Circling high over the spaceport, Elfangor looked for a secluded spot to demorph. Elfangor, while he was looking for some place to demorph out of view of prying eyes, he was also searching for the Skrit Na ship that had been carrying the Time Matrix. He found both.
Folding his three pairs of wings, Elfangor let himself fall toward the ground. There, under the ship-cradle, was the perfect place for Elfangor to demorph. It was dark and crowded, but at least it would hide him from the Gedd Controllers who were currently checking the ship for hull damage.
Elfangor veered of course, since his previous course would have taken him directly into the Gedds' line-of-sight. Circling to the left and folding his wings further, Elfangor sped toward the rapidly widening opening. Flaring all six wings, he just managed to pull out of his dive before he would have slammed into the cradle itself.
Elfangor had seen the large amount of both organic and inorganic waste, but with some effort he ignored it and began to demorph. Once he had finished, the awful stench of the place hit him. Trying not to take too much notice of it, Elfangor saw something that drove all other thoughts out of his mind.
It was a Taxxon, a particularly big one at that, and it was staring right at him. Elfangor was afraid, he knew all that the Taxxon would have to do was call for help and he would be captured. After that, the best that Elfangor could hope for was to be killed quickly.
But, all the Taxxon did was stand there, staring at Elfangor with its strange compound eyes.
Elfangor? That's you, isn't it?
Arbron?!
Yes, I'm here. It's good to see you again.
Elfangor sighed.
I thought I was the only one left. I lost you and Alloran in that Taxxon feeding frenzy. I'm glad I managed to find you again, Arbron, Elfangor said, smiling with his eyes.
Yeah, glad, Arbron said, seeming preoccupied by something.
Arbron, isn't it time for you to demorph?
Arbron said nothing.
Don't you want to demorph now? It can't be at all pleasant to be in that disgusting Taxxon morph.
Still, Arbron said nothing. Elfangor was beginning to lose his remaining patience with the stubborn aristh. Glaring at the Andalite-turned-Taxxon, Elfangor mustered all the authority he could.
Arbron, as senior aristh, I hereby order you to demorph.
Arbron laughed bitterly.
Yeah, order me, that's going to work. You and I both know we can't stay hidden under this ship-cradle forever. So here's a better idea, why don't you morph Taxxon and then we can go save the Time Matrix?
The Time Matrix! Elfangor had almost completely forgotten about it, first in his near-panic over Loren, and then his excitement over seeing Arbron again. Without a word, Elfangor began what was quickly becoming his most hated morph.
Once he had finished, Elfangor and Arbron both scuttled out from under the ship-cradle. They were completely ignored by the remaining Taxxon workers, and Elfangor began to think they just might make it to the ship.
Arbron, did you have any plan beyond the two of us getting to the Skrit Na ship? Elfangor asked, hoping that his friend would answer in the affirmative.
Of course I did. We lie. We'll tell whoever's aboard that we're here to fix the onboard computers, and after they've all left we fly that pathetic excuse for a spacecraft off this barren planet.
He sounded exceedingly calm, almost like one of the fighter pilots would be when describing these kinds of things. Like this was something he had been planing for months.
Okay, after you Arbron.
Arbron again said nothing as they passed a couple Gedds, ignoring them as best as any Taxxon could. Their Taxxon senses picked up on the pervasive scent of living flesh and blood, both of the Andalites made a supreme effort to ignore it.
No hesitation, Arbron. We have to act like we do this everyday.
Yeah, right, Arbron said shakily. No hesitation.
Something wasn't right, something in Arbron's voice hinted at that fact. Elfangor had at first been too preoccupied with his own fear and doubt to take any notice of his fellow aristh's state of mind. But now that he was beginning to be able to cope with the Taxxon's vile instinctive urges, he began to notice.
However, now was not the time to talk. A pair of Gedd-Controllers brushed by them, barely looking at the two Taxxons. So far it's going well. Elfangor thought, most of the Gedds disregarded the two morphed Andalites, thinking that they were simply a pair of Taxxon techs on their way to another assignment.