EPISODE THREE: HUNTING GAMES
PART SEVEN: THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST
LaROUCHE
I was nearly dead when David woke me up. I was bleeding all over and I had cracked ribs, maybe a broken arm. One of my legs was missing.
The others were worse: Aleks's genitals had been mutilated and his arms torn off. Ripper's face was caved in, but he was alive. Skorre was paralysed and Sara was gushing blood.
Upon waking up, I immediately morphed to Hork-Bajir and back to human. I was entirely healed, as were the rest of us.
The android had ambused us as we attempted to repair the ship. Ripper had just returned from his recon and was the first to be taken down, with a metallic fist to the face. I don't remember what happened after that, just gunfire, animal roars, cries and screams of pain. I was sure it was the Yeerks, tracking us down. It was a sadistic, demonic killing machine.
He had tattooed us all with identical alien numerals, Galard, identifying us with the standard Bounty Hunter Guild protocol: The number of our captors Hunt this season, the Galactic Standard Season number, and the number of the galactic quadrant where we were captured.
The tatooes could never be removed. They had been implanted into our DNA, rather painfully. Aleks later described me the process. He had been awake as it happened.
But what really surprised me was that we had been rescued by David.and Tak.
"I did my duty," he said, " As any Hunter should."
I walked up to the massive Gervasid, standing over the charred remains of Kil-Um 241.
"He and I were rivals for over fifteen years. And isn't it ironic that he was killed by both I, and some of my quarry?"
"I don't know. I'm no philosopher."
He scoffed, "From what I've heard, your one of the only ones in the group who uses his head before his fists.or teeth."
I shrugged, but didn't speak.
"I must speak with David," Tak murmured, walking in our leaders direction.
We all soon gathered together, the six of us and Tak.
"I have reflected on my life, and I believe I have had what you humans call, 'Epiphany'. I have seen that life cannot be wasted on the Hunt. I should have spent the last fifteen years fighting the Yeerks, instead of taking my anger out on defenceless prey."
He took the head of the Na that he had killed on Concord Dawn from his satchel and threw it into the junk pile.
"I want to join with you, David Taggart. I wish to be an Antimorph."
RIPPER
Was this dog serious? He'd tried to kill us before, and now he wanted to join forces?"
"Forget it!" I blurted, my saliva falling onto Sistranus.
"Think about this, David," urged Aleks, "He's a killer, he's a Bounty Hunter! How do we know that we can trust him?"
"I don't know, guys, he could help," said LaRouche cautiously.
"He could aid us greatly," Skorre said, "An extra ally should always be welcomed."
Sara said nothing.
"Both sides present valid points," David said, " I agree that he could be a valuable asset, but also that he presents a risk."
"Put it to a vote," suggested LaRouche.
We did: Aleks and I against, LaRouche, Skorre and Sara for, David abstaining."
David stretched out his arm, to shake the Gervasid's hand.
"Welcome to the Antimorphs."
Sistranus took David's hand in a firm grip.
He went calm, like an animal when it's DNA was being aquired.
David aquired Gervasid DNA!.
Aleks saw this too, " It is customary for all to shake the hand of the new member."
"No, only I will. Tak doesn't want any of you to steal his DNA. I don't' blame him. The five of you couldn't defeat one lousy droid?"
"Bitch, bitch, bitch." grumbled Aleks, walking away.
"Now, you know we don't have a morphing cube," Said Skorre.
"That is fine. I will aquire the power in due time. Untill then, I can make myself useful in many other ways."
"I'll bet," I smirked.
DAVID
We had to get the Anubis repaired and make our way off this junk pile.
After surveying the wreck, Tak offered a solution.
"The ship can easily be flown, and it's power core is remarkable," he said, referring to the Stone, "But it needs something to complete the engine circuit with the power core."
"Great. We need to complete the circuit," Sara said, " We learned how to do that in school."
"Hmm, yes, but the core needs to have a special equalizer that I doubt we can find here."
"What's that?" I asked.
"A special mineral that multiplies the effects of the engines, found only in the blood of a Sstram. The Empire began to use this mineral after the take over, and it saved them great amounts of fuel."
"Great, so we need a Sstram."
"Do you have a Sstram morph?" Tak asked.
"Yeah, but I don't want to die of electrocution."
"Sstram can absorb and funnel electrical current up to thousands of volts. It is how they power most of their city's."
"Alright then," David said apprehensively, "Let's do this."
DAVID
I touched both ends of the engine cable and began to morph to Sstram, Tak standing nearby supervising.
"That morph looks familiar, very familiar." he said eerily as I changed to Sstram.
Less than a minute after the change had completed, Tak snapped.
"YOU! YOU! YOU KILLED HER, YOU KILLED SSONORA!!!"
I looked at my hands, could I be in the morph of Tak's old girlfriend? Had this been Nodnarbs host?
"Whoa! Back off, man!" LaRouche said, not understanding the situation. Tak didn't back off. His massive tail swung at me, barely coming up short.
Fuck!
I started to morph out, but Tak wasn't gonna back up.
"I will destroy you, Taggart! You deceiver! You murderer!"
"Wanna bumble with the bee?" I asked.
"Let's get it on, human."
I smirked, I would get out of this with my clones superiority.
"Show me what you got."
I charged the Gervasid, leaping into the air and hitting Tak with my feet, a pail driver kick.
The force knocked him down.
He retaliated with his fists, attacking with a barrage of full-powered blows.
.That really hurt!
"Die, you human slag!"
His tail whipped out to attack me, but something was clinging to the end: Ripper!
Ripper rode the colossal tail like Tarzan on a vine.
"Yippie Kay Yay, Muthafuckaaaaaaaa!!!!!"
He plunged his teeth into the tail, causing Sistranus to roar with pain.
"GRRRRAAAAAWWWWW!!!!"
"If you mess with one of us, you mess with us all!" LaRouche said, standing with Sara, Skorre, and Aleks.
"Battle morphs, now!" Was Aleks's cry.
The Antimorphs began to assume combat morphs, Skorre a Rhino, Aleks a Jaguar, Sara a Cheetah, and LaRouche a Leopard.
ATTACK! The Air Commander bellowed.
I kept my powerful clone body.
At once, the three ferocious cats pounced on the Bounty Hunter, and a Rhino impaled his horn on one of the beasts legs.
Sistranus fell to the ground, gravely wounded.
Ripper let go of Tak's tail and turned to face the crippled Hunter.
For a moment, they locked gazes. I don't think I'll ever know what really went on in their heads.
Because Ripper plunged his teeth into Tak's neck and tore out his throat.
"GRAAAAAWWWWW!!!!!"
Sistranus roared in pain for one minute, that seemed to last forever. It was a terrible sound that I never want to hear again. So much pain, anguish and despair.
Terrible.
Finally, it ended. Sistranus was slumped over, his throat gushing blood.
My team de morphed.
"It's over. We defeated him," Sara said.
"Why did he turn on us?" Aleks asked.
"Who knows?" I answered, " He probably just snapped, went crazy. It could have been a trick, his allying with us."
"So what do we do with him?" Wondered LaRouche.
"I have an idea."
_______________________________________
As Tak Sistranus neared death at the hands of the Ripper, he was visited by an old foe.
"So, you failed, Bounty Hunter," Said the Half-Drac, his crimson skin glistening in the sun.
"And you have come, as you said you would."
"It is too late for you. The Ripper has torn the skin from the bone. You will die.unless you wish to make a bargain."
"Never, creature of the Drac Realm. I will not sell my soul a second time. I will never, ever bargain with a Drac again."
"Ok, fine," The creature smiled, " All has proceeded as the prophecy fortold."
"Prophecy?"
"Yeah, prophecy. See, it was your job to stop Taggart. The powers that be put you here to do that. Fifteen years ago, I was playing you into your position with that little ruse. Now that you got killed, and I offered to bring you back, I'm no longer obligated to this would-be Messiah."
"I do not understand."
"Simple. See that mark on them? They all bear it in one way or another. Three 6's, the number of the one who will destroy the universe, the Kalai- Matai to Hork-Bajir, the Iskalia to Andalites, the Teruk to Yeerks, the Anti Christ to humans."
"No.no! Taggart must be killed! He must be destroyed!"
"You had your chance. Now, there is nothing in this reality to stand against his power to unmake the universe."
"There must be something!"
The creature smirked, " Well, in another universe, maybe, where the Beast was corrupted by human emotion and fights as an Animorph. Or another, where he is still a rat, or another where he was enlisted by the traitor, the Crayak, and still failed in his revenge."
"But." Tak stammered.
"No. Nothing will stand in the way of the Beast. Nothing Written can be undone."
"And what of me?"
"Oh you? You'll soon be chillin' with the Maia, in Paradise, drinking wine and eating cakes. Best place ever, I'm told. And you'll end up like the last guy who tried to stop us."
With that, the creature that called itself Puck walked off into the mists, and Tak Sistranus died.
ONE WEEK LATER.
The Yeerk survey team landed on Styx, in search of the Bounty Hunter Kil-Um 241, who had reported the capture of the human renegades, the Antimorphs.
The human squad leader lead nearly sixty burly Hork-Bajir to the site of the beacon, an empty crater.
There, above the crater on the flat, metallic plain, two metal beams were fused together.
"Home base, missing Bounty Hunter, Tak Sistranus, has been located."
"Oh yeah? Maybe he can tell us why 241 is in splinters!"
"I don't think so, Sir. Sistranus seems to have been.executed.
And on the two metal beams, hung the decomposing body of Tak Sistranus, crucified.
END OF EPISODE THREE
COMING SOON: SILVER FUTURE
Part four of the Antimorphs Saga continues with the team facing off against a diabolical new foe and his legion of supernatural assassins, as they try to take control of a Yeerk freighter with a payload of nuclear weapons, with the aid of a new ally.
Get ready, there's a brand new Antimorph!
PART SEVEN: THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST
LaROUCHE
I was nearly dead when David woke me up. I was bleeding all over and I had cracked ribs, maybe a broken arm. One of my legs was missing.
The others were worse: Aleks's genitals had been mutilated and his arms torn off. Ripper's face was caved in, but he was alive. Skorre was paralysed and Sara was gushing blood.
Upon waking up, I immediately morphed to Hork-Bajir and back to human. I was entirely healed, as were the rest of us.
The android had ambused us as we attempted to repair the ship. Ripper had just returned from his recon and was the first to be taken down, with a metallic fist to the face. I don't remember what happened after that, just gunfire, animal roars, cries and screams of pain. I was sure it was the Yeerks, tracking us down. It was a sadistic, demonic killing machine.
He had tattooed us all with identical alien numerals, Galard, identifying us with the standard Bounty Hunter Guild protocol: The number of our captors Hunt this season, the Galactic Standard Season number, and the number of the galactic quadrant where we were captured.
The tatooes could never be removed. They had been implanted into our DNA, rather painfully. Aleks later described me the process. He had been awake as it happened.
But what really surprised me was that we had been rescued by David.and Tak.
"I did my duty," he said, " As any Hunter should."
I walked up to the massive Gervasid, standing over the charred remains of Kil-Um 241.
"He and I were rivals for over fifteen years. And isn't it ironic that he was killed by both I, and some of my quarry?"
"I don't know. I'm no philosopher."
He scoffed, "From what I've heard, your one of the only ones in the group who uses his head before his fists.or teeth."
I shrugged, but didn't speak.
"I must speak with David," Tak murmured, walking in our leaders direction.
We all soon gathered together, the six of us and Tak.
"I have reflected on my life, and I believe I have had what you humans call, 'Epiphany'. I have seen that life cannot be wasted on the Hunt. I should have spent the last fifteen years fighting the Yeerks, instead of taking my anger out on defenceless prey."
He took the head of the Na that he had killed on Concord Dawn from his satchel and threw it into the junk pile.
"I want to join with you, David Taggart. I wish to be an Antimorph."
RIPPER
Was this dog serious? He'd tried to kill us before, and now he wanted to join forces?"
"Forget it!" I blurted, my saliva falling onto Sistranus.
"Think about this, David," urged Aleks, "He's a killer, he's a Bounty Hunter! How do we know that we can trust him?"
"I don't know, guys, he could help," said LaRouche cautiously.
"He could aid us greatly," Skorre said, "An extra ally should always be welcomed."
Sara said nothing.
"Both sides present valid points," David said, " I agree that he could be a valuable asset, but also that he presents a risk."
"Put it to a vote," suggested LaRouche.
We did: Aleks and I against, LaRouche, Skorre and Sara for, David abstaining."
David stretched out his arm, to shake the Gervasid's hand.
"Welcome to the Antimorphs."
Sistranus took David's hand in a firm grip.
He went calm, like an animal when it's DNA was being aquired.
David aquired Gervasid DNA!.
Aleks saw this too, " It is customary for all to shake the hand of the new member."
"No, only I will. Tak doesn't want any of you to steal his DNA. I don't' blame him. The five of you couldn't defeat one lousy droid?"
"Bitch, bitch, bitch." grumbled Aleks, walking away.
"Now, you know we don't have a morphing cube," Said Skorre.
"That is fine. I will aquire the power in due time. Untill then, I can make myself useful in many other ways."
"I'll bet," I smirked.
DAVID
We had to get the Anubis repaired and make our way off this junk pile.
After surveying the wreck, Tak offered a solution.
"The ship can easily be flown, and it's power core is remarkable," he said, referring to the Stone, "But it needs something to complete the engine circuit with the power core."
"Great. We need to complete the circuit," Sara said, " We learned how to do that in school."
"Hmm, yes, but the core needs to have a special equalizer that I doubt we can find here."
"What's that?" I asked.
"A special mineral that multiplies the effects of the engines, found only in the blood of a Sstram. The Empire began to use this mineral after the take over, and it saved them great amounts of fuel."
"Great, so we need a Sstram."
"Do you have a Sstram morph?" Tak asked.
"Yeah, but I don't want to die of electrocution."
"Sstram can absorb and funnel electrical current up to thousands of volts. It is how they power most of their city's."
"Alright then," David said apprehensively, "Let's do this."
DAVID
I touched both ends of the engine cable and began to morph to Sstram, Tak standing nearby supervising.
"That morph looks familiar, very familiar." he said eerily as I changed to Sstram.
Less than a minute after the change had completed, Tak snapped.
"YOU! YOU! YOU KILLED HER, YOU KILLED SSONORA!!!"
I looked at my hands, could I be in the morph of Tak's old girlfriend? Had this been Nodnarbs host?
"Whoa! Back off, man!" LaRouche said, not understanding the situation. Tak didn't back off. His massive tail swung at me, barely coming up short.
Fuck!
I started to morph out, but Tak wasn't gonna back up.
"I will destroy you, Taggart! You deceiver! You murderer!"
"Wanna bumble with the bee?" I asked.
"Let's get it on, human."
I smirked, I would get out of this with my clones superiority.
"Show me what you got."
I charged the Gervasid, leaping into the air and hitting Tak with my feet, a pail driver kick.
The force knocked him down.
He retaliated with his fists, attacking with a barrage of full-powered blows.
.That really hurt!
"Die, you human slag!"
His tail whipped out to attack me, but something was clinging to the end: Ripper!
Ripper rode the colossal tail like Tarzan on a vine.
"Yippie Kay Yay, Muthafuckaaaaaaaa!!!!!"
He plunged his teeth into the tail, causing Sistranus to roar with pain.
"GRRRRAAAAAWWWWW!!!!"
"If you mess with one of us, you mess with us all!" LaRouche said, standing with Sara, Skorre, and Aleks.
"Battle morphs, now!" Was Aleks's cry.
The Antimorphs began to assume combat morphs, Skorre a Rhino, Aleks a Jaguar, Sara a Cheetah, and LaRouche a Leopard.
ATTACK! The Air Commander bellowed.
I kept my powerful clone body.
At once, the three ferocious cats pounced on the Bounty Hunter, and a Rhino impaled his horn on one of the beasts legs.
Sistranus fell to the ground, gravely wounded.
Ripper let go of Tak's tail and turned to face the crippled Hunter.
For a moment, they locked gazes. I don't think I'll ever know what really went on in their heads.
Because Ripper plunged his teeth into Tak's neck and tore out his throat.
"GRAAAAAWWWWW!!!!!"
Sistranus roared in pain for one minute, that seemed to last forever. It was a terrible sound that I never want to hear again. So much pain, anguish and despair.
Terrible.
Finally, it ended. Sistranus was slumped over, his throat gushing blood.
My team de morphed.
"It's over. We defeated him," Sara said.
"Why did he turn on us?" Aleks asked.
"Who knows?" I answered, " He probably just snapped, went crazy. It could have been a trick, his allying with us."
"So what do we do with him?" Wondered LaRouche.
"I have an idea."
_______________________________________
As Tak Sistranus neared death at the hands of the Ripper, he was visited by an old foe.
"So, you failed, Bounty Hunter," Said the Half-Drac, his crimson skin glistening in the sun.
"And you have come, as you said you would."
"It is too late for you. The Ripper has torn the skin from the bone. You will die.unless you wish to make a bargain."
"Never, creature of the Drac Realm. I will not sell my soul a second time. I will never, ever bargain with a Drac again."
"Ok, fine," The creature smiled, " All has proceeded as the prophecy fortold."
"Prophecy?"
"Yeah, prophecy. See, it was your job to stop Taggart. The powers that be put you here to do that. Fifteen years ago, I was playing you into your position with that little ruse. Now that you got killed, and I offered to bring you back, I'm no longer obligated to this would-be Messiah."
"I do not understand."
"Simple. See that mark on them? They all bear it in one way or another. Three 6's, the number of the one who will destroy the universe, the Kalai- Matai to Hork-Bajir, the Iskalia to Andalites, the Teruk to Yeerks, the Anti Christ to humans."
"No.no! Taggart must be killed! He must be destroyed!"
"You had your chance. Now, there is nothing in this reality to stand against his power to unmake the universe."
"There must be something!"
The creature smirked, " Well, in another universe, maybe, where the Beast was corrupted by human emotion and fights as an Animorph. Or another, where he is still a rat, or another where he was enlisted by the traitor, the Crayak, and still failed in his revenge."
"But." Tak stammered.
"No. Nothing will stand in the way of the Beast. Nothing Written can be undone."
"And what of me?"
"Oh you? You'll soon be chillin' with the Maia, in Paradise, drinking wine and eating cakes. Best place ever, I'm told. And you'll end up like the last guy who tried to stop us."
With that, the creature that called itself Puck walked off into the mists, and Tak Sistranus died.
ONE WEEK LATER.
The Yeerk survey team landed on Styx, in search of the Bounty Hunter Kil-Um 241, who had reported the capture of the human renegades, the Antimorphs.
The human squad leader lead nearly sixty burly Hork-Bajir to the site of the beacon, an empty crater.
There, above the crater on the flat, metallic plain, two metal beams were fused together.
"Home base, missing Bounty Hunter, Tak Sistranus, has been located."
"Oh yeah? Maybe he can tell us why 241 is in splinters!"
"I don't think so, Sir. Sistranus seems to have been.executed.
And on the two metal beams, hung the decomposing body of Tak Sistranus, crucified.
END OF EPISODE THREE
COMING SOON: SILVER FUTURE
Part four of the Antimorphs Saga continues with the team facing off against a diabolical new foe and his legion of supernatural assassins, as they try to take control of a Yeerk freighter with a payload of nuclear weapons, with the aid of a new ally.
Get ready, there's a brand new Antimorph!