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A/N: Hey, I've posted the second chapter on the same day! Wow. Well, enjoy!

Today was the day. It was estimated that we would arrive on the Andalite homeworld at 3pm, Earth time.

I looked forward to seeing Jahar and my children again. But wait, they would be full adults now, no longer foals. Perhaps they would be married. My son could even be a Prince and I wouldn't know it. But no, military training can take ten years or more, and that would only bring my son to Warrior rank. Not Prince.

I would still have missed a lot. It was not right for my son and daughter to grow up without a father. I should have been there at their first days of school. Been there when my son went to the Academy. 'If he went,' I reminded myself. Been there when they married, if they had. Who knows, perhaps I could even be a grandfather! I paced nervously.

(Calm down, War- Prince Alloran.)

(It's just Alloran, Prince Aximili,) I said automatically.

(In that case it is just Aximili, Alloran. Why are you pacing?)

"Leave him, Ax," Illim said softly, as I walked into my private quarters.

I pawed at the ground. Whipped my tail from side to side, my stalk eyes constantly flicking back and forth. I started to kick at the cabin wall with a front leg.

The door to my quarters trilled. Illim's voice came form the other side. "Can I interest you in a video? A board game? Cards?"

(I'm fine.)

"Come on, we've a good five hours before we reach Andalite space. You can't stay in there the whole time."

(I've seen all the videos, read all the books, the good ones anyway, played all the games, played cards fifty times and lost every time…)

"Shall we go up to the Dome, then? Toby's up there. She says she'll show you how to do tree carvings."

I sighed. (You won't give up, will you?)

I walked out of my quarters and up to the Dome with Illim. In the Dome, Hork- Bajir tourists clustered round trees in groups, humans climbed trees, sat on the grass or swam in the lake and several Andalites were running around, presumably having their morning graze.

"Hey, Toby!"

A young female Hork- bajir turned to us. She gave a Hork- Bajir smile (which looks aggressive if you don't know what it is).

We walked over to her.

"Alloran wants to know how to do tree carvings," Illim informed her.

(Well, not really, I just want something to do.)

"I'll show you," Toby said. "Right. First, don't carve the bark below the eigth branch, because it's either too tough to carve on or it's edible. You want to carve the top of the tree."

(How am I supposed to carve the top of the tree?)

"Good point. I suppose, since your tail blade is stronger than my blades, you could carve the bark near the roots."

(What should I carve?)

"Anything. You could write or draw."

I drew a picture of the Andalite homeworld.

"No matter what we do, we're never going to get your mind off it, are we?" Illim asked.

(No.)

"It was a rhetorical question!"

(A what?)

"It means you don't answer it."

( I see.)

"Thanks, Toby," Illim said.

"No problem."

Illim led me away from the Hork- Bajir. "So now what do you want to do?"

(I want to go back to my cabin and continue to kick the wall, as I was doing before you interrupted me.)

"Hey! You just made a joke!"

(I did?)

We returned to our quarters,with megrowing more stressed by the minute. Cassie was there when we returned.

"Hey, guys. I just borrowed a new video for you to watch."

"Great! Alloran needs something to do."

(I am perfectly content,) I grated.

"No, you're not," Illim countered. "Sit down and watch Cassie's new video."

I obeyed. Several hours later, I had seen all of the video and was mooching about again.

"We're only an hour out now, Alloran. Shall we go to the bridge?" Asked Cassie.

"I'm not allowed, but you guys go," Illim replied.

"Aren't you allowed? Why not?" Marco asked

"Because I'm a Yeerk."

"So? You're coming with us and if anyone stops you, we'll defend you."

We went to the bridge, but a guard stopped us as we were about to enter. (Names?)

"Cassie,"

(Proceed.)

"Marco."

(Proceed.)

Marco didn't move. (Proceed!) The guard repeated.

"I'm not going in until I know you'll let my friend, Illim 871, inside too," he stated, indicating Illim with one hand.

(No Yeerks are allowed past this point. You, human, may choose whether or not to continue without your 'friend'.)

(Let him in,) I ordered.

(Captain's orders. No Yeerks on the bridge.)

(Not even when under the care and supervision of an Andalite War- Prince and two of the Animorphs?)

(Listen, War- Prince Alloran, you go in and ask the Captain's permission, not mine. I can't let him past.)

I did.

(Captain Brehar?) I asked.

(Yes?)

(I am War- Prince Alloran. I have three friends with me who wish to enter the bridge. Two are former Animorphs.)

(Then there should not be a problem. They are permitted on the bridge.)

(The third is a member of the Yeerk peace movement and has been vital in the war on Earth.) Well, it was true.

(No Yeerks are permitted on the bridge.)

The nice way wasn't working. I tried the more aggressive method.

(LET HIM THROUGH!) I yelled in my 'Visser voice'.

The Captain jumped about three feet in the air, and every Andalite on the bridge stared at me.

(Of course,) said the shaken Captain. He went to the entrance and told the guard to let Illim through. I stood on the bridge, feeling (and looking) very pleased with myself.

(I guess there are some advantages to having been enslaved to Esplin, after all,) I said to myself.

We all remained on the bridge for the next 45 minuites. We watched on the display screen as the Andalite world came into view. We were to land at the northernmost spaceport, the most important one. It was where the Electorate met and it was also the site of the Academy,as well as numerous scientific research facilites.

(Please make your way to the main exit for disembarking,) came the transmitted message as we neared the spaceport. We had already gathered together all our possessions and left them in the care of a guard near the main disembarking bay.

We were there within five minutes. There was a slight jolt as the ship landed in its cradle.

The doors opened, and I stepped forward onto the soil of my planet, a planet which I had not set hoof on for a very long time.

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