About initiations

No, Santorelli, that one's a child, let him leap, Jake ordered from a hundred meters or so back, and Santorelli's rhino halted his charge with a snort. The Kelbrid child disappeared quickly into a tree, and headed off in the same direction every other Kelbrid they had encountered was heading.

A few stayed to fight the intruders. The child had been one of them, but had probably thought the better of it at the sight of the rhino.

I can't tell them apart, Santorelli muttered. The adults smell the same as the kids.

Then it's a good thing we're here to back you up, said Marco cheerfully.

Maybe you should keep to the Yeerks, and leave the Kelbrid for us, Jake suggested. Just to be safe. Yeerk backup is beginning to arrive, so we're low on time but plenty on people to fight.

Probably. Santorelli whipped his head around with a snort. I smell a leopard, he announced. He's heading here.

And we've got Hork-Bajir approaching, added Marco, from closer to their waiting ship, the Rachel.

Santorelli, take care of the leopard – meet up with us near the ship, Jake instructed. Marco and I'll be taking care of those Hork-Bajir.

Santorelli bounded off, and headed towards the leopard. The large cat, that had been crouching, crawling towards them, heard the rhino's charge and came quickly to his feet. He didn't pause, but flew at Santorelli's back, trying to pass over the face and the deadly horn.

He dug his claws into the rhino's thick hide, but left only shallow scratches. Santorelli tossed him off easily. The large cat flew head-first into a tree, hit it with a sickening thud, and dropped to the ground.

But barely was the leopard out of the picture before new Controllers appeared. A set of them; two Hork-Bajir and a Taxxon wielding a dracon.

Jake was right; it seemed the reinforcements Melissa had warned of were beginning to arrive. Santorelli spun around and charged the closest; one of the Hork-Bajir. His horn was driven right into the alien's belly, but the other leapt at Santorelli while he stormed past and slashed at the side of his head.

Pain appeared like a sudden bolt of lightening as his ear was cut cleanly off, and the elbow-blade left a streak of flowing blood where it passed over his neck, and down across his shoulder.

Irrelevant. The rhino barely acknowledged the injury, and wheeled around to storm at the second Hork-Bajir before he caused any more damage. The Hork-Bajir scrambled aside, but not quickly enough; the rhino's horn connected with his side and he was thrown back.

But Santorelli felt an explosion of pain under his chin, just between his left front leg and his throat. It took him a moment to figure out that his own speed had brought him right onto a knee-blade.

But the rhino dismissed it. The rhino had caught the scent of Taxxon; soon joined by the stench of burned skin as a dracon beam created a black ring on Santorelli's shoulder. He stumbled around, even less elegant than usual now with his wounds, and lowered his horn as he rushed at the Taxxon.

The creature fired once more, at Santorelli's face, blinding him, but soon after he felt how it was crushed under his heavy feet.

Drawing in the air around him, Santorelli could detect no more enemies, except for the two dead Hork-Bajir, the flattened Taxxon, and the leopard.

There was nothing wrong with Santorelli's memory, and he remembered what Jake had repeated – all too many times – during his classes. "Despite what you might think, you aren't at your weakest in your human form, or in any morph. You're at your weakest WHILE YOU ARE MORPHING. Better to stay human, or stay in morph, than try to morph or demorph, if you've got any choice at all. Most of the time, you're perfectly helpless while you're morphing. Never forget that." Then he had always smiled a small, sad smile, eyes fading into the distance, and added; "Except if you're Cassie, of course."

Santorelli grimaced mentally as the rhino staggered to its knees. Blind and badly bleeding, he was, and he could feel the rhino's strength fading – quickly.

It was most definitely a time to demorph and remorph. He wouldn't make it back to the others if he tried – he knew the rhino well enough by then to know that. He smelled the air around him, and found no trance of approaching foes.

Assured, he focused on his human self. His heavy rhino shape began shrivelling down to his smaller human frame. His rhino skin felt like a heavy rag cast about him, trapping him; he didn't have the strength to lift his arms or legs, or even to roll over on his back. He could barely breathe. His human body was not made to carry the heavy skin of a rhino.

His face contorted as his spine drew together, and he tensed; it should have hurt, but didn't. Fingers began appearing at the end of his arms, which were still wrapped in the all-too-thick rhino hide.

He couldn't move; Jake had been right, as usual. He was very grateful about the fact that there was no-one around. He was even more grateful when the morphing process replaced his burned rhino face with his own human face, complete with working eyes.

He was less grateful when those eyes revealed to him that the leopard was watching him intently, just finishing his own demorph.

"JaLa'an. Look."

"I see," the other Kelbrid said grimly over the link between the fighters. "I still hope to one day see them lose control over one of those fires and end up burning down their home."

"They have firelizards," Sira'aki reminded him. "As long as they control the firelizards, they control the fire."

JaLa'an could only agree. Firelizards – ji'ilam, fire carers – came from the Kelbrid home world. They lived and died at whatever place their parents had laid their rock-like eggs; the eggs hatched in the heat of a blazing fire, and the lizards emerged fully grown. They spent their short lives trying to impress each other by running in and out of the fire, searching for something for the flames to live on. When the blaze moved on, they ran with it; when the blaze died they quickly froze to death, leaving their rocklike eggs among the ashes.

"JaLa'an, we are landing," Sira'aki suddenly announced.

"Landing?" JaLa'an repeated in surprise.

"Yes," Sira'aki replied, and her fighter was already touching the ground. Left no other choice, JaLa'an followed.

As soon as the two fighters had landed the three Kelbrid were out of them, JaLa'an striding over to Sira'aki and KEdi'ir and following them when the two leapt up into a nearby tree.

"What do you intend to do?" JaLa'an demanded. They were travelling closer to the fire, leaping nonchalantly from tree to tree, using horns and wrist blades and claws to climb, while their tails helped them keep their balance.

"Ni'ilu," Sira'aki whispered, coming to a stop out on a branch, standing on all four, foot in front of foot and hand in front of hand, leaning forwards to see better. There were only a few trees left between them and the gathered Touched that surrounded the dancing fire.

"Ni'ilu, LuRi'il's child?" JaLa'an questioned, puzzled, but then made a gesture to show that he understood and no explanations were necessary. Ni'ilu would of course be among the gathered children. LuRi'il had said so.

JaLa'an stared down at the Touched, and unavoidably caught sight of the Priests. He felt his ears quiver and cheek-slits widen in a snarl. The Priests were glowing green, like their master, and even aside from that they were easily distinguished from ordinary Touched by the fact that their horns had been removed – cut off. A barbaric custom, it was, but one the Whole was not responsible for; worship of the Kelbrid gods had included that practice even before the Kelbrid Home World had been destroyed, which was long before the appearance of the One.

"LuRi'il did us a great favour," Sira'aki continued. Her gaze was lost amongst the youngsters, trying to locate Ni'ilu, a child she had never seen and could hardly possibly recognize. "We should repay it."

"And save her daughter from them," JaLa'an agreed, but his tone was reserved, and his voice did not rise and fall musically as it usually did.

"You do not approve."

"I believe it madness. Sira'aki, there must be hundreds of Touched down there, perhaps over a thousand. If we are even seen, we ka'ir-ya'aysh –" (a term that translated roughly into "white-eyes", a way to describe non-Touched) "– we will be killed."

Sira'aki sat up, straightened proudly, and sent a sharp glare at him. "It is a matter of honour, JaLa'an," she declared.

JaLa'an stared back at her, before finally – reluctantly – nodding. There was – after all – no way to change a Kelbrid's mind about something once honour was involved. And if they lived or died because of it, then so be it.

"But you are correct," Sira'aki admitted lowly, turning her eyes back towards the Touched's initiation. "No ka'ir-ya'aysh can go down there. Thus, there is a problem."

"I shall go," KEdi'ir offered. He had placed himself on a branch above the two adults, keeping lookout and not interfering in their discussion, but now he decided it was time to speak.

JaLa'an nodded, realising that the child was correct; he should be the one to go. One ka'ir-ya'aysh child among many would cause no suspicion. There would be no fighting.

Sira'aki, though, wavered. Her giant claws dug deeper into the branch's soft bark as she tensed. Then, finally, she said; "Yes. Yes, KEdi'ir, you should. Go down there, find Ni'ilu, and bring her here. Tell her that her mother sent you. It is best to solve this without a battle, for in a battle we would be hard pressed to win."

KEdi'ir dropped from his branch and climbed quickly to the ground. Sira'aki and JaLa'an moved closer, carefully, knowing that they still needed to stay hidden. They watched the child run in amongst the Touched, and move purposefully towards the other children.

Purposefully, to find one among over a hundred; one child called Ni'ilu. KEdi'ir disappeared in amongst those hundred and his mother and JaLa'an lost sight of him.

"The ceremony is beginning," Sira'aki said suddenly.

JaLa'an nodded. He watched the lower Priests pick out one child from the edge of the crowd and beckon for her to come. He was glad it was not KEdi'ir they had chosen, and he sent a silent prayer to the gods that it was not Ni'ilu.

"KEdi'ir must hurry," Sira'aki whispered. Her tail was twitching with concern.

"Be calm, Sira'aki," murmured JaLa'an.

The other Kelbrid took a deep breath, cheek-slits flaring, but remained where she was and her voice was steady; "They may kill him. I will not be calm."

JaLa'an was about to disagree – before he realised the truth in Sira'aki's words. No Kelbrid would kill a child, but – as any from Cava'ara knew all too well – once at an initiation, a child was no longer a child. He watched a second youngster move towards the glowing Priests. The first was staggering away, proud but exhausted, her eyes shining green.

A tremor of anger passed down JaLa'an's spine.

Three more children were led to the Priests and turned into Touched. All of them were stumbling as they moved away, only kept up by their stubbornness.

Then what should not have been allowed to happen, occurred.

The next child to be beckoned was KEdi'ir.

Sira'aki felt JaLa'an grip her shoulder. "Be calm," he repeated sternly.

"He will not agree to become a Touched," whispered Sira'aki, pride blended in with overwhelming fear. "Therefore, they will kill him. I will not be calm!"

She tore free and dropped towards the ground. Her horns caught a branch to swing around, up to another, and from there she leaped the last few meters to the forest floor. She ran towards the Priests, and towards her son, who was moving precariously forwards, flanked on both sides by alert Touched who had taken note of his reluctance.

Sira'aki reached the Priests quickly and charged the nearest one with a cry of rage.

A cer y'yhan – a hornmaster – leapt into her way and deftly deflected her horns from their paths. Sira'aki drew back automatically, lowering her horns and eyes, but not before –

"Ka'ir-ya'aysh!" spat the Touched. Sira'aki knew he was a cer y'yhan from the way he carried himself; how he angled his wrist blades, how he held his ears, how he moved his horns, and that slight lift of his chin – that knowingly exposed his throat, but he was confident he could protect it.

She herself was a simple horn, a warrior, neither more or less. She could not hope to defeat a cer y'yhan. It was right for the cer y'yhan to not be bothered by her, unless he chose to. It was proper for her to back away.

Normally, Sira'aki would have done what was right; what was proper. She would have backed away to find another challenger, since she had no hopes of defeating this one, and they both knew it.

But this concerned KEdi'ir. This concerned the life or death of her son. Therefore, right and proper could go volunteer for service under the One. Surprising everyone – most of all the cer y'yhan – Sira'aki charged.

As Sira'aki had left the tree to advance on ground level, JaLa'an had moved forwards through the trees. He had leapt up to a branch near the fire, and landed so far out on it that it swayed menacingly under his weight – but he did not care. He dug the great claws on his feet deeper into it for security, held his tail out to balance him, and drew himself up to his full height. He sent a quick glance out over the initiation. The Touched were beginning to realise that their ceremony was disrupted; they were swarming towards KEdi'ir and Sira'aki.

It was time. LuRi'il had said they only needed to call…

"Arnaha!" roared JaLa'an out over the crowd. "Ce'e i'i aty'uki y'kilm U'uhn'yt ni'um – ti'un ce'e yunil a'aluso mla'ari'i e'etari ce'e?!"

…and there is one thing to be said about Kelbrid; they are excellent at roaring. JaLa'an's bellow made every Touched adult turn towards him – at least glance towards him, which was all he had hoped for.

"Raise your horns and fight!" he cried, and – as the branch again swayed upwards – he freed his claws and let the branch throw him forwards, out into the open air… he rolled forwards through the air once, to put his hands and feet below him as he fell, down, down… down right among the Touched.

A Kelbrid could leap from high, and far, but this was from too far, and too high.

It was a mad leap, although he realised that only when it was too late. He fell, twisted his tail and horns so that he would keep steady in the air, and already before hitting the ground some part of him could hear the sickening crunching of shattering bones.

The ground was unyielding and where JaLa'an landed he stayed.

Just a short look… Minalea pleaded.

No, said Estrid, for the seventh time.

It will only take a moment…

No, and stop asking, please, Estrid replied, even her temper being strained.

Minalea looked grumpy. She followed the group from a distance, drawing her hooves along the ground to stir up a suitable amount of dust in a childish but strangely satisfying display of anger.

All she wanted was a closer look at that ship. How hard could it be? Why not? It was perfectly safe.

The ship had arrived just moments earlier, patiently herded and nudged down by the fighters of Ka'an's warriors. The group of Andalites had seen it land while leaving the fighter they had contacted those humans – the Animorphs – from. Ka'an had told them it was a Jijfku ship, and extremely old – the Touched, in fact, all Kelbrid – used them in fooling enemy ships they were not there. Jijfku ships had excellent concealing devices and could seem not there – or dead-in-space – while hiding large amounts of fighters and bustling with activity. Simply put, they could let show only what they wanted to reveal.

It was a great price, a trophy, Ka'an had continued proudly, but then refused to say more.

Minalea couldn't help it. She was curious. She just wanted one, quick look. Or a couple of them. Larynia?

Not now, Minalea, Larynia muttered, and returned to discussing Olana's latest project – the Cava'ara particle emitter – with Aralgo and Olana.

Carali!

Carali turned a stalk to smile back at her. Later, perhaps, Minalea. With Ka'an's permission – if he gives it.

Minalea glared viciously at him. In fact, she continued glaring at him all the way back to the Phantom. Although by the time they reached the ship – she had to admit – the glare had softened to a dreamy stare, watching the muscles on his back, tail and legs move under his skin as he walked. He was, after all, very easy to look at.

When Carali stopped outside the Phantom – waiting as Olana, Aralgo, Larynia, and Estrid leapt inside – she almost didn't notice how he returned her gaze. When she did, she found herself blushing fiercely, and hurried to trot past him into the Phantom. That he only smirked knowingly in return made her hurry even more, almost forgetting and tripping over one of her own wires.

She narrowly avoided it. Carali, who followed, was not as lucky. He fell, for once not clumsily; he rolled and sprung to his hooves, almost at once… and spun menacingly to face Minalea. That was enough, he growled, beginning to move towards her. Quite enough.

Minalea couldn't help it. She grinned, as always at a successful prank, and backed carefully away from Carali. She had to back more and more quickly, even whipping her tail forwards as a shield, when the other aristh didn't stop his advance.

I might need some help here… she said in passing to Larynia and Olana.

But Olana rolled her stalks, and Larynia only flicked her tail. Even Minalea's two friends had begun to tire of her eternal trip wires. You got into this mess. Now get out of it.

Minalea's four eyes glowered at her two friends. She was completely unprepared for Carali's strike; his tail swept her blade out of the way and locked it against the wall, and before she could protest he had seized her wrists and was staring down at her, face only a hand's width from her own.

Minalea, of course, only smiled innocently at him. Now what?

I am not sure, Carali replied, frowning, his main eyes fixated on hers. I suppose… I suppose I'll just give you a strict order to stop putting up those trip wires.

Minalea's eyes glittered. Make me.

That could prove difficult.

I know.

Any suggestions?

Minalea stopped smiling. You'd have to keep me under strict watch, she told him seriously. I'm sure you'll come up with something. She reached forwards with a stalk to let it brush past his forehead… and saw the slight tremor in his shoulders and that touch, saw his eyes half-close, and felt his hands travel up her arms and to the sides of her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks –

Before he quickly pulled them away and took a step back. One stalk found its way towards the rest of the group.

The rest of the group consisted of three surprised expressions and one – Estrid's – smug smile.

Aralgo turned a set of accusing main eyes towards the scientist. You knew about this, didn't you?

Yes, Estrid admitted. I did.

You also knew about the Yeerks.

It was Estrid's turn to look surprised; both at the new subject and at Aralgo's chosen time to bring it up. Then of course; the question had taken her by complete surprise, which was the best way to get an automatic reaction – and see if the person in question gave a straight answer. She blinked wordlessly.

You mentioned the Yeerks as if they were actually here long before we encountered them, Aralgo continued, and flicked his tail. I was a bit groggy from tarfat at the time, so I'm not sure of exactly what you said, but I definitely heard the words "Yeerks are out here". And I've got an excellent memory, so don't pretend I didn't. I wasn't that groggy.

Carali frowned at his friend. I'm sure it was just a coincidence…

But Aralgo ignored that and went on; You didn't seem surprised about Prince Aximili either – I mean, about what he was, yes, but not where he was. You were suddenly rushed, but not surprised. You, too, he added as an afterthought, waving a hand at Larynia.

And you want an explanation? Larynia questioned in a low voice.

Correct, affirmed Aralgo.

Larynia and Estrid exchanged a glance, and then Estrid sighed and began speaking; Well, there's been an event… the Fleet calls it the Intrepid Situation…

Minalea began sneakily moving away. This sounded like the beginning of a very long, very boring explanation. That ship was far more interesting. She knew an opportunity to sneak off when she saw one, and this was almost too perfect.

"Another one," Jeanne concluded, watching Tom grow alert again. She continued forwards, in the direction the beast had been looking, and he fell in beside her – just so far in front that he would be able to see past her to the side.

Melissa followed, at a distance, wary of the kii-raja. Her cape buffalo morph could not manage a very convincing expression of wariness, but she did her best.

Jeanne passed another tree, and suddenly Tom had moved, placing himself between the human and two Taxxons, who looked up in surprise. At the sight of Tom, they both let out frightened srrreees and fumbled with their dracons, trying to raise and aim them. Tom easily leapt at them, ripping past the first Taxxon's chest with his bladed tail as he sank his fangs and claws into the other's face. Then he backed away quickly, mouth working as if he was trying to rid himself of a bad taste.

I feel unnecessary, Melissa commented as Jeanne began scratching Tom's ears. That beast is taking all the work on himself.

"He does a good job, too," Jeanne said, and looked up as Tom again raised his head to stare in amongst the trees, nose and tail twitching. "Shall we continue?"

Rachel kept the fighter inconspicuous as they closed in on the Blade ship. That basically meant that she let it act like one of the Toucheds' fighters; patrolling the area, and thoroughly bored with it.

Mind explaining what's going on? asked Tobias. He had demorphed.

Rachel shrugged, indicating that there was not much to tell. "We're by the Blade ship. There are Taxxons, humans, and Hork-Bajir here and there below us. No Kelbrid, though. They're all at the initiation." She frowned. "Strange. I'm so used to facing only Touched, and now… it's almost as if I'm back on Earth." She grinned suddenly, as savage as ever. "And just perfect. How about keeping the Blade ship on the ground for a bit longer?"

Knowing where it is never hurt… Tobias agreed, but hesitantly. He was not sure what Rachel was planning, and he did not like it. What do you have in mind?

"Some innocent use of kata rajch," smiled Rachel ominously. "To expand that hole your ship made back to its original size. Or bigger."

Tobias climbed from Rachel's shoulder and down to her lower arm, to be able to place one talon next to her hand on the black pad she used to orient the fighter. The surrounding world crept up on him like a shadow, and he felt it around him as if through a sixth sense – like some sort of distance-based touch.

Surrounding the gaping hole in the Blade ship's side was a force field, and when Tobias focused his attention on it he realised that it was not keeping still. Its surface was trembling, ever so slightly, and that slight tremble made it seem as if it would break apart any moment. But it did not – would not. For a second, Tobias wondered how force fields were constructed – but then he returned to the task at hand.

There's a force field in the way, he said.

"I know."

That might be a problem, Tobias pointed out.

Rachel shook her head slowly. "We'll go through it."

Ehm… Rach?

"Yes?"

The entire point of a force field is that you can't go through it.

"Just watch," Rachel told him smugly.

Tobias secured the talons of his one foot tighter around her lower arm, and wished that the guidance pad had been easier to grip. He wondered quietly what the blind – and a bit mad, he admitted – Animorph was up to.

Rachel steered the small Hawk towards the Blade ship, still giving an impression of just lazily hanging about. (That she was piloting the only lazily hanging about Kelbrid fighter in the neighbourhood did not seem to matter.) Then she turned the craft sharply towards the force field, giving the command for maximum speed and –

Tobias lifted automatically from his perch with a Rachel, the force field, you'll crash!

The impact was… simply a gentle shudder, and then they had passed the force field. Rachel swung her craft around and began causing mayhem with the weapon her fighter was equipped with; twin canons of kata rajch, the same brilliantly blue energy beams that earlier had fascinated Olana.

Tobias, no longer aware of the fighter's surroundings, knew what was happening only from the humming sound the kata rajch canons caused as they fired. He did not know how long passed before he felt the shudder of passing the force field again, but when he did he fluttered up to Rachel's wrist again.

How did you do that?

"What?"

Pass the force field.

"A force field is artificial gravity that makes the air draw together and pack so tightly it feels solid. But at the tip of every Kelbrid fighter there is a gravity destabiliser that lets the fighter deactivate a part of the force field long enough to get past."

Oh, said Tobias eloquently. He placed a talon beside Rachel's hand again. They're sending out bugs.

"As if that would help," scoffed Rachel, smiling in anticipation as she spun the fighter around and sent out the twin blue energy beams at the closes bug. It was unprepared for the attack and swerved away in the wrong direction, unintentionally making the engine take a direct hit. It changed its course towards the ground, and at impact its nose was driven deep into the earth.

The smaller Hawk spun aside to avoid being hit by a dracon, and Rachel steered it back towards the Blade ship and the force field.

In there we'll be caught in a trap, Tobias warned. They'd just have to wait for us to come back out.

"I know," Rachel muttered, and continued towards the force field, only darting sideways one or twice to avoid more dracons. Just at the last moment she made the fighter turn around sharply, coming to a violent stop and at once firing at the three pursuing bugs. They swerved off in alarm; one of them continued ahead, flying like a swan with a broken wing, staying airborne just long enough to reach the Blade ship and crash into it.

"Two down, two to go," Rachel announced. "Think this is distraction enough?"

Don't know, Tobias said. It'd certainly distract me. But the Blade ship might have enough troops to send some to the Rachel and still deal with one little Kelbrid fighter.

"Then they've underestimated this 'one Kelbrid fighter'," Rachel laughed. She was busy pursuing the next bug. The other was on her tail, firing madly, but that did not seem to bother her.

Finally, she got a clear shot, and the third bug fell in flames. Rachel veered the Hawk upwards, waited for the last bug to pass beneath her, and thereby received an excellent opportunity to blow that one to pieces as well.

The fourth followed the third to the ground.

"Now what?" wondered Rachel, obviously disappointed at the lack of more bugs as she let her fighter soar higher into the air to get a good look at more of the area around the Blade ship.

I think it's fairly obvious… Tobias said, noting their surroundings.

"What?"

Don't you see what I see?

"Hey!" protested Rachel.

Sorry. I mean, down below us. A bug fighter parking lot. All those bugs, just sitting there, waiting to be turned into a huge pile of ash and rubble.

"I like how you're thinking…" murmured Rachel, something dangerous glimmering in her blind eyes. But then she shook her head. "But blow up a fighter while it's inactive? Ka'an wouldn't like it. That would be like blowing up people on foot – which is cheating."

You just burned a chunk off the Blade ship, Tobias reminded her, wondering at this unexpected streak of scruples.

"The Blade ship, right now, could count as a house," Rachel said with a shrug. "You can blow up houses."

You said it was to keep it on the ground.

"So that was a bonus. Besides, I've got a very personal grudge against the Blade ship." Rachel bit her lip, circling with her fighter over the parked bugs, indecisive. Finally she smiled again. "Then again, as I've been trying to tell Ka'an, the Yeerks don't play by the rules. Why should we? Let's blow up some bugs."

A storm was brewing outside, whipping up stronger and stronger winds, but the arisths and Estrid were only dimly aware of it. Minalea had been right; the explanation about the Intrepid Situation was in fact very long and very boring.

Strangely, it was Aralgo who first noticed that one of them was missing. He frowned, and said; Where is Minalea?

All stalks flew in wide circles as the others looked about.

She's probably gone to take a look at that ship, sighed Larynia finally.

Typical of her, agreed Olana.

We'll just have to go get her, Estrid said. The Kelbrid don't seem about to turn on us, but we should keep together.

I'll go, offered Carali.

You will, will you? teased Aralgo.

Carali ignored that and headed for the door of the Phantom.

But suddenly Ka'an had appeared in the doorway, and he did not move out of the way – not even when Carali frowned at him.

"Scientist," said the Kelbrid, nodding shortly at Estrid. The air outside was whipping at the trees, beating at the sides of the ship, and almost hid his words. "The Touched have come to reclaim their ship. If yours is not hidden, they might claim that, too."

It is unstealable, Olana told him lowly.

"I do not think that will trouble them much," Ka'an said, ears leaning slightly out. "It will not be truly unstealable until it is burned to the ground. Then they will have to settle for its ashes."

Olana looked uncertain, obviously worried that Ka'an was not simply making an example.

What did you say about the Touched? demanded Larynia.

"They have come to reclaim their ship," Ka'an said. He looked at them, one by one. "Were there not one more of you?"

Yes, murmured Estrid, frowning in worry. We better all go – except you, Olana; you take care of the ship. Olana flicked her tail in agreement, and the rest of the Andalites followed Estrid towards the doorway.

But Ka'an remained where he was, blocking their path. "Where are you going? This is not a game. The Touched are coming, and your ship needs to be hidden, and so do you yourselves. Do not expect any mercy or any kindness from them only because you have seen it here. They do not like Andalites – we do not like Andalites, but a limith y'limith bond must be honoured." Something almost like concern passed his alien face, glimmering in the black of his eyes. "You should be kept safe, well hidden. And there is little time."

We can't run and hide right now, Carali told the Kelbrid bluntly, tail inching up unconsciously behind him.

Minalea went to inspect that ship, Olana explained.

Ka'an said a word that the translating chip refused to translate – it was probably not a very nice word. Then he continued; "I shall send someone to look for her." He turned away, out of the Phantom, and called an order – two orders. One Kelbrid gave a nod and sprang off towards the Jijfku ship, urging two others to follow (the Andalites saw this through their ship's windows), and one came towards the Phantom.

"Ela'aki will show you where to hide your ship, and where to hide yourselves," Ka'an began, as he turned back towards the arisths and the scientist. "I must –"

A swoop of wings was heard and a large, six-winged kafit bird stormed past the Kelbrid, making him take a hurried step back. His horn flew forwards, but the kafit had already caught the violent air beneath his wings and risen to the sky, too far up to be reached by horns. He had to work hard to even keep airborne, tossed about like a paper tissue in a hurricane.

"What was that?" Ka'an demanded of the remaining Andalites.

Don't know, lied Larynia.

What was what? wondered Aralgo.

Never seen one of those before, declared Olana.

Ka'an lay his head to the side suspiciously. "Scientist?"

Yes? Estrid wondered innocently.

Ka'an looked about. Ela'aki waited patiently behind him, but Ka'an did not seem to notice. His attention was on the Andalites. "Now," he muttered, sounding annoyed, "two of you are missing."

How odd, Estrid said pleasantly.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Author's Note;

*blinks in surprise* Incredible. It's finally finished. Have even updated a few of the older chapters. And been intimidated by the sheer length of this story. At the moment, it's exactly 300 pages.

A new (old?) picture of pretty little kii-raja has been added, here; http://www.livejournal.com/talkpost.bml?journal=stormfairy&itemid=25561

Also, I've sketched two Kelbrid pictures, and I might scan them in a few days and put them up as well.

I found one review-reply waiting patiently in a half-forgotten document. Super hurricane suggested that they could morph Hork-Bajir, and the Kelbrids' horns would simply be shredded. The reply was this;

Check chapter 18; …[Carali] tried to cut the horns with his blade, only to find that it was like trying to cut through a wall. The horns would not be shredded (not in my version of the Kelbrid… which I have Wonderful Dictatorship Rights over). Remember the cape buffalo's horns, which (according to somewhere in some book which I can't find for the moment) are so hard that bullets bounce off them? Kelbrid horns are not as bad, and they're flexible, but they wouldn't be shredded by Hork-Bajir blades.

It's a good idea. But that would make things too easy. And I can't let this story get away with easy.