Chapter 8
Me and Sam were both talking about ho was better when I looked over to see Ax still working tirelessly on the device. Sam and I took a short break to go over and see how he was doing.
"So, how's it coming?" I asked.
[It is nearing completion.] he answered.
Sam raised his hand, like in school, "If I may ask, how near to completion is it?" He said 'near completion' in a very sarcastic way.
Ax ignored him and pressed a few buttons and something popped up. [It is done.] he exclaimed as he held it up to his main eyes. Even his stalk eyes had to get a look at it.
"Really?" I asked. "That was quick."
[I have been working on it for many earth hours, that is quite quick to create a working yeerk distress beacon. But Yeerk technology is primitive to andalites.] he said smugly.
"Yeah, those andalites are sure doing a good job in the computer business. Why can't you defeat the yeerks as easy. You seem to be better than them in every way." Sam Noted. I guess he was right, but I wasn't going to say it.
Ax looked up sharply, [We don't have the military to control the problem in as many places as the yeerks have spread.] He said defensively.
"Well, it seems the andalite intelligence just doesn't have what it takes to stop those inferior yeerks, huh.? I have a suggestion, how about you actually use some of that technology and intelligence that you andalites have so much of and do something about it?"
[We simply do not have the numbers!] Ax was getting mad now. I guess he really respected the andalites.
[That's enough.] I told sam in private thought speech. I didn't know why out of the blue he got so mad at Ax. That came out of nowhere and it surprised even me.
"Sorry, I guess I got carried away. There is only so much you can do. Besides, it's no your fault." Sam apologized. It was also odd for Sam to shut up and apologize. He usually made his opinions known.
[That's Better.] I told him again. He didn't look impressed. "Ax, Can I look at the device?" I asked, trying to get off the subject.
Ax stared at Sam for a few seconds with his main eyes, before softening the look on his face and giving me the distress beacon. [I do not believe you would understand how I works, but be careful with it.]
I lifted it up to my eyes. It looked like a remote control that had exploded. Like it was frozen in place, of course. Like it had melted in place. It was cool though. When I went to give it to Ax, the parts started moving.
[Careful, you have activated it.]
I got a look of panic on my face. "Umm, Ax. Didn't you say that the beacon would draw them to wherever it was set off?" I was spooked, but when I saw sam laughing at me, I realized something was wrong.
"It didn't go anywhere. There is no Z-space transponder attached to it. The message didn't go far." He said as he shook his head and laughed.
[The device doesn't work without something to send it. It is like a human cell-phone, only without any central station to send the call. That is why we need the Z-space transponder. It is the only frequency the yeerk mother ship accepts.] Ax Explained.
I was relieved. I actually thought the yeerks would end up coming there to us. I was freaked, but I felt like an idiot because of it. "Shut up Sam." I said defensively. "I wasn't thinking properly." he was still laughing under his breath.
[Alright, everyone. We finally have a real objective.] Tobias said as he swooped down.
[Yep, and it is not going to be fun.] Rachel added as she flew to the branch beside Tobias. [what's that?] she asked. I followed her stare and saw she was looking at the distress beacon.
[That's the distress beacon. Constructed to send the signal through the transponder.] Ax explained. He was doing a lot of that lately.
[Well, I guess that is good. It does look a bit bigger than I thought.] Tobias said. [well, we just came by to inform you of the wonderful news. We have found someone who would likely have a z-space transponder or whatever.]
"Well, Spill the beans." Sam said impatiently.
[I was getting there.] Tobias continued. [Well, I hate to give a long story, but Jake asked me too so maybe Ax could make sure we were on the right track....]
[It's Chapman.] Rachel interfered. [When I was in his basement, he was talking to a hologram of Visser three. We thought he was probably on the blade ship or mother ship.] Tobias stared at her.
[That would make sense, but that transponder would be a little bigger than I made this beacon for. It takes more to transmit holograms than it does to transmit messages.] Ax said.
[Yeah, Jake thought maybe it wouldn't be much of a difference they are yeerks, after all. But either way, it was a pretty technologically extensive room, so he would probably have others for different reasons.] Tobias said.
Sam nodded his head. "Makes sense to me."
[There is one problem, though. There isn't a solid way to go about getting in there. We were thinking cat, but chapman has dealt with the cat. There would be no more cat's getting in. Last time we went in there we caused quite a stir. We even had Visser Three pay us a visit. So that option is definitely out. They will be on guard now.]
"So what s the plan? Fleas?" I shuddered at the thought. Jake had morphed to a flea. I wondered how he did it and didn't get sick.
[No, bigger than that.] Rachel said. [But not much bigger.]
For some reason, that didn't seem comforting.
[Well, were thinking something along the lines of an ant.] She said.
My heart instantly sank. I slowly shook my head in disbelief. "No." I muttered under my breath.
"No what?" Sam asked. He had a concerned look on his face, but I could tell he didn't care. "What is wrong with you, you look absolutely spooked."
[What's wrong?] Tobias asked.
I was still shaking my head slowly. "I won't do it." I said simply. "Not an angels chance in hell."
[Why not? We are all going in as a team, and I think you should come in too. What could go wrong, they're just ants. Ants are tough little creatures, you know.] Rachel said.
I rolled my eyes. "I know they're strong, and I also know they're tough. Everybody knows that, it's just.....never mind. Rachel, you said it yourself, that room is small. And you already are filling it with you, Jake, Marco, Ax, Cassie, and Whitney. I won't fit, not comfortably, anyways." I changed the reason.
I was going to say what I really thought, but I didn't think it would matter. You see, I watched a lot of Discovery Channel. I knew a little about rainforest ants. They were strong, tough, and incredibly vicious. So vicious that we wouldn't last five minutes if we met up with another group of ants, then we would be killed in a matter of seconds.
I guess that was rainforest ants, so that was why I shut up. "I will act as backup, I guess." I told her.
[Well, I guess we need to go.] Tobias said. He raised one talon and dropped an ant. [We only came here to get you to acquire that. I guess we will have to tell Jake you aren't doing it.] he let go of the branch and flew away.
[See ya later.] Rachel said as she followed.
"See ya tomorrow!" I yelled.
As soon as they were gone, Sam grabbed me by the shoulder and spun me around to look him face to face. "What the hell was that?" he demanded.
"What?" I asked.
"What are you hiding?" I stared him in the face and shook my head and told him everything. He just stared. "Why didn't you tell them?"
"Because I know Jake, he is a pretty smart person. And Cassie is obviously in on this, so of course they know. They obviously believe they can handle it. I know I can't." I said simply.
Me and Sam were both talking about ho was better when I looked over to see Ax still working tirelessly on the device. Sam and I took a short break to go over and see how he was doing.
"So, how's it coming?" I asked.
[It is nearing completion.] he answered.
Sam raised his hand, like in school, "If I may ask, how near to completion is it?" He said 'near completion' in a very sarcastic way.
Ax ignored him and pressed a few buttons and something popped up. [It is done.] he exclaimed as he held it up to his main eyes. Even his stalk eyes had to get a look at it.
"Really?" I asked. "That was quick."
[I have been working on it for many earth hours, that is quite quick to create a working yeerk distress beacon. But Yeerk technology is primitive to andalites.] he said smugly.
"Yeah, those andalites are sure doing a good job in the computer business. Why can't you defeat the yeerks as easy. You seem to be better than them in every way." Sam Noted. I guess he was right, but I wasn't going to say it.
Ax looked up sharply, [We don't have the military to control the problem in as many places as the yeerks have spread.] He said defensively.
"Well, it seems the andalite intelligence just doesn't have what it takes to stop those inferior yeerks, huh.? I have a suggestion, how about you actually use some of that technology and intelligence that you andalites have so much of and do something about it?"
[We simply do not have the numbers!] Ax was getting mad now. I guess he really respected the andalites.
[That's enough.] I told sam in private thought speech. I didn't know why out of the blue he got so mad at Ax. That came out of nowhere and it surprised even me.
"Sorry, I guess I got carried away. There is only so much you can do. Besides, it's no your fault." Sam apologized. It was also odd for Sam to shut up and apologize. He usually made his opinions known.
[That's Better.] I told him again. He didn't look impressed. "Ax, Can I look at the device?" I asked, trying to get off the subject.
Ax stared at Sam for a few seconds with his main eyes, before softening the look on his face and giving me the distress beacon. [I do not believe you would understand how I works, but be careful with it.]
I lifted it up to my eyes. It looked like a remote control that had exploded. Like it was frozen in place, of course. Like it had melted in place. It was cool though. When I went to give it to Ax, the parts started moving.
[Careful, you have activated it.]
I got a look of panic on my face. "Umm, Ax. Didn't you say that the beacon would draw them to wherever it was set off?" I was spooked, but when I saw sam laughing at me, I realized something was wrong.
"It didn't go anywhere. There is no Z-space transponder attached to it. The message didn't go far." He said as he shook his head and laughed.
[The device doesn't work without something to send it. It is like a human cell-phone, only without any central station to send the call. That is why we need the Z-space transponder. It is the only frequency the yeerk mother ship accepts.] Ax Explained.
I was relieved. I actually thought the yeerks would end up coming there to us. I was freaked, but I felt like an idiot because of it. "Shut up Sam." I said defensively. "I wasn't thinking properly." he was still laughing under his breath.
[Alright, everyone. We finally have a real objective.] Tobias said as he swooped down.
[Yep, and it is not going to be fun.] Rachel added as she flew to the branch beside Tobias. [what's that?] she asked. I followed her stare and saw she was looking at the distress beacon.
[That's the distress beacon. Constructed to send the signal through the transponder.] Ax explained. He was doing a lot of that lately.
[Well, I guess that is good. It does look a bit bigger than I thought.] Tobias said. [well, we just came by to inform you of the wonderful news. We have found someone who would likely have a z-space transponder or whatever.]
"Well, Spill the beans." Sam said impatiently.
[I was getting there.] Tobias continued. [Well, I hate to give a long story, but Jake asked me too so maybe Ax could make sure we were on the right track....]
[It's Chapman.] Rachel interfered. [When I was in his basement, he was talking to a hologram of Visser three. We thought he was probably on the blade ship or mother ship.] Tobias stared at her.
[That would make sense, but that transponder would be a little bigger than I made this beacon for. It takes more to transmit holograms than it does to transmit messages.] Ax said.
[Yeah, Jake thought maybe it wouldn't be much of a difference they are yeerks, after all. But either way, it was a pretty technologically extensive room, so he would probably have others for different reasons.] Tobias said.
Sam nodded his head. "Makes sense to me."
[There is one problem, though. There isn't a solid way to go about getting in there. We were thinking cat, but chapman has dealt with the cat. There would be no more cat's getting in. Last time we went in there we caused quite a stir. We even had Visser Three pay us a visit. So that option is definitely out. They will be on guard now.]
"So what s the plan? Fleas?" I shuddered at the thought. Jake had morphed to a flea. I wondered how he did it and didn't get sick.
[No, bigger than that.] Rachel said. [But not much bigger.]
For some reason, that didn't seem comforting.
[Well, were thinking something along the lines of an ant.] She said.
My heart instantly sank. I slowly shook my head in disbelief. "No." I muttered under my breath.
"No what?" Sam asked. He had a concerned look on his face, but I could tell he didn't care. "What is wrong with you, you look absolutely spooked."
[What's wrong?] Tobias asked.
I was still shaking my head slowly. "I won't do it." I said simply. "Not an angels chance in hell."
[Why not? We are all going in as a team, and I think you should come in too. What could go wrong, they're just ants. Ants are tough little creatures, you know.] Rachel said.
I rolled my eyes. "I know they're strong, and I also know they're tough. Everybody knows that, it's just.....never mind. Rachel, you said it yourself, that room is small. And you already are filling it with you, Jake, Marco, Ax, Cassie, and Whitney. I won't fit, not comfortably, anyways." I changed the reason.
I was going to say what I really thought, but I didn't think it would matter. You see, I watched a lot of Discovery Channel. I knew a little about rainforest ants. They were strong, tough, and incredibly vicious. So vicious that we wouldn't last five minutes if we met up with another group of ants, then we would be killed in a matter of seconds.
I guess that was rainforest ants, so that was why I shut up. "I will act as backup, I guess." I told her.
[Well, I guess we need to go.] Tobias said. He raised one talon and dropped an ant. [We only came here to get you to acquire that. I guess we will have to tell Jake you aren't doing it.] he let go of the branch and flew away.
[See ya later.] Rachel said as she followed.
"See ya tomorrow!" I yelled.
As soon as they were gone, Sam grabbed me by the shoulder and spun me around to look him face to face. "What the hell was that?" he demanded.
"What?" I asked.
"What are you hiding?" I stared him in the face and shook my head and told him everything. He just stared. "Why didn't you tell them?"
"Because I know Jake, he is a pretty smart person. And Cassie is obviously in on this, so of course they know. They obviously believe they can handle it. I know I can't." I said simply.