Chapter 17
As annoying as I was being to Jake, I really was happy for him. He looked much better, and he had a certain lift in his walk that I had not seen in the past three of years. Tom and Rachel being back really was making him feel better. I could tell. When I was spying on him and Cassie, he looked so sullen and worried at first, but he left looking content. This was good, I really had been worrying about him. After he chased me off, I walked back to the Rachel with a grin on my face. Maybe Big Jake was finally coming to his senses. Bored, I meandered over to the bridge.
"Hey, Menderash, what's up?" I asked.
He looked at me. He looked at me some more. Finally, he answered, " 'Up' is not a true concept, it is only something that peoples across the universe had invented…" He started to drone on about the curvature of space, perceptions of a people depending on their place in space, et cetera. My eyes glazed over. Obviously, although he had a human body, he still had not learned English slang.
"Man, Menderash, you really have to go learn how we Americans speak! What I was asking was 'What is new with you?'"
"Ah. Well, nothing much then. I have just been standing here watching the bridge for exactly one of your hours."
"Aw, not you too! Menderash, they're everyone's hours, not just our hours. First Ax, now you, and I would be willing to bet that Yahal does the same thing!" I shook my head. "Now repeat after me: They are everybody's hours, minutes, seconds, et cetera."
He blinked. There was silence.
"Fine then, be that way," I said. "I think I am going to go make sure Jake has not gotten into much trouble since I left. Goodbye." I turned around to walk away, but stopped in my tracks at the sound of Menderash's startled gasp.
"Marco, wait," he said, "There is an unidentified ship coming towards us quite quickly."
Slowly, I turned around. "What?"
"There is a ship approaching us. They wish to contact us."
"I guess I'll go get our Fearless Leader then…" I turned around and ran towards Jake's room.
I knocked. I knocked again. He did not answer. I decided he must be asleep and needed to be woken up. With an evil smile on my face, I morphed fly. I zipped under his door and demorphed inside the room. I wondered how the best way to wake him up would be. I grinned, and morphed gorilla. I lumbered over to his bed, and picked him up, held him above my head, and dropped him.
"Huh? What?" He yelled as he slammed onto the floor on his butt.
Good morning, Jake, I said.
"What do you think you're doing? I've only been asleep for about fifteen minutes!" Jake demanded.
I snapped to a salute. Alien ship approaching, Sir! Awaiting your instructions, Sir! Please report to the bridge now, Sir!
His eyes opened wide. "Alien ship?" He said as he stood up and dusted himself off.
Yes, Sir! They wish to hail us, Sir!
He rolled his eyes. "Come on Marco." He ran out of his room.
I demorphed and followed him a few minutes later. I walked into the room, and saw Menderash and Jake talking. Menderash turned towards me. "Marco," he said, "Go and wake everyone else from both the Rachel and the Jahar II. Hurry!"
"Okay…" I said. "Be right back." I jogged out and went around to each room, waking people up. Yahal had already been awake and watching the alien ship closely. "They're hailing the Rachel," I informed Yahal. He looked at me in what I thought was his face of grim determination. I still am not very good at reading Andalite emotions.
Cassie, Rachel, Tom, General Doubleday, and Toby meandered groggily into the room. Marco, Yahal said to me, Go get Prince Aximili and Bring him in here. Perhaps he will be able to hide. We do not know if this is a Kelbrid ship.
"Alright," I sighed. I turned around, muttering about being everybody's messenger. I trotted over to the bridge of the Rachel again, and as I walked in, I was met by a startling sight. In the viewing screen was a blue humanoid face, but without a mouth. There were two slits for a nose, and slanted eyes. Another pair of eyes rose above its head on stalks. It had a torso like a human, but slighter and its hands had too many fingers. It was eyeing Jake, standing in front of the screen, suspiciously. I gaped at it. It looked miraculously like an Andalite, but not quite. It's skull was too round and it twitched too much. No one had noticed me yet. Staring from the door into the bridge, I mouthed my surprise.
"Garatron," I gasped.
