Title: Song of the Hork-Bajir

Author: weetzybat

Description: An Andalite Aristh and a Hork-Bajir really can learn something from each other!

*A/N* Okay, okay, the prologues and stuff are done now, so I can finally get to the real plot! I was having a hard time writing this chapter, because I really didn't want the Ellimist's interference to be all corny and stuff...I think it turned out corny anyway, but not nearly as bad as it was.

TobyKikami-Ok, prologues all done, now to the real story! Poor little Andalites with such big dreams!

DH-glad you liked the chappie, and look! Here's another one! Ellimist...sometimes that guy can be so silly!

Elendil Star-Lover-Yeah, that chapter was really short. This one is 1000 words, I counted (well, roughly) so it won't be as bad. Thanks for the criticism! Andalites would probably imitate shredder fire the same way KA writes it...TSSEEEWW! hehe.

Myst4-Aknar was moved cuz he was probably being too nice to Dakor...and I like him...you'll see why I did that in this chappie...

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*~*~*  Dakor just can't have a good day...

The Yeerk forces were abundant in this area, and it was not long before we were called to our stations again.

There were no more than twenty Bug fighters harassing the Dome ship, and our Captain had ordered us to eliminate them with an air of annoyance. He told us it would be an exercise to keep up our skills for a real battle.

As advanced as the Yeerks think they are, their fighters are no match for ours. I say this in a general sense, because while the others were methodically destroying them, I practiced fleeing in terror.

Aristh Dakor, what do you think you are doing? the new Prince demanded, as I tried to outrun a particularly stubborn fighter.

I cannot work the weapon controls! my panic was mounting; after every turn, the Yeerk was always behind me.

Are they damaged? How could he sound so calm? If my pursuer stayed on my tail much longer, he would eventually get a shot in. Normally at this point, Prince Aknar would come around and destroy the fighter for me, but I had to remember that he was gone now, and could not help.

I do not know how! My race was straying farther and farther from the Dome ship, but I was becoming disoriented, and my only thoughts were on keeping my ship out of the Yeerk's sights. I had no time to wonder why such a small group of Bug fighters would dare attack an Andalite ship. It was pure suicide.

I first became suspicious when my follower broke off his pursuit and headed back to the others. Back to certain death. Somehow I doubted it was to save his fellow Yeerks. It was a trap. My fellow Andalites were wary too, hesitating before closing in on the fighters, preparing to finish them off...

Then it appeared. It must have been cloaked in z-space, waiting for the opportune time to attack. The Blade ship. If there was one ship that could be comparable to an Andalite's it was this one. It was strong, fast, and deadly. Did I mention it was fast?

My comrades broke off their attack and converged at once on the Blade ship, hitting it with everything they had. The tide was turning, and though they would never admit it, they were afraid. Our forces were spread too thin already, and if another Dome ship, another crew, was destroyed, it would leave a large hole in our defenses.

The Blade ship appeared to do nothing to fend off the assault, but it was not until every Andalite fighter, except my own, surrounded it that I realized why. Before my eyes, I saw the metal of their ships turn red with heat, until the Blade ship seemed to be surrounded by miniature suns, and I was thankful to be out of thoughtspeak range, unable to hear their screams. Then their fuel was ignited, and their suffering brought to an end.

The Dome ship was turning, readying their weapons, but they were too slow. They would be incinerated, unless...my eye stalks settled on the weapons controls as my main eyes remained on the Blade ship, leisurely moving into position. The Bug fighters had disappeared. My fear was turning into adrenaline, and I made my way closer with absolutely no idea of what to do. I was no hero; I had no wish to die out there. If I could only distract them a bit until the Dome ship was prepared...

I frantically wracked my brain for the one lesson I'd had on weapons. Firing was easy, aiming was not, and I was always afraid that if I tried to use the shredders in a battle, I would hit one of our own fighters by accident. Now there were no other fighters, and I doubted I could inflict any lasting damage on the Dome ship even if I did hit it. The Blade ship, on the other hand, was powerful, but small, and anything that size would be susceptible to shredder fire. Where was the most vulnerable point? The engines were always a safe guess.

Uncertainly, I took the weapon controls in my hands and maneuvered so that I was pointed toward what I assumed was the main engine. Once I was satisfied with the position of the cross-hairs, I gently squeezed the trigger.

Boom. I thought, adding in the sound that no one could hear in space. The explosion was bigger than I had expected, and my target faltered, then slowly turned, trying to locate its unexpected attacker. I could feel its figurative eye boring through the sides of my ship, could practically hear the hiss of anger. My diversion had worked, perhaps a little too well.

In order to fire, I needed to approach within the range of my weapons, which now left me perilously close to the Blade ship. Now it had me in its sights, and the Dome ship was not responding like I had hoped.

A dracon beam arced towards me, on a direct collision course with my fighter.

Oh, so that is where the weapons are. not very admirable last words, but better than a high-pitched female scream. Fear took a hold of me, freezing my body so I could only watch as it came nearer and nearer...

I did not feel it hit, but at once I was plunged into a blackness that oddly enough did not feel like death, but rather, sleep.