Chapter 16
We were loaded into a small hold somewhere in the lower decks of the ship, devoid of anything other than minimal lighting and assorted metal containers in tightly restrained piles. The only door was locked behind us, and we had nothing to do but gear up for a journey of unknown duration to whichever Kelbrid jail had been implied.
((You know, Marco was worried about us getting locked away in Leavenworth…)) I chuckled bitterly to Jeanne. ((I'm starting to think that it would have been our best option.))
She had found a comfortable space between two large crates and was gazing outwards with an almost irritating level of calm. ((We are not getting locked away, Tobias.))
((You seem so sure,)) I grumbled. ((I don't… How… What happened back there, Jeanne?!))
She faced me directly as I joined her in the narrow space between the crates. ((There's a lot you don't know about me.))
((Yeah, I figured.))
She smiled. ((There is a way out of this, Tobias. The Kelbrids are advanced, but they still do not fully understand the morphing power capabilities we have. They are unfamiliar with Andalite technology.))
((They have the morphing cube,)) I pointed out. ((I saw it, locked away behind walls of bars and lasers. The Yeerks must have given it to them.))
((And yet, the Yeerks aren't here.))
((It's giving Jake a headache,)) I said.
((But not you?))
((Of course it is,)) I replied, but I caught onto my own uncertainty. ((Why wouldn't it?))
((It is strange,)) she hummed. ((But if the morphing cube is locked away so securely, that must mean it's the only one. And it's not being used.))
((Not much, and not yet.))
((They will use it to study the Andalites. That is who they are interested in. Not Yeerks. Not Humans.))
I blinked at her, curious to what she was implying. Then, I found a problem. ((Not interested in Yeerks, but interested enough to hand them some of their most advanced technology?))
((Yes. The One…)) she mused. ((Transported by the Yeerks into Andalite Space to chase down and capture the Prince of the Intrepid.))
((You think the Yeerks are just being used to do the Kelbrid dirty work?))
She turned her eyes away, done with contemplating. ((You should demorph, Tobias. The Kelbrid doesn't suit you.))
I considered it. There were no cameras around, from what I could tell. Not that the Kelbrids would be too worried about me turning hawk.
I took one last look at my Kelbrid hands: the strange, slightly shimmering silver-purple appendages that felt unnervingly comfortable.
Then I glanced away and set my eyes on the dark, gloomy deck around me, cold and empty. I started to demorph.
((You never told me,)) I began halfway through the process. ((What happened back there. You went straight from panther to Kelbrid. Was that something Jake tau-… No, he didn't know what was going on, either.))
She was smiling, but she had backed further between the crates, allowing me room so that we avoided physical contact. ((I haven't been entirely truthful, Tobias. I am sorry. There are things that I can't tell you.))
((You should tell us,)) I insisted forcefully. ((I mean, you've been with us for a long time now. We're a team. We trust each other, and we're truthful with each other. If you're hiding stuff from us…))
I let it hang there and tried to suss her reaction, but she remained emotionless, controlling her Kelbrid face with ease. ((Maybe someday, I will tell you all about Jeanne Gerard.))
((You went from morph to morph!)) I reiterated, placing yet more firmness into my tone. ((You have to understand how incredibly important that could be to us! Not even Menderash has ever mentioned that ability!))
((That is because the technology is still in testing,)) she explained calmly.
Another baffling revelation. Fully hawk, I still instinctively stepped back in the sudden burst of added confusion. The technology was still in testing? So how could she possibly have access? On top of that, she understood the Kelbrid language. And all this time, she'd been hiding these things. It bordered on betrayal, and I was growing angrier every second she remained in such a calm, unmoved state.
((Who – or what – are you?)) I demanded.
((I am Human,)) she giggled. ((That much I can tell you.))
((You need to tell me more. A whole lot more. This isn't funny, Jeanne.))
She sighed and looked to the ground. ((I've already shown you too much. I wasn't meant to, but I didn't have another choice. But I am not betraying you, Tobias. I'm not here to undermine you. I'm here to help.))
((You can help by giving us that technology,)) I said bluntly.
((Maybe soon.))
((Maybe,)) I growled. ((Who's stopping you, Jeanne? Who do you work for?))
She shook her head. ((I can't tell you.))
((Is it the Andalites? If you have access to their new technology, you must be.))
((I don't work for the Andalites,)) she stated without hesitation. ((Tobias, I don't work for any race in particular. I fight for something that every race deserves.))
I huffed. ((And what's that?))
((Justice.))
((Justice…)) I repeated, exhaling a sigh at what felt like the most sickening cliché. ((What justice? Whose justice?))
((I fight for justice where justice has been circumvented. I told you, Tobias, I don't fight for anybody in particular.))
((Do you fight for us?))
((I fight with you.))
I flew to the obvious question. ((So what is the injustice you're fighting against now?))
((There should not be a war between the Kelbrids and the Andalites,)) she said, leaning against one of the crates and inspecting her Kelbrid claws. ((The implications will be huge. Innocent lives will be lost.))
((Wait a minute,)) I interrupted. ((You mean you knew about the Kelbrid-Andalite thing before Ax went missing?!))
She fell silent. Maybe she didn't expect me to jump to that conclusion, but it made sense in the context of what she'd already told me.
((You're going to have a lot to explain to Jake,)) I warned. ((How many secrets have you been hiding? How can we know you're even working with us?))
((I would not be here if I weren't.))
((I'm not sure I can believe you.))
She bowed her head glumly. ((That is understandable. But I'm telling you the truth, Tobias.))
((Maybe you want to stop a war from breaking out, but that's not our priority,)) I explained. ((Our priority is Ax. We're saving Ax.))
She looked sideways at me. ((Is that your priority, too?))
((Well, yeah.))
((I'm not too sure.))
I looked away, still with heightened frustration. ((It is my priority.))
((Maybe it is,)) she hummed. ((But you are after something else. You are a hawk.))
((You just noticed?))
((But you don't want to be a hawk,)) she accused. ((I have seen you when you morph. Mak, Kelbrid. I have seen you morphing in the hallways of The Shadow. Your hawk body will only live another few years.))
It was my turn to go silent. I turned to gaze the other way.
She continued, ((I have heard what happened after the Yeerk War. You left to live in Yellowstone, away from Humanity.))
I snorted. ((What's that got to do with anything?))
((You don't want to be Human. You don't want to be a hawk. You want to find somewhere to belong.))
((Jeanne, I don't need this. I don't need this condescending chat.))
((Yes, I know. You won't let anybody help you,)) she replied with a curious change in tone to something much more accusatory. ((You are always so quiet around your friends. Maybe you should think about what they say. Maybe you should take their advice.))
((I already do,)) I countered. ((But… They all come up with different solutions. Different ideas.))
((Who do you trust the most, Tobias?))
That got me thinking, and it caused my anger to subside. I looked up to her, into her inquisitive and cutting eyes. ((I don't know.))
She turned her calculating glare into a grin. ((The answer has been right under your beak this whole time. You just have to look down to find it.))
I didn't have a reply, only a self-conscious sweep through my jumbled thoughts. Right then, I couldn't make sense of any of it.
It was not a conversation I'd ever had with Jeanne before. I barely spoke to her at all, full stop. Was I really so easy to cut open and read?
Maybe. But then, maybe Jeanne was a little more incisive than others. Only now was I beginning to see that. I wanted to know more.
((Hey, Jeanne,)) I spoke, volume finally lowered and voice calmed. ((What did you do before all this? How did you get here? Did you really work for French Intelligence?))
((I did,)) she replied. ((And before that, I was an actress.))
((Are you telling the truth?)) I asked, probably with a hint of rudeness, but I needed to safeguard.
((Yes. I did a lot of acting. That's why I was chosen.))
((You were chosen for… whatever it is because you could act?))
She laughed lightly. ((They called me the best. I could be anybody, anywhere. Anything. I can be an Albanian ambassador. I can be an Andalite translator. I can teach any alien to sound like a Human.))
((And you never thought to tell any of us before…))
((I have now.))
It was all a bit much to take, and I shook my little bird head. It was all too bizarre, too out of place.
It was something to think about later.
((So, I got the feeling that you had an idea. You know, some way to get out of this situation.))
((Ah yes, I nearly forgot,)) she chirped with so little worry. ((We need to get our friends out of the base.))
((Yeah, I know,)) I grumbled. ((How?))
((You must convince the Kelbrids that Humans are allies.))
I let that hang for a moment, then repeated it back to her. ((Convince the Kelbrids that Humans are allies…))
She nodded. ((Yes.))
((How?))
((You can find a way. You have Mak and Kelbrid bodies to use. When the Kelbrids are convinced, they will let the Humans free. When they are allowed back to the ship, we will trap the Kelbrid aboard.))
((Again, how?)) I pressed.
She laughed, and from a Kelbrid, it sounded like a rough series of cat hisses. ((You are smart. And so is Menderash. I will meet you at The Shadow when you arrive.))
((You'll wh-… Wait, we're splitting up? I hate to do this for the third time, but… How?))
Already, she was changing. She removed herself from her slumped position and took her rapidly changing fist to the air. It grew thick and hairy. A red, fiery hair that sprouted from three strong clawed fingers. It was nothing of Earth origin.
((Fly to Menderash, Tobias. He won't be far,)) she instructed before slamming the sharp claws into the bulkhead of the ship, tearing through the metal like it was little more than aluminum foil.
I didn't even bother asking.
An alarm began to ring as air rushed ferociously past the new opening. The guards would be on us at any moment.
((Go, Tobias!))
I spread my wings and bounced forward, flapping once to gain air before folding them back to zoom through the hole. As the ship drifted over the city, the force of the air spun me, but I caught my balance and swept away into the Kelbrid night.
((See you soon, Tobias.))
