10 Why refusal was impossible
- - -
Again the shackles made themselves known as the Hork-Bajir-Controller tugged sharply at the leash.
Arayah had no choice but to follow, staggering along behind the Controller, out on the grass. For some reason she could not even begin to understand the Yeerks were bothering with feeding their prisoner Andalites outside – a major security breach – instead of bringing the grass in to them, and their dark little cell on the Blade Ship.
Out to grass. Fresh air. And a beautiful sky that reminded Arayah of her home sky.
Wonderful.
Another tug at the leash. Arayah followed, the grass crushed and digested under her hooves. The grass on the planet was a bit bitter, and that she was – practically – forced to feed made the bitterness blossom in her mind as well. Not so wonderful, she thought, as the Hork-Bajir again pulled at the leash. But no choice.
No choice?
Of course there was a choice. Standing orders were to escape without consideration to whoever was left behind. Escape and warn the Fleet.
At least those were her orders. Rafatal – who was, from leader qualities if not for him being the nearest thing to an officer they had, in charge when their Prince was gone – had given them to her in private. But that did not matter; surely the others had the same instructions.
The next time the Hork-Bajir tugged at that hated leash Arayah rebelled. She tugged right back, even though it pained her neck. Then spun around, aimed, and fired off her back hooves right into his chest. She sincerely hoped that would break a few important internal organs – such as lungs, heart, or in the worst case only ribs; she was not so sure how Hork-Bajir looked on the inside – and with a last pull broke free.
With the leash flying behind her she ran towards freedom. Away from the Blade ship; the only direction she could think of.
Cries of alarm followed her, as well as human-Controllers, Taxxons and Hork-Bajir-Controllers. But none could keep pace with a desperate, fleeing Andalite, she thought triumphantly. She could outrun them all.
Then a dracon shot past and she realized that there was one thing she could not outrun. But she was in luck, for…
"Hold your fire!" someone roared in Galard, in a slightly sarcastic tone. "The One wants the Andalites in one piece."
Triumph welled up inside her and she sped up. She almost begun believing her sudden, unplanned escape might actually work, when two Kelbrid joined the chase. The Kelbrid, she knew, were not very fast to start with, and picked up speed slowly, but once they were running flat out they could run just as fast – if not faster – than an Andalite.
Then there were the horns. Anything faster than an Andalite's tail made the Andalite uneasy – not that they would ever admit it. Arayah had – like most females – a very fast strike, but she could not even begin to compete with Kelbrid horns.
Before she knew what was happening a set of horns had wrapped around her back legs, pulling them back, causing her to fall forwards. She landed flat on her face, her weak arms still tied up behind her back and unable to stop it.
Very awkward, was all she had time to think before more horns caught hold of her front legs as well and she was being pulled back towards the horns' owners.
Kelbrid physiology certainly included strong backs, necks, and heads, since the horns had to be attached to something very firmly to be able to drag an entire Andalite.
Arayah's stalks twisted to look at them, and to her dismay she noticed that her favourite guard – the only Kelbrid who treated her more or less like a living creature – was not among them. He was easy to recognize, with his single eye and one of his wrist blades grown slightly crooked.
The other Kelbrid dragged her all the way back to the ship without giving her a chance to get up, and by the time they arrived her side was sore and bleeding. The Yeerks who took over guarding her when the Kelbrid withdrew their horns kicked at her for her to get up, while the Kelbrid shouted at them about being careless. She caught something about "needs a proper beating".
The Yeerk guards – the Hork-Bajir she had kicked not included, he still lay where he had fallen, motionless – got her, limping, back into the ship after a short struggle. They muttered angrily amongst themselves. "Should be allowed to infest" and "the Kelbrid are right, for once" were favourite comments. Arayah was dismayed by yet another failed escape attempt and gloomily followed them, not paying much attention to the world around her.
Suddenly the One appeared. All movements in the hall ceased instantly, and Arayah snapped back to reality. The Controllers fell to their knees and bowed so deeply that their foreheads touched the floor. It was… almost shameful.
"Leave us," ordered the One, fixating Arayah with his gaze.
They scrambled to their feet and tripped over one another and themselves in their eagerness to obey. Arayah remained where she was, trembling, fighting herself between standing firm to face him or turning to flee. The shackles were gone, again, but she hardly noticed.
The One watched her. "What am I going to do with you, Andalite?" he said finally.
«Let me go,» Arayah suggested.
A cold laugh, "No. not until I get what I want." He was in his true form now; a half-robot, half-biological being that never could be exactly defined. Just when you thought you had finally gotten it right, an extra arm would appear, or the feet turned to hooves, or the face switched shape. As if the form could not decide what form to take.
Then he shone green and took Prince Aximili's form. This time, normal size – and he did not switch size with emotions as he usually did. And, partly to her horror, Arayah found that her Prince appeared in all three dimensions. Without the mad, green glow in his eyes, and without the horrible mouth. He looked just… normal.
«I need your help,» Aximili's voice said, again lowered and soft. «I need your help, Arayah-Althasa-Neferia.»
Not Aximili, she reminded herself, but the usual firm little voice saying that seemed to fade like a shadow.
«Why?» she asked, stopping herself from adding "my Prince."
A smile. The being that was NOT Aximili took a step closer. When Arayah did not move, he took another step.
«Unimportant,» he said. Thinking for a moment, he added; «I have decided to change my approach.» His eyes shone green, but just as quickly as it had appeared the green glow died. «You will no longer forget these discussions, Andalite. You will realize that I have nothing to hide from you. As you can hide nothing from me.»
Arayah cocked her tail and glared defiantly with all four eyes up into his face, which was only decimeters from her own. «Nothing to hide? Then answer my question.» She swept past him and trotted off down the corridor.
«Stop.»
She did, feeling a wave of rage flow from him but then be quenched by a rare burst of self-control. She froze in place as if she had been stunned. Waited until the One had joined her; stood still until he spoke.
«I need your eyes, Arayah,»he said. He smiled Aximili's smile with his main eyes; his black-pupilled, perfectly normal main eyes. «See? That is why. I have nothing to hide. I need to touch your mind, so that I can use your eyes. It will not hurt. I promise.»
«No,» Arayah managed.
His eyes flashed green with sudden anger. The form he had taken shimmered back to his two dimensions, for just a moment, as if it was hard for him to hold three. When it had stabilized in three again he twirled around with a sharp «follow me».
Arayah found herself rushing after him when he led the way through the ship's corridors. Controllers and Kelbrid alike fled when they saw him coming, and those that were not quick enough threw themselves to the floor at his feet, shaking. He ignored them all.
«I know you, female,» the One spat. «I know what you want. You want three things. I can give you all but one.» He spun to face her. «In exchange for one, small favour.» He turned away again and stepped into a new corridor and continued. Doors opened as if by magic before them to let him through. Arayah sped after, before the doors closed again with loud bangs.
«You want your freedom. I can give you that,» he promised as they sped through yet another doorway. «You want your friends freed. That, too, I can grant. You probably need a ship in which to escape, even though you have not thought that far yourself yet. I shall arrange that as well.»
He stopped and looked at a door that had not yet opened. With a sudden insight Arayah realized it was the door to her own cell. The cell she shared with the four other prisoner Andalites.
«You long for one more thing,» he said. «You wish to see your Prince freed. That, I cannot do. Your Prince is part of me. I did not trap him; he trapped himself. And when trapped, his fate was sealed. I could not let him go if I wanted to. Do you understand?»
He had kept his voice low while he talked. Low and convincing. Arayah nodded. «I understand.»
A quick smile. Aximili's fingers – no, the One's fingers – pressed against her cheek, and then his face turned grave. «You know what will happen, what I will grant, if you let me use your eyes. Now I will show you the consequences if you refuse.»
The door to the cell turned transparent. Arayah's eyes widened in horror.
- - -
Olana jerked out of an uneasy sleep when she heard the door to her quarters being opened. Her eyes snapped open and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was only Larynia and Minalea.
And Estrid.
Estrid was the oldest of the group. And the most responsible. Olana was a close second, but while Olana let Minalea and Larynia make up mischief after mischief and drag her into it, Estrid dug her hoofs into the ground with a firm «no».
«How are you?» Larynia asked worriedly.
«Once I got past the claustrophobia, it is not that bad,» Olana replied. Then wrinkled her forehead. «The door was locked. How did… no, wait, that's a stupid question.»
Minalea grinned. «No door has proved to be my match yet,» she said. «This one barely took me a moment.»
Estrid rolled her stalks, not approving, but admitting that Minalea's 'skills' had their uses. She turned to Olana. «We heard what happened. Are they really sending you off the ship?»
«Yes,» Olana said sadly, tail slouching.
«Understandable,» Larynia said. «That was a prank way out of line. Unfortunately the wrong person got blamed.»
«Or we're looking at a totally new version of Olana,» Minalea laughed. No-one laughed with her, so she did something unusual; grew serious. «Probably Aralgo and Carali set this up.»
«'Probably'?» Larynia echoed in a growl. «Definitely. The way they were going on about that grass! And they are going to pay for this one…»
«They'll pay,» Minalea agreed, face dark. «Badly. They might play pranks on you and me, Larynia, but if they know their own good they'll leave our little Olana out of it.»
«Minalea!» Olana protested.
«Be quiet, Olana,» Larynia said. «No offense. But Minalea's right. This… means war.»
«And I suppose you are all perfectly innocent yourselves,» Estrid sighed, looking from one to the next.
«Carali pushed me into a dropshaft!» Minalea snarled.
«Not that bad,» Estrid commented.
«It was on the bottom deck. And TO Ranmili was on his way down.» She glared at nothing in particular at the memory, tail-blade twitching. «Try explaining to an angered tactical officer why you step into a DROPSHAFT on the bottom deck at the same time he's coming down.»
«Ouch,» Larynia said. «When?»
«Just before you arrived,» Olana said. «Then there was that time Carali and Aralgo were supposed to be greasing the hull of Captain Kandion's personal cruiser. Guess who got that grease in their fur?»
«And guess who got blamed for it?» Minalea added.
Estrid shook her head. «Don't you see it?» she said. «These pranks. They're just getting worse.»
«They started it,» Minalea muttered.
«Is that so? How?»
«Do I have to remember everything?!»
Estrid rolled her stalks.
«Too late to argue about that,» Olana sighed. «They won.»
Minalea grinned. «That's probably what they think, too. Until they try to open the doors to their quarters.»
Larynia grinned as broadly as Minalea, but Olana's eyes went wide. «You locked them in?»
«Yep,» Minalea confirmed. «But from the outside the door doesn't appear locked. Before someone realizes what has happened, all our teachers will be frustrated about them not showing up for class.»
«How does that help us?» Olana asked. «I'll be sent home. To an alshiir-abusing mom and a dad in prison. You'll both be sent to different ships. And Estrid…»
«Probably wherever Larynia goes,» Estrid muttered darkly.
«And that's a bad thing?» Larynia asked, eyebrows raised.
«So they've won,» Olana repeated.
Estrid thought for a moment. «Not yet,» she said finally. «I think I shall have a talk with Captain Kandion about your little… personal war. There are a lot of people on this ship – mostly pilots – who are willing to put in a good word for you, Olana. I am sure the Captain will be reasonable.»
«Yeah, about as much as the Head of Council,» Minalea muttered.
But Olana looked hopeful. «Really?»
«I can try. Especially since I have a few things to point out… things that prove your innocence.»
«That would be perfect, Estrid!» Larynia exclaimed.
«Do not thank me yet; facing the Captain does not exactly thrill me. And I have one condition; no more pranks.»
«No more pranks,» Olana agreed at once.
Minalea and Larynia exchanged a stalk-glance.
«I mean it,» Estrid said. «This has gone too far already.»
Larynia shrugged her consent, but how long it would last no-one knew. Probably until someone made her angry.
«Minalea?» Olana said softly.
Minalea rolled her stalks. «Fine.» But the promise would soon be forgotten.
«Then it's settled,» Larynia decided. «Close and lock the door, Minalea, before someone realizes we have been here. Let's sneak back to our own quarters.»
They said goodnight to Olana and locked the door, leaving it as they had found it. Estrid's quarters were just opposite of Olana's, so she stopped there and said goodnight. Minalea and Larynia continued past a lot of empty quarters on their way to their own, in the end of the corridor. They passed Carali's and Aralgo's on the way. But there Larynia stopped.
«No more pranks,» she said, pointing at one of the locked doors.
Minalea's face was all innocent. «That does not count.»
«It was before we promised to stop,» Larynia agreed, thoughtfully, head leaned to the side.
«Long before,» Minalea said solemnly, four eyes twinkling.
They smiled mischievously, happy with the excuse, and continued to their quarters for some well-needed sleep.
- - -
Arayah and the One looked through the suddenly transparent door to the Andalites' cell, Arayah with quickly widening eyes and the One with an almost bored expression.
Inside the cell, Rafatal was lying on his side on the floor. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head, his hooves and stalks and tail jerking uncontrollably. His breath came in short gasps. Even from where she stood, Arayah saw that he had a high fever; his blue fur was dull and wet with sweat.
And there were no shackles; he was no longer a threat.
Then suddenly the door was once again made of metal, and when Arayah looked away from it she noticed that the One he had returned to his true shape.
"He has been poisoned," he explained. "Just after you left for your feeding. That, my dear, is the first stage of primlar poisoning. It gets worse, believe me. Primlar poisoning would kill a Kelbrid in moments. You Andalites differ." His face twisted into an expression which could be taken for a cruel, horrible smile. "It will take your friend weeks to die. That is, if thirst and hunger does not kill him first."
Arayah was silent, staring at the door with a stunned face. Their treatment since capture had been almost decent; far above expectations, considering who held them captive. She had almost gotten used to it, coming to take it for granted, coming to think that someone with power made sure they were not harmed. And now… this. She was suddenly reminded exactly how unprotected they were against the whims and wishes of their captors.
"Weeks of agony," the One whispered in a cold voice. "Unless we give him the antidote within… the nearest twelve hours, I'd guess. But you are in luck; for a Kelbrid, it is mere seconds. Come."
Arayah followed him, as if in shock, numbed from seeing her fellow warrior – her officer – her friend – in that condition.
The One stopped again. A wall turned see-through. From where they stood they could see the ship's pool. And the room around it.
The cages were mostly empty; there were not that many Yeerks feeding at that time. Only a few dozen Yeerks swam in the pool, and about a third as many downhearted hosts sat motionless in the cages. What struck her the most was the silence; no screams, no cries, no pleas in a place where hope was no more than a quickly fading memory.
Langur and Arifur stood on the infestation pier, weighed down by so many fetters and shackles it was a marvel they still stood at all. Their fur was coated with sweat; their sides lined with bleeding cuts and bruises; Langur was trembling, Arifur was only standing on three legs, the fourth held up, the knee swollen to almost twice its normal size. Stalks and tails were held low from exhaustion… about a dozen guards made sure they didn't leave the pier, but it was obvious they had tried.
"As you see," the One said, regarding the two indifferently. "They did not really wish to walk out on the pier. It took a large number of guards a long time to persuade them. And to force them to stay there. Exhaustion keeps them calm for the moment, but when I give the all-clear to the Yeerks they will pick up the fight where they left off. You have probably figured out what I plan to do. I have finally decided to let the Yeerks have their precious Andalite hosts."
«You… cannot…» Arayah shuddered, pulling back against the wall behind her in disgust. All four eyes were fixated on the two Andalites. «You cannot be serious. This…»
"You can stop it still, female," the One spat. "Let me touch your mind. Let me use your eyes. I have told the Yeerks to wait five hours."
He came closer, faced her, shining with a green light that made her close her eyes to protect them and turn her face away. "After that, the Yeerks will have the hosts they longed for. And I will have one problem less to worry about."
«Unless you give the order to stop it,» Arayah finished weakly.
"Precisely."
Arayah found that her hands were trembling. She clenched them into tight fists and forced them still. Prepared for the worst, she forced the question that was on her mind out; «Where is Jakari?»
The one smiled another horrible smile. "This way." He started walking again. Arayah followed with heavy steps. To her surprise the One led her out of the ship, and away from it. They kept walking for a good number of minutes, closer to half an hour.
They ended up outside a cruiser. A small, black Yeerk craft; a mini-version of the cruiser that had rammed the Blade ship. It was bigger than a bug fighter, designed for a crew of four or five, and much more beautiful. If any Yeerk craft could be called that.
"I promised to give you a craft to escape in," the One said. "Here it is. All yours, if you agree to my terms. This, Arayah-Althasa-Neferia, is your one and only route to freedom."
«I asked where Jakari was!» Arayah reminded him, but could not stop herself from turning a stalk to watch the cruiser hopefully.
"The fourth Andalite? He is safe and unharmed in a cell on the Blade ship."
«Safe?» Arayah repeated shrilly, disbelieving. «Unharmed?!»
"For the moment, yes. For another hour. I have promised the Kelbrid to be allowed to play with him." He chuckled delightedly, very pleased with himself. "Let me try your memory, Andalite. Do you remember what happened to the rest of… Prince Aximili's…" the name and title was said with an unmistakable sneer "…boarding party? Do you remember what happened to the group you would have gone with – if you had followed orders?"
«Of course I remember,» Arayah said, shifting her weight to another set of hooves, unsettled by the memory.
The pilot, Warlatan, and the remaining Andalite warriors had been killed. Brutally. Arayah and the four other prisoners had been led past the mutilated bodies, lying in a pile of Andalite blood, their empty, staring eyes frozen wide open and faces still holding expressions of panic and doubt.
The sight had clearly been a warning to the prisoners. It had worked; Arayah remembered leaning on Jakari so her wobbling knees would not betray her and give way. Jakari, usually quick to point out any sign of weakness or sentimentality on her part, had not commented, and for that she'd been very grateful.
The One was noting her expression with a content glow in his eyes. "Those Andalites were killed… no, I believe the proper term would be 'slaughtered'… by the Kelbrid. The Kelbrid are an annoyingly honoursome bunch, but they can be very cruel when that side comes out."
«And you have planned the same for Jakari,» Arayah said, proud over how steady her voice was. «I must say, from what you have planned for the others, it is not that bad.»
"Not that bad? I assure you, Andalite, every last Andalite of the boarding party was still alive when the final cut was given. My Kelbrid can keep your friend alive and screaming for days if it amuses them. Which it will; they have their orders, after all."
Arayah's back legs felt weak again.
"If you refuse my more than generous offer, I shall let you chose who you wish to join; Arifur and Langur, Jakari, or Rafatal."
«You must realise I will never go willingly to my own infestation. Rather my own death.»
"Neither is necessary. All you have to do is to let me use your eyes," the One said in a low, hypnotic voice. "Let me touch your mind. You shall not be harmed. I will let Jakari live. I shall stop the Yeerks from infesting Langur and Arifur. And I will give you the antidote capable of curing primlar poisoning, to save Rafatal. And you can all flee, as a big, happy family, in this craft."
«But I cannot possible agree!» Arayah cried shrilly, despair hanging over her. «I do not have the authorisation to deal with the enemy! Not for my own life, or the life of my fellow warriors.»
The One was silent, watching her. Then; "How about the safety of your People?"
«What do you mean?»
"First of all, you have insight in the Kelbrid, and their technology and manners. You know about the Blade ship. And about me. All three of which, incidentally, are at war with your species. And you will be able to warn them of the attack I have planned on their planet."
«There is… an attack planned?»
He smiled again. "Yes, there is, my little Andalite. My forces have gathered in the shadow of a black hole, where your pitiful scanners cannot detect them. They will attack as soon as my preparations on the surface have been made.
"But if you get away, reach your Fleet with the information you hold…" his voice grew eager, he took the shape of Aximili and his four eyes shone green.
«Why would you let me do that?» Arayah said suddenly. «Unless… you really want me to agree. Are my eyes and mind so important that you risk losing a war?»
"They are very beautiful eyes," the One said with a warm Andalite smile.
Prince Aximili's smile. As always when the One had taken her Prince's form he used it to the full; well aware of how her hearts fluttered and her mind would become dizzy and disorganized by a smile, a touch, or even certain tones of voice.
But Arayah forced herself to focus.
This was not a warrior's decision, she thought. She could impossibly decide on her own. This was a job for a leader, someone with authority and… someone who, simply, knew what to do. How to deal with the situation. She longed for someone to make the decision for her; give the One what he wanted, or sentence four fellow warriors to death, or worse? As well as possibly endanger her planet and the People? Not a decision for a mere warrior. A decision for someone who could take the responsibility and deal with the consequences.
Someone who could live with the mental strain.
But there was no such person. Only a frightened, stressed warrior.
What would a Prince do in that situation? She did not know.
She could not agree. But she could not refuse, either. Jakari… Langur and Arifur… and Rafatal… the People might be in danger as well, and that was not even worth risking. She had sworn an oath to protect the People. No matter what.
No matter what.
If that meant giving up her eyes… her mind… eventually her life, it made her a danger and she failed to find a way out of it… well, then so be it. The others could carry word to the home world.
"You have made your choice," the One said.
«Yes,» Arayah replied, a cold numbness creeping over her. «I have.»