The Refugee

Chapter 6- Cassie

"I miss everything!" Feralae pouted, flopping down on her newly made bed. She had put it to the back of the cave along with the TV, Radio and the generator. Everything else was still in a pile of bundles to the far end. "You guys got to have all the fun."

"Fun?" Marco asked, rolling his eyes.

"The real question is, do we do it?" Rachel asked.

"That's new coming from you Rachel." Marco sniped.

"The reason why I'm asking is that I HATE these kinds of missions." Rachel growled. "He pushes or pulls us, it's like Chess and Jake is the King. King to C-Twelve, oh I'm sorry, I just moved you into checkmate."

"There's always a choice Rachel." Feralae pointed out, pulling a sandwich out of one backpack and taking a big bite. "Haven't you read the essay, Evil is Compatible With a Good God by John Hick. He points out that God, in this case the Ellimist, cannot create creatures that are not free to choose, because that would be immoral. In this case we're free to chose, but if something goes wrong then we'd better be able to take the consequences." I explained. "And by the way Rachel, in Chess you're not allowed to move your King into checkmate on purpose."

"Whatever!" RAchel threw up her hands in exasperation. "The point is that I don't like going on open ended missions. Demolition missions fine, as long as they're planned. But even I'm not stupid enough to go in blind!"

"You did once." Marco pointed out. "Remember the polar bear incident?"

"Have I done that again after that?" RAchel asked, "No."

"What polar bear incident?" Feralae asked, looking from Rachel, to Marco to Rachel again.

"Don't worry about it." Marco rolled his eyes. "Let's just say that Rachel learned a huge lesson about arrogance."

"I don't think she's arrogant." Feralae put in.

"You don't know Rachel." Marco said, watching as Feralae slid the matress into the wagon bed, using the former wagon bed as a bedframe. She set up perches for Lexus, Cadillac, and Escalade. She put up a fourth perch at a respectful distance from the other three. "Tobias try this one. I figure if I'm going to have guests I'd better have places for them to sit."

Tobias fluttered up to the perch. Thanks.

"Do we need to take a vote on this?" Jake asked.

"You know my vote." I put in. "Save a sentient species, of course I'd do it. In a heart beat."

Toby spoke up. "Jake, I would like my people to be in on this. It is an opportunity for us to free more hork bajir, to expand our population."

"Of course Toby, we wouldn't have known about this opportunity if it weren't for you." Jake said with a smile.


"I'm in." Marco said suddenly. "I mean, if these people used to be the Ellimist's species they can't be all that bad. I still don't like the guy, but that's because of the trouble he causes. The Ellimist isn't too bad a person. And he has done some things for us. This is our chance to give something in return."

I'm in. Tobias agreed.

I do not believe I should vote Prince Jake. Ax began.

"Don't call me Prince." Jake said automatically. "And Ax, I'm telling you to vote, you too Alloran, if you want to come along."

I would be honored to have my revenge. Alloran answered with an eye smirk. After what they did to me I am more than willing to do anything that it takes to defeat the yeerks and free more hosts.

"Nothing like experience to humble arrogance." Toby said with a cold sneer.

What did you say? Alloran demanded, whirling on her.

"I said that you're an arrogant, grass eating, slug sniffing, destructive, egotistical maniac, that's what I just said." Toby growled.

If we were on opposite sides then I would gladly mangle you're hindquarters green nosed, bark chewing aristh!

"At least I'm not a murderer!" Toby snarled.

At least I have more experience than you do! Alloran shouted.

This argument was just turning wierder and wierder. War Prince Alloran, can we please get to a point and finish with the vote? Ax begged, not sure who to address and how. On one hand, Alloran was an authority figure. On the other Toby was an ally and fellow warrior.

"Alloran are you coming or not?" Jake asked. "And please don't fight you two, we have planning to do."

"He started it." Toby.

She started it. Alloran.

"And I'm ending it." Jake answered. "Ax?"

I will go, I am curious about these Ketrans. It may be that they have met andilites before, back in our primeval past, through this Ellimist. They may even be the origin of our legends about Ellimists. Ax answered.

"Oh all right I'll go." Rachel said with a sigh. "There's NO way that I'm going to miss this!" She grinned wickedly.

"So we've decided?" Jake asked.

We nodded.

"LET'S DO IT!" Rachel of course.