They stuck us in a room on the Blade ship, with at least half a dozen Dracon beams levelled at us the whole time. I guess this time Visser Three wasn't taking any chances. If one of us looked like we were starting to change, we'd be turned into dust particles.

The odds were more than against us on this one. Either I reveal myself, and a Yeerk gets a new and very powerful host, and Marco gets either killed or turned into a Yeerk himself, or time runs out and they finally find out which one's which. Either way, Marco was going to suffer for my stupidity.

I felt like a complete idiot. It was the second time I'd gotten caught that day. And this time, I'd got someone else caught too.

He sat beside me, leaning against the wall, holding his shoulder and looking like he was having trouble breathing.

(You shouldn't have...)

(Look, I know the Yeerks, and I know how they operate)

(And I might not know the Yeerks, but I do know something about war Marco. I know how the other side operates, and it's far from being 'fair') I tried to wipe away the dried blood over my eyes, but only being able to clear away one side. The other, where I'd lost an ear, was too caked over with blood, and I couldn't open it anyway.

(I still couldn't take that chance. I couldn't... I mean, how could I let a friend take the fall when...) He softened, and I forgave him. He was only trying to help...

(I know. How... how are you doing?) I walked over to him, looking up at his face.

(I'll live for now. But I've only got about an hour or so before this gorilla suit becomes permanent)

(I... I'm sorry) I whispered, sitting beside him, and putting my head on my paws, closing my good eye to think. We fell silent for a while, as I thought about it all.

Ithiell was right about another thing; I usually thought about a situation before I jumped into it. But today... it was like... it was like I had a complete brain shutdown or something... I wasn't thinking clearly, and...

It's because you want to get this over and done with...

But... why? I debated in my head.

You already know that answer Jade. You hate war. You hate having to fight and hope that some day it'll all end. You're sick of it.

I realised it was true. I hated having to be put through the loophole over and over. The fight... the bloodshed... the screams...

Those screams I heard every night in my dreams. My own and thousands of others. I think the only thing that kept me sane was hoping that I would do some good.

And if you don't fight Jade... then who will? Six kids who have been the only defence against the Yeerks since they all just happened to walk into an abandoned construction site? Your friends? Or maybe you'd like your little brother and sisters to take over for you? Huh?

No, a voice deep inside me said, I have the power, and I'll fight for them, and beside them, all.

I took a deep breath, then continued to think about what might have happened to Ithiell.

Atta girl. Use your head. It'll stop the fear from taking over completely...

Where was he? Surely he would be back know, and...

Two possibilities occurred to me then. One, something had happened to him, and he and Rtaia never really made it to the fighter, or...

Or he and Rtaia could have been infected all along. Yeerks in their brains.

But... if that was true, then they would have gone and blabbed the whole story to Visser Three, and the Animorphs would no longer be called 'Andalite bandits' and he would have known I wasn't who I said I was. He would have made sure we were all caught by then and... well, infected as well.

A third possibility occurred to me then, and that soon muddled with another thought I had.

(Could he... no, theres no way that they could... but what he said...) I was all over the place then, muttering crazy things to myself.

(Could he what?) Marco's voice jerked me back to reality, and I opened my one good eye to look up at him. So I decided to tell him one of the things I was thinking.

(The Crayak. He said I would die. But he didn't say when I would die. And... well the Drode said... that I had to choose. My life, or someone elses. He could have been... he could have been talking about now. Right at this moment)

(What... you mean my life or yours? That's crazy!!)

(As you said before, we're all crazy people)

(But I didn't... oh jeez that must mean...no Jade...)

(I could be totally wrong though. I seem to be doing that a lot today) that other thought was still stuck in my mind. If it was true... then there was hope...

(M----? J--e? Can --- he-- -s?)

(Don't react, or they'll know something's up!) I cried instantly, wanting just as much as he did to strain my ears to listen to them. Thankfully I underestimated him as well, and he stayed quite still.

(Yes, we can barely hear you. Listen, we've got a problem...)

(W---- a-e y--? We –n ba---y h---r --u)

(Who is that?) I thought... Ax! And that must mean...

(AX, WE'RE ON THE BLADE SHIP! WE GOT CAUGHT! HELP US!) I yelled in the loudest thought speak voice I could manage, hoping they'd get the most important parts of the message.

(W- -------ND YOU! WE--- GET--- HEL-! WON- --- LONG!!) Came Amanda's broken reply, and I looked up at Marco.

(Good going. How'd you know?)

(How'd I know what?)

(That if... never mind) He leaned abck, and I sidled up next to him, just feeling like I had to touch someone else. Just to know I was still alive. To my surprise, he actually started patting me like I was just a big kitty. And the funny thing was, it felt so good I actually started purring.

(Good kitty) he said, and I laughed.

(Me-ow) I lay my head back on my paws, closing my eyes and thinking hard again, knowing that I had to find us a way out of here, before Marco's time ran out.

------------------------------------------Break----------------------------------------------

Amanda and Ax finished off their pursuers quickly. Soon, there were at least fifteen Hork-Bajir bodies piled around them. Ax picked up a Dracon weapon, tossing another one to the still changing Amanda. She caught it in a half-formed human hand, her fingers curling around the cold metal.

"I thought there'd be more than this" Amanda stated as she looked around, shivering a little at all the blood. I hate this...

(I... I agree. Yet... there is no more coming this way)

"What's going on? Do you think they... no, they couldn't have given up this easily"

(Perhaps these weapons will encourage them to...)

"Wait a sec, just listen" she hushed him. Where there had been Dracon fire just minutes earlier, there was now nothing.

(What are we listening for?)

"Ax, I think something's wrong. I heard... from the other side, where Jade and Marco were, and now... there's nothing"

Ax strained his hearing, listening. There was roaring coming from the left of them, to the back of the ship, where Cassie and Robert where, and something far off to their right, but...

(Yes, I do believe you are right)

"Ax, come with me!" Amanda almost pleaded as she became an osprey, flapping her wings to get off the ground. Ax nodded, dropping the gun and following her lead. Soon they were both flying over the Blade ship, with Amanda silently praying they didn't get shot down or caught.

Thankfully, most of their attention was were the others were fighting, and they made it over the gigantic ship in one piece.

(Ax, look!) Amanda noticed it before he did. Scorch marks, from where there had been Dracon fire not too long before, and splatters of blood on the ground. She landed next to one of the blood spots, shrinking out of her bird form as soon as she hit the ground. Ax followed her.

(Oh my god. Where are they?!!) Amanda panicked, looking around at the dead Hork-Bajir, and at where the ground had been disturbed by a fight.

(Do not worry, we will find them) Ax spoke calmly as he became himself again, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Call out to them. See if they can hear you" She said, seeing something that looked like the edge of a cat's ear, trembling at the thought that now entered her head.

(Marco? Jade? Can you hear us?)

Amanda almost cried when she heard a response. She was so happy that she started to become her polar bear, just so she could talk to them.

(Y-- -e --n bar--- h--r yo-. Li---, -- g-t a b-- ---blem)

(Were are you? We can barely hear you)

(AX, WE-- ON --- BLADE ----! W- GOT CAUGHT! H--- US!) Came Jade's cry, and she and Ax looked at one another.

(This is not good)

(WE UNDERSTAND YOU! WE'RE GETTING HELP! WON'T BE LONG!!) Amanda yelled back, and Ax turned to her.

(We must contact Prince Jake and the others)

Together, they bolted off to where they knew he was...