A/N- Thanks to all my reviewers. Here are the review responses:
DH- I feel like an idiot now. For some reason, (I guess it was your pen name) I thought you were a guy. So I just went and read your bio more thoroughly, and slapped myself on the head. Anyway, in my dream you were a really old man. (My dreams are pretty crazy most of the time.) I hope this doesn't offend you or anything. BTW, what does your pen-name stand for?
Tigerlily-2250- Well, Aleera called her parents of course, but the birth was never recorded in the files. If anyone knew about it unofficially, they probably thought the child was dead too, or just missing.
Mockingbirdflyaway- Thanks for your info. Whoops, I never noticed that part. Um, I'm not quite sure what I can do to fix that, 'cause I kind of like the chapter the way it went, but thanks for pointing that out all the same.
Chessrook44, panthergirl, and morph, thanks for reviewing!
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I should have known something was going to go wrong, what with the terrible entry I made. For some reason, Mendanosh thought I should try to land the ship. I was really nervous, and because of that, I forgot to put up the sound shields. A great big boom went out as soon as we entered the atmosphere, and I mentally slapped myself on the head. Great. Now everyone within five miles of here knows we're coming in for a landing.
Tremain made a disapproving sound, but Mendanosh just said, Keep going. You're doing fine. I was so embarrassed. It must have been a bad omen.
And then, just after I started collecting my samples, a male Andalite who has no business being on this planet, and with an Earther on his back, stumbles in on me. He doesn't speak my language, and when I finally understand him he doesn't know how to explain his being there. I thought he was a Controller, at first, but he seemed too naive to be one. And even a Controller wouldn't let an Earther ride on his back.
Finally, after talking to Tremain and Mendanosh, we decided to take them back to our ship and hold them for three days to see if they were controllers. And now, the others have graciously bestowed on me the job of watching over the captives, making sure they are fed, and that they don't escape. And it is starting to really frustrate me.
"My mom is going to be sooo mad at you. She's going to wonder where I am, and if I don't come back soon, my sister is going to come looking for me. And she'll discover your spaceship here…" The female Earther has irritated me to the point that I'm sure she's a Controller. The male Andalite hasn't said anything, except wander around in his room, touching the walls and even the security camera, like he's never been on a spaceship before.
Then I remembered that I'm supposed to interrogate them, to see what they have to say and maybe find out if they really are Controllers. I decided to start with the female, because she seemed to have enough to say anyway.
Why were you riding on the male Andalite's back?
"He's my friend. And his name is Zantar. And I meant it when I said my sister would come looking for me."
I know, I sighed. This girl was really annoying. How did you meet your 'friend'?
"Why should I tell?"
Because you and he could both be in danger if you don't.
"Go ask Zak, then. He's the one you should be talking to anyway. Right now, I don't feel like being interrogated."
And after that, she said nothing, no matter what I said. So I went over to the Andalite.
What is your name?
My name is Zantar. Bri calls me Zak, though. Well, at least he seemed to be cooperating.
Are you a Controller?
I already told you, I'm not.
What are you doing on this planet?
I live here, with my adopted parents.
What adopted parents?
You really want to empty me out of all the information I have, don't you? Trust me, I don't know anything that would help you. Why are you holding me prisoner?
So much for cooperation.
I can't trust you. You are so far away from the home-world, un-authorized, and friends with an Earther. What am I supposed to make of you?
Listen, I'll tell you why I'm here. But it won't be under interrogation, as if you are better than I am. If you want to know about me, you can come in and talk to me as an equal.
I'm sorry, I'm not authorized to do that.
Does everything you do have to be authorized? Oh, never mind. I'll stay here for the three days, like you said. When you are ready to talk to me face to face, you'll know where to find me.
With that, he turned his back on the camera. And I just didn't have the energy to continue asking him questions. Funny, when I'd first met him, he'd seemed so agreeable. He was ready to come with us, and came willingly. He even convinced the female to come along. Now, he suddenly didn't want to cooperate. I wondered what kind of story there could possibly be behind all this strange behavior. This mission was one of the strangest there has ever been, and it was only my first one. What next?