Jade

It took me at least two months to get back to 'almost' normal. A month to just get out of the sickbay and on my feet again. And I had to learn how to walk again, since I hadn't used my legs in so long. The first day I was out of the sickbay, Amanda and Cassie helped hold me up as I tried my best to walk properly. Rachel was there too, and nearby in case I fainted or something. I can tell you, just taking the first few steps outside was a relief. But also terrifying in a way. I couldn't explain it...

"Wow! Careful. One step at a time!" Cassie warned. She was on my left side, and Amanda was on my right.

"Yeah, yeah, I know" I muttered, forcing my legs to move. I was going to walk on my own by the end of the day, no matter what. I was sick of being treated like a cripple, and not being able to do things for myself. It made me feel weak, in a way.

"That's it, you're getting it!" Amanda cried happily.

"Amanda, I've known how to walk since I was about eighteen months old. This is.... just a little retraining, ok?"'

"We know. Doesn't mean you can't still take it easy"

"No. I have to be ready soon. The longer we're here on the Canask planet, the further away Inaad and her ship gets. And if we loose her... for better or worse... I know Ithiell will never forgive himself"

"She's got a point, you know" Rachel said, slapping one of the instruments Simai gave her into her other hand. It was to keep a check on my vitals, see that this wasn't doing more harm than good. My stomach still hurt, but the wound itself had been closed. All I needed to do was worry about the stitches on the inside. They would dissolve in time, when my stomach muscles and that had repaired themselves, but for now... well, I just had to be careful.

My left foot slipped, and Cassie caught my weight just before I started to slide. She repositioned her arm and my weight so it was comfortable for her again. Then I put my left foot down, carefully again. I was getting better, and feeling was beginning to come back into my legs. Then I heard a familiar shout and I looked up to see Tobias and Marco coming to greet us. They both looked happy considering.

"Hey, no one told us you were getting out of sickbay so early" Tobias exclaimed as Cassie and Amanda stopped, holding me up. I placed my feet down, hoping to relieve some of the strain they must have been feeling by holding me for so long.

"In a few days. This is just to help me get feeling back into my legs" I told him, catching a slight smile from Marco. Rachel took the time to put the instrument against my shoulder, like she had been instructed to, and checked how I was doing. It wasn't too bad either.

"Guys, let me go for a minute" I said to them.

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh. I think I can do it" They stepped away as I braced my feet on the ground. I seemed ok... then I felt myself falling forward.

"Grab her!" Tobias jumped forward and caught me before I fell face-forward on the ground. He and Marco hefted me up, and each wrapped an arm under my shoulders. I felt the strength from both of them. Amanda and Cassie had been having problems, I could tell. I felt light being held by the boys.

"You ok?" Cassie asked, looking embarrassed. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I am. Sorry, I thought I could do it"

"Apparently not" Tobias said.

"Uh-huh"

"You're pushing yourself too much. Take it easy" Amanda said softly, looking into my eyes with those soulful brown ones of hers. I saw her concern, and I knew she was right.

"Yeah, I will. But... I'm still not planning on staying in that hospital for much longer"

"It's a sickbay, not a hospital" Marco said, smiling wryly at me. He was glad I was all right, I guess. Everyone was. And in spite of me telling them it was my dumbass plan to begin with, Jake and Ithiell still felt guilty.

But... man, that first week. I had never seen anyone cry as much as they did. Amanda, Cassie (barely getting out about a thousand sorry's all in one go) and even Marco. Now, that was a terrifying sight. Seeing a guy crying like that. It wasn't bad or anything, just... unexpected coming from him.

It took another week before I could properly walk again, and at that time I was actually allowed to go back to my own quarters. Three weeks more... and the stitches inside me were gone. I was almost back to normal. Almost.

I walked around the ship, glad to be able to move again, and took a trip to the bridge. Rachel and Jake were on the bridge shift (Ithiell wasn't going to give me another shift until he knew I was ready).

"Hey" Rachel greeted me when she saw me, looking up from a book that she'd brought along. She'd been sitting in an empty chair, next to Kayleese. Jake was in the captains chair. He smiled as I entered, but other than that... there wasn't much more reaction from him.

"Hi guys. How's it going?"

"All right. A bit boring, honestly"

"Yeah" I agreed mildly, then got bored and decided to go visit Ax. I needed to talk to someone with a brain, and not with a guilty conscience or a pity face like the others. I went over to his ship, expecting to have no problems.

(Hey! Who are you?!) An Andalite male stopped me when I was almost at the hatch opening.

"A friend of your Prince. Now, if you don't mind..." I tried to move him aside, but he whipped his tail forward, straight at my throat. I hardly flinched.

"Nice" I murmured. At that point another Andalite came up to us, and I guess they were both speaking privately to one another.

(You are not permitted aboard an Andalite vessel)

"Is that so?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. These guys didn't scare me. Not one bit. The blade was still inches from my throat, but I knew... if my head went rolling, theirs would too. After all, we were kind of the only humans on the planet, so they can't say I was lying...

(You have no authorisation)

"I'm human, and I'm not hostile. That kind of speaks for itself"

(We cannot permit you aboard the ship. You could damage...)

"Oh pul-leeze! Like I'm going to run around like a four year old pressing buttons and going 'what does this do?' again and again and again" They looked at one another again, looking confused.

"Oh good grief! And Marco does worse than I do!"

Again, the clueless look. I rolled my eyes at them.

Fortunately, my salvation came just at the right moment.

(What is the meaning of holding a blade to our human allies?!) roared a voice, and in seconds Ovatt was beside me, looking furious. One of them seemed to cringe, yet the other...

(Ovatt, stay out of this! You are a traitor to...)

(I am true to my Prince. And my Prince is Ithiell)

(But... Prince Aximili...) the second one stuttered. The tail blade was removed.

(Your Prince is not my Prince. I go only where Ithiell goes. He is more than a Prince, he is... he is a friend to us all)

(Prince Ithiell is not an Andalite, therefore...)

"You know nothing of loyalty then. And nothing of respect" On my other side, appeared Asen.

"Asen, Ovatt... I think know would be the time for the two of you to back off" I said calmly, knowing exactly where this was going. They both seemed to ignore me.

(Your Prince allows females to fight! Females!! Their small tail blades are...)

(That does not mean they cannot achieve great things! They are brave, even more so than you!)

"He is correct!"

Okay, this confrontation was turning bad. Especially when Asen was getting mad the Chanaiben male way. Ovatt's tail was twitching, and the Andalite from Ax's crew wasn't far behind him. The other was still shocked, and at that second I realised he was probably younger than me. A cadet.

"Go get your Prince" I said in a low voice to him "He can sort this out, ok?"

He seemed a little upset to be talked down to by a female, but I guess he knew I was right and turned and headed back into the ship. Man, I hate sexism. The others didn't even seem to notice he'd gone.

When he came back, he had Rtaia and Ax with him. And Ax... well, Ax looked like he was ready to kill.

(What is the meaning of this Menderash!) He roared, and I noticed Ovatt and Asen took that moment to back off. After all, they weren't a part of Ax's crew. Any discipline they had to face was from Ithiell.

(Sir, this human female sought to board our ship, perhaps to...)

(To what Menderash? Steal our technology?)

(A... yes sir) I could tell this 'Menderash' guy was seriously shaken up. But he wasn't willing to let it go on this.

Ax looked at me with his stalk eyes, yet his gaze was fixed on Menderash.

(Jade, I apologise. My crew still seems to think other races are not as... worthy as ours)

"It's ok Ax. You can't change everyone's views on things" I replied honestly.

(As for you) he turned to his crewman (You will be stripped of your rank, and confined to quarters until I have no other choice but to use you. Which will not be for a long time)

(But sir...)

(But! But what aristh Menderash?!)

Menderash backed up like he'd been slapped. Then he looked at me, before turning back to his Prince, bowing, and muttering an apology before going back into the ship.

Rtaia turned to look at me now. Then past me, and at Ovatt and Asen.

"The two of you will return to your Prince and explain your actions to him. Otherwise, I will tell him"

"Yes sir!" Asen cried, bowing low and spreading his wings low and at his sides, before turning and running back to the Inaad. Ovatt bowed too, only when he looked up, he was smiling a little.

(Prince Aximili, Rtaia of the Ipkla clan. I apologise for the inconvenience. I was merely assuring that the crew of the TailBlade did not fatally injure one of our human allies) He said this with such sincerity it was touching. Then he turned and left as well, kicking his hooves up and running as fast as he possibly could.

Then I turned back to Ax.

"So... hi. How you doing?"

(Is something wrong Jade?)

"No. Nothing. Just wanted to chat to you. Maybe ask you if you knew what Ithiell plans to do once we find that crazy looking ship of Inaads"

(He has... discussed it with us, yes) he replied, only hesitating when Rtaia slipped an arm through his. A public display of affection. I thought it was kind of cute. Although I'd never admit it to them.

"Well?"

"Jade, he plans to either 'get her back', or..." Rtaia hesitated now, frowning and looking down at the ground.

"Or? Or what?"

"Or kill her"

So, watcha think? Getting suspenseful or what? Sorry if this was a bit boring though...