Chapter Twenty-Four

It had been a very lucky call, I must admit. Elfinorr had noticed that when we went closer to the Blade Ship, the Bug fighter remained intact, which meant that the shielding systems were off (if they were on, we'd have been vaporized). He chanced a lucky shot and managed to destroy the bridge, from where the entire ship was operated. Maybe we had even killed the Visser aboard the ship.

We entered Zero-Space and flew towards home, hoping that Z-space hadn't reconfigured. Eventually, after about five human hours later, we reached the Alotif base.

There, we were given droughts of Illispar root to help us get over our drowsiness. After that, we went to the same room where Placynth and I had first met Elfinorr. We waited for around five human minutes before Allith came and greeted us.

[Well done,] he said, sounding satisfied. [Very well done. It seems that you not only have killed Councilor Eleven, but have also managed to finish off Visser Nine. I believe it was you who shot down his Blade ship?]

I let out a murmur that sounded like [yesuh].

Allith nodded. [Exhausted?]

[Very we. Long trip... cram-ped...] Elfinorr muttered while his eyelids drooped.

[I see. So you will require some sleep. But I believe I must fill you in before that.] Allith straightened his shoulders while Placynth, Elfinorr and I did the same, feeling we had the weight of ten kafits on each shoulder.

[Councilor Eleven's death was not a severe blow to the Yeerks, since he was unpopular, abusive and very self-centered. There had been a small conspiracy to overthrow him.] Allith said.

We would have been protesting if we weren't so tired.

[However, the conspiracy was discovered, and they will most definitely be blamed for the councilor's death. But the ones behind it all are quite popular Yeerks, and no doubt there will be instability, and perhaps even a minor rebellion. During these times, as our plans go, we are to send assassination groups and kill other members of the hierarchy to further weaken the empire, one of the targets being Visser Nine. After that, we are going to lead a full-fledged war fleet strike on the Taxxon home world where we believe the Yeerks have hidden important POW's.]

I sighed. So our work had paid off... yes...

My eyelids, arms, tail and stalk eyes drooped. [We hear you Allith, but I'm afraid we need rest now.] Placynth spoke for us.

Allith nodded. [Yes, certainly. Rest.]

We were half-dragged from the room and laid down on some extremely soft grass in our quarters. I sighed, shifted properly onto my side, and slept like I had never slept before.

In the morning I woke up early, perhaps the first one to wake up. The other Andalites that were awake had not slept at night; they were busy doing their jobs and going about the base.

I looked out at the sun. It was a beautiful scene, watching the orange rays light up the parched, rocky ground.

By afternoon I was in a transport (the 'Alfagroth') and was on my way back home. But, like I had been reminded, I wouldn't be staying there long, what with the war intensifying. Allith had told us quite a lot, and from what I could gather, there was a lot to go wrong, and there would most definitely be emergency assassin jobs.

I was actually looking forward to it. Is that strange? I suppose so. But I had been caught up in and addicted to that adrenaline rush. I could not wait to feel it again.

ONE YEAR LATER

Author's Notes: This is taking place right after 49, or at the beginning of 50. It is also Ettex's (and the others') thirteenth assignment, and also the most important. Boy, thirteen sure is unlucky...

Story: -

Placynth, Elfinorr and I had just returned from the Atlantalix mission. Elfinorr had been severely injured, and we had feared that he wouldn't make it. He had survived, but barely. After those chains of events, each of us had been sure that we would get a long period of rest. We were wrong.

A day after Elfinorr had recovered and perfectly all right, Allith met us in the same glass room he as he always did when he congratulated us or debriefed us with any new information. This time, however, he was there to re-assign us.

[Well done, well done,] he said, almost automatically. It was routine for him. [Now, I had contacted the authorities about your many successes, and I am honored to announce your promotion from Unit G to Unit B!]

[You're joking!] Elfinorr cried, astonished. We all were.

[I am not.] Allith was smiling. But there was something else hidden behind that smile.

[You have another assignment for us,] I said, reading his expression.

Allith seemed deflated. Like he was Glowip doll that had been pricked by the point of a tail blade.

[Yes,] he said, refusing to look us the eyes.

[Are we really Unit B? Or were you —] I quickly cut off Placynth.

[No, we really are Unit B. I checked the records this morning for promotion, since we managed to finish Visser Four.]

I looked back at Allith. [When are we to board?]

[In an hour,] said Allith. As usual, we would be told what all this was about aboard a Dome ship.

[But you're not traveling on a Dome ship. You are going on a fighter.]

That piqued me.

[Why?] Placynth asked.

[We want to be as remote as possible; it is also the reason that I am debriefing you here. You are going to the Garatron home world.]

[Er...] I said, not sure how important this was.

[It is the new place of the Yeerks' gather. I believe the Garatrons have voluntarily given up their freedom to the Yeerks. You are going there to assassinate each and every sign of Yeerk authority figures, which consist mainly of Vissers and a few Sub-vissers.] Allith paused to draw breath. [The Garatrons,] he continued, [Are startlingly similar to us in physiology. The differences are this: They have strangely shaped heads, (Author's Note: Remember, Andalites don't know what a helmet is!) and they have no tail blades. They are quite primitive. They live much like us, in the open, and computer technology among them is nonexistent, though they are a sentient species nevertheless. We think fascination with technology is the reason they surrendered to the Yeerks.]

We all let this sink in. I did not like these Garatrons; freedom is always the most important thing to an Andalite, even more important than life.

Oh, yes, I despised these Garatrons.

Author's Notes: As you may have noticed, they don't know anything about the Garatrons' speed. Well, Ettex and his pals will find out the hard way...