Author's Note: What's up. I just wanted to say thanks for the reviews and the encouragement. This is my first attempt at writing an original Animorphs fic, and I guess I started it for two reasons. One, I was pretty pissed about Rachel dying, though I understand why it happened. She was always my favorite character along with Marco, but I loved them both in different ways. The second reason was because, as well-written and conceived the last book was, I couldn't shake the feeling of a cop-out. I mean, c'mon. Some of us have been reading these books for seven or more years, it can't get left hanging. Anyway, any input is welcome. Even though this last installment is in my image, it's more for you guys than it is for me. I hope I do half the job that I'm sure Mrs. Applegate would have done. Thanks again, and enjoy. Peace. Out.

Chapter 2

Jake

If you'd have asked me a day ago whether anything was more important than seeing my cousin again, alive and well, I'd have told you no way in hell. Since the moment I sent her to her death, all I really wanted was to be able to celebrate our greatest victory with her. Hang out with her. Tell her all the mushy stuff that I'd have been to self-conscious to say when she was still alive – how much I admired her, how she was the bravest soul I'd ever known, how incredibly cool she was. I didn't have time for that now, though. Not even time for a 'what's up.' The Ellimist had thrown another curveball, and I felt like I was gritting my teeth, trying to decide in a split second whether to let it go by and see if it would be a ball or swing for the fences. I knew this was a strike pitch, straight up. I swung.

"We're going to need a ship," I said to the Ellimist, half-excited and half-depressed. I didn't wait for him to answer Rachel's 'how do we win?' question out of experience. I knew that he would tell us all he could whether we asked him or not.

(It is already done,) the Ellimist told me. (I am able to be a bit more direct in helping you this time, in the beginning of your journey at least. Crayak wants it done fast, and his impatience actually plays to our advantage.) I noticed that he said 'our' advantage, not 'your.' A sudden surge of adrenaline hit. This was for real. The Ellimist was in the boat too, and if we sunk, so did he. (Crayak prefers strength and brute force, and chose his team based on it. You are strong, but your real strength is your cunning. In the long run, I feel we have a good chance of defeating him.)

"Oh, goody," Marco said. He sounded mad, but I saw he still had the idiot grin on his face. I wondered if he'd finally snapped. "A good chance at winning is better than we've ever had before." I nodded in complete agreement. "Let's get this show on the road."

The Ellimist hesitated, something I'd never seen him do. (Very well. I'll send you all to your homes to say goodbye.)

"No," Rachel said, deadpan. "Not me. Everyone thinks I'm dead, and I assume they're all getting on with their lives. It wouldn't be fair for me to say, 'Hey look, I'm back!' and then run off and get myself killed again. That would be ignorant. If I survive this one, I'll tell everyone all about it when I get back."

Tobias, who'd been silent during this whole exchange, spoke up in a voice that sounded very strained. "I have no family, but I think Rachel's onto something. Jake, Marco, Ax and I are all as good as dead too. Maybe we should keep it that way. Until, you know, we make it back…if we make it back…" he let it hang, and Ax nodded the agreement that I felt. I saw Marco hesitate.

So did Rachel. "What, Marco? You got something more important to do?" Marco, not used to having someone around to bust his chops anymore, looked to me in bewilderment as I hid a grin. 'Rachel's back, all right,' I thought.

He didn't stay flat-footed for long. "Nah, just thought you'd like to cruise the beach in one of my Ferraris with me. But I guess they'll be there when we get back." Rachel mirrored Marco's smile and they bumped fists. That was all they needed to know they had each other's backs. I, on the other hand, felt the pressure of leadership crushing down on me again and felt the need to make sure everyone was taken care of.

"Cassie? Toby? What do you guys want to do?" I asked them, pretty much expecting the same answer out of both of them.

"I am content to fight with my friends. You are my family, as much as the Hork-Bajir," Toby stated simply, as if it were a stupid question to begin with.

Cassie sighed. "A lot of people need me here on good ol' planet Earth, but priorities are pretty clear." She went over and shared a hug with Rachel. "Let's go mess Crayak up. Let's mess him up good."

Rachel blinked in surprise, and she burst out into laughter. "What, did you take my place when I was gone, Cassie? I never, ever thought I'd hear you say something like that!"

Ax twirled his tail around over his back, sort of like a weird, bladed lasso. I'd seen him do it before, when he was younger, back when he still got anxious when we knew a fight was coming. (I should be ashamed of myself, because I'm not thinking like an Andalite prince. Is it wrong of me to want to put this tail of mine to use?) It was a rhetorical question that no one felt obliged to answer. He did his eyes-only Andalite smile and turned to me. (I am once again at your service, Prince Jake.)

"You have your team, Ellimist," I said proudly. I knew that the upcoming horrors, stress, and other assorted negative emotions would be many and often, but even though I knew exactly what it was like, I kind of looked forward to it.

The Ellimist read my mind. (Remember, Jake, you're not just fighting for the human race anymore. You're fighting for everything. Everything you need to know, you can access from your ship's computer. I have other preparations to make. Follow your hearts, and you'll never stray.) With those last words, I felt an icy calm come over me, and I fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.