"Okay, so we're hijacking a spaceship," Marco announced. "How are we gonna do that?"
Ax looked to each of us. [What weapons do you have at your disposal?]
"Morphing," Jake told him. "That's it."
[What morphs do you have?] Ax asked him. [Have you acquired the forms of any of the races the Yeerks have enslaved?]
Jake shook his head. "No. But we're not completely helpless. You?"
[Since my arrival on this planet, I have acquired morphs for hiding and travel,] Ax said. [The one your people call a rat, and this creature.]
[That's called a coyote.]
Ax looked up at me. [Your flying morphs would be better suited for scouting this world. I have seen many such lifeforms but have been unable to procure one. I believe that my khaffit bird would be too conspicuous.]
"No problem," Tobias told him. "We can all go to Cassie's and grab you a crow morph." He looked over at Cassie. "Assuming you still have it, anyway."
Cassie shook her head. "We released her earlier this week."
[My "coyote" should remain adequate, for now.]
"What about your family's steer, Cassie?" Jake asked her. "Seems to me we could all grab one easy enough."
"That's a bad idea," Marco said.
"Why?" Tobias asked him. "Jake was right. We need bigger morphs. And a herd of cows should - "
"Exactly," Marco said. "A herd. As in, we all morphed the same, what…" Marco gave Cassie a questioning look. "Three cows?"
"Two. And they're steer, now cows." Cassie shrugged. "So?"
But I knew what Marco was getting at. [So Cass, if your neighbors come by, or someone drops off an injured animal, and they're a Controller who saw us hijack a Yeerk ship, what will they think when they see those same steer grazing on your land?]
Cassie hung her head. "Oh."
"Remember, kids," Marco said to us, "we're only paranoid when we're wrong."
"Let's call it, 'an overabundance of caution," Jake said with a forced grin.
[Our enemies could be anywhere,] Ax agreed. [Anyone.]
[We're aware,] I told him.
"What's the difference between a steer and a cow?" Tobias asked Cassie.
"Cows are for dairy," Cassie answered, "and steer are for meat. Steer are neutered bulls that are raised for slaughter."
"Big Macs," Jake explained. "Big Macs, one and all."
[I believe I have seen your "steer,"] Ax said to her. [They appear quite docile.]
I filed that bit of information away. Ax must have been scouting local farms and ranches out by Cassie's place. He might have found something to use against us.
"They're neutered to keep them calmer," Cassie explained, "because bulls are dangerous to keep contained. I considered acquiring one after…" Cassie looked from me to Jake, "you- know-what. Just in case."
[What is a "bull?"]
"One sec." Jake pulled out his phone and started texting. After a minute, he turned the phone around to show Ax. From my spot on the ground, I could see the familiar header for YouTube. Jake was showing Ax a video of a Spanish bullfight.
[...And your people prey upon these animals?]
"Well," Cassie said, "some of us."
[Intriguing.] Ax's coyote features appeared transfixed. [The bull could destroy that human in an instant, yet he wields only a cloth and primitive weapons and appears to be winning. The Yeerks were right to target this planet.]
"We're flattered," Marco said sarcastically. Jake put his phone away.
[If your home would be endangered,] Ax said, [is there another location we could acquire bull morphs? Unlike your steer, they seem useful.]
"They're the same animal, Ax," Cassie explained again. "They've just been altered."
[How so?]
"They were neutered."
[What is "neutered?"]
Marco smirked. "They had their testicles removed," Cassie told Ax. "As they grow, you - "
"I think he gets the picture," Jake interrupted. "Let's try to stay on subject."
"Please," Tobias said.
[I do not wish to know more,] Ax said to Cassie. My birdy eyes rolled. Boys will be boys.
Cassie snorted. "It's not as bad as it sounds. But I know how boys get when they hear about it."
"Moving right along," Jake continued. "We need bigger morphs. We lucked out when we fought those centipede-things as crows, but I don't relish our chances against those Hork-Bajir."
"Or if Visser Threee turns into another giant, fuck-off monster," Marco reminded us.
"So." Jake clapped his hands. "Where can we find big morphs?"
Tobias raised his hand. "One of the big ranches? Wouldn't endanger Cassie at all."
[We don't know if any of the ranches or their hands are Controllers,] I said.
"And every rancher worth their cattle keeps their fields under constant watch," Cassie said. She looked at Ax. "Especially for coyotes. No way we'd get in or out without being seen, either by a ranch hand or a game camera."
"Aren't those for hunting?" Tobias questioned.
"They're also excellent for figuring out how raccoons keep running off with your chickens," Cassie answered. "Trust me. Every homesteader has them, and we won't see them."
"Okay, no cow tipping for us," Jake said. "So where else? What can we get to that would wreck Visser Three?"
No one said anything for a few moments. Then…
"Oh, man," Marco moaned.
[What?] I asked him.
"I know where." Marco shook his head. "Fuck me and my genius intellect."
[Excuse me? Your what?]
"What did you come up with, Marco?" Jake asked him.
"The zoo in the Bay, man," Marco said. "The Gardens. Remember back in third grade when we went on that field trip? They've got lions and tigers and all sorts of things."
"Oh my," Cassie said with a smile.
Tobias snapped his fingers. "Of course! Why didn't we think of that?"
"Because you have to actually touch a tiger to acquire its DNA," Marco reminded him.
"Oh." Tobias sagged. "Right."
[Doesn't matter,] I instantly said. [Ax needs to go home, and we've had one too many close calls already. We need combat morphs. They're worth the risk.]
"You just want to morph into an elephant and stomp stuff," Marco accused me.
"Okay," Jake said before I could offer a retort. "We'll all hit the Gardens this weekend. Cassie, can you drive?"
"Sure." Cassie stood up, sensing the meeting was wrapping up. "Mom will be thrilled that I'm taking my friends to study animals."
"Great." Jake clapped his hands together. "I suggest we all hit the Garden's website tonight and go through it. If we pick out morphs tonight, it'll save time tomorrow."
[I will await your return,] Ax announced.
I cocked my head at him. [You're not coming?]
[I believe my own body will be more than efficient for our task.] Ax stood up as well. [Shall we meet again here two days from now? At the same time?]
I did math in my head. That was Sunday afternoon. "Sounds good," Jake said. "It was an honor to meet you, Aximili."
[But remember,] I told Ax. [This is a favor. You owe us.]
[I will not forget,] Ax said evenly. He trotted off into the brush.
Once he was gone, Jake glared at me. "Could you try being a little less hostile towards him?"
[Spare me.] I flapped up into the tree. [He didn't try to murder you.]
"We attacked him, Rachel!" Tobias exclaimed.
[And in less than twelve seconds, he killed a Controller with a gun, and almost you and me along with her!] I could still see the woman's body bleeding out all over the food court. [Ax is dangerous. Why can't any of you see that?]
Marco raised his hand. "I can."
[Thank you, Marco.]
"You're welcome."
"He means us no harm," Cassie said me. "You don't have to be scared of him,"
God help me, I wanted to punch her in the throat right then and there. [I'm not scared of Ax,] I said slowly, struggling to stay calm. [I just think we have every reason not to trust him completely.]
"We're not," Jake said. "We haven't told him about the disk. And he hasn't told us everything about him, either. But you need to relax. Your attitude could mess this up for everyone involved."
[Baby steps,] I said. [That's all I'm asking.]
That was a lie. They all knew it. But no one said anything. The meeting broke up. I went back to the locker rooms, demorphed and got dressed, and Cassie took me home without another word.
