Still in the writing!
The Crisis
By Anthony Hart
In the Memory of
Ziana Astrolos's Animorphs Galaxy
In the far reaches of the Zian Sector, lay a small space station. An ancient one, if you looked back far enough in the record books.
At the moment, the station gently orbited a moon in the outskirts of a small system. An average system with twelve planets, seventeen moons in all. A yellow star, and one inhabited planet.
It was the Yeerk Homeworld.
At this time, a species of centaur-like creatures called the Andalites were studying the sentient beings, the Yeerks. The Yeerks were slug-like creatures, which crawled on the ground, or swam in their pools, taking in Kandrona radiation. They were weak, pathetic.
But they were intelligent.
Very.
As Haljin strutted past the conference room, he heard thought speak yelling.
They slaughtered my warriors!
Haljin backed up. He listened to the argument.
That is impossible! The Council of Thirteen must not have known! They were my friends…
Fool!
Haljin was startled. He knew those voices. Warrior Alloran-Semitur-Corass and Prince Seerow-_______-_______.
Just then, a young Andalite female rushed out of the room. She slammed into Haljin's modest frame. He fell to the ground as the female just continued on her way.
Prince Seerow ran out, after her.
Aldrea! Please! Come back!
After that, the Yeerks returned to the planet. They destroyed all the unneeded buildings. They slaughtered the remaining Andalites on the planet. But they ignored the station. Years later, it turned into a spy station.
Space was a lonely place for an Andalite like me. Very lonely. Especially on a spy station in the Zian sector.
I am Barnif-Iskell-Tramina. I am an Andalite. An Andalite warrior to be exact.
At the time of this story, I was two years old (approximately fourteen human years, fore we multiply our age be seven to find theirs). I was stationed at the ASIS, or the Andalite Safety and Intelligence Station. Watching for the Yeerks, destroying their ships. You know, boring work.
I was called, one night, for surveillance. It was normal for me. I was great at watching tiny details on a screen, such as watching little blobs on the radar screen. I was very apt to see the representations of ships that flew past. It was grunt work, and I was very apt at picking apart the red ones from the blue ones. Oh yes, it would definitely guarantee me a position aboard a domeship. As a lowlife night crewman. A wonderful skill?
It saved my life.
I checked in to my station and watched the screens flash as they changed orientations. I flipped a small switch and the planets of the system appeared. Not pretty sights. Green skies here, yellow ones there. The moons, without sky, appeared barren and weathered. Void of life, uninhabitable. It was a depressing sight.
I heard hooves behind me.
Nice job, Warrior Barnif, very good,
I turned to find War-Prince Alton-Piranth-Nalgig standing behind me. He was an imposing Andalite. Very muscular, broad shoulders, deep blue fur. He seemed to have an aura of protection surrounding him.
He was my boss, in a sense.
I snapped a salute to him. War-Price Alton, it is an honor to see you today, I said.
He nodded. Then, he turned around. He seemed to examine the star charts.
Barnif, we are receiving a special guest aboard the station tonight. He is on his way to a meeting with the Nispa on Bedra VII, and requires rations and fuel for his ship. He paused. I need you to greet and escort him to his chambers.
A guest? I thought in amazement. There were rarely guests onboard! And I was to escort him?
Y-yes sir, I responded incredulously.
Good. I hope that Lirem will appreciate the hospitality.
I almost gasped in shock at the name.
Lirem-Arrepoth-Terrouss.
Head of the Council.
One of the most powerful Andalites in the sector.
And he was coming here!
Shuttle Bognat, landing sequence confirmed. You may disembark when ready.
The thought-speak voice answered, Acknowledged.
I glanced at War-Prince Alton. He nodded.
Very nice, he remarked, You can remain calm under pressure.
I must,I replied, I am a warrior.
With a chuckle, he beckoned for me to accompany him to the dropshaft.
As we descended towards the hanger, a million thoughts ran through my mind. I relived every adventure I had head about Lirem. He was a legend on the home world, a living legend in the eyes of his people..
I had never met him before, but I had heard many stories about him.
About the time when he fought against a dozen Taxxons and Hork-Bajir, coming out alive and almost unscathed.
About when he had damaged his fighter and flew back to base in record time, while destroying forty-eight bug fighters and damaging a Blade ship during the limp home.
About the time he had flown a fighter through the atmosphere at Maximum Burn, being trailed by a swarm of necelites, fuel devourers.
He was a legend. The previous Head of Council had looked him upon, and when he had died, the Electorate pulled Lirem in to take his place.
Everyone rejoiced.
The dropshaft's doors opened to reveal Lirem and a personal advisor.
Warrior Barnif, Lirem said with a gentle tone, It is a pleasure to meet you.
He held out his hand, which I grasped.
And it is an honor to meet you as well, sir. I said. I didn't sound too nervous when I said this.
He chuckled, as if he saw through my mask of confidence. He greeted Alton in the same manner, then he and his advisor boarded the lift.
During the ascent, Lirem and Alton spoke in private thought speak. I longed to listen in on what he was saying, but instead paid careful attention to their body language. I could see Lirem trying to move his point across to Alton, who looked either pleased or irate.
Surely Lirem had news from home. Last I had heard, the Yeerks had destroyed fourteen of our weapons' depots, which crippled us more than we could realize at the time. Fortunately, my father, whom worked among the weapons' inspectors, had been ill during the raids. My mother had taken care of him and nursed him back to health. I hadn't spoken to them in over two months.
Tell me, Warrior Barnif, Lirem imposed upon me, are you enjoying your assignment on the station?
Uh, yes sir, very much, sir. I can utilize my skills here and focus them on situations.
Lirem smiled at me. I am very pleased to hear that.
We reached the top deck, deck Fifty four, where the equivalent to a Domeship's dome would be. It was an immense field of green, purple and blue grasses surrounding a pond of fresh water. A few scenic monuments were placed here and there, adding to the spectacle.
Yes, yes… excellent, Lirem remarked with pride, this grass has been excellently maintained… the water is fresh, the air… He inhaled. Yes, the air is perfect.
I could imagine that he was considering the age of the station and contrasting it to the home world's environment. It was a tight match, in my opinion. The grass was manicured daily, the water filtered every hour and the air was recycled with every breath.
And the view. The canopy of the park was domed slightly. The stars shone through, adding a majestic view to the "meal".
Lirem and his advisor galloped towards the pond for a drink. Alton nodded his approval to the crew that observed the Andalite leader. I received many glances, but brushed them off. I trailed behind Alton and Lirem as the advisor stayed at the pond. Alton and Lire, were disscussing issues from the homeworld. I kept track of the conversation as best I could.
The Electorate has announced a new treaty, effective immediately. All non-Andalite ships within the Andal Zone must be evacuated before the counterstrike begins.
But what about the our allies? Surely they will be allowed entry into the Andal Zone.
Of course, Lirem returned, but the morale of those in our ranks has dropped recently. We need victories. And for victories, we need warriors.
I assume that you will be drafting potential troops from my station? Alton catechized.
Yes, that was the initial plan.
I felt my hearts skip several beats as I realized that I could probably be slated as a Warrior! Not just a ranked warrior, but a true, combat ready Warrior!
I am rather fatigued, Lirem commented. Perhaps your young escort may usher me towards my chambers?
Of course, sir, Alton answered shrewdly and signaled for me to join them.
Warrior Barnif, please escort the Head-of-Council to his accommodations.
Right away, sir! I replied briskly. I turned and marched back to the dropshaft. Lirem and his advisor followed. In the shaft, I announced, Deck One.
Tell Barnif, Lirem said quite abruptly, do you miss your family?
Yes sir, I feel a sense of longing every now and then, though I do not let it conflict with my duties.
He nodded in admiration. I am glad to hear that. One's family is more important than one's duties, you know.
I blinked. Had he just prioritized family and care before duty and honor? I was stunned for a moment.
Y-yes sir! I managed to respond. He clapped me on the shoulder.
You will make a fine Prince one day.
I flushed with pride as the doors of the lift slid open. We stepped out and I immediately began down the right corridor. Lirem followed at an even pace. I spotted a few fellow friends and comrades staring in amazement.
How did you get such an honor? one asked in private thought speak.
Who died and made you captain? another teased. I rolled my eyes.
We reached the room. I slid the door open and gestured for Lirem to explore.
It was fairly larger than my own quarters, given that most guests were important figures; it was at least twice the size of an aristh's, having room to revolve. A small computer pad had been installed into a wall, most likely giving the user access to communication channels and our main computer databanks. Lirem's meager possesions had already been placed neatly in an alcove on the right wall.
Lirem stepped in and sniffed the air.
Hmm… seems more like home here than on the homeworld… I prefer recycled air, probably because I've spent most of eleven years alive onboard spacecraft…
He spun around and said, Thnak you, warrior. You have been of a great service to me.
Before I could respond, he slid the door shut. I stood, baffled by the sudden rudeness. I turned and walked back to my own quarters.
The attack came quickly and so suddenly that I was not prepared for it.
In fact, I had been sleeping at the time.
ATTENTION! THE STATION IS UNDER ATTACK! I REPEAT, THE STATION IS UNDERATTACK!
I awoke with a start. Seconds later, the warning repeated. I felt the station quake as a Dracon beam fried through some bits of system.
I hurriedly backed out of my quarters and rushed up to my post in the navigational sector. Alton was there, waiting for me.
Yeerk Bug Fighter and a Pool Ship. We didn't see them coming until it was too late.
I checked a few consoles. The numbers were amazing: almost a hundred and thirty eight Bug Fighters against out station and its sparse infantry. The Bug Fighters, lined in red, massed around the station like a swarm of insects (pardon the pun). I contacted the few battlestations we had available. They all reported loss of firepower.
Get to an escape pod, Alton ordered me as he glared at the data screen. I didn't bother to refuse: Alton had faced such insubordination before, and it had not been a pretty sight. I didn't want to tangle with him. I galloped from my post and towards the dropshaft, stumbling slightly as another Dracon beam penetrated our hull.
I slid into the dropshaft and gasped, Escape Level! The lift plummeted for several second before halting. I practically fell out into the empty room and frantically looked for a free pod.
They were all gone.
That's when I realized that I was probably the only one left on the station, with the exception of Alton. I quickly decided that finding a ship would be my best course of action. Back in the dropshaft, I ordered the lift to take me to the hanger. In moments time, I was in the hanger. There were three ships left: two fighters and Lirem's ship. The fighters were taking off, so I decided to take my chances. I started towards the ship when I heard in my mind, Warrior Barnif! Hurry and get aboard!
I saw Lirem beckon to me from the ramp of the ship. His eyes were filled with anger. I reached the ramp and flung myself on.
Reslin, get us out of here! Lirem roared. He swatted at a button which raised the ramp. I moved past the Head of Council and collapsed in a heap in the corner or the cargo hold. I felt the ship accelerate as we cleared the hanger's doors.
What by all the bloody tails of Crangar happened out there? Lirem demanded.
Yeerks Bug Fighters and a Pool Ship entered the vicinity a few minutes ago. They took out our shredders and attempted to destroy us as quickly as possible… we had been warned not evacuate earlier, before the Yeerks decided to lay waste to us.
Well, he replied, it is much too late for that.
I nodded in agreement.
The next half hour was a flurry of orders, shredder/Dracon fire and dangerous maneuvering. I watched as Reslin, Lirem's advisor, piloted the ship through a small meteor cluster, dodging Bug Fighters the whole way through. Lirem had taken charge of the weapons, leaving me to try and plot a course home. Our Z-Space factor would really help us, seeing as how the homeworld was at least forty-five lightyears away. It would take us at least four weeks to reach Andalite space from our current position.
I fought with the computer screen, cursing whenever my calculations were flawed and denied. It took me fifteen minutes to find a clear and safe shortcut home. Eventually, when Reslin had flown us to a safe spot, I finished relaying the coordinates to Lirem and sat back. After a few minutes of private thought speak, Lirem directed me to the living quarters.
You should rest in case we have another emergency. We'll need you Barnif.
Yes sir.
With a smile, he replied, Call me Lirem.
Stunned, I headed towards the living quarters. He had told me to call him by his first name! An amazing honor! I was flabbergasted…
I slid the door to the quarters open and inspected them. They were huge compared to even the ASIS captain's. I found the nearest console and logged on, hoping to find any data that could be useful. Unfortunatley, there was none accessible to myself. I sighed and shut the console off. I felt my eyelids droop slightly and decided grudingly tht sleep would probably be a good remedy. I went to the corner near the doorway, crouched on my knees and fell into a deep sleep.
Lirem awoke me when he felt I needed some on-the-job training. Reslin was currently in the engine room, trying to work the bugs out of an anomalous Z-Space reactor coil. So Lirem ordered me to take the helm.
But sir! I'm a tactical officer! I can't fly a ship!
Lirem hushed me. Oh come now Barnif! You're an Andalite Warrior! You should be able to do such things as fly ships or repair an engine pod. You were trained to. He tapped a few buttons and beckoned for me. Here, I'll help you learn. It really isn't that difficult after the first few times.
Nervously but determined was I. I stepped forward and let Lirem place my hands in the respected areas.
This is how we ususally fly a ship, as you may know.
In fact, I didn't. I had been trained to watch for bogeys in a stationary atmosphere, a much easier plane than moving at violent speeds through space.
We input coordinates and let the autopilot maneuver. Of course, on a few occasions, when the autopilot has malfunctioned, then manual piloting is used.
Lirem called up a new display. With a few taps of the buttons, a small panel to the right of him slid open. A stick poked upwards, and the autopilot light above if flickered off. Lirem grapsed the stick and slowly bent it to the right. I felt the ship jerk ungracefully in that direction. Lirem then called up the main viewer. I saw an asteroid looming in front of us.
With the flick of a button, shredder fire burst from our forward array and flew directly to the asteroid, melting the center of it. I watched with a facinated awe I rarely felt. From the helm, a pilot could pretty much own the ship!
I ran through a few quick programs to familiarize myself with the helm's functions, including the actually piloting, firing of the shredders and captain's duties. After about an hour, Lirem relieved me to the engineering room.
Reslin wasn't present when I arrived; he had gone to rest about an hour and a half before, so I would look after the area myself. I checked the coolant tanks, confirming the levels on each. They checked out fine, so I continued on.
The reactor was in good condition for such an old ship. I was surprised that the old fluid modules were still functional in the ship, considering the calculated decay of such components. I nearly died from fright when I saw the old reactor coils. Some had decayed, which frightened me. But I later learned that decay wasn't a problem until all of the coils had breached.
I inspected the Gravity Simulator, making sure that it was up to standards with the recommended settings. I had to adjust it by a fraction to make sure that the equivelence of Andalite gracity was well in range.
As I was leaving, I caught something out of the corner of my stalk eyes. I turned my head to find a small neon trickle coming from the reactor. It looked closer and found what could only be disaster.
There was a leak in the reactor.