Here it is people; my first chapter on Rachel...its sort of weird, and weirdness is all I can manage. :-p. Anyway, read and get confused. What else is there to do? I guess you'll get more on Rachel later on...maybe next chapter? I dunno. I'll tell you when I get there.

Myst: just go ahead and ruin it for everybody *grumbles* your instincts are a little bit off centered...but on the right track :-). btw; PEOPLE READ Myst's FIC. READ IT OR ELSE. I challenged her, meaning she GETS REVIEWS MAUAHAHAHA. Okay. I think I'm alright now. The sugar rush is gone...now it's just u and the chapter ^.^

morpherkidvb: what do you mean you keep waiting for David to burst out saying "my precioussss"?! I can barely restrain myself from doing that *glares mockingly* are you deliberately trying to provoke David? Why cant u people leave him alone? *shoves David protectively behind her*

alikat: U never fail to remind me of how good it is to read reviews *sobs* u people are just too kind...NOT! *laughs hysterically* on a more serious note; I LOVE surrealism. How did you know that?! *glares suspiciously* that was top secret, my goal in life is to introduce surrealistic pieces of writing to books...of course, they'll just look like random letters ^.^

Green Eyed Girl: What can I tell you? You have GOOD taste.

Andre: speaking of which, did I tell you your story has an unusually plot? It is soooooo human...soooo what I think humans would do right after they master the art of firing space guns...hehehe. You beat me to it. Can't say I'm complaining, as all of you people hint; I have my hands full with all my old stories, just imagine what people are gonna say when I write another story and leave you hanging.

Phoenix: just for the record; IT NEVER HURTS! Yeaaaah! You got that right! *cheers wildly* go phoenix go!

Noyze: you read them? *lips tremble* but I...you didn't tell me! *cries* SXK was a huge piece of work...it took a lot of energy, a lot of time...and inspiration, and as far as Battle of The Titans goes...I FORGOT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE *sobs* yes, isnt it sad? I have to read my own work *cringes* god knows how many sp errors I'll find *sigh* thank you. And hey, I looked at your bio...the quote *lips tremble violently* I'm touched. It's like; no duh. Story of my life. I...want...it. For me! I WANT ONE *bawls*

ahem, okay, the chapter;

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Rachel

Oh god no...not the dream again. Not that dream again.

It was cold. Miserably cold. I wanted to shiver, I wanted to experience involuntary muscle control. I wanted to huddle, I wanted to curl up in a tiny ball and try to hold in the warmth. But I couldn't. I couldn't do any of those things.

It was dark, I wanted to turn my head, I wanted to move my eyes. But I couldn't I couldn't do anything.

Time passed. Maybe hours. Days. I could see the earth. No, not the soil. Earth. As in planet Earth. As in my home. My birth place. I could see America. I could see the world. I saw the planet revolve in its axis, spin as time went on. I saw without seeing. I felt without feeling. My eyes were blank. My body was blue. My hair drifted around me.

And then, rising from the Earth, a tiny dot that grew bigger and bigger. It was a ship. A space ship. An Andalite space ship.

HELP!

I wanted to move my lips and scream, I wanted to wave frantically. I wanted to cry for help.

But I couldn't. I couldn't do any of that.

My eyes were open for so long. It must have hurt. I 'felt' my eyes tear, I 'felt' them burn. But try as I might, I couldn't blink. I couldn't do anything.

On and on, the ship came nearer. My mind raced, how could I alert them? I needed help bad. I couldn't move. My body was frozen.

Somehow they knew. The Andalites knew I was floating in space. The ship came startling near. It was so close that I could have reached out and brushed the hull. That close. But I couldn't move. I couldn't touch or feel.

And then...a miracle! I was moving! My heart leapt with joy. My body flooded with warmth. Relief! I could move! I could MOVE!

My joy was short lived. My heart sank. I couldn't move. It was a tractor beam. It was drawing me closer to the ship. The coldness washed back into my limbs.

I was in. Very suddenly. I no longer saw blankness and far away stars. I saw a gray hull. I felt metal behind my back. Blue hands hauled me up.

Yes. Help. Thank you god.

One of the Andalites looked at his friend. He looked downcast, too late, huh? I guess it was asking for too much.

The other Andalite said nothing, he just looked down at me. He smiled an Andalite smile. A sad one. This one died with honor. She died fighting.

I felt the knife edge of panic hit me.

I wanted to scream, I wanted to howl. I wanted to grab that Andalite by the collar and shake him. I wanted to show him how alive I was.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't move. I couldn't talk.

My mind raced. I felt scared. No. I was beyond scared. I was petrified.

I'm not dead.

I don't want to die.

This couldn't be happening. Not to me.

You got it? You got the human?

A third Andalite came. I guess he was the one who spoke, he looked at me. Looked at my eyes. And I looked back. Pure terror in my soul. Help, help! HELP! HELP! I'm in here!

And I saw horror in his eyes.

Yes! He knew! He knew I was in here. Maybe he would tell them. Maybe...

For Fet-nah's sake. He snapped, Borroan, close the creature's eyes.

What? One of the other two said. Is she making you uneasy?

No. The third Andalite paused. Shuddered. The expression is too Andalite. Let it rest. It is dead.

With that, the Andalite reached forward, his warm fingers touched my face, they went over my eyes, I felt something slide over them. But I could still see.

Instantly, the Andalites all relaxed. It was as if the tension had snapped.

Get the cloth.

They brought a cloth. I couldn't make out the color. But it was dark. It was soft. The wrapped me in it. They were surprisingly gentle.

No.

I wasn't dead.

I wanted them to pinch me. To slap my face.

I wasn't dead!

They covered my face, and then, I couldn't see. I could barely hear.

Time passed. I was moved twice. And I waited for a long, long time....and then...

The cloth was off my face!

Light flooded my sight.

No.

NO.

Mom.

My mother. Her eyes were red. So was her nose. But she was no longer crying. Her hand came up to my face. How I longed to hold that hand. And how I wanted to hear her voice. I wanted to hear mine too. I wanted to hear my voice say, "I love you mom. I'm sorry."

But I couldn't.

My heart was gripped with pain and sorrow.

"My little girl." She whispered. A fresh stab of pain pierced my heart as new tears welled up my mother's eyes. "What have they done to you?"

I wanted to sob and cry. I wanted to hide. I wanted to crawl away. But I could do nothing. I could only watch, I could only see.

Overcome with pain and sorrow, my mother buried her head into my shoulder. She cried and cried and cried. She grabbed me tightly. Like she was afraid I would be taken away. I wanted to comfort her. I wanted to shout and scream, I wanted my mother's forgiveness. I knew how much pain I had caused her.

Regret.

My mother pulled away. No. Someone took her by her shoulders and hugged her. It was...

Cassie.

Cassie!

My good friend Cassie. Cassie who loved animals and animal poop and the barn and Jake. I swear I'll never complain, I wouldn't ever give you grief over the clothes you wear, you're a beautiful person. Wonderful. Charming smart. You can help me. I wont take you to the mail. Help me Cassie. I need you. Don't walk away.

I wanted to scream her name over and over again. I wanted them to hear me. I'm here! I'm alive! I can see!

But none of that came.

Cassie looked at me, she was crying. Her lips trembled. She touched my cheek, "I'll miss you my friend. And I...I understand. I understand why. But my heart doesn't. I'll miss you terrible Rachel. I love you."

No, come back! I wanted to move my muscles, I wanted to feel air in my lungs.

But I felt nothing.

"I'll never forget. I'll never forget you Rachel. You'll always be in my heart."

With that Cassie was gone.

And so was my mother.

Pain.

Regret.

Sadness.

Loneness. I was alone. I couldn't move, they wanted to burry me. God no. I'm alive people. Jake. Ax. Cassie. Marco. Mom Dad. Sarah. Jordan.

And Tobias.

Flying high in the sky.

Take me with you.

Take me with you!

But darkness all around me as my coffin was nailed.

And then...darkness...silence...the sound of dirt and shovels.

And then the worms came.

And the parasites.

NO! Get away from me. But they came. They ate me. They ate me alive and I couldn't scream. I couldn't scream at all.

I felt eyes watching me. A mind probing mine.

The dream was finished.

My heart and soul were torn.

I crawled back into my corner. As far away as I could from the worm that ate me alive.

Away from the Yeerk who supposedly killed me.

He watched me and laughed. Laughed.

We shall see who wins, Rachel. Rachel the Animorph. We shall see who wins.

Salvador

"So," I said boldly, "what interests you in me?"

Yalleen smiled. Nothing in particular, all aliens fascinate me.

"I thought you were in love with machines, not aliens."

Yalleen laughed. Yes, and that too. But humans perk my interest. It is why I took the professor's class. Once I heard there would be an actual human on board I was thrilled. I've always wanted to meet a human.

I flashed her a grin, "Well that makes us even. I only took this job because Andalites fascinate me."

We were walking down the corridor, Yalleen asked me if I could show her my quarters. She wanted to see my 'belongings' –if I didn't mind. And of course I didn't. Yalleen was the only Andalite around here about my age and she didn't think I was crazy; that was a good sign.

"So how come its only the girls who take pity on us aliens?" I asked her, "You did notice Detrax's annoying attitude towards me. I never did anything to the guy. He has this impression about me. Too bad I can't change it."

I watched her face carefully, I wanted to see if I could pick up anything from her face. Since I mentioned Detrax. But her face showed nothing. It was a typical Andalite face.

So maybe it was a one sided love thing. I grinned. Maybe she wasn't even aware that Detrax had an eye out for her. In that case, it would be my pleasure to watch him and...pick at his nerves. Maybe I'll make his mission impossible. I smiled. I liked the sound of that.

Detrax is short sighted. Yalleen said aloofly, Like all other males. Male warriors, I should say. There are many people on my home world who wish to study humans. It's just Detrax is an Aristh and he doesn't know any better.

"We're here." I said. "This is my personal quarters."

We went in. It wasn't a very big room. It was certainly larger than my old bed room. I wasn't complaining.

I had noticed that my quarters where somewhat larger than Detrax's quarters, I have noticed him eyeing my quarters with envy. I guessed all that stopped him from kicking me into his quarters was that Elymphia stood in the way, all the other warriors were indifferent.

Actually. My fights with Detrax was a source of amassment to them.

What's that? Yalleen asked.

She was pointing at my bed, it was at ground level, just a blanket and two pillows marked it's existence. "That's my bed. I sleep there...it's a sort of nest for humans. We usually pick a spot to sleep on and don't change it."

Yalleen peered closely at my bed. How?

I shrugged my shoulders, "I lie on the ground. I put my head on the pillows there," –I pointed at the pillows- "and I cover myself with the blanket."

Why do you cover yourself? She wondered.

"We usually do that if we're cold. It isn't cold here or anything. It's a habit I can't break."

Don't you get hot? Yalleen asked, And doesn't the notion of sleeping on the ground make you nervous?

"Not really. Besides, humans can't stand up and sleep like you guys. We lose muscle tone when we sleep. As for getting hot...yeah, I do get hot sometimes, but some time in the night I'd kick my blanket off. Back home, we don't sleep on ground level Yalleen, the bed is higher than that, just a bit higher than knee level."

Her eyes wondered over my possessions; clothes, a few books, a photo album –not that she knew what it was- all my other items were stuffed in a bag so she couldn't see them. There was Kat's crate in the corner. David's box in another corner. I checked to see if David was there but he wasn't. I wondered briefly were he was, he disappeared a lot, and I couldn't ask him what he was doing. If I did, he would answer with a brisk; I'm busy.

Yalleen had picked up my photo album and was looking through it, she looked like she had no idea what it was used for. She looked at me with her stalk eyes, what is this?

"A photo album," I said, "you Andalites take holos of each other right? Well, human's take photographs. And we keep them in a photo album."

Ah. These are personal? She asked.

"Sort of." I shrugged.

These are your family photos? Yalleen wondered.

"Not really." I said evenly. Why did she have to pick up my photo album? I was afraid she'd ask another question but thankfully Kat provided a distraction.

Ah! This is your pet, am I correct? She dropped the album.

"Yes." I said, "She's a cat."

Kat didn't look very pleased. In fact, she was ticked off. She wasn't use to the idea of sharing my bed room with anyone.

Kat completely ignored Yalleen. She marched over to me and meowed. It was a very demanding meow. A feed me or else meow. She head butted my ankle and meowed again.

"Alright!" I sighed.

Yalleen looked fascinated. What is it doing?

"She's demanding that I feed her. Cats are so pushy." I smiled. Gave her food and she nibbled happily at it. I scratched her behind her ears.

What is that thing doing out of it's cage?!

David.

Kat was too busy eating to notice his arrival. Yalleen was busy watching Kat eat to notice David coming in. She was stroking Kat's fur.

And what is wrong with you?! David cried out when he noticed Yalleen, Remember the rules you nitwit. No Andalites in the room! Got that?!

I nodded.

Now throw that cat into its kitty crate. I want to have some piece around here. I've had a hectic day.

I had a smart remark to that but since Yalleen was here...

"Yalleen, come on." I said, as I stuffed Kat back into her kitty carrier. "Let's go to the dome. I'm sure you're hungry."

We went out.

And I wondered. Very briefly, what David had been up to. Surely, a rat couldn't have that many things to do?

*** *** ***

I know, lousy ending, I can't seem to get into what I'm writing, its sooooo annoying. But look on the bright side, you have 2 things occupying your mind; what on Earth is David up to and what's wrong with Rachel.

So...start guessing people. I'll hopefully post the next chapter early. I dunno. It all depends on reviews *grins widely*

I'll go write the next chapter...right after I destroy this minor writer's block...urgh.