"Rrr-this brrreeches securrrity prrrotocol! I orrrderrr you to stop!" the Gedd controller yelled from outside the ship.
Ooh, we're breaching security protocol, are we? Arbron sneered in private-thought speak to Elfangor.
"You will be severrrely punished forrr this!" the Gedd added.
Damn, and I was really hoping to make it to the rank of Visser one day. Arbron snapped in reply.
Elfangor smirked. Well, Arbron, you know that we must all deal with great disappointments in life. Elfangor lectured in mock-seriousness.
Arbron laughed, and then looked over at Elfangor. You want to fly or shoot?
Elfangor considered for a second. I'll fly. he smirked at Arbron. You're a much better shot than me.
Arbron glared at Elfangor, and then walked over to the weapon's station. Weapons powered. Now let's lift this piece of crap off the ground.
Elfangor nodded and powered the engines. The vibrations went through the entire ship, and the Gedd-controllers, feeling it, backed off, running for dear life.
Hang on! Elfangor yelled, and slammed on the engines. I don't know how much kick these old engines have in them.
What the hell is wrong with this thing?! Arbron yelled. We're not even at one thousand miles per hour! And look at the damn acceleration rate! It'll take us an hour just to reach escape velocity! he cried, looking at the air-speed-indicator. We'll be up to our stalk-eyes in Yeerk ships before we can even think about going into zero-space!
The Time Matrix! Elfangor cried. We can escape through time! then he shook his head. No, that's stupid. What if it takes ten minutes for it to work? The damn power signature will light up every Yeerk sensor within a million miles! Besides, he paused, looking at Arbron. We don't know who else will get angry if we use it.
Arbron frowned. What you're worried what some Prince will say if we actually survive, which isn't very likely, mind you, particularly at this goddamn airspeed!
No, I'm not worried about what any superiors might say. Elfangor answered.
Then what the hell are you… Arbron fell silent. then he looked at Elfangor carefully. You're worried about the Ellimists, aren't you? he asked softly.
Well of course not! Elfangor said hotly, feeling a little foolish. Andalite parents told their young children stories about the Ellimists. Ellimists were nothing but mythical, all-powerful creatures that sometimes interfered in the affairs of simpler creatures. Elfangor half-expected Arbron to make some snide remark. They're nothing but myths… Elfangor continued, but Arbron cut him off.
Myths?! That's what we said about the Time Matrix! Someone built the damn thing! Why not the Ellimists? Arbron asked. I think you're right. I don't think we should risk making them angry.
Elfangor was surprised, and was about to thank Arbron for agreeing with him…
Uh-oh. Arbron said. Arbron was looking down at one of the display screens. We've got a Yeerk patrol ship coming up on an intercept vector! And…shit! It's a Bug Fighter!
-||-
The third of the kidnapped humans was found in the cargo bay, unconscious and curled up in a foetal position.
Maria and Loren lifted the human up off the floor and out of the cargo hold. They were both panting in exhaustion, even though they had only carried the other human about twenty metres. Of the two girls, it appeared that Loren was breathing more heavily than her friend. Loren was leaning heavily against the wall.
You seem quite tired, Elfangor commented.
Loren smiled at him. "Well, that thing ain't light, you know." she replied, pointing down at the still-unconscious human.
Maria smirked. "Yeah, I bet he spends his entire life in the McDonald's line."
Loren laughed, and Arbron and Elfangor looked at each other.
This human is male? Elfangor asked.
Loren opened her mouth to reply when Maria cut in. "He sure isn't a girl, that's for sure. Although, I must admit, he doesn't look particularly manly, or strong either." Maria said, nudging the human male with her foot.
"Unh…" he moaned.
"Hey, look at that, Lori! Wonders never cease! He's still alive!" Maria cried in what the two Andalites took as mock-amazement.
Loren smirked. "Incredible." She commented. "And here we were thinking he was just like all other adolescent human males when it comes to the crunch: either nowhere in sight or dead."
"Unh…where am I?" the human male asked groggily.
Maria snorted. "Typical short male memory span." She sneered at him. She paused for a second. "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"
The human male blinked slowly, trying to clear his mind. Suddenly, recognition sparked in his eyes. He was about to speak when Loren cut in.
"Hey, you're right!" Loren exclaimed. "You're that dude in the grade above us at school who was blamed for blowing up the science lab!"
"Did you really do that?" Maria asked. "Or was it just some story you made up for publicity?" Maria paused again, thinking. "What is your name, anyway?"
"My name is Hedrick," the male replied. "But I prefer to be called by my last name which is…"
"Chapman." Maria cut in.
At this comment both Loren and the male – or Chapman, as he wished to be called – looked up at Maria in surprise.
"How did you know his name?" Loren asked.
Chapman nodded. "Yeah, how did you know my name?" he asked.
Maria just frowned in confusion. "I…I don't know. I don't even know you, so I have no idea. It was just a…feeling. A sudden flash."
A flash of what? Arbron asked her softly.
Maria looked up at Arbron. There was uncertainty in her eyes. Fear. "Darkness. Oppression. And…hopelessness. And something else…" she replied, drifting off.
Something else? Elfangor asked. What did you see?
"A vision." Maria replied, her voice soft, her eyes vacant, as if she weren't conscious. "A vision of things to come."
"A vision of what?" Loren asked.
Maria frowned. "A slug. A filthy, slimy grey-green slug."
Author's Note: Oooh! A cliff-hanger…well, sort of. What do you think? Feedback is always appreciated! Review or send to nova_mist@yahoo.com
Another Author's Note: Here are some questions answered now so you don't ask them in your reviews:
Q: Do they swear in this story?
A: Yes.
~*~
Q: They did not swear in The Andalite Chronicles.
A: right again.
~*~
Q: Do I care?
A: No.
~*~
Q: Will I change the rating because it now has swearing in it?
A: Yes, I will change it from G to PG.
~*~
Q: Am I changing this drastically, particularly the dialouge?
A: Yes.
~*~
Q: Is this series probably going to turn out completely, utterly strange, weird and more different than anyone – including myself – could possibly imagine?
A: Most likely.
~*~
Q: And am I going to put a whole lot of stuff that has never, ever happened in the original Animorphs series into this series?
A: You bet!
~*~
