Chapter 9

We managed to pass through three security checkpoints as we approached the planet. Menderash's pre-scripted message did the trick, and we were dropping into the new atmosphere at a steady speed. He had re-emerged on the bridge and was doing what he could to study the environment with great interest.

Everything was going according to plan. The Kelbrids thought that we were simply another Mak vessel, and there didn't seem to be any significant effort to perform thorough checks. We disengaged from a sparse traffic line as we descended below the clouds and resorted to a long-range scanner to take an indirect route towards the nearest population center. With multiple Kelbrid ships in the area, we assumed to be near a city or base of some sort.

We were correct. After distantly following two of the ships, a city became apparent on the radar. And not a small one, either.

"My estimates would measure this city at approximately seven-thousand square kilometers," Menderash concluded, eyes glued to his series of screens off to the side of the bridge.

((That's almost as big as New York,)) Cassie murmured over his shoulder. ((Let's hope any military base is easy to find.))

"We shall continue following these vessels," Menderash said, casting his sights to the distant ships. "Having descended from outer-atmosphere, they are likely down to dock or refuel. They should lead us to a base."

Still in Mak morph, as we all were, Jake was forever plastered to the center of the bridge, keeping a close watch on all that happened around us. He had fallen silent again after a previous series of orders, but his presence was nonetheless louder than ever. As I watched from afar, he perused every one of us, and I could sense him formulating his ideas. Finally, he turned away from the windows. ((Mendy, how long left in morph?))

"Thirty-three minutes, Prince Jake."

((When we find this base, we'll dock The Shadow somewhere secluded. We'll leave it as Kelbrids and spread across the area as we did on Makroovi. We'll use the military base as a meeting point, without entering, and observe. However, nobody is to go alone. Marco, Sarge, go together again. Cassie, you're with Tobias.)) He made a deliberate turn to face Jeanne. ((And then us two. We'll be Mendy's contact. Mendy, you'll guard the ship.))

With a plan settled, all that was left to do was land somewhere. Eventually, one of the Kelbrid ships began to slow, and at the same time, the Kelbrid city sprang into glorious view over the desert horizon. The foreground to an amazing rising sun was a landscape of sparkling buildings of all different shapes and sizes. Not like the enormous rectangular skyscrapers of Earth cities, but a zoo of mismatched edifices that melted together like the work of an avant-garde sculptor at the peak of inspiration. The sun's rays shone through curves and spirals and tubes that separated one colossal structure from another, and it looked like a series of luminous strings knotted and tied through the forever-stretching city.

((It's beautiful…)) Cassie uttered in our heads, and nobody was going to disagree. Not even Menderash, even if he did force his lips together like he was holding back some petty criticisms.

The Shadow flew over, and we took some time to gaze out over the city horizon, almost forgetting to look up and around at the other traffic that slowly traversed the skies. We held enough focus to remain behind our target ship.

It wasn't long before we found what we had come looking for. The Kelbrid ship veered leftwards, and behind a clutch of markedly artistically domes was an area of the city isolated by a series of three walls circling in parallel. The base extended far into the distance, but the bright glow of some kind of red laser grid atop the walls signified its enclosed nature. The buildings within looked different, too, certainly not as inspired in architecture, and there were far more empty spaces, some of which were occupied by static vessels. There were more of the egg-like ones, but there were also others that looked considerably more intimidating.

In the center was a tower that stretched high into the air. Atop, where the structure tapered, was a great golden pyramid that shone blindingly under the sun's influence, casting bright light down over the extent of the base.

"We can safely assume that this is a Kelbrid military base, Prince Jake," Menderash suggested.

He nodded. ((We aren't going to miss that tower. Let's find somewhere to park.))

It was challenging to find the right area, considering how compacted the enormous city appeared to be, but after a rushed debate, we settled on an empty space between two buildings a few hundred yards from the base's walls. We saw a guarded entrance snuggled into the base walls nearby, and that helped in our decision. Menderash took control of the craft to carry out the tricky maneuver of parking, the width of the ship neatly fitting into the space we'd allocated.

Jake gave Menderash his orders. He was to lock down the ship while remaining unshielded by the added Andalite technology in case it was detected. He knew his role well, and so Jake was quick to relay our steps.

And then we morphed again, initially retreating into our own bodies before attempting the Kelbrid morph for the first time.

Arms grew sturdily from my wings, and feathers were replaced by coarse purple fur. Dextrous fingers sprouted from a newly emerging hand, complete with striking stripes of silvered hair that stamped the digits. Unbalanced, I dropped forward but held myself with those arms in a plank position as more changes commenced behind.

A tail whipped purposefully in the air, coming to a lion tuft of brilliant silver, but the smooth fur became quickly interrupted by a series of protrusions that pushed out from the dorsal skin. They lined up in single-file from my tail and then spread into an army on my lower back, marching to my bulky shoulders that held in place the strong arms. The projections came up my neck and formed up over my head, stopping just short of my brow, settling like a thick hairline.

Muscles shifted for new purposes. The upper body's strength grew past the levels of your average Human, and the legs were bulky and purposeful. I was built for pace and endurance.

My beak was the last thing to melt away, replaced by the twitching, sensitive nose of my new body. The sense of smell was outstanding, as were the eyes, despite limited vertical vision. The hearing was similar to Human hearing, from what I could remember.

The morph was complete, and I was a Kelbrid. Curious, I raised a hand and grabbed with it one of the thick vines on my head. I squeezed and moved my hand up to the tip. Returning my hand, I opened my palm to see it covered in a viscous, clear goo. Toxin.

Six Kelbrids, all spending some time to get used to the new form. Menderash was standing well off to the side, and wisely so. He looked to us with a hoisted chin, a reluctance to concede any sign of interest.

"So this is the great new threat to the Andalite race?" he scoffed. "Ugly creatures. If it weren't for the toxins, they would be almost harmless."

I remarked in thought-speak, ((if it weren't for the Sun, Earth would spin off into the depths of space.))

Menderash was not the type to back down. "I understand your point, but I still am not impressed by these bodies, toxins or not. Nevertheless, I would request that you keep at least a five-meter distance from me at all times. One drop of the toxin would kill me in minutes. Not that I'm scared, of course."