Dawn. Well, before dawn, actually. I wasn't used to getting up this early.
I was an eagle, flying across the forest. I scanned the horizon with my amazing eyes and couldn't see anything. Flying closer, I realized I did see something-- but I had to look awful hard to notice it. A slight curve in the jagged mountains, and the sun poking through, illuminating it. I flew toward it, top speed.
Thoughts about the situation kept flashing through my mind. It was like a dream. My worst nightmare. I'd had dreams like this before, what was to say it wasn't just another one? I sighed. No. If this were a dream, I'd have woken up a while ago. Sweating and out of breath, like I'd run a mile.
Just then a thought struck me. Why hadn't Visser One showed up yet? Surely if he knew, he should be. The 'Andalite bandits' were caught. All except one. He should be ecstatic. Tirelessly chasing me down with all kinds of ships and creatures.
Maybe he is, I spoke to the forest. Just because I can't see them doesn't mean they're not there. This has happened before.
After pondering it for a while, a rather shocking thought popped into my head. Like a bubble that was there the whole time, but burst at that moment.
What if the Yeerks controlling my friends were doing it in secret? I'd heard the Visser himself say it: he wouldn't want any competition. He thought we were Andalites— he couldn't let more Andalite-controllers on the loose. Oh, crap, I thought, This can't get any worse.
Refocusing on my location, I found that I was at the valley. Flying over it, I looked around at the activity. The female Hork-Bajir, caring for young, climbing trees, stripping bark. It was amazing how alike to humans they were. A group of three dozen or so were repairing something. Something big.
Repairing something? Since when did the Hork-Bajir posess something big enough to repair? I couldn't see what it was because their bodies were covering it. Suddenly, several Hork-Bajir jumped off of the object. I could see what it was. I also nearly fell out of the sky.
Things hadn't gone to worst yet, after all.
The object was a Bug Fighter.
Calm down, Rachel, calm down, I said. Think. What does this mean?
It means they're all Controllers, a voice in my head said. For a moment I thought it had been myself talking, but when nothing happened I understood. It was Marco.
I'd been wondering what the Osprey in the tree near the end of the valley was doing there.
MARCO! I yelled. What happened? Why are they controllers? Why aren't you a Controller? Do you know what's going on? We're the only free Animorphs left! The—
Whoa, calm down, Rachel. It's okay. I got away just in time... I don't think they knew I could morph. They— they— got my parents— His voice choked. I felt a surge of sympathy come on. They had been so happy. His mother had only recently been freed. His father.. I didn't want to think about it. There wasn't a point, really. Nothing I could do about it. He continued. Them and most of the Hork-Bajir. I think Toby and Ket got away. Jara, well... look down. I looked. I saw Jara almost immediately due to the six inch long scar on his head. It looked like someone had drawn a line with a marker. He'd gotten the scar when he was demonstrating his freedom to me, Jake, Ax, and Tobias. Jara was working. Helping to repair the Bug Fighter. A little thought-spoken squeak escaped from me. I had so much reason to hate the Yeerks. My eagle body was practically vibrating with rage at them. The dirty, filthy, brain infesting little—
Rachel?
Oh. Yeah. What?
Did I hear you say something about us being the only free Animorphs left?
Yes, that's why I came here. I'm the only free Animorph, besides you. Jake, Cassie, Ax, Tobias, they're all Controllers. I overheard Ax and Tobias talking. Saying Yeerkish names. I saw Jake being taken away. Cassie was gone with Jake when I called afterwards. They're all taken, Marco.
He'd stayed silent through my whole speech. He seemed to be thinking. A minute later he voiced exactly what I'd been thinking.
Why hasn't Visser One come after us?
That's what I've been thinking. Do you think that a group of.. I don't know, rebel Yeerks or something decided to take us all in secret? Remember when we were on the Mother Ship and he'd said that he didn't want competition? He doesn't want other Yeerks with Andalite bodies. And I've seen one myself.
Meaning that either the Visser suddenly has decided to demote himself, which I seriously doubt, or that he knows nothing about this. I get it. I remember when he said that.
Marco. What happened here?
Oh, this. Well, it was pretty much your basic ambush. Three Bug Fighters appear out of thin air, stun more or less every Hork-Bajir here, and infest them all. A few weren't stunned right away and either ran or helped mutilate one of the Fighters. The one down there. Ket and Toby wanted to help destroy it, but a bunch of their followers made them get to safety. My parents had been down with the Hork-Bajir, so they were stunned. I was up in the cave and morphed a fly, then when they were busy infesting the Hork-Bajir I morphed Osprey and flew out. I've been in this tree for about an hour.
Well. I have a feeling that two successful Yeerk attacks on us within ten hours isn't a coincidence. Our friends' Yeerks must have gotten Bug Fighters. Marco, we need to do something!
You like? Good. If you don't like it, please give me constructive criticism. I can't change it if you don't tell me what's wrong.