HI! Over sixty reviews! Thanks to every one! Here's another chapter for all you readers, just to keep you interested…
Irish Rage And Love: Oooooh, the air is crackling! Yeah I know what you mean, nondescript. I was kinda just trying to tie in this chapter and Of Viruses and Promotions. You found out my dastardly plan, I was gonna do that after I'd finished the Hell of Forty, you know, maybe do an Asculin: The Warrior Years, kinda fic.
Okay, hopefully this chap will be more up your ally.
Sneaky Cheeky?
Kharina: I'm sorry about sounding kinda harsh in my response in the chapter before. It's just that funnily enough I don't really like a lot of Yeerks. I LOVE Esplin 9466 the Prime. I actually HATE Edriss 562, but, I respect her. That's why I chose her for my pen-name. I also love Iniss 226, I kinda feel that he has been taking care of Visser Three/One and deserves to be recognised. And The Inspector from the Weakness, I love him to. Otherwise I dislike most Yeerks. In my mind hey always seem to be traitors. I know that might not make a lot of sense.
Trust me; I can't see anything worth improving on the Homecoming. I would love to see an Alloran visiting the Visser in prison chap, but that's just me.
Aylary is just plain hot-tempered. She's the kinda the Andalite version of Rachel. Proving that beautiful does not necessarily mean nice.
The REAL Cheese Monkey: Great! Good to know you liked the two last chapters, I'm sorry to hear that your PC is going buggy. Mines going kinda slow actually.
Elwing: I'm honoured to get such a great review from you Elwing.
Trust me there was a very deliberate reason why Aylary did not say the vows. You'll find out soon. I'm actually going for the sort of sexist thing here. You know? The Andalites believe that there are MALE jobs and there are FEMALE jobs and you just don't mix the two.
Yeah, I actually went onto a How to Make Wedding Vows web site and read a article on how to write them. I'm glad you liked Asculin's.
Oh come on! Please tell me whether you are a guy or a girl! Do you know how annoying it is trying to speak to Keeda calling you a he/she or it or even Elwing all the time. I NEED to know! I am a GIRL! Now you tell me.
Anyway on to the next chapter. Please if anyone would like more questions answered or like to put forward any ideas please e-mail.
Chapter Eleven
God's Gift
Four weeks later we arrived at Velocia-Rex.
By the suns and many moons she was a welcome sight. Her red sands still stretched across in a planet wide desert. Her yellow sun shone brightly down on one side.
From behind the largest of her moons I saw the Nexus just beginning to de-cloak herself. It had been so many years since I last saw her!
I could remember vividly my friends and seeing Hath and Lor for the first time, those were the many hours.
(Sir,) reported a warrior named Samilin-Corrath-Gahar. He seemed like an honourable warrior, but somehow, though there was no logic in it, I did not like him. He felt wrong. I cannot explain more. (F.O? We are being hailed by the Nexus.)
I realised that Captain Eoptis was watching me. (Oh yes, on screen. With your permission Captain?)
The captain nodded his stalks. (Put the Nexus on.)
Instantly the image changed to the face of Captain Ellemar he seemed relaxed, calm, even bored. But the moment his gaze fell upon Captain Eoptis he became instantly alert. (Captain Eoptis! What a – an interesting day it must be for the Council to send you here.)
One powerful group of our government is referred to simply as "the Council". This is mainly built up of the highest ranking captain-princes and war-princes. During war times the Council becomes the War Council, it makes all the strategic decisions.
The War Council is advised by several groups, the most influential being Apex Level Intelligence.
Another group, the Electorate, is a representative of the People. One issue the Electorate controls is the number of children that are allowed to be born.
One aspect of Andalite culture that some species find disturbing I am told is its treatment of vecols, or disabled Andalites. The loss of a tail blade or tail signifies an Andalite as one. No matter their previous status, vecols are immediately looked down upon and seen as virtually insignificant. Vecols usually live in near-isolation, amongst only a few close friends who see past the vecol's disability.
My thoughts wondered back to the half-blind vecol I encountered at the Academy. He had seemed disturbingly similar…
(F.O? Are you with us?) Captain Eoptis asked, he was beginning to sound agitated.
I shook myself back to the present (Yes? Sir?)
The captain cuffed his hoof on the ground. (As I was saying to Captain Ellemar here. The Council has sent me here to uncover how the negotiations are going. So Captain,) Captain Eoptis sneered. No. He practically drawled. (How are the negotiations going?)
Captain Ellemar's face froze in a hard glare. It seemed that the two captains had a history between them.
(Captain?) Captain Eoptis prompted slowly.
Captain Ellemar narrowed his main eyes and glared back at Captain Eoptis. (Warriors' Alloran and Sofor are right now in talks with the Velocians leading body, but as of yet ….)
(As of yet no progress is being made,) Captain Eoptis finished. (I'm sorry but the Council simply cannot waste anymore of our resources on this particular – undertaking.)
(What do you mean to say, Captain?) my former captain asked slowly.
I frowned. What was going on between the two captains? Why had Captain Eoptis been sent here? Why now? Why right when the Nexus was due to return in order to allow more warriors to land on our surface base?
(Captain?) I asked
(Silence!) Captain Eoptis bellowed. (On the authority of the Council I hereby end the negotiations with Velocia-Rex until such time that a Council led investigation can take place.)
(But…) Captain Ellemar started. (The Electorate...)
(Have no say in the matter,) Captain Eoptis said bluntly. (This is under Council jurisdiction. In plain thought speak my dear Captain, military jurisdiction. You have thirty-six hours to evacuate your personal. One day Ellemar.)
Captain Ellemar looked as if he'd been struck. Only in friendly conversations did warriors not use their rank and I had the feeling that the two captains were not friends.
(Oh and Ellemar? I have won this time,) Captain Eoptis gloated.
The warriors on the bridge all exchanged private glances. What was going on? Captain Eoptis closed the communications link. He ordered the ship into z-space.
As the captains F.O, First Officer, I should have been advised about the full mission of this ship. I had not. Needless to say I was upset.
(Captain Eoptis I respectfully ask to speak with you privately,) I said boldly.
He indicated for me to follow him. We walked into a small ready-room. The captain was watching me slowly. He was taking in every move I made. Every breath I took.
This, too, annoyed me.
(Captain, what has just transpired?) I asked.
He turned to smile at me, (Wasn't it clear? The Council has decided that our efforts here on Velocia-Rex are going to waste and we should find a more worthy race to ally ourselves with.)
(More worthy race? The Veloce were in the stars long before we ever were.) I said.
(Yes, and now they're not. People who give up just because they are alone, people who rely on others. Weak people I mean, do not make good allies First Officer. You will learn this,) Captain Eoptis looked me straight in the main eyes. (This matter is closed. Dismissed.)
(But Captain with all due respect I ….)
In a flash my former tutor, my captain, rounded on me, his blade at my neck, anger in his eyes.
(F.O!) the thought speak came from the bridge. (A message from the Homeworld has just come through. Shall I send it forwards to the ready-room?)
The captain lowered his blade, (Send it through.)
I walked over to the screen, Captain Eoptis following close behind. It flickered for just a moment and then a young face came on the screen. It was of a newborn Andalite. Barely out of its mother's womb. His eyes had not yet opened.
(Who's this?) I asked cautiously.
In an instant the image changed to Aylary's beautiful face, she was beaming (His name is Deodatus-Langor-Irem, Asculan. He's your son.)
I hope you all liked this chapter. Next chapter will have a bit more action to it. Please REVIEW!