The Generation
Chapter 9- Max
What to do? What to do? It was Saturday. I had nothing to do. I was not going to go back to the grotto not for a while. Ax, Tobias and I pealed off from the others and headed back towards the national forest. //What are we going to do with our day?// I asked.
//I dunno. I mean, there's not really much going on.// Tobias said thoughtfully. //Hey, I got an idea! Why don't we go on a tour of the yeerk pool entrances! Wait until you see the one in the Mc Donald's!//
//Max, I would like you to help me check out the Grotto one more time.// Ax told me. //There was something in Dizzy's readings that bothered me.//
So off we went. Ax turned on the computer in the fighter craft. //Access…// He rattled off a series of equations. A holographic screen and a panel appeared.
//HOLY SHIT!!// Ax cried, almost falling over in surprise. //A Morph preservation device!//
A hologram of Judin appeared. //I have created two frolis andilite and two frolis hork bajir morphs for whoever needs them. Press the panels on the screen to activate, then place your hands to the blue panel.//
Ax turned to me. //Whatever the Elemist intends you to do it has to do with Andilites, I suggest that you take the first of the frolises.// Ax told me.
I gulped. I had been having nightmares about andilites, and now I was going to become the thing that was giving me the nightmares. Talk about irony. "Ooookay..." My hand shook as I pressed the button.
//Frolis Andilite morph selected, choose sex.// I pressed the male symbol on the second set of buttons. //Male andilite...//
A blue panel opened on the computer board. //Place your hand on the panel.// It told me.
I pressed my hand to the panel. Unlike the pleasant sensation that occured when I acquired an animal, the panel stung my hand, warming beneath my palm.
The heat faded away. //Thank you and have a nice day.// The computer intoned.
I pulled my hand away. "Now I just proceed as usual right?" I asked.
//Yes. Let's go outside.// Ax lead me up the dropshaft. The hole closed up behind me as I went.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the andilite DNA that rested within me. And as the changes began, I couldn't help feeling that I was coming home.
The first thing that happened was that I grew, and as I grew, two new legs, ending in hooves and covered in blue fur, sprouted from my chest. My skin tanned and my hair turned into blue fur, before spreading down my body.
Sproot! Sproot!
Four eyes! I could see in all directions at once! It was incredible, amazing! I tried to open my mouth, but I realized that my lips had melted together. My nose had flattened into my face. Two new fingers sprouted from each of my hands. I was more andilite now than human.
The last thing that emerged was the tail. I felt it sprout from my butt like a weed. With a shooowoosh noise, the blade slipped out of the tip, long, sharp, and curved wickedly. I tried moving the tail, flick, flick! I nipped the ends off the tall grass at the edges of the meadow.
Then the andilite mind emerged, confident, alert, ready to fight. I was a creature that, while not a predator, controlled his environment. Something else bubbled up beneath it. More than confidence, not quite joy or happiness. It was... optimism? Strange, I would have thought that...
//Max!// Ax waved a hand in front of my face. //Are you alright in there?//
//Yes, I think so.//
//We are taught from a young age to control our optimism, to harness our instincts.// Ax told me as I set my watch.
//Right.// I said nervously.
//Well then, the first thing that every andilite cadet learns is 'Main eyes front, stalk eyes scanning.// Ax went on. //Now get ready to run. We'll go from here to the river, and then to the scoop. Ready?// He asked.
//I'll try.// I said calmly.
//Let's go!// Ax said happily as he darted away.
It was hard at first, I had two extra limbs, and too many fingers, but I felt at home, and I fell into the rythmn of Andilite hoof beats.
Ax and I made it to a waterfall in the river. //Hang on, I'll get a drink.// He dipped a hoof in the water. I mimicked him. I felt something cool running up my hoof. Water! I was drinking with my feet!
We turned and ran at an angle to the river. We left it behind and I became aware of the grass running up my hooves as I crushed it. We were on our way to Tobias' scoop when I heard...
"Garash nur Andilite!"
I whirled. Coming at me was a creature about seven feet tall. It had a long, serpentine head and a bird like beak, with sharp teeth concealed within. It had three razer sharp, forward swept horns sprouting from the top of its head. The creature had long arms and razor sharp blades on its elbows, wrists, and knees. Its legs were bent backwards. It had talons like a tyrannosaurus and a long tail with two blades on it for balence.
//Run for it Max!// Ax shouted.
But it was too late, I was cut off by three more horkbajir. //Two apiece?// I asked.
//Yes, it seems that we will have to fight.// Ax agreed. //Listen to the andilite inside of you, he knows how to do battle.//
I closed my main eyes, listening to the andilite mind. I felt, a fire welling up within me. The Hork Bajir circled carefully around me. He lept in, a feint! Then came around the side. This was it...
FWAP! My tail sailed through the air, slashing the hork bajir down the head. I heard him scream, and then fall still.
There was still one more. Ax was taking on his two at once, slashing so fast that I could barely track him, blocking each blow with expert grace and ease. The second hork bajir, smaller and with two horns, not three, leapt at me, leg raised to kick. I dodged the kick and struck!
The horkbajir blocked the blow. "Not so easy is it andilite?" The horkbajir demanded.
//Max, do not answer! They must believe without a doubt that we are andilites!// Ax shouted.
"Such lovely bodies! I will enjoy your agony when I am in your head! I'll be Visser three's new best friend!" The horkbajir taunted.
I struck! She blocked it with her knee blade. The blade went spinning away. The hork bajir leapt back. I noticed a gash on her knee. She snarled in rage, and I realized that I'd cut more than the knee blade. Her right leg was covered in gashes, bleeding blue/green ichor.
Suddenly, WHAM!! The hork bajir that I'd cut in the head stood there, glaring defiance, blood dripping into its eyes. "Thank you for killing my yeerk andilite." He said with an alien expression that I recognized as a smile. "I will take care of her."
//Your name?//
"Saro Jagil, hork bajir seer." He answered. As I watched, he was slowly backing the smaller hork bajir against a tree. I realized that this controller had a younger host. Saro rattled what I realized was a belt of chains. He swung with the chain, pinning the hork bajir controller.
The controller whipped out what Ax had told me was a dracon beam. Saro grappled with her for it. Too late! The hork bajir controller fired!
TSSSSSSSEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!
The beam missed. Ax finished off his own Hork Bajir just in time to duck out of the way. The beam hit the grass, which was dry from the current dry spell. The grass burst into flame! A forest fire!
As I watched in horror, the fire spread. I turned to Saro. //Saro, head south towards the town for about four miles, take your prisoner with you. You will find a meado with a red tailed hawk. Tell that hawk what happened. Tell him to get help, then get your prisoner to water and stay there!// I whirled on Ax. //Ax! Time!//
//Half of one of your hours remains in morph!//
Half an hour! We turned and ran, racing the flames to the river!
FLASH! I heard screaming! A tiny voice crying, "JUU JUU! JUU JUU!"
A booming loudspeaker. "EVERYBODY OUT! THIS IS JOURNEYMAN GIDEON! WE HAVE A FIRE ON LEVEL FOUR!! EVERYBODY OUT!!"
I ran, head whirling with confusion. I was hearing things, the forest had no 'level four!' I heard screams, children crying! But when I turned my stalk eyes, I saw nothing. I felt nothing but blind, subliminal panic! I had to get out! I had to get out! I screamed, but it wasn't me screaming!
A siren whirled inside my head, but I saw nothing that could be making it. Terror! Fear! Panic! Run! It ran deeper than the andilite fear of fire. This was subliminal! A panicking dejavu of fire and fear.
A burning branch fell from the tree near me. NOT A BRANCH! A BEAM! I was in a blazing inferno of stone and metal! Yet I was not constricted by walls! I shook my head in confusion, I was in the forest again!
//AX! TIME!!//
//Fifteen of your minutes left in morph.// Ax said calmly.
I ran, then, BOOM! A burning branch caught Ax on the back haunch. There was a sickening crack as he broke his leg. I yanked. Ax limped behind me. //Max! Run! Don't worry about me! YOu need to demorph!//
//I can't leave you behind!// I protested.
//I'll morph to harrier!// Ax cried. I could see the feathers appearing on his body. I grabbed Ax, hauling him along. I listened as I went for the tell tale gurgle of the river. It was wide enough to stop the fire.
//Ten minutes!!// Ax cried. //Max please don't get trapped for me!//
I ignored him, forcing him to lean his weakened side against me. Another branch fell, FWAP! We swatted at it in unison and the branch shattered, and far away, way too far away, I heard the river.
Ax was melting away, becoming a harrier.
//Five minutes! Max I can handle it RUN!// Ax shouted.
The fire was one hundred yards and closing. I scooped Ax up as he finished morphing, moving slowly! Too slowly!
//Two minutes!// Ax cried as he took to the air.
I ran, flat out, fifty yards in thirty seconds. //DEMORPH!!// Somebody screamed from above!
I stumbled as my two front legs melted back into my chest and my feet emerged from my hind legs. I fell into the river, gasping for breath. I continued demorphing.
//ONE MINUTE!!!// Ax screamed.
But it was getting hard to focus. THE SMOKE! I was dying of smoke inhalation! I was emerging, too slowly. Memories flooded back, in one of them I was five, playing shapeshifter in the back yard with Michael. Who knew then that I'd gain that ability? Who knew then that I'd blow it?
Far away, strong Hork Bajir arms pulled me from the water, and human lips pushed air back into my dying, collapsing lungs.
~~~
Notes: DUM! DUM!! DUM!!!
Chapter 9- Max
What to do? What to do? It was Saturday. I had nothing to do. I was not going to go back to the grotto not for a while. Ax, Tobias and I pealed off from the others and headed back towards the national forest. //What are we going to do with our day?// I asked.
//I dunno. I mean, there's not really much going on.// Tobias said thoughtfully. //Hey, I got an idea! Why don't we go on a tour of the yeerk pool entrances! Wait until you see the one in the Mc Donald's!//
//Max, I would like you to help me check out the Grotto one more time.// Ax told me. //There was something in Dizzy's readings that bothered me.//
So off we went. Ax turned on the computer in the fighter craft. //Access…// He rattled off a series of equations. A holographic screen and a panel appeared.
//HOLY SHIT!!// Ax cried, almost falling over in surprise. //A Morph preservation device!//
A hologram of Judin appeared. //I have created two frolis andilite and two frolis hork bajir morphs for whoever needs them. Press the panels on the screen to activate, then place your hands to the blue panel.//
Ax turned to me. //Whatever the Elemist intends you to do it has to do with Andilites, I suggest that you take the first of the frolises.// Ax told me.
I gulped. I had been having nightmares about andilites, and now I was going to become the thing that was giving me the nightmares. Talk about irony. "Ooookay..." My hand shook as I pressed the button.
//Frolis Andilite morph selected, choose sex.// I pressed the male symbol on the second set of buttons. //Male andilite...//
A blue panel opened on the computer board. //Place your hand on the panel.// It told me.
I pressed my hand to the panel. Unlike the pleasant sensation that occured when I acquired an animal, the panel stung my hand, warming beneath my palm.
The heat faded away. //Thank you and have a nice day.// The computer intoned.
I pulled my hand away. "Now I just proceed as usual right?" I asked.
//Yes. Let's go outside.// Ax lead me up the dropshaft. The hole closed up behind me as I went.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the andilite DNA that rested within me. And as the changes began, I couldn't help feeling that I was coming home.
The first thing that happened was that I grew, and as I grew, two new legs, ending in hooves and covered in blue fur, sprouted from my chest. My skin tanned and my hair turned into blue fur, before spreading down my body.
Sproot! Sproot!
Four eyes! I could see in all directions at once! It was incredible, amazing! I tried to open my mouth, but I realized that my lips had melted together. My nose had flattened into my face. Two new fingers sprouted from each of my hands. I was more andilite now than human.
The last thing that emerged was the tail. I felt it sprout from my butt like a weed. With a shooowoosh noise, the blade slipped out of the tip, long, sharp, and curved wickedly. I tried moving the tail, flick, flick! I nipped the ends off the tall grass at the edges of the meadow.
Then the andilite mind emerged, confident, alert, ready to fight. I was a creature that, while not a predator, controlled his environment. Something else bubbled up beneath it. More than confidence, not quite joy or happiness. It was... optimism? Strange, I would have thought that...
//Max!// Ax waved a hand in front of my face. //Are you alright in there?//
//Yes, I think so.//
//We are taught from a young age to control our optimism, to harness our instincts.// Ax told me as I set my watch.
//Right.// I said nervously.
//Well then, the first thing that every andilite cadet learns is 'Main eyes front, stalk eyes scanning.// Ax went on. //Now get ready to run. We'll go from here to the river, and then to the scoop. Ready?// He asked.
//I'll try.// I said calmly.
//Let's go!// Ax said happily as he darted away.
It was hard at first, I had two extra limbs, and too many fingers, but I felt at home, and I fell into the rythmn of Andilite hoof beats.
Ax and I made it to a waterfall in the river. //Hang on, I'll get a drink.// He dipped a hoof in the water. I mimicked him. I felt something cool running up my hoof. Water! I was drinking with my feet!
We turned and ran at an angle to the river. We left it behind and I became aware of the grass running up my hooves as I crushed it. We were on our way to Tobias' scoop when I heard...
"Garash nur Andilite!"
I whirled. Coming at me was a creature about seven feet tall. It had a long, serpentine head and a bird like beak, with sharp teeth concealed within. It had three razer sharp, forward swept horns sprouting from the top of its head. The creature had long arms and razor sharp blades on its elbows, wrists, and knees. Its legs were bent backwards. It had talons like a tyrannosaurus and a long tail with two blades on it for balence.
//Run for it Max!// Ax shouted.
But it was too late, I was cut off by three more horkbajir. //Two apiece?// I asked.
//Yes, it seems that we will have to fight.// Ax agreed. //Listen to the andilite inside of you, he knows how to do battle.//
I closed my main eyes, listening to the andilite mind. I felt, a fire welling up within me. The Hork Bajir circled carefully around me. He lept in, a feint! Then came around the side. This was it...
FWAP! My tail sailed through the air, slashing the hork bajir down the head. I heard him scream, and then fall still.
There was still one more. Ax was taking on his two at once, slashing so fast that I could barely track him, blocking each blow with expert grace and ease. The second hork bajir, smaller and with two horns, not three, leapt at me, leg raised to kick. I dodged the kick and struck!
The horkbajir blocked the blow. "Not so easy is it andilite?" The horkbajir demanded.
//Max, do not answer! They must believe without a doubt that we are andilites!// Ax shouted.
"Such lovely bodies! I will enjoy your agony when I am in your head! I'll be Visser three's new best friend!" The horkbajir taunted.
I struck! She blocked it with her knee blade. The blade went spinning away. The hork bajir leapt back. I noticed a gash on her knee. She snarled in rage, and I realized that I'd cut more than the knee blade. Her right leg was covered in gashes, bleeding blue/green ichor.
Suddenly, WHAM!! The hork bajir that I'd cut in the head stood there, glaring defiance, blood dripping into its eyes. "Thank you for killing my yeerk andilite." He said with an alien expression that I recognized as a smile. "I will take care of her."
//Your name?//
"Saro Jagil, hork bajir seer." He answered. As I watched, he was slowly backing the smaller hork bajir against a tree. I realized that this controller had a younger host. Saro rattled what I realized was a belt of chains. He swung with the chain, pinning the hork bajir controller.
The controller whipped out what Ax had told me was a dracon beam. Saro grappled with her for it. Too late! The hork bajir controller fired!
TSSSSSSSEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!
The beam missed. Ax finished off his own Hork Bajir just in time to duck out of the way. The beam hit the grass, which was dry from the current dry spell. The grass burst into flame! A forest fire!
As I watched in horror, the fire spread. I turned to Saro. //Saro, head south towards the town for about four miles, take your prisoner with you. You will find a meado with a red tailed hawk. Tell that hawk what happened. Tell him to get help, then get your prisoner to water and stay there!// I whirled on Ax. //Ax! Time!//
//Half of one of your hours remains in morph!//
Half an hour! We turned and ran, racing the flames to the river!
FLASH! I heard screaming! A tiny voice crying, "JUU JUU! JUU JUU!"
A booming loudspeaker. "EVERYBODY OUT! THIS IS JOURNEYMAN GIDEON! WE HAVE A FIRE ON LEVEL FOUR!! EVERYBODY OUT!!"
I ran, head whirling with confusion. I was hearing things, the forest had no 'level four!' I heard screams, children crying! But when I turned my stalk eyes, I saw nothing. I felt nothing but blind, subliminal panic! I had to get out! I had to get out! I screamed, but it wasn't me screaming!
A siren whirled inside my head, but I saw nothing that could be making it. Terror! Fear! Panic! Run! It ran deeper than the andilite fear of fire. This was subliminal! A panicking dejavu of fire and fear.
A burning branch fell from the tree near me. NOT A BRANCH! A BEAM! I was in a blazing inferno of stone and metal! Yet I was not constricted by walls! I shook my head in confusion, I was in the forest again!
//AX! TIME!!//
//Fifteen of your minutes left in morph.// Ax said calmly.
I ran, then, BOOM! A burning branch caught Ax on the back haunch. There was a sickening crack as he broke his leg. I yanked. Ax limped behind me. //Max! Run! Don't worry about me! YOu need to demorph!//
//I can't leave you behind!// I protested.
//I'll morph to harrier!// Ax cried. I could see the feathers appearing on his body. I grabbed Ax, hauling him along. I listened as I went for the tell tale gurgle of the river. It was wide enough to stop the fire.
//Ten minutes!!// Ax cried. //Max please don't get trapped for me!//
I ignored him, forcing him to lean his weakened side against me. Another branch fell, FWAP! We swatted at it in unison and the branch shattered, and far away, way too far away, I heard the river.
Ax was melting away, becoming a harrier.
//Five minutes! Max I can handle it RUN!// Ax shouted.
The fire was one hundred yards and closing. I scooped Ax up as he finished morphing, moving slowly! Too slowly!
//Two minutes!// Ax cried as he took to the air.
I ran, flat out, fifty yards in thirty seconds. //DEMORPH!!// Somebody screamed from above!
I stumbled as my two front legs melted back into my chest and my feet emerged from my hind legs. I fell into the river, gasping for breath. I continued demorphing.
//ONE MINUTE!!!// Ax screamed.
But it was getting hard to focus. THE SMOKE! I was dying of smoke inhalation! I was emerging, too slowly. Memories flooded back, in one of them I was five, playing shapeshifter in the back yard with Michael. Who knew then that I'd gain that ability? Who knew then that I'd blow it?
Far away, strong Hork Bajir arms pulled me from the water, and human lips pushed air back into my dying, collapsing lungs.
~~~
Notes: DUM! DUM!! DUM!!!