Wow. I'm surprised how much losing in a free online poker tourney can inspire me. (I knew my two pair was good when I bet everything, but the guy called me on a flush draw and got there.grrr.)

Anyway, since I'm a little ahead of schedule, I figured I'd go ahead and post. Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Forsil

Meeting place Beta was not too distant from the casino, only about twenty minutes by car. Jay spent most of the time committing the results of tonight's session to memory, because it was unlikely that we'd be home to record them anytime soon.

The four Jacks made Jay's night. Up until then, he was up about $10 after three hours of play. After that hand, he was a $520 winner. His hourly rate jumped from $3.33 to $173.33. He was in a good mood.

So...what's going on? I wasn't really paying attention to the phone conversation, Jay asked.

I don't know. All that was said was "we need you for an attack." I wonder what he meant?

Maybe he found out where those rogue Andalites were hiding?

Possibly.

Ummm...Forsil?

Yes?

How did this war start? Don't tell me that the Andalites simply want to defend the galaxy, and the Yeerks simply want to enslave it. What's going on?

This is something I was unprepared for, and also unwilling to discuss.

It's a long story. The Andalites and the Yeerks is a story that can't be told in the fifteen minutes we have until we arrive.

OK...then tell me something else.

Like what?

You know how I grew up. How did you grow up?

Excuse me?

Tell me something that happened to you. Some experience you had, something like that.

Why?

You already know everything about me...

I shuddered at that.

When I first infested Jay about three months ago, he was completely unwilling to be a host. I had to break him. During the first three days, I made him relive the worst five minutes of his life, when he was eight years old, over and over again. He finally stopped resisting after that.

I'm not so sure if what I did to Jay was right. I'm not sure he deserved it.

So, I felt an obligation to answer this.

All right.

I told him a story of one of the last battles on the Hork-Bajir homeworld. The war was almost won, and the Andalites were in full retreat, leaving the Hork-Bajir people to be enslaved. We were trying to destroy as many of the fleeing Andalites as possible. As three of them were boarding their escape ship, one of the members of my team was able to damage the hatch door, preventing the last two from boarding the ship. The ship, believing the damage was more severe than it was, lifted off, leaving the two Andalite warriors behind.

So...what happened to them?

I...I slaughtered them.

What?

They tried to fight, but we were too much for them. Me and my soldiers were able to incapacitate them, but the still tried to resist, so...I did what I had to do.

Why?

I didn't want to go any farther with this conversation. I wasn't proud of what I did, but I had to do it...but...

We're here. Time to go.

I was fortunate. Our destination was right here.
Meeting place Beta was an old mechanic's shop. When I arrived, I changed my shirt to black, grabbed my Dracon beam, and entered.

I expected to see a meeting in progress, a large scale affair planning a massive assault on a major target.

I found just one person. My commander: Sub-Visser Fifty Seven.

"Forsil 326! May the Kandrona shine and strengthen you!"

"And the same to you, my Sub-Visser."

I am given a lot of "formal respect" when dealing with other Yeerks. I don't think it's warranted, but my actions on the Hork-Bajir homeworld have given me a reputation within the Empire.

I was supposedly a great warrior, and a great servant to the empire.

All I really am is a murderer.

Was it murder, though? If I didn't kill those Andalites, a member of my team would have. I at least made it as quick as possible. I did the best I could...

"I'm glad you were available on such short notice. Tonight I will strike a wonderful blow for the Empire, and you will be by my side!"

This guy's got a mental illness. Every time we talk to him he's ranting like a lunatic. Jay likes to offer his opinions on everything after a big poker night.

Delusions of grandeur are commonplace among Yeerk officials, Jay. You get used to it.

"Yes, Sub-Visser. What 'attack' did you summon me for?"

"I have discovered the identity of one of the traitors, a member of the peace movement."

The "peace movement" was a sect of Yeerks who disagreed with the Yeerk way of conquest. They believed that the relationship between Yeerk and host should be symbiotic, and not parasitic.

I'm not a member.

"Sub-Visser, I am glad at your success, but why did you come to me? Shouldn't you simply report it to the Visser?"

"I could do that. I could let the Visser take all the credit for crushing the peace movement. But if I can crush it myself, the Council of Thirteen will certainly make me a Visser!"

Ambition. A curse that affects all races.

"And, why me? There are plenty of Hork-Bajir that could be called...why not summon a few?"

"Because they will ask questions. If Hork-Bajir participate in our mission tonight, they will leak it to someone, word will get to the Visser, and he will take control. I cannot allow that. You on the other hand, are an exemplary member of the Empire. I know I can trust you."

My reputation as a warrior is not deserved...but what of my reputation as one who is trustworthy?

The Sub-Visser continued. "The name of the Yeerk I discovered is Ampriss Seven-Six-Five. Her host is a human lawyer. Tonight, she is at home, studying a case that will go to trial soon. We will enter her house, capture her, and interrogate her. When she gives up the names of peace movement leaders, I will crush them in one fell swoop."

I didn't know how significant this night was at the time. But as I remember it, a pivotal night in my life. I believe I will never forget it.

"What's the plan, Sub-Visser?"

"We will take separate cars, and go alone. The address is..."
Chapter 6: Ampriss

It had been a long night. Both Angelica and I were exhausted. We had only a few days left to find a way to save our client, or he would be sentenced to death. Luther Black was counting on us.

His faith had been placed in a caffeine-driven lawyer and her alien friend.

All right, let's go over it again, Angelica recounted the notes of the case.

The robbery/homicide took place at 9:04 PM. The suspect walks into a convenience store at 9, sticks the gun in the clerk's face by 9:03, then kills him and the other two customers and grabs the money a minute later. He's caught on camera, and fits the description of Luther. Luther's statement was that he was home, alone, watching an adult film that started at 8:55. His home is about twenty minutes from the store.

That's not too good of an alibi, I said.

Perhaps an explanation is in order. Our client, Luther, is on probation after a three-month jail sentence for larceny. He's accused of both armed robbery and three counts of murder. When we talked to him when we first took the case, he looked in our eyes and said:

"All right. I'm not a model citizen. I steal, fine...but I didn't kill anybody, I swear!"

Angelica has been a lawyer for a long time, she's good at telling lies from the truth. She believed every word he said.

I trust Angelica's judgment...but the jury we had to convince tomorrow may be tougher.

What about the playing machine he used to watch the movie...does it record the times a specific movie is watched?

No, Ampriss...VCR's aren't all that sophisticated, and he even said he ordered it on pay-per-view. That's no good.

Paper view? What's that? I thought he watched in on television.

Not "paper view"...pay-per-view. It's a service the cable company provides. You order a movie by phone, and it is sent to your cable box a few minutes later. The charge for it will show up on your cable bill.

Would the cable bill say what time a movie is ordered?

I thought this was a meaningless question, and that it wouldn't help us any. Fortunately, I was wrong.

That might be it! That cable bill might prove that Luther ordered that movie! Ampriss, you might have saved his life! We need to find that bill!

We got up and looked for the phone book, to get the number for Luther's cable company. Our search was interrupted by a noise from somewhere else in the house.

What was that?!?

I don't know, Ampriss...I think someone just kicked the door in!

We're not expecting anyone, are we?

No....

I didn't give her any time to finish. I immediately seized control. I knew what was probably happening.

My number's up. I don't need a phone book right now, I need my Dracon beam!

I scrambled over to the safe where I kept it. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough.

TSEEEEWW!

Everything went black.