Chapter 12
"Full emergency power to the engines," I said. "Ram the Blade Ship."
We closed the distance between our ship and theirs, all the while the horrible joke of Ax's face grinning at us. It's sarcastic grin did not change until it realized that we were too close to stop. As we zoomed through space, I thought of everybody I was going to see in just a few moments. James and his people. Rachel. Tom. Jara Hamee. Arbron.
Tom and Rachel.
I looked over at Marco, and nearly laughed out loud. He knew he was going to die in just a few minutes, but he was using those last few seconds to try and kiss Jeanne. I thought of Cassie. One day, I would see her again too. I still loved her, but she had moved on, and I had not. We could not be together. God, I missed her. Her smile, the way she made everything seem all right, her morals, the way she took care of all of us. I hoped she was happy. I really did. She would probably marry that Ronnie guy. Maybe they would have kids. I did not know. I was not sure I wanted to. I proposed to her two years ago, and she told me to wait one year. She was not sure what the war would do to me. It had been over two years now. I could not wait to see her again, as I knew I would, after she died as well. Would she still care for me? I sincerely hoped so. I looked again at the Blade Ship, and at the One, whatever it was. We were getting closer.
"Cassie," I said to myself, "I love you."
I looked at Tobias. He was morphing human, I guess he wanted to die as what his mind was. Hopefully our death would not be in vain. Hopefully, we would take the Blade Ship out with us. Take out that abomination that called itself the One.
I realized that my parents would never know what happened. They were about to lose their other son without being able to say goodbye. I would see them again too though, just not right away like I was going to see Rachel and Tom. I must admit, I was slightly excited. I was going to a better place, a place where I could see my dead brother and cousin, and soon, the only person I ever loved. Maybe this would save Ax too. And maybe, just maybe, I could forget about the Yeerks and the war there. Maybe. Closer, closer the Blade Ship came. Five thousand feet, four thousand feet. I braced myself for the impact and death I knew were about to come.
Then, I saw two bright streaks of light arch across the screen, and the Blade Ship blew to pieces. We did not hit it, but the shock and heat waves did. I could have sworn that I saw an Andalite body floating in space as we were rocked by the explosion. I felt my face go white. What could have happened?
"Jake, that was Shredder beam fire," Menderash said to me. "I think it was an Andalite ship."
I looked at him incredulously. I was murderous. Whoever these people were, they had just cheated me out of the death I wanted, I deserved. They cheated me out of my one chance to see Rachel and Tom again. To see Cassie again, someday.
"Request non-visual communications, now," I barked at him. "What did they think they were doing?"
I saw Tobias slouch dejectedly in the corner. He must have been wanting the same thing I had. Death. Marco, who had been thrown across the room when the shock wave hit us, sidled back over to Jeanne's side, and put his arm around her. She turned and slapped him. Menderash worked at the controls. He really did not show very much facial expression.
"They are requesting that they board the ship, Jake," Menderash informed me.
"Why should we let them?" I snarled. "Oh fine though, let them come on board." If I could not die crashing into the Blade Ship, maybe they would kill me, at least. Why had I allowed everything to happen? Rachel and Tom's deaths, the deaths of James' people, those seventeen thousand Yeerks… And now Ax. Ax was dead too. If there was a way to save him from the One, he was dead now. I put my head in my hands, and wanted to cry. Where was Cassie when you needed her?
