Aximili's Headache

Now the deal has been dirty

Since dirty began

I'm not asking for mercy

Not from the man

You just don't ask for mercy

While you're still on the stand

From Leonard Cohen's "The Law"

"Hello there, Ax-man."

Aximili's stalks had of course already sighted Marco, and now turned unerringly towards him, despite the crowd of human officials, and the odd Andalite – of which Marco was far from the tallest. Alloran was a few steps back, in conversation with Salawan, an Andalite legal advisor who had come to observe Visser One's trial.

"Seen me already, hadn't you?" Marco grimaced.

Aximili nodded. You're alone.

"If only. My security detail agreed to wait twenty paces back. Couldn't get him any further away. Honestly. As if I couldn't watch my own back."

Aximili comfortably fell into the old habit of ignoring Marco's babble. I meant, the others?

"Ah." Marco smiled. "Cassie's sorry, but she's visiting the zoo. They wanted to show her some animal they had imported from somewhere. She heard the words 'almost extinct' and was gone. Jake… well, you know Jake. He's hanging somewhere important looking tragic, feeling bored and making people uncomfortable by his distant mood. He would have come. If they'd let him."

Aximili nodded again. And Tobias?

"Still no sign of him. Not a feather."

I thought so, sighed Issetha in his head, and Aximili agreed. Rachel's death had nearly broken Tobias. And even if he – wherever he was – no longer so fiercely hated the world in general and Jake in particular, he would be too stubborn to reappear and thus admit it.

There is clearly bit of Andalite in him, the Yeerk commented.

Quiet, growled Aximili, but Issetha only laughed.

"But, anyway," Marco said, now walking beside the Andalite as they made their way towards the exit were human officials were gesturing, and talking lowly. "About Jake. Cassie and I don't like how he's acting, and as soon as today's hearings are over we've got an idea…"

The problem, Aximili decided as he listened with half an ear to Jake's testimony, with Salawan and Alloran beside him, was not what any of his friends might say, or what he would say. The problem was what Visser One would say.

Esplin 9466, Visser One, knew about Issetha. Alloran knew, too; but Aximili trusted Cassie's assessment, that Alloran – believing, as everyone else, that Issetha was dead, having died those three days after first infesting Aximili – had never mentioned it and never would. The old War-Prince would say nothing, probably out of gratitude for being freed himself. He knew what troubles would come to Aximili if anyone found out; he knew that the Aftran-situation, concerning the yamphut, had been bad enough to explain, and had made Cassie somewhat less popular among Andalites – despite her good intentions.

Visser One, on the other hand, would quite possibly use the information about his niece, perhaps as a part of his defence, or as some sort of twisted revenge. And then as always, Aximili was vividly aware of what would happen if any Andalite ever heard of as much as a whisper of his Yeerk.

That first day, Aximili managed to keep a properly unconcerned face, for all there was time for was Jake's testimony. Despite the Animorph leader's obvious problems with answering the prosecutor's nearly ceaseless line of questioning, Aximili was safe in the knowledge that not a word would be as much as breathed concerning Issetha.

As the court adjourned, he followed Marco and Cassie to Jake's hotel room. the two humans had been right, as Issetha was careful to point out; Jake was still in the same closed frame of mind he had been in as the war ended.

The first few days proceeded in the same manner. After Jake's testimony followed Marco's, and Cassie's, and then his own. He had no problems with the questions posed him by the prosecution, but when it was time for the defence to cross-examine, he grew nervous.

What if they asked about Issetha?

He could of course flatly deny anything they said. But he would be up to his tail-blade in Andalites who would insist on investigating the entire matter – thoroughly. That would of course include three days under close surveillance. It would mean his things were studied for clues. It would probably mean they found something they did not like.

The cold, drawling voice of Visser One's head lawyer droned on and on, question after question.

Aximili could barely keep himself from galloping out of the courtroom, screaming, his tail flaying at anything that got in his way.

Ironically, it was Issetha who helped him complete his testimony. She kept him on his hooves, in his place, and kept him from shivering as he gave reply to the questions he was given. It was Issetha who kept his voice steady and his face calm, almost expressionless. Not for the first time did Aximili find himself immensely grateful towards the Yeerk.

And when the testimony was over and no word of Issetha had been spoken, Aximili was weak with relief. He almost wobbled down from the stand, making Salawan frown questioningly at him.

Issetha, quickly steadying him, was thoughtful. Perhaps his lawyers though it would sound like an unfounded accusation, she said lowly. Perhaps they advised against it, and Esplin listened to them.

Aximili did not consider that likely, but he did not know, and he did not care. All he knew was that – for the moment – he and his Yeerk were safe. That was all that mattered.

Visser One, when it – several days later – was his turn to testify, kept his own silence about Issetha, and was not asked about it. Aximili began wondering if the lawyers at all knew of that incident. Surely they would have asked…

I figured it out, Issetha whispered as her uncle's lavender box was lifted down from the stand and back to the defence's table.

What?

Why he's not saying anything. She let out a laugh. It's simple, really.

Why?

It'd only work against him if they find that you were infested against your will. That would be another charge against him. He's probably glad we haven't brought it up.

Aximili blinked, and then smiled. How perfect.

During the rest of the trial, he was never truly paying attention. He spent the time in his own head, conversing with Issetha.

The last day, though, he paid attention, in order to hear Visser One's sentence. Issetha was almost as nervous as the Visser himself must have been – although his lavender box revealed nothing of his emotions.

No-one was surprised to hear that Esplin-9466 would never be leaving his specially-constructed prison. (His lawyers had had certain complaints concerning that building in itself – first build the prison, then cast sentence? Obviously the verdict had been decided ahead of time!)

The procession of filing everyone out of the courtroom took a while. The three human Animorphs, surrounded by security officials, were led out in a group. Aximili chose to accompany them instead of Salawan and Alloran. Everyone who had listened to or testified in the trial were led to a large hallway, more of a room, where the security officials spread out and people were allowed to decide for themselves where to go again – more or less.

Aximili had noticed that Cassie had been frowning at him, while they had been escorted out of the courtroom. Now she came to stand next to him, gesturing down towards his hooves. "Give me your hoof, Ax."

Aximili blinked in surprise. What?

"Give me your hoof. Raise your left front hoof and let me look at it."

Why? asked the Andalite, puzzled, putting more weight on that hoof.

"Because you're limping, that's why," she said, and without further delay she bent down, wedged her shoulder against his to take some of his weight, and expertly picked his hoof up as if he had been a horse. That brought a few random laughs from the crowd around them, and someone clapped amiably.

Aximili, embarrassed and worried, had no time to protest, and once she had raised the hoof he was afraid he would kick her straight in the face if he tried to break free. He peered down at her back, and down at his own hoof, waiting tensely to see what she would say.

"What have you been doing?" she asked in a half-awed murmur, touching the sore pads below his hoof with careful fingertips.

I… I stepped on something I should not have stepped on, Aximili lied, yanking slightly at his hoof to signal that he wanted it back.

Cassie let it go, and Aximili placed it firmly on the floor again, ignoring the pain that shot through it. As the human glanced up at him, worried, Aximili felt very uncomfortable. He mumbled an excuse and hurried away.

Security stopped him at the entrance and demanded that he waited for a proper escort to be arranged. He stormed past them.

Cassie frowned after her Andalite friend, knowing that he had been lying; she wondered why he'd even tried. He should know she – of all people – wouldn't be fooled. She knew that type of wound all too well to mistake it; it was the tiny wounds left by surgical needles. Needles repeatedly used in the same area, and that had finally caused a slight infection, making the entire area sore… and causing the limp.

For a moment or two she thought, going over different possibilities and dismissing them almost at once; all of them except two. She moved up beside Alloran, and at her gesture he excused himself from a conversation with the prosecutor. The prosecutor stepped away and Alloran politely inclined his head in order to hear what Cassie had to say. "War-Prince Alloran," she began in a whisper. "Do Andalites take any drugs?"

As the old War-Prince straightened, his face was blank. Young Prince Aximili? he murmured, fortunately using private thought-speech.

"In general," Cassie said. "Anything that needs to be injected directly into the bloodstream… or taken out."

Alloran frowned. No. Anything we Andalites take is simply digested through our hooves, like our food. For blood samples, we make a small incision by the root of our tail-blades, into the smaller vessels there… it heals quickly, and bleeds just enough.

"Thank you," thanked Cassie, able to dismiss yet another possibility, and then added; "I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone I asked about this."

Alloran made a small bow towards her; simply an inclination of his stalks. I owe you my freedom. If you ask it of me, I shall be silent. Then something similar to concern passed the War-Prince's grizzled face. You shall look after him, I hope?

"If he lets me."

Alloran flicked his tail. I am afraid I am of little use. Perhaps… his Prince?

But Cassie shook her head. She knew Ax well enough to realise that if her suspicion was accurate, he would rather die than admit it to his Prince. He was too damn proud; always had been. He would admit nothing. Which would mean that Jake would begin giving orders, and at that Ax would see no choice but to obey… he'd tell his Prince what his Prince wanted to know, and after that he'd hate both himself and Jake for it.

No, Cassie thought, that's not how to handle this. "Jake has enough on his mind. Thanks again, War Prince."

As she left, Alloran made another small bow.

In only another few days, it was time for Aximili to depart from Earth. The Fleet had granted him a few weeks' holiday in order to clear his thoughts after the trial, and although he did not really need them – the trial mattered little to him, now that he knew that it did not endanger him or Issetha – he had accepted. It would please his parents, if nothing else.

The human Animorphs of course came along to the space port to see him off. Marco and Jake, neither very good with goodbyes, left as soon as possible. Cassie, on the other hand, followed him the last bit towards the waiting ship, telling the others she'd meet up with them at the exit.

When they came closer to the ship Aximili stopped, and turned towards Cassie in order to say farewell. As he saw her expression, he hesitated. She was peering intently up at him, first curious, but then more and more sad as she seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.

"Aximili," she said, startling him by using his complete name, "Do you know what you're doing – what you're risking? I told you before. This… this isn't going to end happily."

Aximili's bewilderment drained away as he realised what his friend spoke of. He should have expected it. He was actually surprised that none of his friends had suspected something; and that Cassie did was almost a relief. He sighed, and replied; I know that. But I cannot change things.

But Cassie barely listened to him, and continued; "First of all, if you insist on taking Kandrona injections – for that's what you're doing, isn't it? She's absorbing the nutrients directly from your blood, isn't she?"

Aximili felt no surprise that she had figured it out, and gave a short, weary nod.

"Don't take them all under your hoof. Sure, it's hidden from sight, you have plenty of good blood vessels there, and it's easy to get the nutrients into the blood stream, but if I notice you're limping, someone else – an Andalite – surely will, sooner or later. They'll see the wounds under that hoof and recognize them, and know you've been injecting yourself with something. If they ask for a blood sample, you've got a problem."

I realise that, muttered the Andalite.

"Secondly, don't reuse needles for the shots. Once a needle is used, it's worthless; it's lost its sharpness, and will both hurt more and leave a worse wound. A surgical needle punched through paper is useless; I don't even want to know about one that's been used on the rough pads under your hoof."

Where would I get new ones? asked the Andalite sharply.

"I don't know. Perhaps… to begin with, perhaps you could increase the dose and simply take fewer shots."

I am trying. I am attempting to concentrate the nutrients more, so one dose a week will be enough, but it is not easy. My body is not adapted to store Kandrona. Neither is… hers. Aximili's stalks flew in a wide circle, just in case; even though he had been using private thought-speech it felt as if someone might have been eavesdropping. Not over longer periods of time.

Cassie bit her lip before she continued. "I worry about you. If… if they find out… Ax, that'd be trouble not even Jake, Marco and I could get you out of, even if we had an opportunity to try and half an army to help. It's madness."

I am aware of that, Aximili gritted, suddenly angry. His four green eyes blazed down at Cassie with the intensity of so much suppressed emotion that she took a step back, feeling stunned. But, if you truly have all the answers, tell me what to do about it.

"I already told you what to do, with the escafil device –"

Unacceptable, spat Aximili flatly.

At his tone, Cassie hesitated; she'd seen her Andalite friend angry, and bitter, and aggressive, and sometimes even bordering on frightened, but this – this stubbornly unyielding defensiveness – she had never seen before. This…

Before she had a chance to speak again the Andalite had turned and galloped away, disappearing into the waiting Andalite transport as quick as if half that army had been after him.

Then again, if it had been half an army after him, he would have stood proudly, with his tail raised to meet them and a determined, very dangerous glint in his eyes. She knew; she would have stood beside him. She, and Tobias, and Marco, and Jake, and even Rachel – had she been alive. Half an army he would not have met alone – never alone – and he would have met it unflinching.

But this… this he did not know how to meet.

Cassie frowned. There must be some way she could help him.

Aximili, there is a package for you.

A package? repeated Aximili, surprised. The word "package" did not exist in the Andalite language.

That is the proper term, is it not?

Aximili nodded, and then caught himself and said; Yes, it is. Who sent it?

I do not know. Someone on Earth… how they sent it, I cannot imagine, but it came on an Andalite ship. Possibly it is from one of your friends; they have enough influence to arrange it.

Noorlin led Aximili to the package, which turned out to be a box made of cardboard. It had been carefully but unceremoniously dumped at a certain distance from the scoop.

It was obviously sent by someone with a certain degree of influence. The very size of the package guaranteed that; it was knee-high, about as wide, and twice as long. After giving it a light kick, and seeing how it did not even budge, Aximili could tell it was heavy as well. Cassie's name and address were scribbled down in one corner, while his own name was printed on top, both in human letters and, beside that, in Andalite.

He smiled wryly when he thought of the troubles gone through to get it here. It was too large, too heavy, to be lifted by Andalites, and Andalites had never developed any tools for transporting large, heavy objects, like humans had. If it was not small enough to be lifted with hands, it was picked to pieces, each transported separately, or it was not transported at all – except by tractor beams, which was very expensive to arrange… price on courtesy of the Fleet.

The very idea of a package must have confused the Andalites who had been in care of it greatly. How they had delivered it correctly was a mystery.

Noorlin watched, curious, as Aximili whipped his tail past the top of the package to sever the tape that held it together.

Are you certain that is what you are supposed to do? asked the older Andalite nervously. What if you harm it?

It is made from tape and cardboard, Aximili explained. This is how you open it.

Ah, said his father – and frowned. There are no… buttons? No thought-speech – spoken speech, pardon me – commands to be uttered? You are ruining it.

That is only the shell, said Issetha, using Aximili's voice, as she found a decent way to explain the package to the confused Andalite. The shell protects the contents – it is the contents that are important. The shell is meant to be broken when you want to access the contents.

And privately Issetha added; Listen to that, Aximili. I sound like you.

And that is a bad thing? Aximili muttered.

Noorlin blinked, and repeated; Ah. Then… Try not to ruining it too much… I would like a closer look at it. I have not had much experience with human technology.

Don't you dare laugh, Aximili, reprimanding, warned his Yeerk, and Issetha stifled a sudden giggle.  Aximili bent down to fold away the flaps on top of the package, and opened it.

First, there was a small white envelope with his name on it. He used his tail-blade to slit it open and read it quickly.

"Ax,"

It said in Cassie's unmistakable, slightly rushed handwriting,

"It turns out a number of the people at Visser One's trial now have the flu. Considering what happened the last time you were infected with that – if that really was the flu – I've sent a number of vaccines and medicines, just in case. There are instructions in each box, for injecting them, so you should manage on your own. Read through the ingredients, first, just in case there's something that's poisonous to you Andalites, and never forget to make sure you don't inject any air. Air in the bloodstream can kill humans, if it reaches the heart, and I suppose it's the same for you.  If anyone else needs vaccine there's enough for them too. And if there are any problems, contact me.

"Be careful. Marco says hi – the cinnabons are from him, of course. He insisted. I managed to stop him sending cigarette butts – you know they're not good for you, but you tend to forget. Jake would say hi, too, if he knew anything about the letter. There's also an extra copy of the World Almanac, and the new Guinness Book of World Records, which I think you'll like. The rest you can figure out on your own what it is, I hope.

Don't forget to call if you need anything.

"Cassie"

Aximili felt Issetha laughing merrily in the back of his head. Vaccines? Flu? She's not stupid, Cassie, murmured the Yeerk finally. Not at all.

No, Aximili agreed, staring down into the package. He moved his hand down and lifted up a smaller, white paper box from the package. There were four of them; and each contained a hundred unused injection needles. He would last the equivalent of an Earth year with just one pack… now he had four. He took a moment to marvel about that fact.

Aximili? said Noorlin, having painstakingly read the letter with a lot of help from his own translating chip. What is the flu?

Aximili, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, explained, and finished with; It is possible that the Earth's flu organisms can, on Andalites, cause an infection in the Tria gland. We… were never sure what caused my yamphut, but the same thing gave my friends a severe case of the flu. Cassie – as you know – removed my Tria gland, so I do not know what would happen if I was subjected to the flu again, but – as humans say – better safe than sorry.

Yes, Noorlin said, a twitch in his stalks showing that he knew and remembered exactly how and with the help of what Aximili's Tria gland had been removed – and was not very comfortable with the idea. He did, however, decide not to comment. How thoughtful of her to send this.

Thoughtful, agreed Aximili.

And extremely clever, laughed Issetha in the back of his head, and it was very hard not to laugh with her.

Aximili glanced at the letter with a stalk, and then began digging in the package again, quickly morphing human.

What are you looking for? asked his father, still curious.

The cinnabons, of course, Aximili announced. His hand caught the knot of a plastic bag, and he pulled it out triumphantly. Smiling at his father, he added; The height of human technology.

You are incorrigible, muttered Issetha privately.

And you do not really mind, retorted her host and sank his teeth into the first cinnabon.

The Yeerk laughed again, and this time Aximili did laugh with her, to the puzzlement of his father.


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Author's Note;

That took awhile. I'd almost forgotten this story… and KW Chrons. Been too deeply fascinated by my dark elves, in another story.

Reply to Qoheleth, about the morphing-or-not-morphing something held in one's hand;

I'd say you can avoid morphing something holding it in your hand, if you don't try to morph it. All the same, you should be able to morph it, if you focus enough. (Estrid could probably do it, like she morphed shoes… because she was an estreen, capable of extreme concentration, or something like that – it's been a while since I read that book.) Aximili wouldn't have to morph human, though. He's just doing what the Animorphs usually do with their morphing outfits. He's demorphing back to an-Andalite-holding-a-Kandrona-disk, instead of simply back to an Andalite. The trick would be in concentrating on that disk.

It should work, because the Animorphs have shown capable of demorphing back to their morphing suits even if they had morphed in usual clothing, thus without their morphing suits (at least, I remember frowning and thinking about that while reading a few of the books). And at the same time, they're probably perfectly capable of demorphing back to without their morphing suits if they wanted to, which means they should be able to replicate the morphing suits from excess material in Z-space if they need to. And if a T-shirt, why not a Kandrona disk?

*plots evil plan about using estreens to smuggle larger objects… remembers that, unfortunately, estreens only exist in Ani-land… plots evil story about Andalite smugglers… scraps storyline. Too silly.*

I'll see if I can get another chapter up by the end of the month. Otherwise it probably won't be up until after summer. It's almost finished, and it's about how Aximili gets his ship, about trees with memories, and about how he leaves his parents for the last time. You might want to reread the last part of chapter four, for it's also linked back to the question Issetha asks her host there. He pushed it away and refused to answer. But now, he'll have to.

Be a good reader and review. A little motivation wouldn't be completely wrong.