Aximili's Headache

A half-panicked owl stormed down into camp around the middle of the night, startling the guards who at once set off the alarm. When it landed, tumbling madly, it was greeted by a partly-morphed Rachel and the menacing shadow of Aximili's raised tail.

Erica – one of James' lieutenants – came out of her morph, already raising a hand to signal that it was only her. She hurried to finish the morph and got to her feet, with help from Rachel. "Where's Jake? I have a message." Her tone was urgent.

"Right here," Jake said, hurrying towards them at a quick jog. "What's wrong?"

"There's… there's been a capture. Craig – and Collette."

Jake's face was at once serious, that slight wrinkle appearing on his forehead as always when he had to start making decisions. He gave Rachel a single look, which made her nod and sent her bounding off on her grizzly legs to wake Cassie, Marco and Tobias. Then he asked Erica; "What happened?"

"They were doing surveillance on a pool entrance, at the edge of town. With Julio and Liam. Julio stayed to watch, Liam came back, said they'd been caught… just a small group of Controllers… James sent me here at once. They're held in an old warehouse building near that entrance. The others should be there by now, they'll be trying to hold the Yeerks back, keep them in the building, stopping Craig and Collette from being brought to the pool… but if Yeerk backup arrives things will be a mess. Craig and Collette – and maybe more – would be taken to the pool, and…" She stared helplessly at him, spreading her hands wide, not wanting and not needing to finish the sentence.

Jake nodded, showing that he understood.

Erica continued. "And even before that, they'd be caught in morph, for they can't demorph, now can they? At least not Collette… it'd make the Yeerks start searching for us among… among the disabled."

Jake nodded again, grimacing.

Prince Jake? Aximili said.

"Yes?"

We would all need to go. Of the other Animorphs, only James and his lieutenants know anything important about this camp, and now one of them, Craig…

Jake nodded again. "I know. Would be a complete disaster. You're still staying here, though, Ax."

But Prince Jake… the building may have tight security.

"Nothing's so tight Rachel can't ram a wall. You heard me, Ax: stay here."

Aximili hid his dismay and seethed silently. He was almost shaking with anger, frustration, over again being doubted, again being left behind… it was too much for his sensitive Andalite pride to bear.

The others were already arriving. Most of them were arriving half-way through their morphs to owl. Jake had also begun morphing. There was, obviously, very little time.

Prince Jake, Aximili said boldly – as boldly as he had ever spoken to his Prince. He straightened and carefully kept the bitterness out of his thought-speech voice. I will not agree to be left behind.

Jake stared at him, blinking once, a trace of disorientation on his face – Aximili had never used that tone towards him before. "Repeat?" he said finally.

I am coming with you.

Now Jake was only angry, the disorientation fading.

Open rebellion might not be the best way to handle this… Issetha murmured quietly in the back of Aximili's head.

Be quiet.

Now this is wrong… the Yeerk said merrily. Things are supposed to be the other way around. I'm the Yeerk. I give out the orders.

One order from you and I'll start roaring, Aximili warned her grumpily. And you'll wish your parents had never formed from grubs. Now hush!

Issetha did. Aximili refocused his attention to the outside world, glancing at his half-morphed and fully furious Prince.

"Have you forgotten how to take an order, aristh Aximili?" Jake said in a low, menacing voice, and for a moment Aximili almost thought he was back with the Fleet.

No, my Prince.

"Then do as you're told!"

No, my Prince. I will not be left behind. Remembering what Issetha had said, he added in a softer voice; I can leave the Yeerk, if I must. But I will do more good with you than back here.

Jake peered at him, studying him with a gaze sharp enough to make him want to squirm away, and finally said; "Would you go with a majority's vote?"

Aximili hesitated. But then someone seized control of his thought-speech voice and he heard himself agree. He felt a wave of anger at his Yeerk.

Oh, calm down, she muttered, dutifully letting go of thought-speech again. What else were you going to do? Act like a two-year old human child and refuse? Or perhaps you were planning to be a proud, stubborn idiot and decline to even answer?

Jake had already announced the vote to Tobias, Rachel, Marco and Cassie. Erica was waiting (less than patiently) in owl morph, not considering this to be any of her business – and not understanding what was happening.

Cassie, keeping a concerned eye fixed on Aximili, hesitantly voted to let him come. So did Tobias, being more certain about it than Cassie. Marco voted against – Aximili had expected that… which left everything to Rachel's vote.

She shrugged, once, and said; "Oh, let him come. We could use the extra fire power."

And that, coming from Rachel? Issetha muttered. From Miss I'm-the-only-fire-power-we'll-ever-need?

Aximili ignored his Yeerk. Instead he bowed his stalks towards Rachel. Thank you.

Rachel waved a dismissing hand. "I'm still not on your side about this… this Yeerk matter. But agreeing with Marco would go against my most basic instincts."

Marco, partly morphed to owl, made a face in her general direction. Rachel's hoping you'll switch sides so she finally gets to fight you and determine who'd win between an Andalite and a grizzly. He laughed dryly as he drew away from the half-morphed wing-hand that swept menacingly towards him. And I know where my money lies.

It seems you're coming, Ax, Jake said. He was already owl and it was impossible to read his expression.

Yes, Prince Jake.

But… leave Issetha here. Her third day would be in the morning, and if this goes bad…

Yes, Prince Jake.

Without a word, Issetha left his head and the Andalite caught her in his hands, holding her frail, slug-like body just as carefully as always. It felt as if the Yeerk would simply shatter if he didn't – although a part of him knew that was not the case.

Well, move! Jake ordered. We don't have all night. Go leave her in her… cage… aquarium… box… or wherever you usually keep her.

At Jake's partly disgusted tone, Aximili stifled a rebellious desire to say I usually keep her in my head and hold her up to his ear again. To his surprise – and horror – the lack of Issetha telling him that that would have been a very bad idea made him feel disoriented.

But he nodded, once, and rushed towards his scoop with yet another Yes, Prince Jake.

He left the Yeerk in a square, low container filled with water and containing one of the spare Kandronas he had stolen. Before leaving, he hesitated, stalks fixed on that container; the container that would be Issetha's entire universe until he returned. The two Hork-Bajir, who still followed him wherever he went – he had almost stopped noticing their presence – exchanged a glance and seemed to decide to stay and guard the Yeerk. He was not completely sure he trusted them – but he had no choice.

I shall return soon, he promised Issetha in private, softly spoken thought-speech. Do not worry.

Refusing to even glance back, he turned on a back hoof and sped back to the others, already morphing owl.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, and despite the fact that it was obvious how both Marco and Jake kept an eye at him at all times, Aximili found it wonderful to be flying with them all again, being one of them. That was where he belonged – with them, one of them, out on a mission.

There was only one thing missing.

Issetha.

Over the last few days, he had grown used to her presence in the back of his head, her dry comments to his thoughts and her softly expressed opinions.

He tried to ignore it, forced all thoughts of it out of his mind, and refused to admit it even to himself, but truth to be told he missed the Yeerk.

He flew, a silent owl accompanied by six other silent owls, remembering with a mental smile how Issetha had marvelled about flying. When Jake spoke, waking him out of his thoughts, he told himself off for dreaming away.

Erica, how much time do they have?

Erica was leading the group from ahead, almost out of thought-speech range, so her voice was faint; Liam said Collette and Craig had just demorphed and remorphed when they were caught, and it's a ten-minute flight back home… half an hour out to camp… half an hour back here… plus some time for explaining what's happened… I'd say they have about half an hour left.

How much further is it? Rachel asked.

You can see it, over there. By the gas station – that's where the pool entrance is. It's the large, grey building about two hundred meters away from it.

There's a very suspicious-looking army of hawks down in that alley, Tobias reported, who was higher up than the rest. And a group of pigeons on the roof.

So they're already there. Erica, find James and tell him to get up here. Cassie, in the alley with the hawks, Marco, you go join the pigeons. Tobias, you're surveillance. Ax and Rachel, with me.

Marco grumbled something unserious about pigeons that caused the others to laugh before he veered off to land on the roof. Cassie lowered herself towards the alley. Tobias worked for some altitude, and Erica swooped down to find James. Aximili moved closer to Jake, understanding why he'd been told to hang around – his Prince wanted to keep an eye on him. Moreover – which he did his best not to be angry about – he understood why Rachel had been told to hang around.

I'm here, Jake, came James' voice as a golden eagle came up to meet them. James had acquired the eagle once when he'd been to visit the valley and Cassie's father had been about to release it. The similarity of morph-choices to those of David was almost frightening.

So what do you know? Jake asked at once.

The building has one single floor, three doors although one is locked, one we've got guarded and one that's blocked by a dumpster, and inside it's a maze of abandoned machinery. Seven Controllers are in there, according to Julio, and from what we can see through the windows he's right. They've got Craig and Collette wrapped in jackets. Liam told us they must have seen them remorphing –

Careless, Jake muttered.

I know, but nothing we can change now. They must have been seen remorphing, because as soon as the two were back pigeon the Controllers appeared and threw jackets over them to trap them. Julio managed to morph grizzly and chased them into the building, and Liam flew back to warn us.

So we'll just storm them and get it over with, Rachel suggested.

There's always the risk they'll kill Craig and Collette, James objected.

The alternative is to let them get stuck in morph, Jake countered softly. Do they have dracons in there?

Don't know.

Then it can't be helped. Wait here.

Jake swooped down closer to the building, swerving left just before he would have hit it. He skimmed past a line of windows, turned sharply in mid air, skimmed past them again and worked his way back up to the other three. The two holding the bundles of jackets that probably contain Craig and Collette are sitting on the floor, opposite to each other, in the centre of the building. And you're right. There are seven. Two with dracons, one by the door you've put guards outside and one scanning the windows. I'm lucky I had so much speed, he knew he'd miss so he didn't fire. They've also got one mobile phone, and from the looks of it they're trying to call someone.

Then we need to hurry, Aximili said.

James, how many peregrines do you have among your people?

Three, not counting myself James said hesitantly. Erica, Timmy and Kelly.

With me that'd make four. Tell them to morph peregrine. Now. As James did so, Jake continued; Tobias, how does it look from up there?

There isn't a person within sight, Jake, except us, and a pair a block away who look… hm… busy. There's also someone I think is thoroughly drunk, from the way he's walking. He's walking away. Other than that, this is not a popular neighbourhood.

Good. James, I'm going to land on the roof and morph my falcon. Tell your three to meet me there. You stay eagle. Rachel, we'll need your eagle, too. He swooped down towards the roof.

Aximili followed, together with Rachel, who needed to land in order to demorph and remorph to eagle.

Marco?

"Yes, oh Fearless Leader?" Marco said, grinning. He was back human. Erica sat next to him, watching the demorphing owl that was Jake.

You're the storm troops. I want Erica in peregrine morph – he nodded towards her – to follow me and the other two peregrines and the eagles into the building through the windows. You, Marco, and the pigeons, will be in battle morphs, storming through the door. When I give the signal. Be careful – there are two people with dracons in there.

As you wish, Fearless one, Marco agreed, making a mocking bow as he began morphing bird to sail down to the ground. The five pigeons followed him.

Ax, go down and join Cassie with the hawks. You're ground team – I need you watching the exits – all three, to be safe – and securing a perimeter around the building. Tobias? You're their guide.

Of course, Jake, Tobias agreed. And it's still looking calm from up here.

Two peregrines landed on the roof just as Erica, Rachel and Jake finished their morphs. Aximili saw them through the corner of his eye as he swooped down towards Cassie. Jake must have included her into his little speech, since the hawks were already demorphing. A pair were already demorphed, looking frail and helpless, but with intense concentration on their faces as they willed themselves into battle morphs. Cassie was already wolf, sitting on her haunches. Her wolf eyes glittered in the night's darkness.

We'll need you as Andalite, I think, she told him.

Of course, Aximili said, landing and demorphing.

So, Jake, came Rachel's voice. What are we doing, exactly?

Half this plan is diversion, causing confusion. Two eagles, heavy enough to break two windows and not be too harmed doing it, for the windows are flimsy. Make sure you have speed, you'll need it, and then get to cover amongst the machinery from the dracons. Four peregrines follow in, two going directly for each of the people with dracons, and in a dive so we're fast enough to minimize the risk of being hit. Then the eagles appear again and snatch the jackets. Let Collette and Craig out if you can, otherwise you'll have to lift the entire bundle and carry it out – gently, of course. Marco will be in through the door to provide the cavalry, and knock them all out, which the birds alone can't do.

We're in position at the door down here, Marco called up.

Good, Jake said. Cassie?

We've begun to spread out around the building. But Jake, it's a very big, unevenly shaped building, and I've only got eight people down here, me and Ax included.

You've got eight? I've got seven, Marco muttered.

Stop complaining, Jake snapped. It's more than we usually had in total. Tobias, still safe from up there?

No problems in sight, Tobias reported.

Good. Everyone ready? Let's go.

Aximili's stalks watched as the peregrines and the eagles above him worked their way up in order to dive down, and as Jake gave the signal to James and Rachel to go ahead. The two eagles, one white-masked brown and one golden, dove towards a window each and shot through them like torpedoes. Aximili could only imagine how much that had to hurt, how much disorientation it would cause, but he could do nothing about it; it was up to Rachel and James to manage.

Jake and the three other peregrines followed in through the shattered windows, plummeting down with a speed only a peregrine could reach. As he disappeared inside the building, Aximili heard him call to Marco; Now!

Marco, a gorilla, motioned for a rhino – Tricia, probably – to slam the metal door out of their way and moments later the shock troops were in the building. Aximili could hear the surprised and enraged shouts of the human-Controllers, and hear the various battle-cries in both thought-speech and spoken speech.

He kept his stalks scanning, remaining alert to his surroundings despite the fact that he envied those inside the building, envied their chance to do battle while he was sent out for simple sentry duty.

Then, very soon, four falcons, two eagles and two pigeons came out through the windows, swerving down to land somewhere between Cassie and Aximili. The pigeons at once began demorphing and remorphing.

Everything went well? Cassie said.

One of the falcons gave a short nod. His tail feathers were signed, but he appeared unharmed. Yes. Almost too well. And then; Marco? Are you done in there?

Just a moment, Marco called.

James, as soon as they come out I want your people on their way back home, before someone misses you.

The golden eagle nodded. And you?

We'll hang around for a moment. I want to take a closer look at that Yeerk pool entrance. Jake was demorphing as well.

If you say so, James agreed. He began gathering the auxiliary Animorphs around him, urging them into bird morphs. When Marco came out with his six, those received the same orders and before long James's entire group was on wing and leaving.

Aximili shifted his weight to another set of hooves. He did not like standing so close to the gas station where there was an entrance to a Yeerk pool in his own Andalite form. He did not like his Prince standing so close to the same in his vulnerable human form. And he did not like when Marco, having a burn on his shoulder, began demorphing, or when Cassie did the same. But Tobias was above, watching, and…

Above. But there was a roof over the area around the gas station!

Aximili couldn't see, there was a part of the building between them and the station, and to see past he had to spin around, leap forwards and glance around the turn with his stalks. He still didn't see much, so he leaned forwards, with his entire upper body visible, to get a better look.

A shout of alarm was raised, and Aximili had just pulled his shoulders and head back when something whistled past where he'd been. It hit the ground with a metallic clang, and a red light flickered on it. It was a small, cube-shaped object, almost like a tiny projector… Aximili frowned for a moment, wondering…

"Ax?" Jake snapped. "What –"

Someone's coming! From the gas station! Tobias warned suddenly. They were under the roof, didn't see them… Ten Hork-Bajir, four humans, you better move!

"Bird morphs!" Jake hissed.

Rachel – still an eagle – was already in the air and heading towards the turn, ignoring Jake's sharp command to stay.

Aximili backed away from the turn, beginning the morph. To his dismay, the first things to disappear were his tail and arms, being pulled into his body.

Therefore he was unable to stop what happened next. Rachel had dived down towards a human-Controller with a screech of rage, but another passed her. He held a small, crossbow-like weapon in his hand, and when his eyes found Jake he raised it and fired. That was about what he had time to do before Tobias's claws dug into his face.

Jake, half-morphed, saw a small, cubical object coming but didn't have the time or the agility to move. It hit his chest, knocking him backwards. Small, metallic claws dug into the now skin-like, feather-adorned fabric of Jake's T-shirt, and a spasm went through him, as if he'd received a jolt of electricity, before his features melted towards human and he lay still.

"Jake!" Cassie cried, reversing her own morph, and kneeling by Jake's side. As she neared him, the air shimmered blue.

Marco, also half-morphed, made a movement towards the two, but Aximili – who was returning to Andalite – knew what he'd seen and said; Stop! Force field.

Marco pulled back again. Cassie looked up at Aximili, and then stretched out a hand. It hit a force field wall only centimetres above her face, and there was suddenly a note of panic in her expression. She explored the extents of hers and Jake's prison, and when she looked back up at Marco and Aximili she did not look happy.

Let me go, you bladed freak! came Rachel's angry cry from behind the turn of the building.

Marco turned around, now almost fully osprey, in time to see the Hork-Bajir come out. One was holding a madly flapping bald eagle by a wing – a wing that appeared to be broken. As Aximili leaped further away from the building's wall, to come between the enemy and his Prince, he saw past the turn and saw Tobias lying on the ground, knocked out.

"You two better go," Cassie suggested from behind them.

What?! Marco exclaimed in protest, while Aximili swivelled a questioning stalk towards her.

Cassie nodded, as if trying to convince herself more than them. "Go. Before they catch you, too."

Marco hesitated. Is Jake okay?

"Just unconscious," Cassie assured them. "Leave!"

Marco lifted from the ground, just avoiding the gripping hands of a Hork-Bajir, in order to go. Aximili didn't move, indecisive, not wanting to leave his friends and his Prince. But Cassie bored her eyes into him. "It's what Jake would have told you to do, too, so don't argue, just leave," she said lowly. "You know what happened the last time you 'stayed behind'. Please, Ax, go with Marco."

Aximili saw the plea in her expression and decided to obey. He gave the Hork-Bajir a last look, then turned and ran. First the Controllers made attempts to follow him and Marco, but then one of the humans snarled "Don't! Let them run! We only need these four", so no pursuers came after them.

What followed them instead was Cassie's voice. "Ax!" she called. Aximili turned, to see her small shape huddled next to Jake, looking very frail, but very determined, surrounded by the gloating, grinning Hork-Bajir-Controllers. "You know who to ask for help. You know – make sure Marco –"

"Silence!" a Hork-Bajir snarled at the trapped Animorph, raising a wrist-blade in warning.

Aximili nodded, wrenched his gaze away from his captured friends, and with sudden resolve turned again, and ran.

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Author's Note;

Oh, that took some serious time. I've had a complete mental block for this story. Happened for "Sub-temporally Grounded" too, half-way through, so I knew I'd get over it sooner or later… but be warned, the next chapter might take time as well, unfortunately. Although it shouldn't take as long as this one.

Anyway, review and give me lots of encouragement and I might – just might – manage to write faster.