "You're here because Galuit knew you would be good in a fight, had no excessive family to speak of, but also because you wouldn't have lasted long in the academy anyway."
Explain to me why, please, I whispered.
"Galuit saw your files, grades and so forth. You'd barely accomplished your training and passed. Barely passed school grades. Had you stayed much longer you'd have been kicked out, and then where would you go?"
My shoulders sagged, tail drooped. My back legs almost buckled. I felt older. Too old to be worth anything.
The human saw my reaction. He tried to be comforting, "Hey, come on. Want to here why else I'm here?"
No, that's alright.
He took a step forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, Yao," he said, "go back to your quarters, get some more rest. I'll walk you there."
It was a pitiable attempt to comfort me, I felt sick. But, it worked. And it made me like the human, Zachary Hummal, more.