(A/N) Simply Sara, thanks for that really great review. I did realize that
it would take Visser Three less than five days to crack. Originally the
number was going to be two days, but then I decided that I would draw out
the agony. The Visser needed more time to kill off Stella's family, plus,
from what I've seen of him, Visser Three just likes to torture people. I
also realized that the Animorphs wouldn't have waited that long to hatch a
rescue plan. They knew that Stella would be infested but there was really
nothing that they could do about it. Oh btw, you were right. That Check
Please story was hilarious! Also, thanks for pointing out that whole weak
arm thing. I'd forgotten about that. Hanyougohan, thanks for reviewing
again. When are you going to update truth or dare? Or have you decided to
end that? Tabatha, thanks for reviewing again. Elski, thanks for reviewing.
Tivor, thanks for reviewing.
Written in the Stars
Chapter7: Reaching for the Sky
When Visser Three entered the room again I chose to ignore him. But then I saw that he was accompanied by a Hork-Bajir controller. He was leading a small child.
"Gwyn." I whispered.
{ It is time. }he hissed. In his hands he held a small Yeerk slug.
"No." I cried softly.
{ I'll find the Andalite bandits then I'll kill this little girl. They will not come for you. Hah-hah-hah! }
"No, please. Let her go."
{ I shall finally have my victory over the Andalites. This world is mine! }
It was only then that I saw all that was at stake. If the Animorphs were discovered then Earth would fall to the Yeerks. All because of me. I couldn't give in now. I couldn't fail.
" STAY AWAY FROM ME!!" I cried out desperately.
Visser Three held the slug up to my ear. I felt it reaching to crawl inside of my head. I wanted to resist but I was too weak. As the Yeerk began it's decent into my brain I fell into a sort of trance. I was falling through an endless, black abyss. I felt the evil slug beginning to take hold of my mind. As I lost control of my own body I remembered my last conversation with Claire. She had begged me never to let this happen to me.
"Never let them make you a slave." I kept hearing her words over and over again in my mind.
"NEVER LET THEM MAKE YOU A SLAVE! NEVER LET THEM TAKE YOU!!"
"I'm sorry Claire." I spoke as if she could hear me.
I had failed. Failed to save my family. Failed to save the Animorphs. Failed to save Ax. They would all die. The entire planet would die. I was a failure.
BUT YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE STELLA.
It was the Ellimist. I was remembering seeing him for the first time.
IT IS NO MEMORY STELLA. I AM HERE WITH YOU EVEN NOW. LISTEN TO ME. YOU CANNOT GIVE UP NOW.
Then I saw him before me as he truly was. This experience was truly beyond description. It was almost as if he lifted me out of the cell and away from the horror of the moment.
YOU MUST FIGHT THE YEERK. YOU HAVE THE POWER WITHIN YOU.
"How can I fight this Yeerk when I couldn't even save my own sister?" I asked him brokenly. "Why can't you just let me die?"
BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL NEEDED HERE STELLA. DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE YET. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. I WILL COME TO YOU ONCE MORE BEFORE THIS IS OVER. THERE IS STILL A CHOICE FOR YOU TO MAKE.
With that he left me to my own black fate. But even then I saw the truth in his words. I could still fight. This Yeerk couldn't come uninvited. I wanted my freedom too much to just let it slip away forever.
"Do not bother to resist Stella. You are my slave now. A host has never successfully rebelled." I heard the Yeerk speaking but it was with my own voice.
"Don't count on it." I still had the power to speak. Having said this I began to focus. I focused every particle of my being on driving the Yeerk from my head.
{ Eslin 426, do you have control yet? } Visser Three asked.
"Not yet." I heard myself saying.
{ What is taking so long?! } he asked impatiently.
"I don't know. The girl is fighting me. I cannot get a hold of her." I could tell that the Yeerk was beginning to be afraid.
{ Well hurry up! I do not know how much longer my guards can hold off the Andalite bandits! }
They were here? It was then that I began to hear the roars of a tiger, a grizzly bear, and a gorilla. Plus the howls of a wolf. They had come. I had to defeat this Yeerk.
I could almost feel the Yeerk reaching into my memories. He could read me like a book. If he reached far enough he would see that-
{ Ah, very interesting. }
{ Oh no. }
{ Not Andalites are they? The Visser is being thwarted by a group of children? }
{ No! No! No! No! No! }
{ Just wait until he hears this. }
"Visser Three. I have some very interesting news about the "Andalite" bandits." The Yeerk said, using my voice.
{ No Please! } I begged.
{ What is it Eslin? I am a little busy here! }
"They are not-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAH! NOOOOOO!!!" I screamed, cutting the Yeerk off mid sentence.
"Don't fight me, girl. Sooner or later the truth will come out."
"And I would prefer it to be later. I won't let you tell him anything."
"You- you cannot-defeat me Stella." He was stammering, starting to lose confidence.
"You'd say almost anything Yeerk. I can defeat you and I will."
"NO!" Suddenly the Yeerk began to exert more power. I felt him trying once again to take hold of my brain. I was losing control all over again.
"Face it Stella! You've lost!"
"No! I'll die before I give in! NEVER!!!!!!"
As I screamed out my defiance I could feel all of the remaining energy that I had gathered manifest into a glowing ball of heat and light. I could feel the Yeerk in my head burning and dying in the inferno that I had conjured. I could almost see my brain working to expel the slug. I don't know how it happened. It has never been done before. But somehow I had beaten the Yeerk. It had not taken me. All at once my senses returned to me. I saw the battle that raged around me. I saw Gwyn cowering in the corner. The other Animorphs were out in the hallway, fighting off Hork- Bajir controllers. I was on my feet now.
Suddenly the Yeerk slug came sliding out of my ear. I saw it hit the floor, dead. The body was smoking.
Slowly I turned to face Visser Three. He backed away from me, almost in fear.
{ You- you- you have defeated a Yeerk. It is just not possible. } I could hear the fear and rage in his voice.
"You will not have me." I told him firmly.
Slowly I began to walk towards him.
{ And you are still standing up. You- you cannot be human. }
"Murderer", I hissed.
But just as suddenly as I had said the word I felt all the strength that I had gathered leave me. My legs buckled and I crashed to the ground. As the world began to spin before my eyes I saw one of the Hork-Bajir come towards me.
"Stella! It's me, Ax!" the Hork-Bajir said.
"Ax?" I whispered as my heart began to fail. I had used too much energy trying to free myself. It had worked but now I would die. I could feel my body slowly beginning to shut down. Ax gently lifted my head off of the bloodstained ground. I would die but at least I would die free.
"It is all right Stella. I am here now. We will get you out of here."
I was so happy to see him that for a moment I forgot that I was dying. But the pains suddenly returned and I remembered where I was. Time was running out.
"Ax.......get the others out of here while you still can. Take Gwyn, she is all that's left." I said, pointing to Gwyn.
{ I will not leave you here Stella. } he said fiercely.
"You must. It is..........too late for me........my love." I had to let him know that I loved him before I died.
* * *
It was happening! The dream! My vision! It was coming true!
"No! This cannot be happening! You cannot leave me now Stella! You just can't!"
"I will try.........to hold on, for you." As her voice faded I could see that even she did not believe her own words.
As I held her tightly to my Hork-Bajir body I could feel her heart beat becoming slow and sluggish. She was fading before me and there was nothing that I could do. A helpless rage filled me.
{ You are too late Andalite! The girl is dead and now I have you all! Her sacrifice has been in vain. }
When my gaze fell upon Visser Three I was filled with a hatred and anger such as I had never known. I had faced him before. He had killed Elfangor. It was my responsibility to kill him. And before now I had never had the courage to attack him head on. It had taken this to open my eyes.
With an enraged cry I leapt at the abomination, blades slashing.
{ AAAAAAAAAAH!! } I heard him cry out as my wrist blades sank into his sides.
I struck him many times before he began to morph. Even then I continued my attack.
{ Ax, we should probably get out of here before he finishes morphing. }I heard Prince Jake saying.
Reluctantly I pulled away from the Visser and went back to Stella, careful not to cut her with my blades. Gently I lifted her off of the cell floor. She was barely conscious. I saw Marco in gorilla morph pick up the human child. Both of us spilled out into the corridor with Stella and, what I assumed was her last remaining cousin, Gwyn.
{ You will not get far my little Andalites. } Visser Three sneered. He was now half Andalite and half some strange animal that I did not yet recognize. But there was no time to stay and identify it.
{ Lead the way Ax. } Cassie said.
Without a second thought I barreled down the hall, back to the docking bay. When suddenly, right in front of us, there was a wall of taxxon controllers. I would have fought but I was holding Stella. The others grouped in front of me and we fought our way through them. Luckily for us they could not use their dracon beams in the small space of the detention block. As soon as their blood had been spilt many of the other taxxons raced to devour their fellows.
It was a sickening, cannibalistic display. I was very relieved when we finally reached the docking bay. So relieved as we piled into the bug fighter that I didn't even stop to think about how easy it had been. It had been too easy.
The other four demorphed rapidly and I began to guide the fighter out of the docking bay. When we were safely away from the mother ship I turned my attention to Stella.
"Stella, it's all right. You can morph now."
She did not answer me. Prince Jake pushed his way over to her and shook her, hard.
"Stella if you don't morph now you're dead!"
"Maybe she can't hear you. She could be unconscious." Cassie suggested.
For awhile after the others tried to wake her and I piloted the fighter back down to Earth. As we descended to the planet's surface communications suddenly came online. I activated the signal and Visser Three appeared on the screen. As soon as the others saw him they ducked down so he wouldn't see them.
{ You Andalite filth didn't actually think that I would let you escape? Not this time! That fighter is set to self-destruct in exactly five minutes. }
"I do not believe you." I replied vehemently.
{ No? Then wait five minutes and find out. Hah-hah-hah! Visser Three out. } With that the screen went blank.
"He could be bluffing." I heard Marco saying.
"He is not." I told them calmly.
"He must be desperate to catch us if he's going to blow up a space ship in front of humans. No way the people in our town are going to miss a giant explosion in mid air." Rachel said.
"No, they will not see it. I've just noticed that the cloaking device is jammed into place. I will not be able to switch it off in time. The explosion will be completely invisible."
"Then how do we get out of here?!" Marco practically shouted.
"We will soon be flying over your hometown. You all can morph birds and fly out of here."
"But what about Stella and Gwyn?" Cassie asked me fearfully.
"Gwyn is fairly small. I believe that the four of you in your respective bird forms could lift her a short distance. I should be able to fly low enough for it to be attempted."
"And Stella?" Rachel asked.
"I am almost certain that a Hork-Bajir could survive the fall. If not that then I could fly over the forest and jump for one of the trees with Stella. The trees on the Hork-Bajir home world are much bigger than trees here but I am fairly sure that one of them would suffice to hold my weight."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Rachel said boldly.
"How much time do we have Ax?" Prince Jake asked me.
"Three and half minutes remain, that is if Visser Three was being truthful about our time. Which I very much doubt."
"Then lets get a move on." Rachel said.
Instantly they began to morph birds. Rachel, a bald eagle. Prince Jake, a peregrine falcon. Marco and Cassie, both ospreys. Quickly I opened the hatch. We were zooming along at a very high speed and Gwyn immediately began to slide towards the ramp. Rachel latched her beak onto the screaming child's shirt. The other three gently grabbed a limb with their talons, each being careful not to hurt her. Slowly they let themselves slide out the open hatch.
When I looked out the view screen I could see them half-falling and half flying down to the forest floor. I abandoned the controls. Thirty seconds remained. I lifted Stella from the floor of the bug fighter. Twenty seconds remaining. The fighter was out of control now. Fifteen seconds remaining. I gazed down at Stella's face. If I did not survive I wanted the last thing that I saw to be her. Ten seconds remaining. I let myself get swept down the ramp and out into mid air, clutching Stella tightly. I counted the time.
Five...four...three...two...one.
Suddenly a giant explosion rocked the air. I felt the searing heat of it and yet I saw nothing. The blast propelled me through the air. I saw the forest rushing at me. Slowly I stretched out one of the powerful Hork-Bajir arms to grab a tree. When we were close enough I latched onto a tree branch.
The branch ended up snapping off of the tree but it broke the fall. Stella and I crashed to the ground. I had a few scrapes but I lived.
"Prince Jake! Rachel! Cassie! Marco!" I called out frantically.
{ Ax can...... hear...}
{ Are....... all right?}
I walked through the forest towards the thought speech. I could sense the direction from witch it came. Slowly but surely it became clearer.
{ Ax where are you? Are you and Stella all right? }
Then I saw four birds and a young girl through the trees.
"I am here. Do not worry. We are all right." I replied.
{ Oh Ax, we were so afraid after we heard that explosion. We thought that- that- } Cassie started to say.
"It is all right Cassie."
{ I wouldn't be too sure about that Ax. Stella doesn't look so hot. } Marco said.
It was only then that I began to take a full inventory of Stella's injuries. She had many gashes running up and down her arms and legs. Most of the wounds had closed but the recent adventure had reopened many of them. Fresh blood began to mix with the dry blood that already adorned her body. I recognized this type of wound. It was the type of cut made by an Andalite tail blade. Upon further inspection I realized that she was missing a hand. Also the work of Visser Three, I was certain. Beneath the red of the blood she was very pale from loss of it. Her breathing was very ragged and shallow. I even saw blood trickling out of her ear. No doubt that was from her defeat of the Yeerk. Stella had done the impossible and now she would pay for it. Pay with her life.
"If I ever get my tail on that evil-" I started to say.
{ Save the threatening for later Ax. We need to help her.} Marco said urgently.
"Stella, listen to me. You must morph now or you are going to die." I told her as I laid her down on the forest floor.
"Please Stella, wake up. Open your eyes." I was begging her now.
Suddenly her eyelids fluttered open.
"Come on Stella, morph"
"No", she whispered.
"Why not?" I asked her. I was starting to panic.
"I- I killed them. They're dead." As she whispered these words I saw tears streaking down her face.
"Who?"
{ Her family Ax. Visser Three killed them all. } Prince Jake explained to me.
"But she did not kill them. It was that vile abomination."
{ That's true but Stella thinks that it's her fault. I think that she believes that she deserves to die. } Cassie said.
Quickly I started to demorph for I was almost at the time limit.
{ We should get out of here. We need to get Stella some place safe. } I heard Rachel saying.
{ Safe? Safe! No place is safe now. Visser Three will find out sooner or later that we are alive. He will come after Stella again. Next time we may not be so lucky. } I raged.
{ Ax calm down. It won't help her to see you lose control. We need you now. } Prince Jake said.
They were right of course. I had to swallow my anger at Visser Three for the time being. Calm was what Stella needed from me now.
I quickly morphed the Hork-Bajir again and picked up Stella. At first the child wouldn't follow us. I understood it to a certain degree. She had just been through something traumatic for one so young. But she eventually suffered herself to be lead with Marco hopping along in front of her, still in bird morph.
As we made our way back through the forest I let the others go in front of me. Eventually we reached the campsite and we all demorphed.
"I'll go get some bandages. Maybe we can do something about those cuts." Cassie said as she headed back in the direction of her farm.
"What are we going to do about Gwyn?" Marco wondered out loud.
"I guess she'll have to stay here too. If we can get her away from Marco that is," Rachel said.
Ever since they had demorphed, Gwyn had been clinging to Marco. I could tell that he was more than a little annoyed by it.
"What's the matter Marco? I thought you liked having girls hang all over you?" Prince Jake laughed.
Marco didn't answer to this. He just growled in reply.
"So what are we going to do for Stella?" Rachel asked worriedly.
{ There is nothing that we can do. Cassie can attend to her wounds but now Stella is the only one who can save herself. Only morphing will save her. } I answered.
Cassie finally returned with the medical supplies. She washed and bandaged the gashes that covered Stella's body. Stella never moved once during the whole process. After Cassie was finished we all helped to transfer Stella to her sleeping bag.
"You know Ax, we could stay here and help you keep an eye on Stella. You must be beat after that fight back there." Rachel offered.
{ No, I can handle it. Tobias will return will shortly. Besides, I..... I want some time alone with her. } I replied softly.
None of the others understood. Except for Cassie. She led them all away. She even offered to take Gwyn for the night. She claimed that she could keep the child hidden for one night. So I let her.
That left just Stella and myself. I morphed to human and sat by her side. As I watched the sun set I waited for Tobias. As darkness stole over the forest he suddenly swooped down and landed in a tree beside me.
{ Ax, is she all right? The others told me what happened. Stella really threw off a Yeerk? How? }
"I do not know. It has never been done before. Whatever it is that Stella did, it has greatly taxed her strength." I replied
{ How long have you been in morph Ax? }
"Long enough that I should demorph now." I answered as I started to demorph.
{ I can hang around tonight if you need me Ax. } Tobias offered.
{ No, it's all right. }
{ Okay, I'll stop by again in the morning. Ax? }
{ Yes Tobias. }
{ I'm sorry. }
{ I will be all right my friend. } I replied as I began to morph back to human. Tobias flew away and I was left with Stella again.
I sat by her side long into the night. I sat there, helpless, as her vibrant spirit faded away.
Suddenly she bolted awake.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"It's okay Stella. We are in the forest. You are safe." I explained to her.
"What about Gwyn?"
"She is with Cassie. Won't you please morph now? If you don't you will die soon."
"Funny thing, I don't feel like I'm dying. I'm not in pain anymore."
"No Stella, It's all in your mind. You've been injured too badly to survive. You may not feel it now but you do not have long. Please morph."
"No Ax. What right do I have to live when the rest of my family died? I deserve to die. It was my fault."
"It was not your fault. Do you really want Visser Three to triumph over you?"
"He already has."
"You are giving up?"
"Yes. It's over."
"No! Don't die now Stella."
"I came here to die Ax. I only kept fighting so that I could see your face one last time. I am ready."
"Please Stella, don't leave me. I still have so much to say to you." I begged her.
"Don't forget about me."
"I will never."
"Good bye."
With that she lost consciousness again. She still lived but I had a horrible feeling that she had spoken her last words to me. I gently lifted her into a sitting position and cradled her head in my arms. I suddenly felt water streaming down my face. For a moment I was afraid. But then I realized that I was crying. It was such a strange sensation. Had my grief reached such a peak as to use this human concept?
For a long while I held her, letting my tears fall down upon her face. I had never felt so helpless in my entire life. Nothing I had learned in school, nothing that I had experienced in the military could possibly have prepared me for this moment.
I do not believe in talking to the dead, but in that blackest of times there was only one person whom I could think of to turn to.
"Elfangor! If you are out there please help me reach her before it is too late. I need her. You were always a guide to me. Guide Stella now. Lead her out of the darkness. I beg you!"
I had no one else left to ask for help.
* * *
The union of an Andalite and a star
Will bring great things.
With the warrior that fights from afar
The bladed seer takes wing.
Joined with the four who have lost all,
The champions of the human race,
They shall see the plague fall,
By the word of time's face
I heard the words in the depths of my very soul.
"What do you mean!?" I shouted into the blackness.
"All this shall come to pass." The voice said.
"Tell me!!!"
SILENCE STELLA. BE NOT AFRAID. ALL WILL BE WELL.
"What happened? Am I dead?" I asked, suddenly bewildered.
NO. AS I SAID BEFORE, YOU ARE STILL NEEDED IN THIS WAR. YOUR END IS NOT TO BE OF YOUR OWN MAKING. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DESTROY THE HOPE OF THE UNIVERSE STELLA. YOU STILL HAVE A PART TO PLAY. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO GO BACK.
"Go back where?" I asked him. But he had left me. I knew that it had been the Ellimist.
Suddenly Visser Three appeared before me.
{ The star must die. Without the star none of it will come to pass. }
"The star?"
Before I could even react the Visser whipped his tail blade towards me.
As the blade came down on my neck everything went black.
* *
*
Written in the Stars
Chapter7: Reaching for the Sky
When Visser Three entered the room again I chose to ignore him. But then I saw that he was accompanied by a Hork-Bajir controller. He was leading a small child.
"Gwyn." I whispered.
{ It is time. }he hissed. In his hands he held a small Yeerk slug.
"No." I cried softly.
{ I'll find the Andalite bandits then I'll kill this little girl. They will not come for you. Hah-hah-hah! }
"No, please. Let her go."
{ I shall finally have my victory over the Andalites. This world is mine! }
It was only then that I saw all that was at stake. If the Animorphs were discovered then Earth would fall to the Yeerks. All because of me. I couldn't give in now. I couldn't fail.
" STAY AWAY FROM ME!!" I cried out desperately.
Visser Three held the slug up to my ear. I felt it reaching to crawl inside of my head. I wanted to resist but I was too weak. As the Yeerk began it's decent into my brain I fell into a sort of trance. I was falling through an endless, black abyss. I felt the evil slug beginning to take hold of my mind. As I lost control of my own body I remembered my last conversation with Claire. She had begged me never to let this happen to me.
"Never let them make you a slave." I kept hearing her words over and over again in my mind.
"NEVER LET THEM MAKE YOU A SLAVE! NEVER LET THEM TAKE YOU!!"
"I'm sorry Claire." I spoke as if she could hear me.
I had failed. Failed to save my family. Failed to save the Animorphs. Failed to save Ax. They would all die. The entire planet would die. I was a failure.
BUT YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE STELLA.
It was the Ellimist. I was remembering seeing him for the first time.
IT IS NO MEMORY STELLA. I AM HERE WITH YOU EVEN NOW. LISTEN TO ME. YOU CANNOT GIVE UP NOW.
Then I saw him before me as he truly was. This experience was truly beyond description. It was almost as if he lifted me out of the cell and away from the horror of the moment.
YOU MUST FIGHT THE YEERK. YOU HAVE THE POWER WITHIN YOU.
"How can I fight this Yeerk when I couldn't even save my own sister?" I asked him brokenly. "Why can't you just let me die?"
BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL NEEDED HERE STELLA. DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE YET. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. I WILL COME TO YOU ONCE MORE BEFORE THIS IS OVER. THERE IS STILL A CHOICE FOR YOU TO MAKE.
With that he left me to my own black fate. But even then I saw the truth in his words. I could still fight. This Yeerk couldn't come uninvited. I wanted my freedom too much to just let it slip away forever.
"Do not bother to resist Stella. You are my slave now. A host has never successfully rebelled." I heard the Yeerk speaking but it was with my own voice.
"Don't count on it." I still had the power to speak. Having said this I began to focus. I focused every particle of my being on driving the Yeerk from my head.
{ Eslin 426, do you have control yet? } Visser Three asked.
"Not yet." I heard myself saying.
{ What is taking so long?! } he asked impatiently.
"I don't know. The girl is fighting me. I cannot get a hold of her." I could tell that the Yeerk was beginning to be afraid.
{ Well hurry up! I do not know how much longer my guards can hold off the Andalite bandits! }
They were here? It was then that I began to hear the roars of a tiger, a grizzly bear, and a gorilla. Plus the howls of a wolf. They had come. I had to defeat this Yeerk.
I could almost feel the Yeerk reaching into my memories. He could read me like a book. If he reached far enough he would see that-
{ Ah, very interesting. }
{ Oh no. }
{ Not Andalites are they? The Visser is being thwarted by a group of children? }
{ No! No! No! No! No! }
{ Just wait until he hears this. }
"Visser Three. I have some very interesting news about the "Andalite" bandits." The Yeerk said, using my voice.
{ No Please! } I begged.
{ What is it Eslin? I am a little busy here! }
"They are not-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAH! NOOOOOO!!!" I screamed, cutting the Yeerk off mid sentence.
"Don't fight me, girl. Sooner or later the truth will come out."
"And I would prefer it to be later. I won't let you tell him anything."
"You- you cannot-defeat me Stella." He was stammering, starting to lose confidence.
"You'd say almost anything Yeerk. I can defeat you and I will."
"NO!" Suddenly the Yeerk began to exert more power. I felt him trying once again to take hold of my brain. I was losing control all over again.
"Face it Stella! You've lost!"
"No! I'll die before I give in! NEVER!!!!!!"
As I screamed out my defiance I could feel all of the remaining energy that I had gathered manifest into a glowing ball of heat and light. I could feel the Yeerk in my head burning and dying in the inferno that I had conjured. I could almost see my brain working to expel the slug. I don't know how it happened. It has never been done before. But somehow I had beaten the Yeerk. It had not taken me. All at once my senses returned to me. I saw the battle that raged around me. I saw Gwyn cowering in the corner. The other Animorphs were out in the hallway, fighting off Hork- Bajir controllers. I was on my feet now.
Suddenly the Yeerk slug came sliding out of my ear. I saw it hit the floor, dead. The body was smoking.
Slowly I turned to face Visser Three. He backed away from me, almost in fear.
{ You- you- you have defeated a Yeerk. It is just not possible. } I could hear the fear and rage in his voice.
"You will not have me." I told him firmly.
Slowly I began to walk towards him.
{ And you are still standing up. You- you cannot be human. }
"Murderer", I hissed.
But just as suddenly as I had said the word I felt all the strength that I had gathered leave me. My legs buckled and I crashed to the ground. As the world began to spin before my eyes I saw one of the Hork-Bajir come towards me.
"Stella! It's me, Ax!" the Hork-Bajir said.
"Ax?" I whispered as my heart began to fail. I had used too much energy trying to free myself. It had worked but now I would die. I could feel my body slowly beginning to shut down. Ax gently lifted my head off of the bloodstained ground. I would die but at least I would die free.
"It is all right Stella. I am here now. We will get you out of here."
I was so happy to see him that for a moment I forgot that I was dying. But the pains suddenly returned and I remembered where I was. Time was running out.
"Ax.......get the others out of here while you still can. Take Gwyn, she is all that's left." I said, pointing to Gwyn.
{ I will not leave you here Stella. } he said fiercely.
"You must. It is..........too late for me........my love." I had to let him know that I loved him before I died.
* * *
It was happening! The dream! My vision! It was coming true!
"No! This cannot be happening! You cannot leave me now Stella! You just can't!"
"I will try.........to hold on, for you." As her voice faded I could see that even she did not believe her own words.
As I held her tightly to my Hork-Bajir body I could feel her heart beat becoming slow and sluggish. She was fading before me and there was nothing that I could do. A helpless rage filled me.
{ You are too late Andalite! The girl is dead and now I have you all! Her sacrifice has been in vain. }
When my gaze fell upon Visser Three I was filled with a hatred and anger such as I had never known. I had faced him before. He had killed Elfangor. It was my responsibility to kill him. And before now I had never had the courage to attack him head on. It had taken this to open my eyes.
With an enraged cry I leapt at the abomination, blades slashing.
{ AAAAAAAAAAH!! } I heard him cry out as my wrist blades sank into his sides.
I struck him many times before he began to morph. Even then I continued my attack.
{ Ax, we should probably get out of here before he finishes morphing. }I heard Prince Jake saying.
Reluctantly I pulled away from the Visser and went back to Stella, careful not to cut her with my blades. Gently I lifted her off of the cell floor. She was barely conscious. I saw Marco in gorilla morph pick up the human child. Both of us spilled out into the corridor with Stella and, what I assumed was her last remaining cousin, Gwyn.
{ You will not get far my little Andalites. } Visser Three sneered. He was now half Andalite and half some strange animal that I did not yet recognize. But there was no time to stay and identify it.
{ Lead the way Ax. } Cassie said.
Without a second thought I barreled down the hall, back to the docking bay. When suddenly, right in front of us, there was a wall of taxxon controllers. I would have fought but I was holding Stella. The others grouped in front of me and we fought our way through them. Luckily for us they could not use their dracon beams in the small space of the detention block. As soon as their blood had been spilt many of the other taxxons raced to devour their fellows.
It was a sickening, cannibalistic display. I was very relieved when we finally reached the docking bay. So relieved as we piled into the bug fighter that I didn't even stop to think about how easy it had been. It had been too easy.
The other four demorphed rapidly and I began to guide the fighter out of the docking bay. When we were safely away from the mother ship I turned my attention to Stella.
"Stella, it's all right. You can morph now."
She did not answer me. Prince Jake pushed his way over to her and shook her, hard.
"Stella if you don't morph now you're dead!"
"Maybe she can't hear you. She could be unconscious." Cassie suggested.
For awhile after the others tried to wake her and I piloted the fighter back down to Earth. As we descended to the planet's surface communications suddenly came online. I activated the signal and Visser Three appeared on the screen. As soon as the others saw him they ducked down so he wouldn't see them.
{ You Andalite filth didn't actually think that I would let you escape? Not this time! That fighter is set to self-destruct in exactly five minutes. }
"I do not believe you." I replied vehemently.
{ No? Then wait five minutes and find out. Hah-hah-hah! Visser Three out. } With that the screen went blank.
"He could be bluffing." I heard Marco saying.
"He is not." I told them calmly.
"He must be desperate to catch us if he's going to blow up a space ship in front of humans. No way the people in our town are going to miss a giant explosion in mid air." Rachel said.
"No, they will not see it. I've just noticed that the cloaking device is jammed into place. I will not be able to switch it off in time. The explosion will be completely invisible."
"Then how do we get out of here?!" Marco practically shouted.
"We will soon be flying over your hometown. You all can morph birds and fly out of here."
"But what about Stella and Gwyn?" Cassie asked me fearfully.
"Gwyn is fairly small. I believe that the four of you in your respective bird forms could lift her a short distance. I should be able to fly low enough for it to be attempted."
"And Stella?" Rachel asked.
"I am almost certain that a Hork-Bajir could survive the fall. If not that then I could fly over the forest and jump for one of the trees with Stella. The trees on the Hork-Bajir home world are much bigger than trees here but I am fairly sure that one of them would suffice to hold my weight."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Rachel said boldly.
"How much time do we have Ax?" Prince Jake asked me.
"Three and half minutes remain, that is if Visser Three was being truthful about our time. Which I very much doubt."
"Then lets get a move on." Rachel said.
Instantly they began to morph birds. Rachel, a bald eagle. Prince Jake, a peregrine falcon. Marco and Cassie, both ospreys. Quickly I opened the hatch. We were zooming along at a very high speed and Gwyn immediately began to slide towards the ramp. Rachel latched her beak onto the screaming child's shirt. The other three gently grabbed a limb with their talons, each being careful not to hurt her. Slowly they let themselves slide out the open hatch.
When I looked out the view screen I could see them half-falling and half flying down to the forest floor. I abandoned the controls. Thirty seconds remained. I lifted Stella from the floor of the bug fighter. Twenty seconds remaining. The fighter was out of control now. Fifteen seconds remaining. I gazed down at Stella's face. If I did not survive I wanted the last thing that I saw to be her. Ten seconds remaining. I let myself get swept down the ramp and out into mid air, clutching Stella tightly. I counted the time.
Five...four...three...two...one.
Suddenly a giant explosion rocked the air. I felt the searing heat of it and yet I saw nothing. The blast propelled me through the air. I saw the forest rushing at me. Slowly I stretched out one of the powerful Hork-Bajir arms to grab a tree. When we were close enough I latched onto a tree branch.
The branch ended up snapping off of the tree but it broke the fall. Stella and I crashed to the ground. I had a few scrapes but I lived.
"Prince Jake! Rachel! Cassie! Marco!" I called out frantically.
{ Ax can...... hear...}
{ Are....... all right?}
I walked through the forest towards the thought speech. I could sense the direction from witch it came. Slowly but surely it became clearer.
{ Ax where are you? Are you and Stella all right? }
Then I saw four birds and a young girl through the trees.
"I am here. Do not worry. We are all right." I replied.
{ Oh Ax, we were so afraid after we heard that explosion. We thought that- that- } Cassie started to say.
"It is all right Cassie."
{ I wouldn't be too sure about that Ax. Stella doesn't look so hot. } Marco said.
It was only then that I began to take a full inventory of Stella's injuries. She had many gashes running up and down her arms and legs. Most of the wounds had closed but the recent adventure had reopened many of them. Fresh blood began to mix with the dry blood that already adorned her body. I recognized this type of wound. It was the type of cut made by an Andalite tail blade. Upon further inspection I realized that she was missing a hand. Also the work of Visser Three, I was certain. Beneath the red of the blood she was very pale from loss of it. Her breathing was very ragged and shallow. I even saw blood trickling out of her ear. No doubt that was from her defeat of the Yeerk. Stella had done the impossible and now she would pay for it. Pay with her life.
"If I ever get my tail on that evil-" I started to say.
{ Save the threatening for later Ax. We need to help her.} Marco said urgently.
"Stella, listen to me. You must morph now or you are going to die." I told her as I laid her down on the forest floor.
"Please Stella, wake up. Open your eyes." I was begging her now.
Suddenly her eyelids fluttered open.
"Come on Stella, morph"
"No", she whispered.
"Why not?" I asked her. I was starting to panic.
"I- I killed them. They're dead." As she whispered these words I saw tears streaking down her face.
"Who?"
{ Her family Ax. Visser Three killed them all. } Prince Jake explained to me.
"But she did not kill them. It was that vile abomination."
{ That's true but Stella thinks that it's her fault. I think that she believes that she deserves to die. } Cassie said.
Quickly I started to demorph for I was almost at the time limit.
{ We should get out of here. We need to get Stella some place safe. } I heard Rachel saying.
{ Safe? Safe! No place is safe now. Visser Three will find out sooner or later that we are alive. He will come after Stella again. Next time we may not be so lucky. } I raged.
{ Ax calm down. It won't help her to see you lose control. We need you now. } Prince Jake said.
They were right of course. I had to swallow my anger at Visser Three for the time being. Calm was what Stella needed from me now.
I quickly morphed the Hork-Bajir again and picked up Stella. At first the child wouldn't follow us. I understood it to a certain degree. She had just been through something traumatic for one so young. But she eventually suffered herself to be lead with Marco hopping along in front of her, still in bird morph.
As we made our way back through the forest I let the others go in front of me. Eventually we reached the campsite and we all demorphed.
"I'll go get some bandages. Maybe we can do something about those cuts." Cassie said as she headed back in the direction of her farm.
"What are we going to do about Gwyn?" Marco wondered out loud.
"I guess she'll have to stay here too. If we can get her away from Marco that is," Rachel said.
Ever since they had demorphed, Gwyn had been clinging to Marco. I could tell that he was more than a little annoyed by it.
"What's the matter Marco? I thought you liked having girls hang all over you?" Prince Jake laughed.
Marco didn't answer to this. He just growled in reply.
"So what are we going to do for Stella?" Rachel asked worriedly.
{ There is nothing that we can do. Cassie can attend to her wounds but now Stella is the only one who can save herself. Only morphing will save her. } I answered.
Cassie finally returned with the medical supplies. She washed and bandaged the gashes that covered Stella's body. Stella never moved once during the whole process. After Cassie was finished we all helped to transfer Stella to her sleeping bag.
"You know Ax, we could stay here and help you keep an eye on Stella. You must be beat after that fight back there." Rachel offered.
{ No, I can handle it. Tobias will return will shortly. Besides, I..... I want some time alone with her. } I replied softly.
None of the others understood. Except for Cassie. She led them all away. She even offered to take Gwyn for the night. She claimed that she could keep the child hidden for one night. So I let her.
That left just Stella and myself. I morphed to human and sat by her side. As I watched the sun set I waited for Tobias. As darkness stole over the forest he suddenly swooped down and landed in a tree beside me.
{ Ax, is she all right? The others told me what happened. Stella really threw off a Yeerk? How? }
"I do not know. It has never been done before. Whatever it is that Stella did, it has greatly taxed her strength." I replied
{ How long have you been in morph Ax? }
"Long enough that I should demorph now." I answered as I started to demorph.
{ I can hang around tonight if you need me Ax. } Tobias offered.
{ No, it's all right. }
{ Okay, I'll stop by again in the morning. Ax? }
{ Yes Tobias. }
{ I'm sorry. }
{ I will be all right my friend. } I replied as I began to morph back to human. Tobias flew away and I was left with Stella again.
I sat by her side long into the night. I sat there, helpless, as her vibrant spirit faded away.
Suddenly she bolted awake.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"It's okay Stella. We are in the forest. You are safe." I explained to her.
"What about Gwyn?"
"She is with Cassie. Won't you please morph now? If you don't you will die soon."
"Funny thing, I don't feel like I'm dying. I'm not in pain anymore."
"No Stella, It's all in your mind. You've been injured too badly to survive. You may not feel it now but you do not have long. Please morph."
"No Ax. What right do I have to live when the rest of my family died? I deserve to die. It was my fault."
"It was not your fault. Do you really want Visser Three to triumph over you?"
"He already has."
"You are giving up?"
"Yes. It's over."
"No! Don't die now Stella."
"I came here to die Ax. I only kept fighting so that I could see your face one last time. I am ready."
"Please Stella, don't leave me. I still have so much to say to you." I begged her.
"Don't forget about me."
"I will never."
"Good bye."
With that she lost consciousness again. She still lived but I had a horrible feeling that she had spoken her last words to me. I gently lifted her into a sitting position and cradled her head in my arms. I suddenly felt water streaming down my face. For a moment I was afraid. But then I realized that I was crying. It was such a strange sensation. Had my grief reached such a peak as to use this human concept?
For a long while I held her, letting my tears fall down upon her face. I had never felt so helpless in my entire life. Nothing I had learned in school, nothing that I had experienced in the military could possibly have prepared me for this moment.
I do not believe in talking to the dead, but in that blackest of times there was only one person whom I could think of to turn to.
"Elfangor! If you are out there please help me reach her before it is too late. I need her. You were always a guide to me. Guide Stella now. Lead her out of the darkness. I beg you!"
I had no one else left to ask for help.
* * *
The union of an Andalite and a star
Will bring great things.
With the warrior that fights from afar
The bladed seer takes wing.
Joined with the four who have lost all,
The champions of the human race,
They shall see the plague fall,
By the word of time's face
I heard the words in the depths of my very soul.
"What do you mean!?" I shouted into the blackness.
"All this shall come to pass." The voice said.
"Tell me!!!"
SILENCE STELLA. BE NOT AFRAID. ALL WILL BE WELL.
"What happened? Am I dead?" I asked, suddenly bewildered.
NO. AS I SAID BEFORE, YOU ARE STILL NEEDED IN THIS WAR. YOUR END IS NOT TO BE OF YOUR OWN MAKING. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DESTROY THE HOPE OF THE UNIVERSE STELLA. YOU STILL HAVE A PART TO PLAY. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO GO BACK.
"Go back where?" I asked him. But he had left me. I knew that it had been the Ellimist.
Suddenly Visser Three appeared before me.
{ The star must die. Without the star none of it will come to pass. }
"The star?"
Before I could even react the Visser whipped his tail blade towards me.
As the blade came down on my neck everything went black.
* *
*