(Report,) Visser Three said curtly, speaking for the first time.
The lead Horse-Controller nodded once. "Visser, gahallum fillak--"
He was cut off before he could get out another word. (Don't waste my time with pleasantries. Did you succeed, or did you fail?) the Visser asked coldly.
"Visser, kir fillan--"
The Visser's tail snapped forward, stopping only once the edge of the blade rested against the Horse-Controller's neck. Holy hell, how can he move like that?! Slade fought the horse's instinctive reaction to such a swift movement, while at the same time trying to deal with his own misgivings. He was sure now that his horse morph wouldn't last three seconds against Visser Three, but he was also starting to doubt his chances even if he demorphed and faced him.
(Jake, what do I do?) Slade asked in a closed telepathic transmission, needing some reassurance from his leader. Jake would know what to do, he had to.
(Stay where you are, Slade,) Jake said steadily. (We only have one chance at this; if we convince him that we're just a normal herd of horses, he'll probably just let us go.)
Slade could tell that Jake didn't quite believe himself about that, but still, orders were orders. (All right Jake, whatever you say.)
Visser Three was speaking again. (Did you penetrate the facility, yes or no?)
According to Ax's translation, the Horse-Controller answered yes.
(Did you see the object that the humans are hiding inside it, the one that our sensors indicate is constructed from alloys that cannot be made on this planet?)
Again, according to Ax, the Horse-Controller answered yes.
(And, can you now tell me what this object is?) the Visser's voice was calm, a deadly calm.
The Horse-Controller visibly hesitated, the Visser's tail snapped forward in half the time it took to blink, and the Horse-Controller's head fell to the ground with a wet thump. The body stood for a few seconds more, before toppling over in the absence of its head.
(Worthless imbeciles!) Visser Three raged. (We have wasted weeks procuring these horse bodies and setting up this infiltration. First we lost that clumsy fool Korin Five-Four-Seven when he got bitten by a snake, and now we've lost poor Jillay Nine-Two-Six!) the Visser's tone was accusatory, as it had been anyone's fault but his own that the latter had died.
(I will have the secrets of that facility,) Visser Three hissed suddenly. (I will have them.)
Even without moving, Visser Three seemed to shake himself out of a funk right then. (All right. I've punished the one responsible for this wasted effort, transport will come for the rest of you. We still have our backup plan. It was always a better one than this farce. Have you idiots at least managed to identify the right targets for us to infest?)
"Jihal, Visser!" the Horse-Controllers shouted.
(Good. Then you can live. For now, we'll target the right humans. And then we will seize them tomorrow at…) For the first time, Visser Three seemed to really see the Animorphs standing at the edge of the impromptu staging ground. (Those other horses, what are they doing here? They are not any of our people?)
According to Ax's translation, the lead Horse-Controller was explaining that it was normal on Earth for horses to herd together in large groups. He said that it was good for there to be uninfested horses in this herd, they would act as a camouflage of sorts. He said that is was best that they appeared to be a normal herd of horses.
That, apparently, was not the answer that Visser Three wanted to hear. (You idiot,) Visser Three hissed. (Have you managed to forget that the Andalite bandits that plague us can morph into any animal they chose? Including these horses? I will have to kill these creatures, just to be sure.)
(No one move, no one act like they heard anything,) Cassie ordered.
Slade froze, stiff as any living creature could be. This isn't good. What is she going to do? He says he's going to kill all of us, and she just wants us to stand here and do nothing? Slade took a deep breath, steadying himself. No, she has a plan. She has to; Cassie wouldn't be second-in-command if she couldn't think under pressure.
Cassie, meanwhile, lowered her big head and cropped a mouthful of grass. Swallowing, Cassie started to do the very same thing that the Horse-Controller that they had seen from inside the gully had been doing. Only Cassie didn't hide, and she didn't stop. She just kept on pooping.
Visser Three chuckled darkly. (Well, I suppose these creatures are simply uninfested horses after all.) Before any of the Animorphs could breathe a sigh of relief, though, Visser Three was speaking again. (Still, I suppose it would be better to kill them and have done with it.)
That was not something the Animorphs were happy to hear. (That's not good,) Cassie said grimly.
