Thanks for the reviews, everybody, so, I decided to add a little extra to this chapter. I wasn't intending to hint that there is going to be a controller amongst the animoprhs but I decided to make it clear from now...it adds a little flavor to the story -don't you think?

Oh yeah, I'm saying this because I don't want ten reviews asking me why the Hork-Bajir used thought speak, it isn't a glitch, or a typo.

THE THIRD BROTHER

CHAPTER FOUR

A Call From Earth

I stared. With all of my eyes, the ones on my stalks and the ones on my face. I narrowed down my angle of sight so that I wouldn't see my father's face. Wouldn't see my mother's face. I didn't want to see their eyes. Their pain.

The hologram was played again for me –because I missed it, and it was played again for my parents –because they…they wanted to see it again.

I stared at the Andalite face in the hologram, he was older than me, older than me but still considered young to be a full adult. I've seen holo-pics of him before, but all of them had been still pictures -taken when he much younger, what I was seeing now was real.

The background proved that he was in some sort of room, a part of a facility…a scientific facility; I could see lab tables and lab equipment. I could also see that the lab must have lost its sterile environment, because, on the ground, I could see bodies. Dead bodies of aliens. I recognized the green large bladed bodies to be indiscriminately Hork-Bajir, I could barely recognize what the gunk beside them was, until I spotted the Taxxon head that was …what was left of it anyway…and there were other aliens: I could see their arms and faces and a red substance that drenched the ground besides them…maybe it was blood. Red blood

I felt my face turn a few shades lighter; the scene behind the Andalite was gruesome. Crude. Bloody. The hologram blurred slightly and I saw him gesturing wildly, he was talking, saying something perhaps, whatever it was I didn't know, the military had wiped the first part of the conversation, they say it was highly confidential.

Then I heard his thought speak voice ask for his family. His eyes were grim as he announced his message, Visser Three is dead.

I thought about that for a few seconds, I thought about what it meant, why was it relevant.

Visser Three is Elfangor's killer.

Elfangor's death is avenged.

Suddenly, I caught a commotion at the side of the screen. A beast was struggling with a Hork-Bajir. The Andalite on-screen…my brother…diverted his stalk eyes.

The beast roared as the Hork-Bajir stuck a blade at its furry side. I caught the lighting flicker from the force of its enraged scream; the screen was momentarily dark and then…

I jerked, the Hork-bajir's head was hanging practically by a few shreds of flesh from it's neck, blood gushed all over the beast and the beast tossed the body aside.

It turned its bloody grizzled head towards my brother, it's lip curved back in a snarl. Hurry up Ax! Marco's having trouble at the entrance, we'd better move it! Have you told them about their plan?

My brother scanned the room, Yes, Rachel. I have –but I need a few more minutes at least. Tobias and I would deeply appreciate it.

The beast was standing erect on two of it's legs, it lowered it's massive fore legs to the side of the computer counsel, just before the gun of the screen camera, I saw wicked black claws buried amidst brown shaggy fur, it lowered it's head towards the screen and it's black eyes blinked then glared down at the screen.

It snorted then turned away uninterested, I'm going to go help Marco. Have you seen Jake?

He is with Tobias and Cassie they must be here any second. he looked a little bit worried, I do not know why they are taking so long.

Yeah, well. Don't sweat it, Cassie, Tobias and Jake can handle any sort of trouble. The lumbering beast took off in a rolling gait, and then my brother was alone.

I felt my muscles stiffen as a Hork-Bajir appeared in the far corner of the room. My brother swung a stalk eye in that direction. His face betrayed his emotions, but he wasn't scared. Actually, he looked confused.

The confusion deepened as the creature came forward, the Hork-Bajir had a bloody gash…a fresh wound, that ran from the top of his arm right over his muscular chest.

Where are the others? Aren't they supposed to be with you? My brother frowned, took a step back. Tobias…?

The Hork-Bajir grinned –if you want to call that a grin- No. Guess again.

And then he struck.

My brother screamed.

The screen went black.

Silence.

My father was the first to speak, that's it?

No answer. I had the feeling it was not his first time to ask the question.

There has to be more. What happened? My mother sounded nervous. Is he alive…?

We do not know if he had survived the attack, the officer said quietly, we will know that as soon as he contacts us again….assuming that he is able to do that.

As soon? My father asked skeptically, how soon?

Time span between his last two communications was around eleven months; it could be a long wait. The officer replied in a non-committal manner.

I felt my mother sag as the news hit her.

That is not acceptable, my father commented quietly, watching my mother's face sadly.

This is war, the officer countered, your son knows better than to jeopardize his cover for the sake of a communication to the home world. His primary reason for this communication was to report to us…progress on the situation on Earth.

This is our son. my mother countered, officer Taolan, do you not understand our concern?

I understand your concern for your son's safety, but he is no child, he serves for the military, he understands that there are some sacrifices to be paid.

My mother said nothing to this.

My father too, stood silently.

I concentrated hard on the ground. But I looked up then, if my brother is dead, then…

Then? Taolan questioned –since my parents acted like I hadn't spoken.

Then, by tradition his death must be avenged. I concluded.

Both my parents stared at me.

What about your studies? my mother asked lamely.

I have never met Aximili. I said slowly, but he is my brother, and if he is dead, I will avenge his death.

If he is dead. My father intervened, we don't know that.

There's no harm in preparing. I said brightly, I looked at officer Taolan, and in any case, the military is in shortage of candidates. Isn't that right?

Taolan shrugged, yes, due to the high mortality rates. but then he flushed realizing that it was not a good piece of information to contribute to the family who had already lost two sons to war.

My mother looked sick. You're killing yourself for the death of your dead brother?

Don't mock our tradition. As I spoke I couldn't resist speaking mockingly, but then I continued seriously, My elder brothers were warriors, my father used to serve the military, I'm thinking that you two have been avoiding this issue for too long.

My father looked at officer Taolan. I swear that one of these days, I will find out who cursed my family and I will kill that person.

Maybe it was my imagination, but my father didn't seem too bothered by my proposal to enlist in the military.

Then again, it could have been just me.

And there it is, Scyeth is going to join the military.

The excitment is going to mount. If it plays out right.