Oh you are so gonna love this chappie! And my special little twist will be quite a treat for you!!(rubs hands together and laughs evilly)

We ran toward that bridge like there was no tomorrow. Which... probably wouldn't be if we didn't survive the next few minutes. Once again we found ourselves on the bridge in a crowd with the others.

"Okay, what's going on?" Jake asked as we looked around at the panicked Chanaiben and Andalite crew, then up at Keera, who stood at her full height, looking up at the screen. Ithiell and Amanda still weren't there.

We followed her gaze, and found ourselves looking up at something that I could only guess as a ship. It looked like a mase... or a big ball with spikes sticking out. Only, this mase didn't have a handle. Instead, it had what looked like a dorsal fin attached to the top of it, a lot like a dolphins fin. On the sides there were what looked like two spider legs facing forward, and I could only guess that that was either the way they steered this big thing... or their weapons.

(Sensors say it is twice the size of the Inaad) an Andalite male reported, and Keera finally looked down at us. She looked scared. Her ears were folded up against the sides of her head and her dark blue eyes were wide.

Ithiell arrived a few seconds later, looking like he'd run the whole length of the ship... then I guess he saw the screen, because his eyes narrowed.

"Report!" He snapped as he took over for Keera.

"It is double the size of this ship sir... the weapons array is almost equal to our own, but they seem to be able to..."

"Have they moved?"

"No sir. It just came out of no-where and has stayed right in our path since then"

"Sir, I believe this may be a Bendis ship"

"Oh my..." Ithiell suddenly faltered, seeming to have trouble breathing. He gripped the sides of the chair so tightly we heard his claws dig into the metal.

"What? What is it? What's a...?" Keera cut Rachel off as Amanda finally joined us. She took in the scene but decided to remain quiet.

"This is Bendis space we're travelling in, and I'm guessing since that ship in front of us..."

"It's her. Omigod, it's her!" Ithiell breathed, staring up at the ship, his face unreadable.

"Sir, have you seen this ship..."

"No... no, I haven't. But I... I know exactly who's on that ship now... hail them!"

"But sir, they could be extremely..."

"I said HAIL THEM!" Ithiell roared, practically leaping up from his seat, flaring his wings, and looking angrier than I'd ever seen him.

(Hailing sir) another Andalite said. Seconds later, an image of a face appeared that changed everything at once. That face... that face was Chanaiben.

"You" Ithiell looked panicked again, swallowing hard.

"Yes, it's me dear brother" The Chanaiben female replied, sounding almost arrogant.

"Inaad!" He looked shocked, but then his face changed "No, you're not the real Inaad... I can sense... you're a Yeerk!"

"What do you mean?" Jake demanded. It was only then that Ithiell dared to look down at us. He was barely containing himself, I saw that.

"When twins are born in my culture... they are bonded by... their minds share a special bond after that moment... but although we can shut each other out sometimes... it is always preferred by each that they stay linked. But when I lost the link with her..." He looked up on the screen "I thought you were dead!"

"Not quite. But I came pretty close. And guess what kind of ship plucked me from a destroyed Chanaiben ship, half dead?"

"No... Inaad... no..."

"Oh... you think your sister chose this? Oh no no! She resisted with all she had, the little snot... but I got her in the end... and now, she makes a brilliant host"

"Nine years as a... as a slave? Nine years... Nimal cubrinn!" Ithiell cried out in his own tongue to her.

"Sorry? No, she doesn't blame you... she... well, you can tell from our little link, can't you?"

"I... I... no, but she hates you... and blames Yeerks!"

"Good dear brother" The Yeerk slipped back into character "You still remember your old ways... I always knew you'd be something. But me? What was I supposed to do? With our link... our very rare, and very powerful... link, it was almost like I was a side show"

"You... let go of her!!" Ithiell screamed, flaring his wings and looking angry and hurt all at once.

"Now why would I do that? She's a very valuable specimen... got me right up to Visser Six in the first year... then into the council of thirteen. And I've been there ever since. In fact..."

"Shut up Yeerk! I don't want to hear your lies!"

"Lies? Lies? You think I'm lying to you?" She seemed to consider this for a moment, before continuing "Now that just hurts. But... if you want I can tell you truth..."

"No... don't even!"

"A truth plucked right out of your little head. A simple thought that came to me and told me..."

"Shut up! Inaad!"

"...you were out here. Fascinating, in fact. The way you love this Amanda girl..."

"Leave her out of this... simpa nirrim wivven! Timaa!"

"And how you love seeing her true beauty in the false light. How it awakens..."

"That's enough! Don't you ever mention her again! You lousy, pathetic little worm!" Ithiell yelled in pure rage. His chest was heaving, his nostrils were flaring with each breath, and... and on his wings, I saw tiny little red and green veins start to emerge. I guessed it was the male Chanaibens way to show anger.

"Oh, but you don't like my lies, do you? Now, let's..." but then Inaad's face contorted, and for those few precious seconds I think we were actually looking at the real Inaad.

"I am sorry Unimm. Kinaar ivett zunaarr..."

"Ke parr, ke parr! Unami dessan quannass!" he called back, and after he said that, the mask came back down, and it was the Yeerk in control once again. It just made me mad. I guess the others felt the same.

"See? Even now she tries to defy me. But I always get her in the end"

Ithiell was stock still. Thinking. Considering his options. His wings were still flared, but the colour was now draining from his wings. Finally, he sighed and looked up at the face on the screen... almost sadly. His wings folded back behind their skin flaps and disappeared from sight.

"Unami, se nerr doannte si mu vlett. Somai Unami. Somai cubrinn" Ithiell said at the face, and I saw his 'leader' face returning. He was turning hard and cold. Indifferent.

For a fleeting second, the face of the Inaad looked terrified, and in that second Inaad herself came through again.

"Unimm, me se nerr. Ne somai" the face was understanding and sad... and then the Yeerk took control again.

"Why you insignificant..."

"Cut her off"

A Chanaiben followed his orders. Seconds later, we were back to the screen of the ship. Ithiell sat down again, flicking his tail a little as he did.

"Shields up, maximum strength. And power up all weapon banks"

His orders were carried out as four of us looked at him in shock. Cassie, Amanda, Tobias and Rachel. The rest of us... the rest of us understood his decision.

"You're going to kill your own sister!" Amanda asked, unbelieving.

"I have no choice"

"There's always a choice! Jake..." Cassie looked to Jake for support, but he understood. And shook his head at her.

"That isn't his sister anymore. It's the enemy"

"The enemy my... you saw it! Inaad... she's still in there!" Tobias yelled.

"And how do you suppose we get to her? She's... nine years Tobias, and she's..." I trailed off, looking sadly up at Ithiell. Poor Ithiell had already lost so much...

"You can't just go and kill her! Nine years doesn't mean you can go kill her!" Rachel grated.

"It's like the free Hork-Bajir. They said they'd rather be free or dead. Inaad's the same" Marco said softly, although I knew he hated it too.

"Shields up, weapons at full charge sir"

"Good"

"Sir, what about the Aerionna?"

"Get them behind us and tell them to do the same. We may need them, but I'm not willing to take risks unless we have to..."

"Sir, they're powering up too!"

"Don't let them! FIRE!!"

Seconds later, twin beams of light shot out and at the ugly ship. It hit, and then bounced off into their still raising shields and dissipated.

"Sir, they're returning fire"

"HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!!" The eight of us ran and hugged the walls. Still, the impact sent us all reeling.

KABOOOOOM!!!!

"Shields down to sixty percent!"

"We can fire again!"

"DO IT!!"

Another set of bright blue beams arched towards the other ship. It hit their shields, but didn't seem to shock them as badly.

"Minimum damage to their shields"

"Fire when ready!"

"Sir, they're firing!"

"Evasive manoeuvres! Both ships!"

KABBOOOOMM!!

The impact hit the very edge of our ship, sending it spinning.

"Get our head the right way round!"

"Moving sir!"

"Another thirty percent has been lost from our shields. I fear the next will... and then, after that...!"

"I know! Fire again! And bring the Aerionna into the fight, but tell them to watch they don't get hit, I don't think they could stand a single hit!"

"Sir, shall I fire..."

"FIRE YOU IDIOT!!!"

Another two beams, and another 'minimum damage' hit. The Aerionna fired, but it looked more like someone trying to swat an elephant with a fly swatter.

"Another! We can't let them...!"

KABOOOM!!! KABLAAAMM!!

"Shields down! One more hit and we're..."

TSEEEWWW!!!

A green beam of light hit the other ship! And this one visibly rocked it from the impact. Then the Aerionna and our ship fired, and it seemed to make a difference this time. It ran, and two... no, three! Ships followed it, shooting madly until it disappeared into Z-space. We didn't follow. We couldn't. The two ships were too damaged.

(Sir, it's an Andalite cruiser!) Someone said, almost sounding giddy. I looked at the viewscreen and saw it to .Funny shape... the weapon arched above like an Andalite tail...

"Sir, we are being hailed!"

"On screen" Ithiell said.

And when the image changed, I think we all must have let out a big sigh.

"War Prince Aximili, it is glad to see you are alive"

"Ax!" Tobias cried joyfully, and the Andalite on the screen smiled.

(Why Tobias, it is good to see you too. But... why are you all... and what is the Aerionna doing still in flight? It crashed when...?)

"Is Rtaia there?" Ithiell asked.

"I am here Ithiell. And... I am afraid to say that... that you're true sister..."

"I know Rtaia. I know"

"It seems we have a lot to talk about then" Jake said, stepping up beside Ithiell and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You got that right" Rachel muttered.

Didn't see that one coming, did you? Huh? Am I good or what?