12 When fears become reality
- - -
«All arisths to the bridge!»
The Captain's sudden voice made Minalea jump. She let her stalks spin around, but the corridor was still empty. Laughing at herself, she continued with her task.
Four stretches of (almost) invisible, very strong thread – that went under the fancy name of 'tripwire' – across the arisths' corridor, just before Aralgo and Carali's quarters. She just hoped she would be there to see them trip.
Just had to warn Larynia about it, and Olana and Estrid, she reminded herself, grinning as she tied the last thread in place. Then she stood back to admire her work.
Sure, she had promised 'no more pranks', but this did not count. This was only…
«ARISTH MINALEA-SILINAN-ALAREIM! GET TO THE BRIDGE INSTANTLY!» the Captain roared out over the ship.
Minalea started off at a wild gallop, almost tripping herself over the tripwires, but avoiding each of them at the last moment. She wanted to stop to make sure no evidence was left behind, but she had to make due with a quick stalkglance before speeding around a corner. She rushed through another corridor and threw herself into a shaft, calling an «Excuse me!» to the Prince who had been on his way in but now jumped back, startled.
Bridge bridge bridge, she thought as she flew upwards, hoping the shaft led to the bridge.
It did, and she stepped out on the bridge, happy with the excellent was things had turned out – and her new speed record. Although not everyone was as pleased.
«Do you have a problem with the term 'instantly', aristh?» TO Ranmili demanded.
«No, sir,» she replied, stepping up to join the other arisths and Estrid – who was there as well. They stood on a neat line, and she walked past behind them. Aralgo held out a tail-blade to sweep her front legs, but she sidestepped to avoid it and slammed her own blade down at his hock. He jerked forwards by reflex, eyes wide, but then both stalks turned to glare at her.
«One-zero to you,» Larynia congratulated privately.
«Soon it will be two-zero,» Minalea replied smugly, taking her place at the end of the line.
«Oh? How come?»
«I –»
«Glad you decided to join us, aristh Minalea,» Captain Kandion said lowly.
«I'll tell you later,» Minalea said to Larynia.
«I have something important to show you,» Kandion continued in a serious tone. A dull such, in Minalea's opinion.
«As you know,» Kandion said, «we are heading out to the front.»
«About time, too,» Larynia blurted loudly. The adults stared at her, perhaps waiting for her to either explain her behaviour or apologize. Of course, she did neither. She just smiled sweetly, saying; «Pay me no heed. You may continue, Captain.»
Ranmili, the TO, looked like he might burst into flames, and he was about to do so when the Captain spoke again.
«It is not a joking matter,» Kandion whispered, but it was a whisper of stone, and he looked like he was considering a barbeque – with roast aristh as the main meal. «The sooner you understand that, the better. As I have told you before, I will tolerate no more nonsense from any of you.»
He shot a pointed look at Minalea, who thought briefly about her tripwires. But no, that wasn't nonsense; it was brilliance.
«Orders are to be followed precisely and quickly. QUICKLY. Did you hear that, aristh Minalea?»
Minalea (who was deep in hopes that he wouldn't go through the entire moral lecture from the last time they had all been called to the bridge) flashed a winning smile at him. «No, Captain, but if you repeat it I'll be sure to listen.»
TO Ranmili grew three sizes and prepared to yell at her, but the expression disappeared and he rolled his stalks in exasperation. He might still have hopes about Larynia, but he had almost given up about Minalea.
Kandion watched his TO carefully, and said: «It is my firm belief that some day, aristh Minalea, all your creativity will be put to good use. Until then, we will try to resist all impulses to shove you out an air lock. Is that not so, tactical officer?»
«As you say, my Captain,» gritted Ranmili.
Larynia quenched a laugh – but Olana stirred, uncomfortable. Since her experience with the tarfat leaves, Olana had a whole lot more respect for the Captain than what was good for her.
Minalea and Larynia were doing their utmost to cure her of that. Although when their efforts had accomplished little even after a week, they gradually lost interest.
«Bring forth the hologram,» Kandion ordered.
A hologram switched on in front of the arisths. It showed a ship. A ship that anyone with eyes could see was dead-in-space.
«This is…» Kandion sighed. «Maybe I should say 'was'. This 'was' the Starshine. The sister ship of the Daybreak. Although not much remains, as you can see.
«This picture was taken from a scouting fighter. The Starshine was reported missing five weeks ago. Found two days ago. No survivors. Zoom in.»
The last was directed at whoever was controlling the hologram, and the order was quickly followed. Around the Starshine, fighters in various states of destruction and desolation floated, all lifeless.
«Every crewmember and pilot and fighter has been found,» Kandion said. «Dead, all of them. The ship's log states a strange encountered with three small, black, unidentified fighters; possibly Kelbrid. Two were shot down, but the third escaped. No more is said, and we can only assume that the escaped fighter brought backup strong enough to knock the Starshine out. But, tell me one thing; what is wrong with this picture?»
The arisths and Estrid watched the hologram as it zoomed in again, and bit by bit went through the area around and inside the Starshine. In the corridors, and in more open areas, there were dead Andalites, all stacked in orderly piles. Burn marks from shredders on the walls left proof of battle, and a few walls and doors – metal walls and doors – were simply torn away to leave a gap, large enough to let through a human, but not an Andalite – at least not a fully grown Andalite.
The destruction and horror of it all made Estrid and Olana feel too sickened to start thinking about the answer to the Captain's question, and even Minalea paled a bit. Carali and Aralgo tried to hide it, of course, but their eyes were a bit wide.
So were Larynia's. But they were dark with anger as well. Anger that – Minalea knew – was the thing that let her hide the nausea. And fear.
Larynia was also the first to answer the question; «No enemies, Captain. They have cleared out the evidence. Cleared out their own dead and damaged fighters.»
«Correct,» Kandion said heavily. «So far, no Andalite has seen a Kelbrid and lived to report it. The Kelbrid are silent, dangerous and efficient.»
«And very smart, Captain,» Larynia added. «By keeping hidden they frighten us.» In a cocky voice she added; «Or at least try to.»
«Succeed, aristh; they succeed,» Ranmili muttered.
«Perhaps you understand more now when I tell you this is getting very serious, very fast,» Kandion continued. «Any questions?»
«Captain, is it true they have only fighters?» Olana asked timidly.
Kandion thought about that for a moment. «Yes,» he said finally. «As far as we know. But they build up those fighters to form ships with highly dangerous weaponry. Weaponry strong enough to disable a Dome ship without much trouble.»
«You'd love to get your hands on that, huh, Minalea?» Larynia grinned privately.
«Why did you bring us to see this?» Carali wondered.
Kandion's face turned grave. He looked straight at Estrid, but then his gaze swept over the rest of them. «If anyone wants to return home,» he said. «It is not too late.»
Larynia laughed. «Back out? The fun has not even begun yet!»
No-one yelled at her. Maybe that is what made her lose her smile, grow silent and glance at the hologram an extra time. For the moment, it was showing the inside of the Starshine's dome. The trees were chopped down, the grass burnt. Even there, the dead were piled high. The hologram stopped for a moment, looking straight at the face of a young warrior – possibly an aristh. He had wide slash across his nose, splitting his face into two parts. His eyes, peeking out from under a crust of dried blood, were empty. Dead.
«No,» Kandion said sadly, also watching the hologram. «No. It has not even started yet.» He pointed at the screen. «And how many youngsters will die when it does?» Turning with a sigh, he walked away.
«Dismissed!» FO Thalus roared. «You will report as usual to Sarjil in the morning!»
In a collective troop, the arisths marched to the dropshafts. For once, no-one argued with the next, and no tail-blades were sent out to swipe someone else's hooves.
«Stop!» Ranmili snapped. The troop stopped, at once recognizing the disapproving tone of voice. «Arisths Minalea and Larynia will report five hours before that to me for a lesson in respect!»
Minalea rolled her stalks, unconcerned, but Larynia spun around towards the TO, eyes flashing. Estrid caught her arm and shook her head.
«They will do so, tactical officer,» Estrid said. She looked questioningly at Larynia, who only pulled her arm free, but made no objections.
After that they walked down to their own quarters in silence. Minalea had almost forgotten her threads, but when she remembered she made sure she and Larynia lingered by Olana's and Estrid's quarters long enough for Carali and Aralgo to pass.
She did not watch them – they might get suspicious – but soon a THUMP announced that her trap had worked. Aralgo stopped instantly when he saw Carali fall, and just moments after he spun around towards Minalea.
«You did this!» he growled.
Minalea leaned her head to the side. «Yes. Yes, I suppose I did.» She grinned, forgetting the horrors she and the others had just been showed – and forgetting Ranmili's coming lecture. «And what are you planning to do about it?»
- - -
«Andalites?» Tobias said. «Ax? No, probably not.» He lifted his wings and with a single flap left Rachel's shoulder.
"Where are you going?" she called after him.
«I'll just fly ahead. Meet you at the house.»
Rachel shrugged and continued, following the guidance of Tom's eyes. She reached her home quickly, almost as quickly as Tobias – since she knew the village better than he did. All the houses looked the same, especially from above, but Rachel knew to tell them apart. When she entered Tom left her and went back to his usual place, by the entrance, looking out over the main room. Rachel made her way to the kitchen for some water.
"How did it go?" a voice asked as she entered. Tom did not show her who was speaking, and it took her a few seconds to figure out who it was; Santorelli. The new recruit.
Rachel fished up water from the barrel in a bowl and drank it before she replied. "With the prisoner? Fine, I guess. I have some news I think I should share with the group."
«The quicker the better,» Tobias agreed. He was perched on the broken table.
Rachel nodded. She managed out of the kitchen without any help from Tom (who now was slumbering where he lay, knowing from experience that she very seldom needed his help in her own house) and sat down, leaned against a wall. In short terms she told the others about her talk to TaKi'in, leaving out the unimportant parts and focusing the news about the Andalite prisoners.
"Probably the ones we heard on the Blade ship when we fled from the Rachel," Santorelli commented. "Remember?"
Menderash nodded eagerly, looked excited and worried at the same time. His eyes were shining; if he had been Andalite, and still in the Fleet, he would have displayed no emotion, but he had less control over emotions in his nothlit form and the news thrilled him. "Live prisoners," he said. "From the same place as Captain Aximili. They must be from the boarding party. Maybe they could help… tell us what really happened!"
"Don't get your hopes up," Jake warned. "If we get close enough to free them, and talk to them, we'll get our hopes up. Until then, there's nothing except a long row of problems."
"Yes, Captain," Menderash agreed. "But I do hope we actually are going to help them."
"If we can, of course," Jake said. "But first of all, we need to figure out where they are."
"Easy. Kept on the Blade ship," Jeanne said. "At least, they were once – if they really came from the same place Ax did – and still were when we came along."
"Then where is the Blade ship?" Marco wondered. "and, are they still there?"
«We don't know,» Tobias said. «But it's our best shot.»
"The Blade ship is down for repairs," Rachel informed them. "Ka'an will know more exactly where. One of the larger Kelbrid colonies, probably." She grinned. "Attacking one of them is just plain lunatic. Sounds terrific."
"More like 'terrible'," Marco muttered.
"Afraid, human?" Menderash snapped.
Jeanne slammed a hand over Marco's mouth before he had time to say something, giving him a sharp look. When she took her hand away Marco was dark in the face. But stayed silent.
Jake sighed. "We'll do what we can but no more. Rachel? Say we are attacking this large Kelbrid colony. How would it be possible?"
«Would it be possible at all?» Tobias corrected.
"We managed a few rather impossible attacks on the Yeerk pool," Rachel reminded them, shrugging. "Anything's possible." She thought for a moment, pulling up her knees and wrapping her arms around them. "An open assault is out of the question. We would be slaughtered. Literally. So we would have to sneak. Can be done. As long as no-one catches us, notices us, or even suspects we're there, we'll be fine. And if we're caught, well…"
"Define 'well'," Santorelli said dryly.
"If the Yeerks get us; they're still Yeerks, and in any case Jake, Tobias, Marco and I know how to get away. We can deal with Yeerks. No prob. The Kelbrid… the Kelbrid are more likely to kill us on sight and ask questions later."
"That kinda makes it harder to escape alive," Marco agreed, nodding.
"Our main target is still to free Ax," Jake said. "We don't want to be stupid and risk all we've got on a side-mission."
"Then again, going after the One doesn't seem to be the type of thing smart people do," Jeanne pointed out. "But I, personally, never claimed to be smart. I say this; we get to the Blade ship, and figure out what to do from there. We can go after the One and try to free Ax, and if we get a chance we'll help those other Andalites. That way we cover both targets and have a nice, flexible plan."
"Or no plan at all, depending on how you see it," Marco muttered.
«I think it sounds good,» Tobias said.
Rachel nodded. "I can arrange transports there. Ka'an has already promised us fighters. But as soon as we're safely on ground, I'll send them home. We'll have to find our own way out."
"Is there a way out?" Marco wondered. "Because if there isn't, it's a no-no to go in."
"If there's a way in, there's a way out," Jake said cheerfully, shrugging.
"So when are we leaving?" Santorelli asked in a low voice.
Rachel stood up. "As soon as I've packed."
"Packed?" Jake echoed, leaning his head to the side.
Rachel rolled her blindly staring eyes. "Yeah; packed. And I advice you to do the same. This isn't a five-hour trip to the Yeerk pool, folks, it's an attack on an entire planet. Plan to do some serious distance-covering. And plan to do some carrying, too. We are going to need packs. At least we need to bring something to eat."
"Good, cause I'd hate to get killed on an empty stomach," Marco muttered cheerfully.
"Okay," Jake said slowly. He had not thought that far yet. "You've done this before, Rachel, it seems. What do we need?"
"Food. Water, but that depends on where we're going. Maps would be good, but we don't have any, and neither do the Kelbrid. They don't use maps. A blanket or something, if we're going somewhere cold." She snapped her fingers. "Which reminds me. I need to find Ka'an, to find out where we're going. You can start packing. Oh, and remember; light packs. Nothing except what's absolutely necessary, since we'll have to carry it ourselves. And it'll have to be little enough to be easily hidden."
With that, she followed the wall back to the door-hole and disappeared outside. Tom woke when her feet brushed his side, and followed when she called for him.
- - -
The One was back in his three-dimensional version of Prince Aximili. There was a circle of guards – Controllers and Kelbrid – all around. All watching her with hate in their eyes. The pupils of the Kelbrid, all Touched, gleamed green. The Yeerk Touched were harder to detect; they themselves had no eyes, and their host's pupils did not shine.
Arayah knew nothing of the connection between the One's touch and the green pupils. She, as Rafatal, Arifur, Langur and Jakari all considered the strange trait simply to be part of how Kelbrid looked. They had never, after all, encountered any 'free' Kelbrid.
«Did you hear me?» the One snapped suddenly.
Arayah realized that she had zoned out from reality for a moment. «No,» she said. «I did not.»
«Then listen. I will only say this once more. The Taxxon next to you will hand over the keys to your friends' shackles, as well as a bottle containing the antidote that can cure primlar poisoning. Also, the access codes to the cruiser. They will be handed to you shortly. But you will not be able to enter the cruiser until I have touched your mind. Understood?»
«Yes.»
The One smiled – Prince Aximili's smile, which she would never see again. Arayah could not believe she was actually going through with this. Or that she was leaving her Prince behind at it.
Too late to turn back.
The Taxxon gave her the keys, the antidote, and a paper with the access codes scribbled on it in Galard.
«How do I know these are not fake?» Arayah demanded.
«You do not,» the One retorted. «But you have no choice but to trust they are. And now, it is my turn. Look up, Andalite. Look into my eyes. Empty your thoughts. And stand still.»
Afterwards, Arayah had little if any recollection of what the One did. She remembered being almost blinded by the bright green of the One's eyes. She remembered a striking pain all over her body, in every single cell, as if she had been struck by lighting, or morphed and the pain-killer had failed.
She felt a bit light-headed, a bit sore, when she again heard the Ones' smug voice; "It is done."
The voice had always seemed to come from everything around her. Now, it came from inside her. A thought she heard that could have been her own, and the only way she knew it was not was because she thought it over and decided she had had no reason to think that.
The One was in his true shape. "Now then, little Andalite," he said. "Let me demonstrate something. Take that antidote and pour it out."
«What?» Arayah was about to protest, about to refuse, when she found that the bottle had already been lifted – by her own treacherous hands – and emptied. «No! Oh, no no no…» the empty bottle fell out of her suddenly limp hand to the ground.
The One's eyes shone triumphantly. "Give her another bottle of antidote," he ordered. "Do not worry, my dear, it was just a demonstration."
Arayah clutched the bottle that was handed to her, still staring in horror at the empty one, lying in front of her hooves. She had poured it out. She had poured it out! She had… But the worst part was that it had come so naturally, so easily, so… frighteningly.
"Maybe now you understand better," the One continued. "I shall tell you the rest. I can now see anything you see, hear anything you hear, just by thinking about you. You will be going home, Arayah-Althasa-Neferia, but as my… spy, you might call it. I have plans for winning this war, with your help, and gaining another species among my Chosen.
"You are among them now. A Chosen. A Touched… as one of my Kelbrid. As one of my Yeerks. I have hopes to gather the Andalites under my banner as well." He watched her, the glow in his eyes flickering, amused at her horrified expression. "I told you about the preparations I needed to make on the surface of your planet before my attack. You are those preparations, Arayah."
Arayah felt weak. Her back legs would give way any second now… she would – no. No. A warrior did not faint. Did. Not. «You tricked me,» she accused weakly.
"Yes. I did. And I did a good job at it, too. Now, before you leave, I have some orders to give you. Orders which you will, whether you like it or not – follow, word for word."
The One glared at her, still suspicious. "You will say nothing of our agreement to anyone, except those who know, and other Chosen. Secondly, any information you hold on the Yeerks, Kelbrid, or myself will not be told to any Andalite who has not met us. Thirdly, you will forget any plans on suicide, because a dead Chosen is of little use to me. Understood?"
Arayah agreed. But not on her own accord.
"Good. Fourth, the story you will stick to when you come home is that the Yeerks caught you, kept you and the others prisoner for several months and… used you as hosts, that will avoid suspicions. Your friends helped you escape but you do not know what happened to them. You have never seen a Kelbrid, and you will not even mention that I exist. Arrange the details yourself."
The One smiled. "Fifth and last; you will be the only Andalite on that cruiser to return home alive. And you will dispose of the others yourself."
Arayah grew several shades paler. She was too horrified – too afraid – to think. If she had, she would have wondered why the One did not simply have the others killed on the spot and send her away alone. If she had asked, the One would have done one of three things; either he would have refused to reply, lied, or told the truth and said that he still did not trust her – still did not know the details or consequences about turning Andalites into Touched. Each species was different. This was a test, he would say, to see how far he could push before the Andalite toppled over. And he was going to push as far as possible.
But Arayah did not ask. And all the One said was; "Good luck, my little Andalite. Now go."
Arayah did as she was told and neared the spacecraft. But at a sudden thought, she stopped, her numbed mind beginning to work again. «One more favour.»
"What?" he demanded impatiently.
She turned around. «My Prince. Show me my Prince.»
"What for?"
«Why not?»
The One glared at her, but then shrugged and took the shape of Prince Aximili, in two dimensions.
Without warning Arayah dropped what was in her hands, threw herself forwards and grabbed hold of Aximili's wrists. She used her entire weight to pull sharply back again.
The One did not like that. The thought hit instantly, and at the same time a sudden pain struck her chest, as if something was squeezing her lungs. It spread to her heart and up her throat, and struck her eyes like needles. The pain intensified when she kept pulling, until she was unable to breathe and her eyes burned so much that she saw nothing more than a fog unless she focused hard.
But she could not stop pulling. Not at any price, especially not when Andalite hands and arms came out of the One's form, green sparks flying around them. Soon, shoulders followed, a chest, and even a head and a worried face.
Her Prince was stumbling out of his two-dimensional captor. But the One was pulling him back, and he was strong. Stronger than Arayah's weak Andalite hands and arms.
But her grip tightened when she heard Aximili speak. It was really him this time; not the One. It was Aximili's words; «The eyes. Eyes!»
Arayah was confused. He was disappearing back into the One, and she was losing her grip on his fingers. Only his arms and face were visible. «What?» she cried. «What eyes?»
«Also… deoxy… ribo… nucleic…»
"Let go!" thundered the One.
Arayah let go. The pain disappeared as if it had never existed, leaving her feeling drenched and disoriented. Her Prince disappeared as well; he sank back into the One. And the being towered before her, furious. "Never do that again!" he roared. "Now take your things and leave! QUICKLY!"
With a sob, she scrambled up the keys, the antidote and the access codes and fled into the cruiser as swiftly as her stumbling hooves would carry her.