Authors note: I did it....I actually.....wrote...20 chapters.....wow. WOW! *dances* Ok. My moment of insanity has passed. We can proceed. ^^
DH: Thanx!
Chap 21 -
Reubren's tail blade was again at my throat. Are you a fool?! Stop this now!
I tried to shove the tail blade away. I tried with no success whatsoever.
He grabbed my arms from behind with his weak Andalite arms.
" Let go! I'm going to save him , I won't let them have him , LET ME GO!" I shouted angrily , turning my head to glare at him.
I gasped when I looked into his eyes. They looked sad. Very sad. He also looked serious.
You cannot succeed this way , and I think you realize this even now. You desire your family back , and I understand...I...I have lost someone special too. And he's - I can never save him. He's gone.
There was an unmistakable shake in his voice now. My glare faded away. Was he..crying?
You want to make their sacrafice vain by throwing away your only chance to save them? he demanded angrily. If you go now, they'll have a new human controller. Then who will help you?
I slumped in defeat. He was telling the truth. I hated it. I hated that he knew what he was talking about. That he was actually giving me a rational reason for not busting that door down and -
My arms started to shake. And soon my whole body was too. I wanted to scream. Why did I have to make such a terrible choice? This wasn't the way life was supposed to be.I was supposed to be a normal kid.
It'll be okay. he said gently releasing me. You aren't running away by turning around and waiting for another chance.
I felt a lightly furred , delicate hand slip into to mine. Let's leave while we can.
For some odd reason I felt embarrassed. " I didn't think Andalites were hand holders."
We're not , actually. he replied. But I learned a little bit about humans in an alien civilizations class I once took , and we were shown pictures of humans like that. I noticed they always seemed happier when they were holding hands so ...
" Thank you , Reubren." I smiled , touched.
He looked nonplussed.
" You are trying to comfort me. I appreciate it."
I tugged his hand and we began to run , with an odd little awkard silence between us. It was hard to keep up. He was fast. We leapt into the drop shaft , and went shooting down below.
My hair shot straight up in a single stream , and I felt as though I had jumped from a building.
Our impact , however , was soft.
Hurry! Reubren urged.
" Reubren!" I gasped as we cut the edge of the next hall narrowly. " I can't ... run that fast!"
Reubren looked thoughtful , though he never stopped moving. Of course - only two legs. I'm going to stop. Hurry and get on my back!
He stopped and I hoisted myself onto his back. " I'm not to heavy am I?"
No. It's fine. Hold on tight!
We flew forward , and I instantly had to grab him around the waist to keep from being thrown off.
Reubren seemed nervous. What was he thinking about?
Gee Melissa lets see. said a voice in my head. Maybe he's nervous because he's on a ship full of Yeerks and just can't get off fast enough.
When we rounded the next corridor , I felt Reubren tense up. His tail arched higher.
A guard station. But no one was there. He visibly relaxed , but not much.
" What's wrong?" I asked.
It's odd..I don't like it.
" Maybe they went looking for us." I suggested hopefully.
Yes , but they should have at least left some guards in case we came this way - it's absurd....it's too easy.
With a sinking feeling , I realized I had to agree. It was way too easy. The door in front of us would lead us to the launching bay , and the escape pods.
It was frightening the number of ships I saw there. I hadn't wanted to admit that the Yeerks were that powerful. But seeing this amount of preparation...exactly how much were we up against?
But what disturbed me more , was that there were still no human controllers to be seen anywhere. Reubren was right. We should have ran into trouble by now.
The door on the opposite end of the launching bridge over there should contain the -
Reubren never finished his sentence. Every door all around the launching bay shot open. And out of every door came at least a dozen armed Hork-Bajir. With weapons aimed right at our hearts.
I'm pretty sure that this new feeling crawling to the surface of my being was despair. How in the world would we get out of this?!
I heard Reubren say something in Andalite language I'm pretty sure was a curse. But he was not looking at the Hork-Bajir. He was looking at who the Hork-Bajir were clearing a path for. If one thing could have made this moment worse - and yet of course he'd have to be at the center of it all - was Visser Three's triumphant smirk as he spotted us.
Joined forces have we? he sneered at me and Reubren. Amusing as it was , I'm afraid it won't last for long - or will it? I dare say you'll still be on the same side...
Here he paused with a truly evil smile in his eyes. ...but not the side you wanted. So sorry. To his warriors , Take them!
Sabrina's POV
We decided to meet in our hideout as opposed to Cassie's barn , where we may have been more easily caught. 'We' was my people and the animorphs.
They took the news about as well as we did. I won't even go into how Marco took it. Cassie looked worried, and scared , as well she should be. But what shocked me the most, was that Rachel had nothing to say.
Not that she didn't care. On the other hand she cared very much. And I think that's why she was withdrawn , and had not spoken a single word the entire meeting. That's why there was no blood left in her face. That's why her fists kept clenching and unclenching at her sides.
" This is bad." Jake said.
If Jake was shaken , like me , he didn't show it. Of course. Leaders can never show their people that they are afraid. It gives them too much reason to be afraid themselves.
" We have to save her." Madison said firmly. " She's one of our own now."
Lavender nodded her assent.
" The question is , do we have a plan?" Matt asked.
" Bingo." Marco agreed. " We can't just bust in , guns blazing. That's what they're expecting."
Jake ran his fingers through his hair. " He's right. Visser Three is probably waiting for us to ring the door bell."
" So then let's not." M.C. said with sly smile.
" You have a plan?" I asked surprised.
" I might." he said seriously. He turned to Jake. " I need a favor."
"What?" Jake looked nonplussed.
" I need you to contact the Chee right away." M.C. said. " Tell the to find out all the know about our friend's present situation , and ships leaving and coming to the Blade Ship."
DH: Thanx!
Chap 21 -
Reubren's tail blade was again at my throat. Are you a fool?! Stop this now!
I tried to shove the tail blade away. I tried with no success whatsoever.
He grabbed my arms from behind with his weak Andalite arms.
" Let go! I'm going to save him , I won't let them have him , LET ME GO!" I shouted angrily , turning my head to glare at him.
I gasped when I looked into his eyes. They looked sad. Very sad. He also looked serious.
You cannot succeed this way , and I think you realize this even now. You desire your family back , and I understand...I...I have lost someone special too. And he's - I can never save him. He's gone.
There was an unmistakable shake in his voice now. My glare faded away. Was he..crying?
You want to make their sacrafice vain by throwing away your only chance to save them? he demanded angrily. If you go now, they'll have a new human controller. Then who will help you?
I slumped in defeat. He was telling the truth. I hated it. I hated that he knew what he was talking about. That he was actually giving me a rational reason for not busting that door down and -
My arms started to shake. And soon my whole body was too. I wanted to scream. Why did I have to make such a terrible choice? This wasn't the way life was supposed to be.I was supposed to be a normal kid.
It'll be okay. he said gently releasing me. You aren't running away by turning around and waiting for another chance.
I felt a lightly furred , delicate hand slip into to mine. Let's leave while we can.
For some odd reason I felt embarrassed. " I didn't think Andalites were hand holders."
We're not , actually. he replied. But I learned a little bit about humans in an alien civilizations class I once took , and we were shown pictures of humans like that. I noticed they always seemed happier when they were holding hands so ...
" Thank you , Reubren." I smiled , touched.
He looked nonplussed.
" You are trying to comfort me. I appreciate it."
I tugged his hand and we began to run , with an odd little awkard silence between us. It was hard to keep up. He was fast. We leapt into the drop shaft , and went shooting down below.
My hair shot straight up in a single stream , and I felt as though I had jumped from a building.
Our impact , however , was soft.
Hurry! Reubren urged.
" Reubren!" I gasped as we cut the edge of the next hall narrowly. " I can't ... run that fast!"
Reubren looked thoughtful , though he never stopped moving. Of course - only two legs. I'm going to stop. Hurry and get on my back!
He stopped and I hoisted myself onto his back. " I'm not to heavy am I?"
No. It's fine. Hold on tight!
We flew forward , and I instantly had to grab him around the waist to keep from being thrown off.
Reubren seemed nervous. What was he thinking about?
Gee Melissa lets see. said a voice in my head. Maybe he's nervous because he's on a ship full of Yeerks and just can't get off fast enough.
When we rounded the next corridor , I felt Reubren tense up. His tail arched higher.
A guard station. But no one was there. He visibly relaxed , but not much.
" What's wrong?" I asked.
It's odd..I don't like it.
" Maybe they went looking for us." I suggested hopefully.
Yes , but they should have at least left some guards in case we came this way - it's absurd....it's too easy.
With a sinking feeling , I realized I had to agree. It was way too easy. The door in front of us would lead us to the launching bay , and the escape pods.
It was frightening the number of ships I saw there. I hadn't wanted to admit that the Yeerks were that powerful. But seeing this amount of preparation...exactly how much were we up against?
But what disturbed me more , was that there were still no human controllers to be seen anywhere. Reubren was right. We should have ran into trouble by now.
The door on the opposite end of the launching bridge over there should contain the -
Reubren never finished his sentence. Every door all around the launching bay shot open. And out of every door came at least a dozen armed Hork-Bajir. With weapons aimed right at our hearts.
I'm pretty sure that this new feeling crawling to the surface of my being was despair. How in the world would we get out of this?!
I heard Reubren say something in Andalite language I'm pretty sure was a curse. But he was not looking at the Hork-Bajir. He was looking at who the Hork-Bajir were clearing a path for. If one thing could have made this moment worse - and yet of course he'd have to be at the center of it all - was Visser Three's triumphant smirk as he spotted us.
Joined forces have we? he sneered at me and Reubren. Amusing as it was , I'm afraid it won't last for long - or will it? I dare say you'll still be on the same side...
Here he paused with a truly evil smile in his eyes. ...but not the side you wanted. So sorry. To his warriors , Take them!
Sabrina's POV
We decided to meet in our hideout as opposed to Cassie's barn , where we may have been more easily caught. 'We' was my people and the animorphs.
They took the news about as well as we did. I won't even go into how Marco took it. Cassie looked worried, and scared , as well she should be. But what shocked me the most, was that Rachel had nothing to say.
Not that she didn't care. On the other hand she cared very much. And I think that's why she was withdrawn , and had not spoken a single word the entire meeting. That's why there was no blood left in her face. That's why her fists kept clenching and unclenching at her sides.
" This is bad." Jake said.
If Jake was shaken , like me , he didn't show it. Of course. Leaders can never show their people that they are afraid. It gives them too much reason to be afraid themselves.
" We have to save her." Madison said firmly. " She's one of our own now."
Lavender nodded her assent.
" The question is , do we have a plan?" Matt asked.
" Bingo." Marco agreed. " We can't just bust in , guns blazing. That's what they're expecting."
Jake ran his fingers through his hair. " He's right. Visser Three is probably waiting for us to ring the door bell."
" So then let's not." M.C. said with sly smile.
" You have a plan?" I asked surprised.
" I might." he said seriously. He turned to Jake. " I need a favor."
"What?" Jake looked nonplussed.
" I need you to contact the Chee right away." M.C. said. " Tell the to find out all the know about our friend's present situation , and ships leaving and coming to the Blade Ship."
