Okay, here's the rest! I had an EXPLOSIVE inspiration burst last night, so i really hope this doesn't dissapoint anyone!!!

LittleMidgett; yeah, I kinda noticed the Istan/Isten thing. Thanks for pointing it out to me through, I'll try to make sure not to do that again.

Jade

I stood there, every muscle in my body tense, as I watched Istan and Ithiell battle it out, using words and mind games. Then I'd watched the heartbreaking moment when the real Inaad broke through, and I could see Ithiell had to will himself not to grab hold of her and never let go. But he'd held on, long enough for Istan to get control again.

And then, something even more surprising happened. The Bendis at the controls of one of the consoles turned and said,

"The four in passageway C-10 have advanced forwards. The three in at the computer console in section D-7 are still there, but one is now moving"

Beside me, Robert and Ithiell tensed up. I knew… in my heart I knew… he was talking about the others. Our friends. How did they…

"So, you've known all along that we were here" Ithiell said, his voice contradicting the concern on his face. Istan nodded.

"Yes. Quite interesting how you all split up though. Too bad your friends could not get past the security codes in our computers. Could have given you some valuable information about us" She said, and for a second I thought Ithiell was going to fall for the bait and blurt out something that might tell her what they were doing. Instead…

"Yes, too bad about that" he told her cooly, turning his 'game' face on. He folded his arms and stared at her. His face, and his actions, gave absolutely nothing away.

"The four in the hallways seem to be coming for you. They seemed to be in several parts of the ship for some time"

"So they were"

"Hmm. So I take it you're not going to reveal anything about your friends intentions?"

"I guess I'm not"

(Wow, ten out of ten for the acting abilities) Robert said privately to me.

(Yeah. Remember though, before he became a gung-ho captain he was a diplomat, and all diplomats have to stay cool under pressure. And if that means playing snide with the two sides…)

(Ah, I see. Interesting trait. Maybe I should have been a diplomat)

(Doubt it. You're better at game-play than anything else)

We both shut up as Istan, in Inaad's delicate but fast-moving body, moved over to a console beside a Bendis who was sitting.

"Hmm. This one that's all alone… they don't appear to be armed…"

I felt something well up in the pit of my stomach. My gut told me something was wrong. Okay, maybe it was a tigers gut, but I still had my own instincts, and they were screaming 'danger!' at me.

"You should know by now us Chanaibens do not have to be armed to be dangerous"

"Ah yes. Perhaps this certain person… whoever he or she is… would like some company" Again, that gut feeling zapped through my senses. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong…

(Is it just me, or did I hear Istan emphasise the word 'she'?) Robert asked me, and in an instant I think I knew who that lone person was.

(I… I didn't hear that… but… oh my god, Robert…)

(Yeah, I think I know who it is) I turned my big cat head to look straight at Ithiell. So, he guessed too. I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes, before the mask came down again. Good thing Istans back was turned while this happened.

"Whoever he or she is, they can certainly take whatever you throw at them" Ithiell said, still playing the part. His mask was still down, but I didn't know how much longer he'd be able to hold it.

"Good then. Oma, send twenty soldiers, all with hunter robots. That should be enough" then she turned to look at Ithiell, smiling sickly "Unless… you do not think that will be enough dear brother"

"Twenty will be fine" Ithiell replied smoothly, and I could tell his heart strings were being played now. He was facing his sister, and the enemy, who was about to kill Amanda; his heart and soul.

Then laser fire sounded, and the entire door of the bridge, both parts, blew open…

---------------------------------x------------------------------

Jake

"Ax! Ax, are you ok?" I said as he staggered a little, holding his side. A Bendis had gotten a lucky swipe in, getting him on the right side. Blue blood began to spill on the floor. But by then the Bendis was no more than a corpse on the floor, thanks to Rachel.

(It is… all right. I will morph off the wound)

"You sure you're all right?" Rachel asked as she and Asen helped him when he stumbled. I however, kept my gun levelled, swinging it this way and that, wanting to be ready for anything. Any more Bendis shock troops. These things made Hork-Bajir look tiny and tame.

We moved slowly along, as Ax morphed human, then returned to his most deadly form; himself. It had gotten ugly, and without Ax's tail and quick thinking, I would have been fish food. Once Andalite again, he seemed to pick up the pace a bit more. Soon, we were all running.

And…we reached a dropshaft.

"Ax?"

(I believe we must go 'up' Prince Jake)

"Don't call me Prince" I said automatically.

"So how do we get to the bridge? Did anyone bring a manual for this thing?"

"Simply think 'bridge' and you will end up on the floor you desire" Asen told us. Then he stepped into the dropshaft, and was swept upwards by a powerful current. I saw Rachel took a deep breath, before she too stepped into the shaft and shot upwards. I turned to Ax.

"Well, this is it. You ready?"

(Yes) I nodded at him, then stepped into the shaft, thought bridge, and in seconds I was standing beside Rachel and Asen, in a hallway. On the other end of that hallway were two doors. They looked thick, and heavy too. I doubted our most powerful morphs could do anything to that door. Ax stumbled into me, since I'd forgotten to move aside.

"This looks… very bad"

"Uh-huh" I muttered.

"So what now, oh fearless leader?" Rachel asked, turning to me.

"Honestly? I have no idea"

"Perhaps there is some sort of computer access" Asen queried. We looked for one was we walked towards it. That's when I noticed pieces of hunter robots up here.

"Must've been a battle" Rachel said frowning.

"Yeah, but who won?"

(From the looks of it, neither of them. There are only two bodies, although from the sounds of it there had been more Bendis. Yet… there are no bodies of our friends, so I am guessing…)

"Captured" I finished for him, knowing they had to be on the other side of the door. And if they weren't… well, maybe we would just have a look around in there anyway; maybe take control of the systems until we did find them.

"So how do we get in? I don't think my grizzly or elephant is gonna cut it"

"Yeah. Ax? Asen?"

"Perhaps… we do still have our Jara guns, do we not?" Asen began, and then the second he said that Ax seemed to catch on.

(Maybe… there is a definite probability… that we could fire all our weapons at once, at a certain part of the door…, perhaps)

"Right in the middle"

Ax seemed surprised.

(I did not know you knew of…)

"Ithiell told us once, when you want to cause some real damage you hit right in the centre. I think that just might work here" Ax nodded at me.

(All right. Set your weapons on the highest setting, and I will guide your weapons to the weakest spot in the door) we all did, levelling our weapons at the door.

(Asen, a hair left. Jake, you need to move it down, and a little right… that's it. Rachel, an inch higher. There) Ax levelled his own Jara gun, taking his time and aiming as well.

"On my mark…. FIRE!!" I yelled, and we all let loose…

-------------------------------x-----------------------

Amanda

I reached a dropshaft as an explosion shook the ship. I knew it had to be from inside. I just hoped it meant we were winning. Or the others…

I was about to step into the dropshaft, then hesitated. If there was a fight going on, I wanted to be ready for it. I'd lost my Jara gun in the last fight. So, I concentrated on becoming a polar bear. White fur exploded from my skin, and I think I shifted faster than I ever had at that moment. In seconds, I was four hundred pounds of nasty polar bear. And for once, it felt extremely good. I stepped into the shaft, thought bridge, and in seconds I was in a hallway. On the other side of me was what looked like a door or something that had been blown open by force.

And inside… I heard animal cries and saw the deep blue of the Jara guns firing. So, I was right. I charged, straight towards the door, and when I got closer I could see what was happening. Or rather… what had just happened. Jade and Robert… a tiger and another polar bear… were standing in a mess of bodies on the floor. Jake, Rachel, Ax and Asen had taken cover behind what was left of one of the crumpled doors, and were firing at each and every Bendis on that bridge. Ithiell… oh god… Ithiell had a Chanaiben female… his sister, I think… in an arm lock. She was fighting with everything she had, but Ithiell had her from behind. He was also using her to shield himself from the advancing Bendis. They backed up, and when they did… one of the others would take them out. By the time I got there, almost every Bendis on that bridge was dead. But I ploughed into the madness anyway, going on a mad frenzy with what was left of the Bendis. Now, we were all alone on the bridge.

Or, at least… mostly.

"You fools! I have thousands more followers on this ship! And…"

"And what? By the time they realise their 'one' is in trouble, you will no longer exist Yeerk" Rachel said, looking pretty cocky. She… the Chanaiben with the Yeerk inside her head… tried to escape Ithiell's grip, but he kept a firm hold, and ended up pinning her on the ground, practically sitting on her.

"She's right Istan. I promised you death, and I will not back down from that"

(I believe we may have a problem) Ax said. He had gone over to a computer console and was tapping furiously at the keys.

"What is it?" Jake asked. I realised Jade and Robert were back in their own bodies. So I shifted back too.

(There are… at least three dozen more Bendis on the way to the bridge. They will be here in approximately ten earth minutes)

"Ten minutes!! Oh man…" Robert looked at the remains of the door.

"If we can get those doors up… and maybe find something to wield them in place again… we may by a few more seconds before Rtaia, Cassie and Marco get here" Asen was at another console.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean either way this goes, we'll have to fight our way back out"