AN: So here it is. Part Seven. I was suffering from serious writer's block, so if this sucks, I'm sorry.

Last chapter, I commented that my inspiration from this fic was a picture I found on Elfwood. Well, I was wrong. It's on Side 7, a lesser-known gallery. But here is the addy: http:// www.side7.com/ cgi-bin/ S7SDB/ Display.pl? act=image&iid= 118648 . Just take out the spaces – FF.net messes up links, apparently. This picture was actually a pair of Andelite lovers, but I thought they looked like brother and sister. Beautiful, isn't it?

[o][x][o][x][o][x][o] -- I have so much fun with these…

Disclaimer: AllcharactersideasandsettingstakendirectlyfromtheAnimorphsbooksbyKAApplegatearepropertyofKAApplegate includingJakeMarcoTobiasAxRachelCassieErikAndelitesYeerksandtherestoftheplot.TheyarenotminenordoIwishto claimthem.HoweverallcharactersthatareminearepropertyofmeandmealoneincludingMikanRanaSakuraHiroKeichii TaroandanyothercharactersideasorsettingsnotownedbyKAApplegate.

*deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath*

I think that covers it. ^.^;;

Ax

We were morphed as flies, sitting on Erik's steel shoulder, under his hologram. There had been some argument, at first, as to which morph to use. Marco wanted to use fleas, because they are practically undetectable. Rachel wanted to use something bigger. But Erik reminded them that whatever they morphed would be hidden anyway, so Prince Jake decided on flies.

I am glad. Being a flea is a disturbing experience.

However, sitting inside the hologram, we could not see very well. Our faceted eyes picked up interference in the air from the hologram, and the images were blurry. But we could hear.

"Eris five-three-three reporting, Visser."

You are late, Eris.

"There was a problem with human traffic, sir."

I see. Don't let it happen again. Hurry up and board ship.

"Yes, sir."

There was no more speech for several minutes. A change in lighting signaled the entrance onto the Bug fighter. Then minor conversations started. Four human voices. That wasn't good. There were only supposed to be three – Erik and two other Chee. There was also an occasional Hork-Bajir comment, but their voices all sound very similar and there was no way to guess how many Hork-Bajir were on board. And the Taxxon, if he was there, did not speak.

Does anyone else notice the guy with the accent? Marco asked.

Yeah. It seems they've found another Controller with a Japanese-speaking host. Prince Jake replied tersely.

Just another ass to kick. That, of course, was Rachel. She was always referring to kicking something.

Rumbling noises and vibrations signaled that the ship was lifting off. There was relative silence for a while.

So who wants to play the Name Game? Marco asked. Ignoring him, Prince Jake asked me how long we had been in morph.

Fifty-four of your minutes. I replied. Immediately Marco began the usual comments.

Ax. Ma man. You have lived on Earth for more than a year. They are your minutes, too. Get USED to it, already!!

One year here. All my life on my home planet. And we have different minutes. I retorted.

Shut up. Tobias hissed. Something's happening.

"Firth, my host needs to urinate."

A pause. Then, a sigh.

"Make it quick, Eris. We need you for Kuross' feeding."

"I'll be back in a few moments."

Motion, a change in lighting. We heard a door click shut.

"Alright, guys. All ashore that's goin' ashore."

Make for the wall, guys.

As we took off and flew out from under Erik's hologram, he began telling us the situation.

"This afternoon they captured a Japanese businessman who was at a corporate meeting in America. They infested him rather quickly with a random Yeerk they had hastily brought out of the Pool in a fishbowl, because the only time they could get him was when he went to the bathroom. This Yeerk had just started feeding, he's still hungry. As soon as he was in the host body he complained. The officer who was responsible for cutting his feeding schedule short arranged for a very small Kandrona to be brought aboard. In a few minutes one of the Hork-Bajir and myself will assist him in restraining his host while he feeds aboard ship."

They just randomly grab some Japanese person? And go through all that trouble to infest him? Why? Cassie asked.

"Because he lives in the area of Japan that the ship was sighted. He works in the building the tapes were taken from."

Prince Jake whistled mentally. Of course. He knows the area, knows the people. He would be able to get into places three American tourists couldn't.

Cassie cut in. Hey, we could free him. He could help us.

Free him, yes. Marco replied. So he and his family could be hunted down and re-infested. They know all about him, Cassie. They'd find him.

So we take him in. He becomes an Animorph, or at least an informant.

Cassie—

"In any case, I need to go. Follow the red light path to the control room, blue light path to the Pool room. The feeding is scheduled to begin in eight minutes."

Alright. Thanks, Erik.

"Hey, it's the least I can do. Good luck."

He left. Immediately, Prince Jake began to give orders.

Rachel, Marco, Ax and Cassie, to the control room. Get in fast. Ax, cut your way to the controls and hold them steady. Cassie and Rachel clear out the room, and Marco helps whomever needs it more. Tobias, you're with me in the Pool room.

Don't you just love it when he goes all General Patton on us? Marco asked, in the tone humans refer to as 'dry'. The comparison, from what I've read of General Patton, is strikingly accurate. Patton was famous for putting himself at the head of the offensive, in the middle of the worst danger.

Quiet, Marco. Ax, how much time left until this feeding takes place?

Four and a half minutes.

Okay, move out. You four, make sure that the feeding party goes past you before you morph.

Rodj that, Boss. Marco quipped. We took off.

Oooh, pretty lights. Marco said. Indeed, there were several different bands of light above our heads.

Um, guys? Flies don't see in normal color. How do we find the red one? Cassie asked.

It will be the one with the least ultraviolet tone. I replied. The one on the far right.

We zoomed off, following the light path. As we turned the corner, three large shapes passed under us – two humans and a Hork-Bajir.

There they go. We're clear. Rachel said. And there's the door. Ax, you had better go first.

I only had to demorph. The others had to demorph and remorph stronger morphs. I landed and demorphed quickly, facing the door as soon as I had a face. The others followed as soon as I was ready.

Soon there was a gorilla, a wolf, and a grizzly bear standing in the hall next to me.

Are we prepared? I asked.

Yeah. Rachel said. Let's do it.

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Reviews!! Yay!!

JulyFlame: Yes. You like it. This we have established. Any constructive criticisms?

A.S. Amalon: Well, you saw it. What do you think?

Cyblade Silver: Me too! That's why I'm writing this. And yes. But I didn't really mean to name Hiro after Hiro – like Sakura, his character developed all on its own. I just like the name. Really. .

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