Chapter 2

Tobias

I braced myself for the crash. I felt Rachel pick up speed at an insane rate. If it weren't for internal compensators, all of us would have been smeared on the back bulkhead. The Rachel covered the distance between us and Blade ship in what seemed like a blink of the eye.

Here I come Rachel…Together forever…

Here...

I…

Come…

But instead of a fatal, cataclysmic crash, the Rachel veered slightly to the right, allowing the Blade ship to be missed by literally a couple feet.

"What! What is happening?" Jake cried. The smile was gone from his face, and a look of pure dread had replaced it.

"I...I don't know. The coordinates were perfect. The Blade ship would not have had time to maneuver. I can't explain it," Menderash admitted frantically as he quickly took control of the ship. "Hold on everyone!"

I watched as Menderash desperately slowed down the ship and swiftly turned her around. Even with the compensators, I was thrown to the ground. I felt my limbs fly into the bulkhead, not hard enough to kill me, but sure make me feel it. "Limbs, what, I morphed?" I thought to myself. I looked at my hands, my human hands. I guess in what I thought to be my final moments, I had morphed human. Thinking about it, I guess it is more fitting for me.

Marco, Jeanne, and Jake were also thrown about the bridge. Santorelli was able to grab hold of a bolted down seat and cling to it for dear life. I scrambled to my feet to only be thrown to them again as Menderash maneuvered the ship hard to the left. Streaks of Dracon lasers blew past the view port. Menderash maneuvered us wildly, but expertly, making us avoid all of the blasts.

"We will not be able to make that kind of run again any time soon. I have had to divert power to our front shields. It will take many minutes to power up the engines to get us back into Z-space," the former Andalite said.

"No, we will not run. We will continue to evade them. They will have to run down their cannon power soon enough. Just keep moving towards them," Jake said, but even as he said it, I knew he realized how ridiculous and fictional it sounded. The Blade ship could fire for days. Menderash only nodded and continued to work our way towards the Blade ship.

This space dance lasted another minute or so before two twin beams found their mark. The impact sent the Rachel into a mad, out of control, spin. Sparks shot out from wires and computers. The last thing I remember seeing was the floor under me, totally horizontal to my body. O, I am flying again, I thought. Then all went black as I slammed into the railing separating the back of the bridge from the front.

I woke what felt like hours later with a killer headache and blurred vision. After a few seconds, I remembered where I was and what had happened. I sat up to see Menderash still strapped in the pilots seat, but sprawled out over the front counsel. Blood ran from over his eye, down his face. I grabbed the railing and pulled myself to my feet. I stumbled once again, but was able to catch myself before I felt fully to the floor. I looked around again to see Santorelli pushing himself up from his seat. Apparently he was able to get in the seat and strap himself in before we were hit. He caught my eye and then started to look around. I did the same and I saw the others. Marco was in the way back of the bridge looking like every bone in his body was broken. His face was streaked with blood, and his arm bent behind his back at a very non-natural angle. Jeanne was also bloody, but I could see her eyes fluttering. A moment later, she opened them and, with difficulty, pulled herself to her feet. Instantly she fell to the ground, moaning in pain.

I pushed off of the railing and limped over to Jeanne. She was grabbing her left ankle.

"It is broken, but that is all," She said in her heavy French accent. I laid my hand on her shoulder and told her it would be ok. "Go, help the others. I will be fine," was all she said. I nodded to her and started to walk towards Marco. I saw that Jake was up, and had already gotten to his friend. Jake's forehead looked like it had almost been ripped off. The top of his hair was pulled back, and many clumps of hair were missing. His right eye was swollen shut, and I could see blood flowing heavily from his side. Through this all, Jake moved to Marco, yelling frantically for him to wake up.

"Marco, wake up! Wake up right now! You have been through way worse then this man. This is nothing," Jake cried frantically. He grabbed Marco by the shoulder, or what should have been his shoulder, and shook him.

"AAAGGGHHH!" Marco screamed as he was shaken awake. " O MY GOD! AGH!"

"Marco! O man!" Jake exclaimed. He threw himself around his friend, hugging him fiercely. This only made Marco scream worse.

"Everyone, morph. Morph now," I yelled over Marco's screams. "It is the only way to repair the damage." I looked to Jake, who in turn looked to Santorelli and Jeanne, nodding his agreement. I could already see orange and black patches of fur replace the hair ripped from his scalp. I took a deep breath and thought of the hawk. I could feel the changes begin immediately. In only a few moments, I was in my natural body. No pain was there, but the memory of it still hung. With my fierce hawk eyes I say Jake, already finished with his tiger morph, and Marco, just about done with his gorilla morph. I looked to Santorelli.

It was wasn't the first time I saw him morph. Sometimes to pass the time during our trip, we would morph to our battle morphs and have mock fights. We would never really injure each other, but we would wrestle and train. Santorelli started to morph into an African lion. As I watched, a golden mane sprouted from his neck. His eyes became golden yellow and his pupils became black feline slits. In only a few moments, he was a full grown, male African lion.

Jeanne also started to grown golden fur from her body, but unlike Santorelli, she didn't grow a mane. In just as short of a time, the French beauty was a very dangerous lioness. Two very powerful morphs. I had seen the two of the soldiers wrestle. Though the male lion was much bigger and had brute strength on his side, Jeanne was able to use her speed and work with her strength to effectively take down her male counterpart half the times they fought. She was cunning and ruthless. She thought before she attacked, but didn't hold back. She was the perfect combination of Cassie and Rachel.

((Now that everyone is ok, we better get ready for anything that might happen next. I only think we were out for a couple of minutes.)) Jake said. He walked gracefully over to Menderdash, nudging the former Andalite lightly in the side.

"Ugh," the nothlit said as he woke up. He rubbed his human hands against his bloody forehead, and quickly assessed the damage to himself.

((Menderash, will you be ok?)) Jake asked. I could hear true concern in his though speak.

"Yes. Only minor damage was done to my body. Luckily, these harnesses are here for more then just decoration," the Andalite said. I swear, the man was getting a sense of humor.

((Can you get us powered up again?)) Jake asked. I looked around, and for the first time, I noticed that there was no sign of power at all in the ship. All of the lights were out and there wasn't the gentle, constant hum of the engines and power generators.

Menderash turned his attention fully to the computer, and after a few moments spoke up again. "There is only a little power still active. It is currently keeping life support on, but that will run out within the hour."

Then I noticed something. Something was missing.

((Where is the Blade ship?)) Jeanne asked. Apparently she noticed the exact same thing. And as if to answer, the hull shook violently, and then settled.

"They are attaching themselves to us. They are going to board us," Menderash said.

((Everyone, get ready. Remember that there are morph capable Yeerks aboard that ship. Stay in teams of two no matter what. Marco, you and Santorelli. Tobias, you and Jeanne, and Menderdash, stay behind me,)) Jakes said. Always the general, I thought.

"Captain, it will not be necessary for you to protect me," Menderash said. He walked to a store compartment in the back of the bridge, and quickly opened it. He pulled out three hand held shredders, two of which he fastened to his utility harness. He also pulled out a couple other weapons, and a few of what looked like grenades. "I will be able to protect myself and you."

((Good to hear. Now, everyone, get ready.)) Jake said. ((As soon as the seal opens, rush into the Blade ship. Don't look back. Stick together, and keep your position known to us.)) We all moved to the back of the Rachel where the pressure doors were. We would hear the grinding sound as the doors were being welded off. During this time, I concentrated on my morph. It wasn't necessarily a new morph, because I had acquired it over two years ago, but I had never used it more then a couple times, and never for battle. My body grew and grew. Dark brown fur replaced my feathers and my beak shot out to become a snout. My eye sight severely weakened, but my sense of smell got even better. My hearing also weakened little, but still stayed very acute. Within seconds I was a full grown grizzly bear. Not just any grizzly, but the exact one Rachel acquired and favored. I don't know why I went to acquire the grizzly, but I just figured it was so that part of Rachel would always be with me.

((Wow Tobias. She would love it, as crazy as it is,)) Marco said. This caught me as a shock. I don't know why, but that type of comment just didn't seem like a Marco thing to say. A few seconds later, the lasers burnt through the hull, ripping the door away. The two ships were connected, hull to hull. I looked and could see dimly into the corridor of the Blade ship. Obviously the ship's computer handled the cutting. The rest of the crew was no doubt waiting for us, ready to kill. I went in first. There was no fear in my mind. Jake quickly followed me, then the rest of our team entered.

The corridor was dimly lit, except for a light that ran all across the top of the hall. We took a right, and eventually came to a three way split in the corridor.

((This looks fun. Tobias, keep going to the far right. Marco, you go far left. I will take the one going straight. We all search for the bridge. Also remember, this is a search and destroy mission as well as a search and rescue. We find Yeerks, we kill Yeerks.)) Jake said. All business. That is all this was to him. I felt the same way. Vengeance would be served.

((We'll holler if we have any fun,)) Marco grumbled. With that, he and Santorelli ran down the far left. I looked at Jeanne, and she just nodded her lion head in a very human way, indicating she was ready to go. I then looked over to Jake to find him staring at me with his intense tiger eyes.

((Tobias, when we find him, he is yours,)) Jake said to me. I knew what he ment. The Polar bear.

((Yeah, hopefully I find him first. And Jake…don't...Don't die,)) It was all I could think of. I sincerely meant it. The hostility between Jake and I had strained, and I finally was willing to let it go. I could never forgive his decision all those years ago, but I could understand it. We were here to set things right. I swear, if a tiger could cry, I know that Jake would right at that moment. It was one weight off his back. Instead, he just held his gaze with mine for another second, then turned and headed straight down the middle corridor.

I turned right and kept walking. I could smell a new sent. I was unsure of it, but I could smell it. Another animal, here, in my territory. I would find it, and I would kill it.

Jeanne trotted along next to me, her lion eyes seeing everything in the dark in perfect detail. We went for maybe twenty five yards before we entered into a type of mess hall. It had three long tables with benches on each side. The room looked nearly deserted, but the smells gave away that it was in use regularly.

((Tobias, move!)) Jeanne cried. As she said it, I saw the movement out of my right eye. A lioness, like Jeanne, but slightly smaller. The big cat charged, leaping on the farthest table to the right, and glared its yellow eyes at me. I braced myself on my hind legs and stood. I stood to full grizzly height and bellowed a roar of challenge. The lioness roared her own cry, then launched herself at me. I swung my right paw as hard as I could right as she got within range, slamming her in mid air into the near by wall to my left. With all the speed I could muster, I spun and launched myself at the cat. The swing had torn open the animal's side and there was a clear dent in her ribs.

((Oh come on, all this time and this is it,)) I taunted. The rage boiled up inside of me and I wanted nothing more then to kill. To kill, but I still wanted a fight. The Lioness glared at me, knowing her mistake had probable cost her her life.

((Animorph, you have no idea who you are dealing with,)) The Yeerk responded. From behind me, down the hall, I could hear the clanging as hooves charged at us. I knew it was the Cape buffalo. The one that had made it impossible for Rachel to fight the polar bear.

((You get the lioness, I will take the buffalo,)) I ordered to Jeanne. She agreed and leaped gracefully towards the other lioness. The Yeerk, despite her damage, charged at Jeanne and fought back.

I spun in time to brace myself for the full force of the buffalo's attack. The Yeerk stuck me full in the left shoulder, sending me sprawling backward, but the Yeerk didn't count on me standing there, taking the full brunt of the attack. The Yeerk stumbled and fell into the nearby table. Its massive weight destroyed the bench it landed on. I felt my left shoulder go numb as I fell back, but I ignored it. The buffalo was down and I had to use that to my advantage.

I pushed myself up and charged towards the beast. I reached it right as it regained its footing. In a charge, the buffalo was my superior, but up close, it had no real weapons to combat my size, claws, and teeth. I planted both of my clawed paws over the buffalo's horns and pushed down with all of my weight. This exposed the buffalo's neck, which I bit down ferociously on. The thick hide offered resistance at first, but my teeth were able to rip into the beast.

Blood flowed into my mouth, but my angle didn't allow me to get to make a fatal wound. I was forced to twist my body around to the left, to try to reach a better angle, but this gave the buffalo the room it needed to slam me sideways. I hit the edge of the nearest table and rolled over the top. I rolled over quickly to my paws, ready for the next attack, but it never came. I looked to see the buffalo, charging with all of its might, at Jeanne, who held her enemy by the neck. The wound on the other lioness was fatal, and if Jeanne could just have another ten seconds, the Yeerk would be dead. However, I knewJeanne didn't have ten seconds. The buffalo's charge would kill Jeanne, probable also his companion Yeerk, but Jeanne none the less.

((Jeanne, let go now and move!)) I cried as I launched myself off of the table and across the room. Jeanne responded immediately and jumped away from her prey. The Buffalo was able to pivot right at the last second, but couldn't slow itself down. It crashed head first into the wall, momentary stunning itself. Jeanne landed just a foot away from the beast.

The moment was all we needed. We were both on the animal in half a second. Jeanne, using her lion claws, clung madly onto the buffalo's back, sinking her razor sharp fangs into the buffalo's already exposed neck. I moved behind the huge beast, and with all of my strength, slashed with my right paw sideways into the buffalo's right hind leg. This sent the beast to its knee. I repeated the attack, this time fully taking the animal off of its feet. The beast tumbled to the floor, giving Jeanne the angle she needed to bite into the jugular. I didn't wait for her to make the kill. I also sank my fangs into the beast's neck. I felt the Yeerk's terror as it's body started to die. Then, as if the Yeerks host finally won the battle between them, he said his last words, in total control.

((Thank you,)) Then he died. We removed ourselves from the beast already searching for our other enemy. The injured Yeerk had been cunning, and using the distraction her comrade made for her, she demorphed and remorphed back to lion. But instead of helping her doomed comrade out, she ran.

((Lets go get her,)) Jeanne said. There was no excitement in her tone, just a grim determination. Her lion's face was covered in blood, and her sides were both cut with deep claw marks from her fight. She started at a run out of the mess hall. I followed her. We tracked our prey down the hallway, then back to the area where the hall split.

((She went to the far left one,)) Jeanne said. She kept running down the hallway. I could also smell where the lioness went. I followed my team mate down the dark corridor. We ran for only a little distance before the hall opened into a large cargo area. In the middle of the room was a Gorilla, swinging a metal pole like a bat, holding a fierce looking lioness off. Great, another Lioness. I then saw Santorelli, his golden mane shining even in the dark light. He was battling the bear. The polar bear. The beast that killed my beautiful Rachel.

((Santorelli, get off him. He is mine. Help Marco. Jeanne, take our other friend the lioness,)) I ordered. Santorelli jumped over a low swing by the polar bear, then ran to take down the lioness harassing Marco. The second Yeerk lioness leapt on Marcos back, biting at his neck, but his powerful gorilla hands were able to grab it and throw it off him into a bulk head. Jeanne was on the lioness in a flash, tearing and ripping into the beast.

((Now Yeerk, it is time to pay. You scared?)) I asked the polar bear. It just looked at me and bared it's fangs, ((Well, you should be.)) I launched myself fully at the bear just as he charged at me. We collided into each other in a massive heap of muscle, fur, and teeth. I can't remember a time where I was totally focused on one thing, that I couldn't remember anything else, but I know this was one of those moments. I swung my claws with everything I could. As much damage as I put out, I received. The whole time I fought with the combined brains of not just the grizzly and human, but the grizzly, human and hawk. I fought for Rachel. She was the only thing on my mind. Not about death, not about pain, but about vengeance. The polar bear out weighted me, but it didn't have the want to win like I did. It didn't need this kill.

The battle drug on for minutes that seemed like hours. I vaguely felt the Yeerk's claws make contact with the left side of my head, taking with it my left ear and half of my skull, all the skin from the left side of my face, and my left eye. I didn't care. I knew I was severely hurt, but I didn't care. It just made me fight harder. I continued to swing, swing with all of my might. I used my left paw and stabbed my claws straight into the polar bear's right ear. The claw found it's mark, sliding right into the animals ear and stabbing into it's head. The bear let out a sound, almost like a balloon popping. It then collapsed on the ground, defeated. I stared down at my enemy. I let loose the loudest, most terrifying roar ever heard. I swear, it shook the stars.

Slowly, I remembered where I was, what I was doing. The pain hit me, and I stumbled to my side. I looked and saw Marco, Santorelli, and Jeanne all standing there, watching me. Their battle morphs bloody, but still in fighting shape. Behind them lay the remains of two lionesses.

((Tobias…demorph now man!)) Marco yelled. He moved towards me and caught me as my bear body collapsed. Yeah, demorph, what a novel idea, I thought. I focused on my hawk body. I could feel myself getting smaller, but also my strength flowing back into me. In only a few moments I was a hawk. I didn't want to be a hawk. I had to get emotions out. In only a few more moments, I was a human. I young human male. I crouched on my knees and put my hands to my face. I cried. I cried and cried, releasing all of the anger, sadness, and terror that had been in me for the last three and a half years.

I vaguely felt Marco wrap his arms around me, human arms, holding me, crying with me softly.

"She is proud of you you know. After that fight, she is proud," He whispered in my ear. I responded with a high pitched wail, followed by a laugh.

"Jake needs us," I said over my sobs. Marco nodded, and then the both of us morphed. I stayed as a hawk. I didn't need the grizzly anymore. We took off down the hall with freshly morphed Santorelli and Jeanne.