Hi all! It's me!

Quillian: Yes we are now up to TAC timeline…well, Asculan seemed to be a bit clingy about Alloran, a bit more close to him than to Feyorn or Breeyar or Sofor, so I figured he'd be VERY upset about losing him. I guess maybe he thought that he and Alloran were outcast together.

Irish Rage And Love: Asculan is more than pissed! I thought it was understandable because sometimes when you lose someone instead of being upset you're just angry and try to find someone to blame, at least that's the way it is for me.

I was actually worried about the battle sequence, I'm not really all that good at writing action sequences so I'm glad that you liked it. I was hoping to show how Asculan was unlike Elfangor in the way that he wasn't very happy to pull a suicide attack to defeat the enemy: he was more interested in coming out alive.

Elwing: To get the subject of Keeda out of the way…Yeah, she 'apparently' hasn't got any more ideas about carrying on her fics.

Don't worry about forgetting to review just as long as you enjoyed it! Hmmm, I think I have a arrogance complex don't I? Most of the characters are kind of …well…mean. My favourite character actually is Eoptis I think, I don't know why, I just like him.

Aylary? She married Asculan's best friend! Well, whatever floats your boat.

I'm really pleased that you liked the last chapter and the action. Please enjoy.


The REAL Cheese Monkey: Oh yeah, way, way worse. The Abomination is here! Bow to him!

Now, please enjoy the next chapter. Look out for an old erm…friend.

Chapter Twenty One

Blame

I paused, what else to say? I reread the short paragraph I had already written:

Your son, Aristh Annesthal-Neyfrir-Isthion, has died an honourable death serving the People and fighting the Yeerk scum. He will be forever remembered as a fine warrior by his friends and a good student by his teachers.

What else? Was there really any need for anything more? In truth whatever I wrote was a lie. I didn't even know this aristh and chances were tomorrow I would have forgotten I had anything to do with him.

It was a lie to say I knew him and he served well, I'm sure that he did but I didn't know. As far as I was concerned he was just another five minuets of time consuming work. Him and the other fifty seven dead.

If I had been able to forfeit any task it would have been this one. Writing letters to the family of those lost in battle. It was a disgusting task.

I decided that I had done enough. I stood away from the computer consol and said, (Computer? Forward all messages to the War-Council. Off.)

I looked out at the blankness of Zero-space and wondered whether the Yeerk vissers to had to write letters to the next of kin of their warriors? Did they write letter after letter? Each one replacing the last?

(No,) I mumbled. (I bet you don't.)

I thought about Alloran. Would anyone write a letter to his wife and children? What about his brother, Arbat? I at least new the answer to the last question. Recently I had spoken with Arbat, he and Alloran had never gotten on well together.

Alloran had been away on serving on ships through most of Arbat's life. When Arbat had decided to join the Intelligence sector of the War Council rather than the Fleet Alloran had decided then and there that he disliked his brother.

Not all were made out to be warriors though. Elfangor was a prime example. Oh Ellimist I hated Elfangor, I hated him with every bit of strength I had. After a week of thinking I had come to realise that it was not Feyorn's fault that Alloran was – was taken. No.

Who was with Alloran on that mission? Elfangor.

Who was the only one to survive unscathed from that mission? Elfangor.

Who had 'disappeared' into a black hole never to be heard of again? Elfangor.

Why, you ask, do I not believe that Elfangor is really dead? Simple, I checked the reports of the battle of the Graysha Nebula and not only did the Blade ship of Visser Thirty–Two, Alloran, dock with the Jahar, but the Visser boarded it.

So…how come the Visser survived the Black hole and not Elfangor? He was alive; I knew it and I felt it. Unfortunately the StarSword was out of contact so I could not hail Feyorn and apologise for my unfitting behaviour.

I would make do promising myself that if I ever found Elfangor I would drag him to his family have him discharged from the military then shot. Then. I'd bring him back so I could do it all over again.

Sometimes I worried that I had a habit of blaming others for misfortune, then I realised that most usually it was actually their fault and I was right to blame them.

My ready-room's door chimed. I ignored it, what I really wanted to do was rest; I wanted to close my main eyes and sleep. It chimed again. I ignored it.

Again. Ignore it, I told myself.

Yet again. (What?) I asked giving up on the hope that the person would give up and go away.

(May I enter?) the 'voice' belonged to War-Prince Jaham, he sounded nervous and afraid.

(What? Yes, yes, enter,) I snapped.

The doors opened and Jaham stepped gingerly through, for a brief second I saw the faces of the other warriors on the bridge watching me then the doors closed again.

I turned my lone stalk eye to look at War-Prince Jaham, (What?)

He seemed disturbed that I was not facing him but he kept his formal stance (We received this…distress call…a few minutes ago…and well, well, it was sent from the Dome ship Rebellious.)

I nearly laughed. All of Captain Eoptis's ships it seemed bore the name Rebellious, then I realised that War-Prince Jaham had said 'distress call'. (When? Where? How soon until we can arrive? Are there any other ships nearby? What happened? Any dead? Any alive?)

The War-Prince looked confused. No doubt wondering which question to answer first. (I already changed course sir; we will arrive in one standard hour. Here,) he handed me a pad, (this is the message we received. Am I dismissed?)

I looked down at the pad in my hands, already I was lost in its words, (What? Yes, go. Now.)

He turned and left, once I was sure he had gone I said, (Computer? Play audio file DC- zero, zero, one, eight.)

It was Captain Eoptis's voice that filled my mind. It was his harsh, decisive tone I heard. (…we have received damage to our Zero-space engines….can not be repaired….came out of nowhere…it was…it was him, the Abomination…)

I didn't wait for the message to finish. I rushed onto the bridge ploughing into Prince Kayless, (Scan the area around the Rebellious! The moment we leave Z-space I want all fighters launched! We may have some company.)

Luckily enough by the time we arrived at our wounded sister ship the attackers had left. The last of the long line of ships to bear the name Rebellious hung dead in space. Fighters orbited her like a floating graveyard. There was no sign on life at all. Here and there we saw the damaged remains of Bug fighters. So. They had been here to, the Yeerks.

(Any life signs?) I asked though I was sure the answer was no.

Prince Kayless looked at the readout then said softly, (Only one. It's on the bridge. There's minimal life support. Permission to lead a team over there?)

I looked at the ruins of the Dome ship and then to Prince Kayless, (No. I will go.)

(But, Captain…)

(End of discussion,) I stated flatly.

It was a dead ship.

The life support was very low. The Dome ship known as Rebellious supported no life that we could see. But within its lifeless, broken hull had once supported an army of warriors.

Now the Rebellious was lifeless, save for the ten Andalites that stood safely searching the only safe place remaining on the ship – the bridge.

I was one of the ten. The others were much younger and, at this moment, were sullener than I had ever seen then.

I was not surprised. Standing at the site of a vast tragedy had that result.

The bodies were still there, or course. When we could retrieve them we would honour them, giving them a hero's burial. But, the damage was too great and we would never be able to find most of them.

I didn't speak immediately after we entered the bridge. I let the warriors look around and absorb what they saw for themselves. They should know what death looks like – even if it comes at this cost.

I began to walk around the bridge, cautiously. (We are in a place of death, warriors. We can feel it, can sense it. This is honoured ground. A place where lives were sacrificed in order to preserve noble ideals. One day, any of you might be in a similar scenario.)

They all looked at me now, scared.

(You hear from one of you scouts, who is attacked and killed shortly after he sends the message, that the Yeerks are coming,) I continued, my 'voice' echoing throughout the ship. (Yeerks. You've faced them in battle, nearly died. And now, they're coming. For you.)

They shifted uneasily.

(They are coming for you,) I repeated, (And your people can't do a thing to help you. You're too far away. You know what they want, and you know their tactics. They've never left anyone alive before.) I paused in mid stride and whirled back, catching their eyes with my scarred face.

(But they've never done what they are doing before. They might take you prisoner. They might infest you. Make you a slave. You just don't know. Now can you understand these warriors true sacrifice?)

They looked at me blankly. I sighed. Maybe they were just too young. Maybe at their age, I wouldn't have been able to understand myself either. After all, wasn't I the one who secretly reprogrammed the Advanced Strategic Exercise Trial in order to become the only aristh able to win the simulation?

(That was…some speech…Captain,) the voice was soft and hurt. Captain Eoptis! I hurried over to were he lay. He had a deep gash on one side and burns covered the rest of his exposed form.

(Captain! Hold on, we'll help you,) I said softly, kneeling beside him.

He looked at me through sad eyes, (It's not too easy, Asculan. I will die. Here. Today. We…the crew…fought well. It was not…enough.)

(That's not true,) I said. (We can get you to a doctor. It's not your time to die.)

(Time to die,) Captain Eoptis echoed. (It is. Asculan…Alloran isn't Alloran anymore…don't make the mistake I did…you must avenge him.)

I wanted to lie, but I couldn't (I know. They have him. The Yeerks. I will do what I must.)

Slowly, Captain Eoptis nodded, (Good,) he said. (What is it that your friends the Voloce said when they were saying goodbye?)

What? What did he mean? I thought franticly, (Be happy and - and - always free.)

He smiled at me and closed his eyes. All of them. He died. In a half destroyed ship. He died. Far, far from his home. His people. He gave his life – as did the entire crew of the great Andalite Dome ship Rebellious – for freedom.

Captain Eoptis-Sothil-Esgarouth died a great warrior and hero. His memory will live on forever. No greater praise or honour can be given to a warrior.

I stood and looked at the young warriors standing nearby. They understood. This is what it meant to be a hero. No brave speeches, no good winning against evil. This was a cold, hard fact.

(Even heroes have to die.)

There we have it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please REVIEW!